REINCARNATION

VERIFIED CASES OF RE-BIRTH AFTER

DEATH

BY

Kr. Kekay Nandan Sahay.,

B.A., LL.B.,

VAKIL HIGH COURT,

BAREILLY (India)

Printed by N. L. Gupta Kaifi at the Shiaghal Printing Works:

BAREILLY
PRICE ANNAS SIX
 Jagdish Chandras Story
Story of re-birth after death

I had gone to my village Kama where a message was received from home
informing me of the serious illness of my wife. I returned on the 6th June and remained
in the house for six days and did not go to Court. My wife had very high fever which
took many days to lower down. It was on the 6th that Jagdish Chandra asked me to get a
motor car. I replied that I shall get one soon. The baby grew impatient and asked me to
get one soon. I asked him where to get it from. He said that I should get his car. I asked
him where his car was. He replied that it was at the house of Babuaji. I again asked him
and in reply he said that he lived at Benares, and was his father. After ascertaining some
I sent the following letter which was published in the Leader of June 27th at page 11.

Strange story of former life

Enquiry about Babuaji Pande of Benares.
(To the Editor of the Leader)

Sir,
I shall feel highly obliged if you published the following most astonishing
account in an early issue of your esteemed paper.

My son, Jagdish Chandra aged 3 and a half, gives the story of his previous life in
a very connected form. He gives his fathers names as Babuaji Pande, place of residence
Benares, describes the house of Babuaji in Benares and makes particular mention of a
big gate, a sitting room, and an underground room with an iron safe fixed in one of the
walls.

He also describes the courtyard in which Babuaji sits in the evening. Describes
that Babuaji and the people who collect there drink Bhang. Babuaji has Malish on his
body and paints his face with powder or earth before bath on washing his face in the
morning. He describes two Motor Cars and one phaeton with pair and says that Babuaji
had two sons and one wife and all have died. Babuaji is all alone. He also described
many private and family matters. I have no friends or relatives at Benares and my wife
has never been there. I never heard before of Babuaji. The following important citizens
of Bareilly have talked to the boy and have questioned him further.

1. Syed Yusuf Ali, B. A., LL. B., Vakil and Municipal Commissioner. 2. B.
Braham Narain, B. A., LL. B., Vakil and Municipal Commissioner. B. Mukati Behari
Lal, B. A., LL. B., Vakil. 4. Pandit Ram Sarup Sharma, B. A., LL. B., Vakil. Babu
Chhal Behari Capoor, B. A.,Vakil and Ex-member of the Legislative Council. 6. Babu
Jai Narain Chaudhri, B. A.,Vakil and Member Legislative Council U.P. and Secretary,
Bar Association, Bareilly. 7. Rai Sahib Dr. Shiam Sarup Satyabrata L. M. S.

I invite all gentleman who may feel interested to ascertain the truth of the story
given by the boy in a scientific spirit.
Kekai Nadan Sahay,
Vakil.

Bareilly, U.P.
 I sent the following letter to the Press which was published in the Leader of 5th
July 1926 at page 9.

STORY OF PREVIOUS BIRTH.

Corroborative Testimony.
(To the Editor of the Leader.)

Sir,
I shall feel obliged if you give an insertion to the following in an early issue of
your esteemed paper.

I received several inquiries regarding the story of his previous life which my
son, Jagdish Chandra, has been, telling, an account of which was published in your
columns on the 27th June.

In order that an enquiry may be made in a scientific manner I took the following
steps:

The boy began to tell his story on the 6th June and completed it by the 11th by
replying to the questions I put him. I then asked the members of the Bareilly bar and
other friends to examine this phenomenon and to advise me if the case is worth further
inquiry. Friends and members of the bar continued to come and talk to the boy and it
was decided on the 16th that no man should be sent to Benares as it would afford a
loophole for sceptics. They may argue that suggestions regarding the house and other
details of Benares have been conveyed by the messenger to the boy. So a letter was sent
to the Chairman, Municipal Board, Benares, and on receipt of his reply letters were sent
to the press. I have also requested some of the Leaders of India to send their
representatives so that the boy may be taken with them to Benares to point out on the
spot the things mentioned by him. As the boy has told so many things to me which have
been corroborated by letters received from gentlemen whom I do not know, I am
convinced the boy will be able to point out many things on the spot which will satisfy
the inquirers. An extract from the letters is given below.

