Nurungukal....contd....

     Chrompet warehouse was our flag ship. We attained that status due to the hard work of a bunch of dedicated staff. Many Americans  experts had visited the warehouse to examine the condition of storage of the CARE products and had expressed their appreciation. Whenever a bulk customer sought our facility it was the practise of the management to show the performance of the warehouse. Madras Fertilisers, a venture in collaboration with a USA firm, when it set up a plant in Madras decided to utilise the services of Central Warehousing Corporation after evaluating the working of Chromepet warehouse. Later on it became one of our prestigious operations through out the country.

   The volume of traffic became more and more and we were forced to extend our service even during night. It was a real challenge to our efficiency. Most of the supervisory staff were married persons and thus were reluctant to take up night shifts. Ultimately the bachelors were asked to shoulder the burden. It was not new to me, as I had managed night duties while working in Railways. In fact I enjoyed it because it was less tiresome, considering the day time heat of Madras. Another reason for others to avoid night shifts was that there was a strong belief that the premise was  haunted. Some of our watch men had reported their encounters with an unidentified figure moving around, especially at the far end of the compound which was a grave yard before we acquired it. The presence of aavi in the form of a huge figure fully covered with a black blanket was confirmed on many occasions. Out of fear our watch men even ventured to damage the punch clocks of such locations, to avoid cross checking of their failure to make rounds!!

           It was on a night shift I had to face an incident which virtually demolished the theory of the presence of the hoary aavi. We were receiving imported wheat from Madras harbour. I was in charge of night shift. The unloading was in the last godown at the far end corner of the compound. There were three or four points at which the unloading were in progress. I was watching the progress from a corner where the illumination had snapped a while ago. Usually the men used to sing a tune in loud voice to free from the tiredness while un loading. It was going on in high pitch and I was engrossed in it. All on a sudden a black figure producing a hoary sound knocked me down and tried to vanish into the adjacent bush. But I was agile and the sports man in me could make a unexpected quick jump and catch it. It was struggling to get released. But my grip was firm enough to bring it down to earth. I shouted for help and a few came running to over power the strange object. It got up and started jumping and pronouncing something in Tamil repeatedly in a strange sound. The black cloth  had fallen. She was none other than one of our sweeper women in hysteria and seized by some unseen force. I had in my native place Ponani come across with such incidents during temple festivals when the oracles dance to the tune of drum beats in a particular rhythm. When ever any women  from the crowd attempt to act similarly the oracle would subdue them catching by the hair. I used the same  and she was relieved off from her fierce condition.

  That incident prompted us for a critical analysis and gave the correct clues for the shortages of stocks while unloading in some remote godowns and the scaring by the unknown black figure. Any how we got rid of the fear of night watch men and our punch clocks resumed working there after without fail.....contd.........