It was as similar as the horror experience stories shared during childhood among cousins who meet up during summer vacations, when I got to talk with some people recently. This summer too has such kind of a horror myth, that is spreading like a forest fire across the State. I was hesitant a bit for last few days whether to write this on my blog as it might turn my blog look sub standard. Later, I thought that, this article might be a document of the scenarios persisting in the capital city post Jayalalithaa's demise.
Is the term ‘ever-living’ leader of Tamil people, tagged to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, turning out to be true? Speculations have been rising after her death that her spirit is surrounding her Poes Garden residence, Veda Nilayam. (Please don't laugh at me)
Ever since Jayalalithaa’s death, rumours started to strike the air that Poes Garden has been witnessing some weird sounds and screams at night. When I tried to probe it at ground zero, several versions seemed to support the rumours.
One of the workers at the entrance of Veda Nilayam said, “We have been experiencing a lot of unusual happenings in the surroundings since the demise of Amma.”
Only workers of Veda Nilayam, along with orphaned children, are residing in the home, he said. This was quite a surprise for me as the same security guard told me a couple of weeks back that no one except maids and gardeners were inside. When asked who those orphans were, he said, “They are the ones who were being brought up by Amma herself. They don’t have a family. There are as many as 17 of them who are now being looked after by the maids,” he added. These children were brought from various places where they were treated as child labourers.
It is said these children were the first ones to have the ‘ghostly’ experience. “The kids reported that they have been hearing screams at night and so converge in a single room to sleep,” the security personnel told me. Following this, I approached one of the maids for more information, but she refused to respond and I was not allowed to enter the premises of Veda Nilayam.
Nevertheless, a maid who working in house next door to Veda Nilayam said, “There were videos shot by some of the residents around from their terrace. They say that the windows of Amma’s residence open and shut by themselves.” She said she had not heard any screams despite staying there round-the-clock.
However, there are some in O Panneerselvam faction members who deny the speculation. “These rumours are just for giving negative publicity to Amma’s home. There is no such sound or scream, nor is it haunted. If people believe that Amma’s ghost is there, then Veda Nilayam would not be taken over by the government to make it a memorial. That’s their aim,” said a member of the OPS camp.
When asked how these kids could have reported the screams, he said, “The kids were so attached to Amma that she herself had fed them several times. So, they might be missing her so badly that it has led them to feel she is still there as a ghost.”
There is an equally weird situation at Jayalalithaa’s grave at Marina beach (No, please. Not again laugh at me). According to sources, the security guards at the tomb have been facing serious health issues due to enormous generation of heat from nowhere. Due to this, 20 security personnel have been changed there and still the problem persists.
It also said a separate meeting was organised by the DGP and Commissioner of Police on this matter after which forces from Avadi battalion were deployed for security.
At the end of the day, it is a ghost story (be it true or not) and for film makers like Ram Gopal Varma, a good plot to work on. My suggestion. On the other hand, a fact (hopefully) has come out through this. The orphans raised by Jayalalithaa, where she really turned out to be an 'AMMA'.
- Santhosh Mathevan
Chennai, May 11, 2017
Disclaimer: The information catered in this news article is completely opined by the people quoted. None of the opinion reflects the ideas or fantasies of the author.
Is the term ‘ever-living’ leader of Tamil people, tagged to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, turning out to be true? Speculations have been rising after her death that her spirit is surrounding her Poes Garden residence, Veda Nilayam. (Please don't laugh at me)
Ever since Jayalalithaa’s death, rumours started to strike the air that Poes Garden has been witnessing some weird sounds and screams at night. When I tried to probe it at ground zero, several versions seemed to support the rumours.
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| Elevation of Veda Nilayam - Source: The New Indian Express |
One of the workers at the entrance of Veda Nilayam said, “We have been experiencing a lot of unusual happenings in the surroundings since the demise of Amma.”
Only workers of Veda Nilayam, along with orphaned children, are residing in the home, he said. This was quite a surprise for me as the same security guard told me a couple of weeks back that no one except maids and gardeners were inside. When asked who those orphans were, he said, “They are the ones who were being brought up by Amma herself. They don’t have a family. There are as many as 17 of them who are now being looked after by the maids,” he added. These children were brought from various places where they were treated as child labourers.
It is said these children were the first ones to have the ‘ghostly’ experience. “The kids reported that they have been hearing screams at night and so converge in a single room to sleep,” the security personnel told me. Following this, I approached one of the maids for more information, but she refused to respond and I was not allowed to enter the premises of Veda Nilayam.
Nevertheless, a maid who working in house next door to Veda Nilayam said, “There were videos shot by some of the residents around from their terrace. They say that the windows of Amma’s residence open and shut by themselves.” She said she had not heard any screams despite staying there round-the-clock.
However, there are some in O Panneerselvam faction members who deny the speculation. “These rumours are just for giving negative publicity to Amma’s home. There is no such sound or scream, nor is it haunted. If people believe that Amma’s ghost is there, then Veda Nilayam would not be taken over by the government to make it a memorial. That’s their aim,” said a member of the OPS camp.
When asked how these kids could have reported the screams, he said, “The kids were so attached to Amma that she herself had fed them several times. So, they might be missing her so badly that it has led them to feel she is still there as a ghost.”
There is an equally weird situation at Jayalalithaa’s grave at Marina beach (No, please. Not again laugh at me). According to sources, the security guards at the tomb have been facing serious health issues due to enormous generation of heat from nowhere. Due to this, 20 security personnel have been changed there and still the problem persists.
It also said a separate meeting was organised by the DGP and Commissioner of Police on this matter after which forces from Avadi battalion were deployed for security.
At the end of the day, it is a ghost story (be it true or not) and for film makers like Ram Gopal Varma, a good plot to work on. My suggestion. On the other hand, a fact (hopefully) has come out through this. The orphans raised by Jayalalithaa, where she really turned out to be an 'AMMA'.
- Santhosh Mathevan
Chennai, May 11, 2017
Disclaimer: The information catered in this news article is completely opined by the people quoted. None of the opinion reflects the ideas or fantasies of the author.
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