The Bleeding Tree

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Aryan would wait for his Summer vacations to visit his grandma at Dhimbam-which is a delight for nature lovers and adventurers. Inhabited by Tribes, misty, pristine, and squeaky-clean rivers, and streams, filled with positivity and tranquillity.

The drive to Dhimbam is one of the most enjoyable, hair-raising experiences you will ever have. A snakelike road takes you through 27 hairpin bends concealed within majestic green mountains, Rich wildlife, bird spotting, never-ending beauty, silver waterfalls, and soulful hikes. The Village of Dhimbam, is hidden away in the forests and remains a secret, untouched by tourism, urbanization, and digitalization, at the tip of the country, hardly connected with transportation… a true beauty of nature.

Aryan loved this place, its fantastic views, and fresh air, dense forests, it's pink golden dawns and crimson sunsets, A dip in the stream, looking at scenic Uttering waterfall, experiencing the rich wilderness, and taking long treks.

People here are reserved and very protective of their customs, so Granny had told Aryan, it would be wise to be informed and respectful of their “Dos and Don’ts” and had given strict instructions not to try any city tricks over here.

Aryan loves to cycle around the narrow path of Tea garden that takes him to the edge of the forest. One of the early morning outings, he went on to a new path to discover a new place, which he had never  seen earlier, after cycling for a while, he skidded off the road, the mud was mushy, he was not able to hold on to anything, When he slowed down, he held on to a Banyan Tree, after a bit of struggle, he could stand up on his feet, he was completely covered in mud and had a few bruises.

To his surprise He found the tree had a lot of huge metal chains hanging on them and upon taking a closer look, he found the chains had lock’s as well. He went around the tree and found that people had been conducting rituals and prayers and found offerings.  

He was not sure where he was and was worried that Granny and his sister would be worried why he has not returned till then. He removed the compass from his pocket and started trying to find a way to get back to his house, far away he found a few village people walking, He shouted loud so that they can hear him, hearing his voice coming from the Banyan tree, they dropped their bags and implements and started running in the opposite direction. Aryan was shocked with their behavior and kept quiet for a minute and realized, if he misses them, it would be difficult for him to find a way back, so he ran toward the villagers and started shouting much louder.

While running, a village lady tripped and fell and by the time she could get up and move Aryan caught up with her, looking at Aryan, covered with Mud and having turmeric and Kumkum marks all over, she screamed non stop and hearing this, other village people  come running to rescue her with Kumkum and turmeric powder and started throwing at Aryan.

One of the villagers who had seen Aryan at his Granny’s house recognized him and asked others to stop throwing the powder. Aryan was shaken by the reaction of villagers and with whatever little knowledge of the language, he explained what had happened, so all the villagers took him to his Granny’s house.

Aryan’s Granny was worried and waiting for Aryan when she saw him, she came running to hug him, but was stopped by villagers, and they told her, that He had touched the bleeding tree and can you find the blood on his dress, Granny looked at him and was shocked, now, he can't enter the house, he has been purified.

A priest of the village was called and a Homam was organized, Aryan was made to sit to perform the Homam and his dress was cut open and put it in the fire and he was given a cold water bath, and given a towel to wrap around and was asked to roll around the fire for ten times, Aryan was thinking,” if I would take a video, this would have been my Ice bucket challenge”.

Tamanna Standing at one corner at first, was scared, then started laughing at what Aryan had to go through. Aryan was asked to cut a Hen as a sacrifice for the tree. He had always enjoyed eating his chicken dishes but was not ready to cut a Hen, A villager held the Hen his hand and made Aryan hold the Bucher knife… Aryan was terrified Before he could understand what was happening, Villager held the hand of Aryan and Cut the Hen and the Blood was poured on his shoulder.

Aryan screamed, Tammana was recording the entire incident and she couldn’t stop laughing, in a blink of an eye, he was rubbed with Haldi and Kumkum and he was asked to take the blessing of Priest.

