The Bridge

From: Aru (missarundhati@gmail.com)
Story type: Ghost
Location: India
Source: Form Submission
Date submitted: Mon Jan  5 04:37:49 2009

In India there is a tradition of applying turmeric paste to the would-be bride and groom before the actualy wedding ceremony. Once we had gathered at my best friend's place where her elder sister was getting married. Her parents decided that after the turmeric applying ceremony she would be taken to the marriage hall. One of her aunts from her in laws side objected to this. The reason she gave was that it is not advisable for a bride or groom to cross a bridge with the turmeric paste applied.

Everyone found this rather stupid but the in laws would not listen. They narrated a story that happened in their family. A young man was about to get married. On the eve of the wedding he went out with his friends. They all got a bit drunk and the young man wanted to go to the loo. They were on one side of a bridge and there was a public toilet at the other end. This man walked over to the other side and didnt return. His friends panicked and reported this to his family.

The man was not found for the next two days n the wedding was cancelled. On the third day some unknown people got him home. They said they found him wandering in the mountains some 300 kms from his village. The man was blabbering something which noone could decipher. he was also making strange gestures and rolling his eyes. So they took him to a tantrik (paranormal expert).

The tantrik told the family that the young man was captured by the spirit of a young bride who had died on her way to the wedding. Her vehicle lost its balance n tripped off the bridge. Since then the spirit haunted that part of the bridge. The tantrik also told them that the deceased bride recognized him by the scent of the Turmeric paste applied on his body.

He also warned them that no bride or groom should cross a bride with the turmeric paste applied. If there is someone who has died on his/her wedding day, the spirit would capture the body of such a person.

I'm very sceptic about this story but if any of you had similar experiences do write to me at the address given above. Thanks.