Munshi Mahadeva Prasad M. A., LL. B, Advocate, Chairman, Municipal Board,

Benares, writes:

On receipt of your letter I made the necessary inquiries and found that most of
the things told by your boy are quite true. In fact they are all correctly related except
that Babuaji Pandey's son, Jai Gopal, died about 2 years and a half ago. The rest of the
facts are all correct about the phaeton, ekka, horse, malish, goondas, bhang and the
rest. Babua Pande for that's the name of the person referred to by your boy as Babuaji is
well known to me, having been also my client for the last many years, and I could see
on the mere first reading of your letter that he was the person meant by the boy. So I
sent my man to Babua Pandey to make the necessary enquiries, when his men, learning
of this, came and took away the letter from me. Now they may be going to Bareilly to
enquire, and corroborate the facts for themselves. Babua Pandey is otherwise known
here as Pandit Mathura Prasad Pandey and lives at Pandey Ghat, Benares City.

Pandit Uma Kant Pande, Vakil, Benares, writes:

 I saw your letter in the Leader of today. Babua Pande is a friend of mine. I
have seen this boy who is born in your family. The descriptions given by him are in the
main correct. Pandeyjee does not possess a car though he used one or two. I am
informing him about the boy and we shall very soon go to see him at yours.

The date of birth of my son Jagdish Chandra is the 4th March 1923. I have
applied for copies of the death entries of both Jai Mangal and Jai Gopal to the
Chairman, Municipal Board, Benares, and for a copy of the birth entry of Jagdish
Chandra to the Municipality, Bareilly. A comparison of these two will be of interest to
the scientific enquirers. I have been asking people to ascertain the facts soon as old
people have been constantly telling me that such memories last only for a short time.

At present the boy remembers everything. It is possible after the lapse of some
time he may forget.
Kekai Nadan Sahay,
Vakil High Court.

Bareilly, June 30th, 1926

After the publication of my articles in the press the public became greatly
interested in the matter. For full two months I had a number of visitors both in mornings
and evenings who wanted to hear the story from the lips of the baby. The baby became
quite tired of this and began to refuse to see people or to talk in their presence. I,
therefore, wrote to Mr. V. N. Mehta, I. C. S., District Magistrate, Benares for his help
before I could make up my mind to visit Benares with the boy. I was afraid of the crowd
as it confounded the child very much. He very kindly promised his help. I started on the
13th August in the afternoon for Benares and reached there the next morning. I did not
give any previous intimation and stayed at Nuddesar which is 2 miles from Babua
Pandey's house. I thought I will not be harassed by the crowd. Unfortunately the news
leaked out and my house was besieged from the morning by a big crowd. I had to apply
for the Police to keep out the crowd but the crowd did not leave us inspite of the Police.
B. Hanuman Prasad sub-judge, Dr. Ganesh Prasad, Mr. Tandon, Income Tax officer,
and several respectable people came to see us. Pt. Laxmi Kant Pande, Vakil, also came
to see us. The baby recognised him at once. At first the baby said that he was Uma
Kant. On his refusal he said that he was then Laxmi Kant as both brothers were similar
in features. At this time there were some 100 spectators surrounding the house.

The boy also mentioned the relationship which Pt. Laxmi Kant had with Babua
Pande with some accuracy. In the evening Mr. V. N. Mehta, the Collector reached
Babua Pandeys house before us with 8 constables and the city Kotwal. Babuas house
is near the river and the road is about 2 furlongs away. One has to pass through a maze
of lanes to reach his house. The boy pointed out the way through the labyrinth of lanes
up to the house of Babua. On reaching there the number of crowd swelled to over a
thousand. In the room of Babua himself the boy founded 35 men seated on the floor
close together. The boy got upset and refused to reply. After a few minutes Mr. Mehta
left the house as he had another engagement. Then the boy was taken to the other house
where he pointed out the place where Bhang was prepared. After this Mrs. Mehta also
left. The boy was taken inside the Zenana where he pointed out Chachi and said that he
had come to her house.
 As the crowd kept us surrounded till late it was decided to bring the boy quietly
without intimation some other day.

