spotlight
Celebrating Halloween the deshi way
Even a few years back we didn't celebrate Halloween at such a massive scale. There was no particular time of the year that focused on celebrating the supernatural. However, things have certainly changed over the years as globalisation took the world by storm and as we learnt to adapt. But does this mean that we have to follow the foreign culture or mix and match with a 'deshi' attitude. The latter should be more interesting.
Since there is no concept of Halloween in our country, celebrating it is restricted to a select few. In most cases private parties are organised with the invitees dressed in their spookiest best.
But if you are not a party hopper, worry not, you can grasp the essence of this festival by inviting a few friends over and camping around dadi's feet. With the sun setting in the background, creating the appropriate ambience, she can tell you haunting stories and narrate equally scary incidents from the olden days, sending a chill up your spine.
Once she has exhausted all her horror stories, and it has gone completely dark outside, switch off the lights, burn a candle and choose a quiet room where you will be undisturbed as you and your friends play planchet, the ultimate game for Halloween night.
Armed with a paper, a pen and a silver coin, you need a minimum of three people to play this game of beckoning a spirit and talking to the dead. Once summoned, the spirit might provide answers to any questions you want to ask.
When you want to quit the game, you can respectfully ask it to leave.
One warning though, if done correctly this could be the eeriest thing you might experience, so it is not for the faint hearted. And a disclaimer too, if by chance you call upon an evil soul who takes a fancy to you and refuses to leave, well, then that will be on you!
If playing planchet has not already scared the daylights out of you, get ready with a big tub of popcorn and stock up on your favourite horror movies. From old timers like 'The Exorcists' to the latest 'The Conjuring' series. Throw in 'Annabelle' for good measure too.
Have a movie marathon till you are hoarse from screaming or numb with fear. But if that is too much for you to handle, then maybe you can spend your time ogling at all the handsome vampires and werewolves in the movies about them.
By the time your movie marathon ends you will probably be ready to call it quits, having had more than your fair share of horror. But if your poor heart is still surviving despite the number of shocks you put it through, then here is one last idea to end your day on a scary note.
Prepare to go on a night rendezvous to see if you can spot any ghosts on the fabled haunted roads of the city. Drive down the Dhaka airport road to see if that mysterious lady does indeed appear in front of your car.
At this point I do have put in one more disclaimer, of course there is no guarantee about whether you will encounter any danger from the immortals while on this late night rendezvous, however there are high chances of danger from the mortals roaming the city streets at night.
So be warned before you step out. Maybe you can tone it down a little and just take a tour of your building instead!
Truth be told, you do not even need to step out, just concentrate hard enough and maybe you will feel the presence of a spirit right beside you and if you do then all I have left to say is ... Be careful what you wish for!
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Tasneem Kibria Orpa
Set design: Eskay by Saimul Karim
Costume: Cat Lady Cosplays
[facebook.com/CatLady Cosplays]