Tribal Group Performs Ritual in Hospital to Take Spirit of Deceased, Beats Drums and Waves Sword

Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh: On Wednesday evening, a group of tribal villagers entered Ratlam Medical College to perform rituals to “take the spirit” of a man who had died three months ago. The villagers played drums and cymbals, sang songs, and conducted traditional rites inside the hospital for about an hour. They intend to enshrine the spirit of Shantilal Jhodia, who died by consuming pesticide, as a deity in their village.

Ritual Inside Hospital

Around 4 PM, the tribal group from Jhavni Jhodia village entered the hospital carrying ritual items, including drums, cymbals, and a sword. Women sang traditional songs while a man waved a sword, and one person even had a head injury during the event. The group followed their community tradition of invoking the spirit of the deceased and taking it along to the village.

Tradition and Beliefs

According to tribal customs, when someone dies unexpectedly, the family visits the place of death to invite the spirit to join them. The spirit is then symbolically carried back to the village—often represented through a stone, wood, or other object—and installed as a deity in a designated spot, called an otla. One woman carried a basket on her head containing a stone, which they said represented Shantilal’s spirit.

Shantilal Jhodia, a resident of Jhavni Jhodia village, passed away three months ago after ingesting pesticide. His wife, three children, and other family members were present during the ritual. His aunt, Nita Jhodia, stated that the spirit of Shantilal was believed to have been troubling a family member and that the ritual was necessary to bring him back from the hospital to the village.

Uninterrupted Ritual

Despite hospital rules restricting entry, about ten people entered with ritual items and conducted the ceremony for nearly an hour without interference from hospital staff. They left afterward, continuing to beat drums and cymbals while heading back to the village. Some observers described the ritual as a superstitious practice, while others viewed it as a continuation of long-standing tribal tradition.