I then took the child to Babuas house in the afternoon of 18th on Tuesday. There
was a local fair the Durga-gi-ka-mela and a large number of people had gone there.
Jagdish then talked to Babua Pande, repeated the entire story and asked Babua to ask
any questions he wanted. Babua did not ask any questions.

The boy was taken to the Dasha-Ashwa medha Ghat which he recognised from a
distance. He took his bath twice with great pleasure in the arms of a Panda whom he
recognised at first sight. He was not at all upset with the sight of the swelled volume of
the Ganges in August which flowed so violently making terrific noise. The volume of
the Ganges did not strike him and he behaved as one who was very familiar with the
site. The Panda offered him a betel which Jagdish refused saying that he being a bigger
Panda could not accept from him who was a smaller Panda. The boy also recognized the
Vishwanaths temple, the Harish Chandra Ghat and the Dufferin Bridge. He had
mentioned this bridge in reply to Mr. J. Nott-Bower, the District Superintendent of
Police, Bareilly, before we left for Benares. I took him to the Benares Hindu University
which he called Vishwa Vidyalay and said it was under construction in his time. Pt.
Lakehmi Kante Pande, B. A., LL. B., Vakil, Benares, introduced himself by
correspondence as an old neighbour of Babua possessing intimate knowledge of facts
regarding him. Before leaving for Benares, the following facts were written to him and
verified by him as correct.

1. That Babuajis wife was called Chachi.

2. That Chachi cooked food for the family although the Pandeji had means
sufficient to engage a cook.
3. That she, although an elderly female, observed purdah in her house and had a
long drawn Ghungat. Jagdish said that Chachi drew the Ghungat or veil when goondas
came inside the house.
4. That Chachi wore gold ornaments in her wrist and ears.
5. That Chachi had marks of small pox on her face was verified by Bechu.
6. That Babuaji liked Rabri.
7. That Babuaji took poison every day (opium).
8. That Babuaji wore gold rings in his fingers.
9. That Babuaji's son Jai Mangal had died of poisoning and there was a suspicion
of such a cause at the time of death.

Babuajis wife sent a man named Bechu in August to Bareilly with an invitation
asking me to come to Benares to show the child to her. Several letters from Babuaji
were also received before to this effect. This Bechu had a talk with Jagdish and admitted
the following facts:

1. That Babuaji smeared his face with ashes after washing his face every day.
2. That the iron safe was fixed in the wall to the left.
3. That Bhagwatia prostitute was called in for dancing and singing on occasions
of different ceremonies in the family. He also certified that Bhagwatia had a swarthy
colour and loud voice as Jagdish described her.
 APPENDIX
The statement of Jagdish Chandra was recorded by Mr. Ram Babu Saxena, M.
A., LL. B., Magistrate 1st class Bareilly on the 28th July, 1926. An extract from it is
given below.

Mera nam Jai Gopal hai. Mere bap ka nam Babu Pande. Shahir ka nam
Benaras. Ganga ji mere makan ke pas hai. Jaisa phatak Kuarpur men hai waisa uska
phatak hai. Mera bhai Jai Mangal tha. Wuh mujh se bara tha. Wuh zahir kha kar
margaya. Chachi ne Jai Mangal ko qai karai thi. Main Babu Pande so Babu Pande kahta
hun chacha nahin kahta hun. Chaobi mere yahan hai. Darwase par sipahi rahta hai. Babu
Pande ka rupia lohe ki almari (iron safe) men rahta hai. Wuh bain hath ki taraf hai. Wuh
diwar men laga hai. Wuh gaddhe men bai. Bahut uncha hai. Babu ji ko rabri pasand hai.
Sham ko log bhang pite hain. Jab Babu ji munh dhote hain to wuh apne munh par mitti
ki malish karte hain. Unke pas sawari Phaeton hai. Do Goore lagte hain. Aur motor-car
hai. Chachi sone ke kare pahinti hain. Kanon men bunde pahinti hain. Babuji anguthi
pahinte hain. Chachi bahut bara ghungat karti hain. Dasha Ashwamedh Ghat hai. Ganga
ji uske pas hai. Chachi roti karte hain. Man tikoni pahin ke nahata tha. Uma Kant Jai
Mangal ke bap ke sale hain. Vishwanath ji ke Mandir main jata tha. Babua ji ke pas kala
Chashma hai. Babua ji Bhagwatee randi ka gana sunte hain.

