The Ghost Footballer

  written by Priyanka Banerjee, West Bengal (India)

    When Rajiyappa died he was ‘only’ ninety-five. His wife was remorseful and she said that it was too early to go.

Rajiyappa loved to play football from his childhood; but unfortunately he was not a good player and no one wanted to take him in the team. He wanted to be a footballer of “Gajendra”, which was the name of the village as well as the local football team and also wanted to win many trophies. His dream remained intangible. Consequently Rajiyappa stopped going to the football ground. He used to climb a tree which was far from the football ground and from there he watched football matches. 

Days passed. Rajiyappa grew up and he tried to get chance in the college football team; but again he failed. Rajiyappa lost all his hope. After a few years Rajiyappa got married.

Days passed. Rajiyappa never missed a single football match of his locality. His love for football remained unimpaired. 

After Rajiyappa’s death some incidents happened in the village, people called those eerie. That day a little boy called Hari, whose age might be around ten, was playing football in the field with the other boys. He was the youngest member of the football team. Suddenly a commotion was there and people saw that all the other boys were running here and there while Hari was throwing his hands and legs haphazardly. Later it was heard that some elder boys of that football team was trying to beat Hari for not playing properly. At first Hari was pleading to them so that they would not beat him, then suddenly he started to beat those boys fiercely. Out of fear all those boys fled away and they claimed that Hari’s body must be taken over by a ghost. After that day many odd incidents happened in the ground. People 

used to say, “The insatiate soul of Rajiyappa is still there.”

It was a big day for all the villagers. A big football match was there between two 

neighbouring villages – Gajendra and Haoli. People were highly excited and there was a big crowd around the football ground. The match started. Out of excitement everyone was shouting.

The score board showed that team Haoli had scored two goals whereas team Gajendra had scored only one. Only ten minutes were left. All the supporters of Gajendra were seeing the match with sad faces while the supporters of the opponent team were shouting like anything. Suddenly a miracle happened. A player of team Gajendra, named Mahesh, started to run with the football in such a speed that no one could stop him and there was a goal. Everybody was stunned for some seconds and then there was a huge shout , “Raaaajiiiyaaapppaaa”. Yes, 

everybody was quite sure that it was not Mahesh, it was Rajiyappa’s ghost who was playing. Only two minutes were there and the villagers were still shouting, “Rajiyappa, Rajiyappa, another goal Rajiyappa” and it happened. Mahesh alias Rajiyappa’s soul scored another goal. “Phruuuuuuuuuuu” the whistle was blown and all the villagers came running into the ground. They lifted Mahesh up but only one name was reverberating- “RAJIYAPPA”.

Rajiyappa’s wife, who was eighty eight years old, listened to the whole story which was narrated to her by her grandson. She smiled and said, “He has fulfilled his wish. Now his soul may rest in peace.”

Label : Inflame Story

Writer : Priyanka Banerjee, West Bengal (India)