Beyond Ghosts: Unpacking Amravati Hostel's 'Paranormal' Events

Last week, a tribal hostel for girls in Amravati, Maharashtra, became the focus of widespread concern after videos emerged showing distressed young students. Reports indicated that paranormal entities had afflicted four girls, prompting nearly 600 out of 852 students to be taken home by their parents. This event attracted attention from ghost hunters and myth-busters, including volunteers from the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti.

Parents sought help from traditional healers, who attributed the girls' distress to a 'chakwa' spirit. Explanations for the alleged haunting ranged from angered spirits of a felled tree to the wrath of a deity or the ghost of a deceased boy. However, a government-appointed health expert report suggested the incident resembled 'selective hysteria' and 'conversion disorder,' terms now considered outdated in psychiatric diagnosis.

The report noted "stress" and "unexplained fear" as possible triggers, exacerbated by overcrowded and poorly ventilated conditions. The authors also suggested that the disciplinary nature of such hostels, coupled with academic pressures, could contribute to student distress. Research by Dr. Sneha Krishan from Oxford University highlights that girls in such settings may use "stories with horns and tails" to process intense emotions.

In India, traditional healers are often consulted over psychiatrists, a trend that is particularly pronounced in underserved communities and residential schools. Parents may find it easier to accept supernatural explanations than to address mental health concerns. The students of Amravati's Shaskiya Madhyamik Va Uchha Madhyamik Ashram have unfortunately become fodder for social media, and their real anxieties may not receive adequate mental health support.