I learnt from Pt. Lakshini Kant that Jai Gopal died in October 1922. Jagdish was
born as has been stated before on 4th March 1923. He was some ten or eleven years old.
Besides this Pandit Lakshimi Kant's view is that this boy was the grandson of Babu
Pande, the son of his daughter who lived at his house and died leaving this boy to
Babuaji to bring up?

Note 1. I also think that this explanation is quite in keeping with the account given by Jagdish
Chandra except that he calls his grandfather his father. It may be that as his mother left her child to her
father to bring up, the child did not know any other father except Babu Pande.

Note 2. The boy had given out two very disparaging facts regarding his previous father. In the
beginning some people heard them and the rumour was carried to the ears of Babua Pande. The attitude of
Babua Pande was definitely obstructive. The taking of the interest of the District Magistrate had also
frightened him that in case he admitted the truth the disparaging facts will also be believed against him.
But we have got the testimony of such high and respectable witnesses that this attitude of Babua cannot
falsify the truth of the story of the boy. Every bit of the story was separately corroborated before we left
for Benares.

Note 3. Jagdish has a mark on each of his ears. The mark is in the upper part of the ear and looks
as if a hole has been closed. People say that in Benares it is customary to wear ear rings in the upper part
of the ear.
 Vishwa Naths Story
Copy of the article regarding the story which appeared in the
Leader of the August 12th, 1926 on page 7.

Story of a previous birth

Another remarkable case.

(To the Editor of the Leader)

Sir,
I shall feel greatly obliged if you kindly publish the following account, given by
Vishwa Nath, a boy of five years and six months, of the facts of his previous life. Since
the publication of the story of the previous life of my son, Jagdish Chandra, and its
corroboration, in your columns I am the recipient of information regarding many such
cases. I am trying to verify them and shall communicate the result of my labours for the
benefit of the public from time to time. Vishwa Nath was born on Feb. 7, 1921, in
Mohalla Khannu, Bareilly. He began to ask about Pilibhit when he was a year and a half
old. He asked the distance between Pilibhit and Bareilly and wanted to know the time
when his father would take him there. When he was three years old he began to give a
detailed account of himself. The parents were afraid and tried to hide these strange facts.
There is a superstition that such children do not live long and the sooner they forget the
better for them. I very recently heard of this case from Thakur Moti Singh, Vakil, and
ex-member, Legislative Council, and went to see B. Ham Ghulam and Vishwa Nath on
June 29. I persuaded B. Ram Ghulan to go to Pilibhit to verify the facts offered to
accompany him. So we went to Pilibhit, on Sunday, Aug. 1. We went directly to the
Govt. High Schooll, Pilibhit, which the boy did not recognise as his school. The present
building of the School is new and was recently erected. I requested the Headmaster, Rai
Sahib Babu Asharfi Lal, to help me in the investigation which he kindly did and
accompanied me to the various places.

