Black Magic

Black magic is not an ordinary magic which we often come across. It is a magic used for evil purposes by invoking the power of the devil. It is a type of magic which is invoked when one wishes to kill, steal, injure, cause misfortune or destruction to others for personal gains. One does not mind harming others under this type of magic. In fact, it does nobody any good.It is not authentic also. There are occasions when Black magic boomerangs those who does it also.It cannot be fully relied upon too. One who does black magic is known as a witch (female) or warlock (male). In these modern days, if we still firmly believe in “black magic, horoscope reading, palmistry, and evil spirits, intellectuals definitely infer that we have not grown up with the times and we are still in our old school of thoughts.They may even consider us as stupid also.But there are people even now,who still believe in those old practices. Many people depend on these old practices for their livelihood also.

While viewing Zee cable TV, in U.S.A., I have been coming across advertisements from Messer's Ajmeri Baba, Peer Syed Sahib, and Pandith Mahraj etc who are stationed in United Kingdom to call upon them regarding any problem. They guarantee solution within a specified time too through black magic and other practices. Of course, simultaneously Zee T .V announces that they are not connected with these advertisements and they do not hold themselves responsible in any way with these advertisements. Here it may please be noted that U.S.A. and U .K .are two major advanced countries. Yet, response to these advertisements have been good there. This is evident from the fact that Ajmeri Baba & others have been sponsoring T. V. programs. It reveals that their profession is lucrative and they have sufficiently large income from a sizable clientele.

The above facts , make one easily grasp how much presence and influence these Babas have in a developing country like India to which they originally belong. In India, they are spread all over the length and breadth of the country. It is a profession for many to make their both ends meet. Only handfuls among them are learned and have some knowledge of astrology or palmistry but majority of them has a little knowledge about astrology or palmistry. They take advantage of our vulnerable situations in life and exploit us. They are good at bluffing and cheating public. They are really hypocrites engaged in black magic and witch craft too.

Some of them actually collect some information about us from various sources like our friends’ colleagues, relatives or neighbors and nicely present the same to us along with some of their own additions. They try to make full use of our ignorance and weaknesses to dupe us. If by our good luck, or of them, if some of their predictions become true they get wide publicity. Not only that they are also good at making mountain out of a molehill.

When we are in difficulties,we are more vulnerable. At that time, our mind does not work properly also. We become desperate and approach these black magicians to find solutions to our vexed problems. Thus, we in fact walk into a trap laid by them. I remember an incident which took place in nineteen hundred sixties. A woman known to me was in dire difficulties. She had no money at all. She was not much educated too. She was left with a silver plate weighing about a kg or a little more only. A close relative of her who had studied up to matriculation was in a remote village where superstition and blind beliefs were deep rooted in the minds of people. Those villagers believe that black magic does wonders. Being among them this urban lady had also become a believer in black magic. So the woman in difficulties parted with even the only silver plate that she had for performing black magic. She hoped that all her difficulties would be over. Unfortunately for both the ladies, nothing happened except losing the valuable silver plate.

That is not the only one incident,we come across numerous similar incidents in our life. Even people who are jealous and those who want to take revenge take the help of these black magicians to fulfill their evil designs. A banker turned novelist called Mr.Yandamuri Virendranath has written a novel called “Tulasi " and throughout this novel, we come across "Tulasi " the main character being subjected to black magic for usurping her wealth.The novel was well received both in Andhra Pradesh as well as in Karnataka. I was in audit division of Corporation Bank between 1985 and 1990. I was continuously on tour during that period. Sometimes, I was compelled to camp at some places for more than a month. Of course, I had no other go than to stay in lodges during such camps. During such stays, I came across some astrologers. Outside these hotels I used to find a fairly big board being displayed announcing the arrival of a particular astrologer say Sri Raghavendra Shastry in room no 145 and his proficiency. Simultaneously, I used to find advertisements in local newspapers on similar lines. Sri R.Shastry with lot of kumkum turmeric powder, and ash powder on his forehead, clad in an ocher color dhoti and jubbah, would stay for 7-8 days in that room attending clients from morning to night. Further, in that room a big photograph of a deity fully decorated with flowers red lights, a fully lit oil lamp etc., were usually found to create awe to any visitor to that room. A few hours before his departure, his relative dressed in earlier mentioned fashion would arrive from a nearby place and occupy that room with name Mr. S. Shastry. Board containing particulars of Mr.S Shastry would replace Mr. R Shastry’s board and an advertisement of Mr. S Shastry would also be found in local newspaper. Other things remain unchanged in the room. After, ten days, I saw Mr.G.Shastry from same family replacing Mr. S.Shastry in a similar way. It was a chain. The room was permanently let out by hotelier to one Mr. Raghavendra. Incidentally, Shastry was a borrowed name here to carry out the profession. These astrologers used to get usually fully drunk during nights. We find such astrologers in most of the towns & cities. Most of them have only a superficial knowledge of astrology & allied subjects but possess all the skills required to hoodwink ignorant people.

