Madhya Pradesh: Carrying the souls of departed relatives in a flame!

Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh): Patients and their kin visiting the district hospital in Neemuch were surprised when they saw family members of one Raju Mangilal, who died a year back due to corona performing some rituals on hospital premises.

When they inquired, relatives and seers told them that they are performing ‘Anokhi Gatla’ ritual as it will help them to take Raju’s soul in the form of flame to their place in Luhariya Chundawat in Singoli tehsil of Neemuch district.

Not only the family members of Raju, but five to six relatives of one 32-year-old Govind Valmiki, a native of Chittorgarh, Rajasthan were seen performing the same ritual at the hospital. They believe the ritual will help the departed souls to attend salvation.

Notably, the district hospital premises is witnessing such rituals for the past few days.

Eyewitnesses claimed that in the last couple of days, in about 5 to 6 cases, relatives from different villages reached the district hospital from where the flame was taken to their native places after doing tantra-mantra. For many, it was a strange scene as the ritual was performed at the hospital, instead of the cremation ground.

A seer who is performing the ritual said that it is an important ritual for the deceased's family members, and many people come to take the soul of their deceased relatives in the form of a Jyoti (flame).

People attach great importance to this belief, especially in cases of untimely death. Family members worship the idol of their departed relative who has left this world untimely, but not before performing ‘Anokhi Gatla’.

This flame helps them to fix a place for the idol of the dead. Once the place is finalised the idol is put at that place. In case a person has met an accidental death then the priest is called to the place of the accident from where he entices the soul of the deceased into the flame.

Many believe that the soul of the dead enters the body of the priest or a kin and tells the gata (sira) i.e. the place to put the idol.

Experts say that in case the dead is a male the idol is called ‘Gatta’ and in the case of a woman the idol is called ‘Sati.’