I had taken down the story of Vishwa Nath on my first visit to him and had to
verify only the following facts about him. He had given his uncles name as Har Narain,
Caste Kayastha, Mohalla Ganj; City Pilibhit and his age 20 years. He said he was
unmarried. He said his neighbour was Lala Sunder Lal, who had a green gate, a sword
and a gun and had nautch parties in the courtyard of his house. He described his own
house as a double storey building, with separate apartments for ladies and gentlemen.
He described singing parties and feasts which were frequently held at his house. He also
described his luxurious mode of life. He said his father was a Zamindar, and loved him
much, always gave him silk dress, and money for pocket expenses. He also described
his great fondness for wine, rohu fish, and nautch girls. He said he had studied up to the
6th class in the Government School near the river and knew Urdu, Hindi and English. He
described a Thakurdwara in his house. When we reached the gate of the late Sahu
Shyam Sunder Lal, the boy got down from the tonga and recognised it as the green gate
of Sander Lal. He also pointed to the couryard where nautch parties were held. This was
corroborated by the neighbouring shopkeepers. I saw the gate myself. It had a green
varnish which had grown faint by lapse of time. Then we went to the house of the late
Lala Debi Pershad, rais, which the boy recognised as his house. He shouted that that
was the house of Har Narain. Har Narain was the son of Lala Pebi Pershad. Portions of
this big old house have fallen and the building has been abandoned by the family and
the neighbours told us that the place had undergone a great change. The boy recognised
the building on the gate and the place where they used to drink wine, eat rohu fish and
hear the songs of nautch girls. The boy was questioned regarding the situation of the
stair case which he pointed out correctly, among the heap of bricks and mud. He then
recognised the Zenana apartments and specially mentioned a room on the upper storey
which ladies occupied. An old and faint photograph of Lala Har Narain and his son was
brought by the sole surviving member of the family, Babu Brij Mohan Lal, who lives in
a separate house. In the presence of a big crowd the boy immediately put his finger on
the photograph of Lala Har Narain and said, Here is Har Narain and here I pointing to
the photograph of a boy seated on a chair in the photograph. This was most remarkable
and immediately established his identity as Laxmi Narain son of Babu Har Narain.

We next took him to the old Government High School which the boy at once
recognised as his School and went round it. He swiftly began to ascend the staircase
which is situated in the right hand corner. I and three men followed him up. On reaching
the topmost roof he pointed out his house which was visible from there and also pointed
out the river Deuha which was flowing on the back side.

The boy was next questioned about the place where class VI was held in his
time. He pointed out a room which was admitted to be correct by his two old class-
fellows of class VI, Babu Bishambar Nath whose old photograph was recognised by the
boy and Babu Ram Ghulam of Pilibhi who came out of the assembled crowd. The old
class-fellows asked him the name of the teacher. He described him as a fat bearded, man
whose name was given by the crowd as M. Moin-ud-din of Shahjehanpur. In his house
he had correctly pointed out the old Thakur Dwara which he had mentioned before.

The boy was given a pair of Tablas on which he played with ease. His father,
Baba Ram Ghulam, informed me that the boy never saw the Tablas in his life time. The
name of the prostitute with whom the boy associated in his previous life was repeatedly
asked by the people. He reluctantly mentioned the name of Padma which the people
certified as correct. Information of this case, was given to the Superintendent of Police
and the Civil Surgeon. The former came and saw the boy and took him round in his
Motor Car. A large crowd collected on the railway platform at the time of our departure.
The prominent among those present at the platform were Rai Bahadur Laia Rara Sarup
and Rai Sahib Babu Asharfi Lal.

Kekai Nandan Sahay

A copy of the article published in the Leader dated 30th August 1926 on page
13 is given below.

Story of a previous birth.

(To the Editor of the Leader).

Sir,
I shall fell obliged if you publish the following replies to the questions asked in
your issue of August 22 by Mr. Nagar, as well as by several other gentlemen by letter.
Babu Laxmi Narain, son of Babu Har Narain died at Shahjehanpur on Dec. 15, 1918 at
6 a.m. of fever and lung trouble. His age at the time of death was 32 years and 11 days.
He died after a protracted illness of five months. I am indebted to B. Upendra Narain,
the maternal uncle of B. Laxmi Narain for the above information. He also writes that the
boy Visnwa Nath has narrated several incidents which were forgotten by the members
of the family. He writes that a very remarkable thing was that the boy Laxmi Narain
remembered his previous birth at Pilibhit also up to the age of six years. He said that he
came from Jahanabad. But as the parents thought that publicity would be harmful for
the life and welfare of the boy, it was kept secret and no verification was made. So now
we know that Vishwa Nath of Bareilly, was Laxmi Narain of Pilibhit who was
somebody of Jahanabad. Research scholars can now frame their theories. The character
of Laxmi Narain was very gay. He loved wine, flesh and women. The civil surgeon of
Pilibhit did not come to see the boy as he was engaged elsewhere and was not free.

I shall be very much obliged to the Atheist and to Rai Bahadur Babu Shyam
Sundar Lal, C. I. E., if they come forward with any practical proposals for the formation
of an Indian Psychical Research society for the investigation of such cases.