He was allowed to go into the house and have a Shower, As he came out shivering, His Granny prepared a bowl of hot soup for him with a spicy omelet, Both Granny and Tamanna started making fun of him and after some time Aryan also joined and all had a great time laughing.

Their fun was interrupted by a boy from the village who got Aryan’s cycle back, Aryan, curious wanted to know why people fear the tree and why the tree was called the bleeding tree….

Granny said, There is a story going around the village for a long time that on a Full Moon day, the tree cries and Blood oozes out and they believe there is an evil spirit on the tree and whoever touches the tree she will do harm to the village, Villagers believes the Sprit has been tied with chains and locked in the tree.

Aryan and Tamanna started laughing on the story and said in this age also people are still, believing in these stories? That night both of them decided to find out the truth behind the mystery, they wanted to go back to that tree but were sure no one will allow them to go and Aryan was not sure of the route, but he knew it was not too far from the village.

After a lot of thinking, Tamanna said, maybe the boy who got your cycle back can help you find the route, but now the question was how to find that boy, Tamanna again came up with an idea, She said, tell Granny that you want to give the boy a gift for returning the cycle and I am sure she will get the boy come to us.

Idea worked and the boy whose name was Naga was at their house, Aryan and Tamanna become friendly to him, They allowed him to play mobile games on his mobile after a couple of hours, Aryan asked if he can you show the way to the bleeding Tree, Naga jumped from his place and said, “I am not wanting your games, villagers will kill me if they come to know I have taken you guys there.”

Aryan very coolly and Intelligently said,” you show us from far and no need to come anywhere near”, and he said, “we will also not go close by, I don't want to go through the rituals again”,… convinced by Aryan’s talk, Naga took them close to the tree, Aryan and Tamanna had their  plan set, He had charged his camera and got his tripod as well, He placed his camera in a safe place and went back home.

Next morning, he went and got his camera back when he played his recording, he could find legs of some animals they had pushed the camera down and the whole recording was of the sky and not of the tree, Tamanna Started fighting with Aryan saying, “I had asked you to keep it in a safe place rather than the ground,” so the same evening, both of them went back again late evening and climbed a tree just opposite the bleeding tree and placed it very securely...

What do they see next morning, as they play the recording, They saw a snake clawing over their camera, Tamanna screams, hearing that Granny comes and took a look at the TV where they were seeing the video she says,” this is our village, when did you take this? And she joins in seeing the video.

Further in the video as the full moon in full blooms, there are herd of animals running around, A lot of animals were even getting entangled in the chains, trying to free themselves, the chain was rubbing on the trees and blood like liquid was coming out, They were surprised how come a Banyan tree has liquid-like blood? Aryan and Tamanna said may be villager’s theory was right, there is an evil spirit in the tree….

For Aryan it was difficult to believe so he started seeing the video, again and again, Frame by Frame, slowly with a lot of patience, He started looking at the Tree more closely, what he saw he couldn’t believe, he found one more tree growing amidst the large Banyan tree, which if you don’t see carefully will be missed, He zooms it and was sure, it was a Parasite tree on this tree.

Next day morning, He took Naga and Tamanna with him and Took very close pictures of the Tree from a distance, as he didn’t want any trouble with villagers, he came back home, and he looked at the pictures he found there was Pterocarpus angolensis/Bloodwood Tree growing within the Banyan Tree. This is a tree which secretes a blood-like liquid when its cut or the bark is scratched.  

He told and showed that to his Granny, She said let us show it to the village elder and take their opinion, and she asked and Instructed Aryan not to post on any social media, because it may hurt the sentiments and besides People are reserved and very protective of their customs;

Next day when the Village elders were shown the pictures and Video, they appreciated Aryan and Tamanna, but told them not to inform anyone about the same, and let the tradition continues…

Aryan and Tamanna  very sad that such an important event couldn’t be shared with any one, After about two weeks when Aryan was ready to go back to his parent's house in the city, He found a lot of children playing very near to the bleeding tree, Aryan was wondering how come they are not afraid? That’s when Naga waved his hand to them…..