Villagers build a house for 'ghost'

Bhopal: A house being built for a ghost? Sounds improbable, but this is exactly what people in a Madhya Pradesh village are doing.

Ever since villagers of Madanpura, in Bhind district, heard a "ghost" demanding a house for himself, they decided to build a house for it. Money is being collected through voluntary donations for the purpose.

Fear of the ghost has also made many leave their homes in the village, about 500 km from Bhopal.

"Earlier the ghost used to live on a tree, but he has now become homeless after the tree was uprooted in a storm a few months ago. He now wants a separate place to live in," one of the villagers said.

Fear of death

"They are so frightened that some have started leaving the village for fear of death." Seven families are reported to have left their homes to stay with relatives in neighbouring villages.

According to village head Akhilesh Purohit, many villagers told him that the ghost would come to them in their dream and ask them to urge the Panchayat (village council) to get a new house constructed for him. "But I wouldn't take it lightly." Purohit says he is now frightened after he himself heard the ghost warning him in a dream to build a house as soon as possible.

"The problem is that the ghost doesn't want his new house to be constructed with donations by the villagers. He wants the house to be constructed through the Panchayat and registered in his name. But the rules do not permit us to do any such thing," Purohit said.