I shall be glad to render all possible help in this cause, if any society is
established.

Bareilly 25th Aug. Kekai Namdam Sahay, Vakil.

The mother of Laxmi Narain is living at Bareilly with her brother B. Upendra
Narain. The boy was taken to her and she put the following test questions to the boy
Vishwa-Nath and became convinced that he is the incarnation of her late lamented son.

(1) Q. Did you fly kites?

(2) Ans. Yes.
(3) Q. With whom did you contest?
(4) Ans. I contested with every kite that came in my range but particularly I
contested with Sundar Lal.
(5) Q. Did you throw my Achar (pickle)?
(6) Ans. I did not throw Achar but how was it possible to eat worms. You
wanted me to eat worms hence I threw your Achar.

Note:The mother says that once her pickles got rotten and she had worms in her jars. She threw the
worms and kept the pickle in the sun but Laxmi Narain threw the pickle much to her annoyance.

(7) Did you ever enter into service?

(8) Ans. Yes, I served for some time in O. R. Ry.
(9) Q. Who was your servant?
(10) A. My servant was Maikua, a black short statured Kahar. He was my
favourite khansama.
(11) Q. You used to sleep on a bamboo charpoy with no bedding?
(Questioned by B. Balbir Singh of Killa Bareilly).
(12) Ans. You never saw my bed. I had a good bed with an ornamental plank
towards the head side and had a Qalin on my bed and kept two pillows under the head
and two under my feet.
(13) Q. What did I teach at Pilibhit? (by Master Sita Ram now a teacher of
Govt. School Bareilly, who was formerly a teacher at Pilibhit.)
Ans. You taught Hindi.
 Note 1. The boy called Har Narain as his Tau. There is a gentleman living in the quarter who is
universally called Har Narain Tau, hence the epithet imperceptibly suggested itself to the child.

Note 2. The boy remembers the name of sahu Shiain Sunder Lal as Sunder Lal.

Corroborative evidence
1. B. Jwala Pershad, Vakil, Bareilly referred to his diary. He finds that in 1918
he defended Laxmi Narain of Pilibhit in a criminal case under sec 193, I. P. C., which
was the offshoot of another case which took place at the house of Padma prostitute in
which Laxmi Narain took part and gave evidence.

2. At Pilibhit on the 1st August the following gentlemen saw the boy.

1. Rai Bahadur Lala Ram Sarup Rais Pilibhit, (On the Ry. platform)
2. B. Asharfi Lal Rai Sahib. Head Master Govt. School Pilibhit.
3. Pt. Ram Datt Joshi Asst. Master Govt. High School Pilibhit.
4. Krishna Behari Lal, Drill Master, Govt. High School Pilibhit.
5. Shyam Behari Lal B. A. Teacher Govt. High School.
6. N. L. Khanna B. A. Teacher Govt. High School.
7. B. Ram Ghulam Khattri.
8. B. Bishambhar Nath Khattri Zamindar, Pilibhit.
9. B. Brij Mohan, Zamindar.
10. Mr. Lahiri the Superintendent of Police, Pilibhit.
 Heera Koers Story
B. Shyam Sundar Lal, Station Master, Haldwani, R. & K. Railway very kindly
visited me and brought his daughter Heera Koer on the 31st August 1926. This girl was
born in September 1919 at Bareilly and recognised the home of her previous life in a
very peculiar manner. This is a very striking case as a male has been reborn with a
change of sex. This girl was a boy of twelve at Gocul, District Muttra and died in
October 1918.

Unfortunately, the exact time of death could not be ascertained as the sole
surviving member of the family was an old woman. B. Shyam Sundar Lal went for
pilgrimage to Muttra in August 1922. He took a boat at Muttra for Gokul. At Gokul
while he was passing by the place which is still pointed out to pilgrims as the old
residence of Nand and Jasoda, the little girl forcibly got down from the arms of the
hillservant. Very close to this historic house was the small house at the door of which
an old lady was sitting. The girl forced her way into the house and her mother followed
her. Here, the girl began to talk as if she were a boy. Her first question was about the
Takhti on which she used to write and her pen, which she had left in the [takhal] niche.
The second thing about which she asked, was the Chauki on which she used to sit for
writing. On hearing these questions the old woman began to weep. The child than asked
the old woman to give betel to her mother and to cut the betelnuts with her brass
sarauta [Nut-Cutter]. So the old woman brought out the brass sarauta. She then asked
her mother to go away as she [baby] had come to her home but requested her mother to
take a betel before leaving. The mother of Heera Koer instructed the servant who
forcibly took the child out of the house.