Even in this twenty first century ,though offering of sheep, goat,and buffaloes to deities are banned,there are people who offer sheep, goat,and buffaloes to deities, Gods and evil spirits to win over them and get blessed .So that those people could get all their desires fulfilled. Some perverted people try to sacrifice even human life at the alters of Goddesses like Goddess Kali, or Goddess Durga, or Goddess Marikamba or some evil spirits for that matter to acquire super natural powers. Recently, I came to know of an incident, which took place in my native district. A boy was unwell and parents of him approached their purohit with the horoscope. According to priest the reason behind the illness was non-performing proper rituals to a serpent God. So, the couple was a given along list of what all should be done to sooth the angry serpent God by the priest and obediently, devotedly the parents spent a lot of money and time without giving scope for any lapse. But there was no improvement in the health of the boy. Once again, the priest was approached and solicited for guidance. This time priest informed them that they had wrongly identified the serpent God and once again all the rituals were performed but to no avail. Ultimately, the couple came to Dr Shanbhag at Manipal for treatment. The doctor gathered all this information from the couple. By that time, it was too late; doctor could not save the life of boy. The priest was responsible for the waste of valuable four months time and money too which could have been easily utilized for the treatment and the life of boy might have been saved.

I was posted to Sirsi branch of the bank in Uttar Kannada District in 1976. The branch was situated at Channapatta Bazaar in those days. I was only 37 years old at that time and was full of enthusiasm. I was very anxious to improve the business of the branch by leap and bounds. I wanted to exceed the deposit target set to the branch too. I was always on the job. I resorted to door-to-door canvassing. I did not want to leave any stone unturned. As I remember, after the return of staff from their homes after finishing dinner, I used to go to my residence for having my Tiffin. Thus in between, I only used to be there in office. But that was not the case. Mr. Devali who was small savings door-to-door collector on commission basis was also found to be inside. I politely enquired him what was the matter. He informed me that he had immense affinity for the bank and wanted to work for the welfare of the bank. I could not believe his explanation. It appeared strange to me for I had found rarely such an attitude among the regular employees of our bank. Subsequently, I could make out that he had been misappropriating small savings collection funds as well as amounts tendered by customers of bank for paying into their savings bank account.

So, he had to make way to a new collector. Mr. Devali became desperate and resorted to all means to avenge his removal. I came across a metal piece tainted with turmeric and kum, kum. I found iron nails, nails, hair and other nasty things placed in the roof at the entrance of my residence. On number of occasions lemon was also found in front of my residence. One may not have any belief in such practices but psychologically they affect a person. Such instances depict bitter feelings that one has for the other. My youngest son, who was about five years old at that time, met with accidents thrice within a short span of time. Once he fell inside his school water tank, another time he fell under a Jeep, third time he fell under a running motorcycle. Fortunately, for me he came unscathed during first two accidents. Third accident caused severe injuries to him & he suffered for over a month. On a Vijay Dashami day, Mrs. Devali wrote to all the members of staff at Sirsi branch cursing my family and me in separate inland letters for the unceremonious removal of her husband from the appointment and making him jobless. All the staff placed those inland letters received by them on my table.

One fine morning, I received transfer orders. I was transferred to Thyavanige branch, again a hardship area where there was also not even proper school to my children. I served the bank for more than four years at that place. When I left Sirsi, it was still dark in the morning; moreover current failure had caused darkness both inside and outside the house.Everywhere it was dark. It was a dark day in my life. Was it on account of black magic performed by Sri Devali or whether it was due to a bad period in my life? I could not make out. However, subsequently, I realized that whatever that had happened was for my good only.If anybody wishes for bad things to happen to someone, those things happen to them only.