Then the whole party moved towards the bank of the Jamuna where they fed the
tortoise with gram and parched rice. Heera Koer on seeing the tortoise remarked You
drowned me last time and have again come to do the same. On hearing this the old
woman who followed broke into tears again. The child on further questioning pointed
out the place where she was bathing when she lost her footing, got drowned and died.
The old woman corroborated the statement of the child and admitted that her 12 years
old son had drowned some four years ago at the same spot.

Sundar Lal alias Hanne Lal of Kirpur District Sitapur

I am greatly indebted to Kaja Suraj Baksh Singh Sahib of Kamalpur, District

Sitapur for the verification of this case. He very kindly sent his men and had statements
recorded properly, on my request. I give an extract of the statements for the benefit of
the reader.

Puttu Lal So Thakur Pershad, Brahman, aged 58 years, resident of Hirpur,

tehsil Sudhauli District Sitapur, stated before Raja Sahib as follows:

I was a compounder at Kamalpur Hospital for 12 years. Since 3 years I have

taken pension and have come home. I have 5 sons and one daughter. The youngest son
is now 2 years old. I was living at Kamalpur in the Hospital Quarters when this son was
born. My second son had taken his mother in Savan for a bath at Ajodhya, District
Fyzabad. After 9 months from this my youngest son was born whom I named Sunder
Lal. When this boy was 2 years and six months old and began to speak with ease, he
began to resent being called Sundar Lal and insisted on being called Hanne Lal. The
baby gave his name as Hanne Lal, resident of Fyzabad, Mohalla Katra Phuta. He gave
his caste as Lala. He said he had two children and a wife. When he was asked how he
came from Fyzabad he said that when his body was thrown into the Sarju river and his
present mother was bathing he came along with her. The Railway station is very near
the compounders quarter at Kamalpur. This baby was often brought back by passersby
who found him going towards the station. On being asked he said that he wanted to take
the train for reaching his home at Fyzabad. He remembered the story till he was four or
five years old. My wife did not like this as it is considered that children who remember
their previous life have short lives. We had recourse to Tantras to achieve forgetfulness
and gradually the boy forgot it. I went to Fyzabad only once in my life in 1924 and had
never been there before. I did not make any investigations regarding this story.

The extract of the report of Pundit Bhagwan Din Treasurer, who was deputed by
Raja Suraj Baksh Singh Sahib for the verification of the statement of Puttu Lal, is given
below:

I left Kamalpar station on the 12th September; 1926 by the 4:30 p.m. train and
reached Fyzabad at 2 a.m. I went to the bungalow of Kuhwar Pratap Bikram Shah Sahib
I. C. S. Joint Magistrate, Fyzabad. I went to Ajodhiaji by an ekka. I found no trace of
Katra Phata at Fyzabad except that it was a Mohalla of Ajodhia. I reached Mohalla
Katra Phuta and enquired from Janki Perahad gold-smith and other people of the
quarter.

They all certified that there was one Lala Hanne Lal. He used to teach boys. He
was a Kayastha. He died some fourteen or fifteen years ago in the month of Savan of
plague. He left behind a widow, a son and a daughter. The mohalla people gave a
watery burial to him and floated the dead body in Sarju river. Janki Pershad Sunar is
one of those who floated the body of Hanne Lal and had earned his bier. Hanne Lals
wife and children had left him during his illness and there was no near relative to
cremate him. The house of Hanne Lal stands facing towards the East. Portions of it have
fallen as it is untenanted. The wife of Hanne Lal comes even now to see the house when
there is any Parabh Ashnan at Ajodbya. She is said to be living in an adjoining village
but the name of the village could not be ascertained. Hanne Lal died at 45.
 Chamelas Story
Raja Suraj Baksh Singh Sahib of Kamalpur District Sitapur recorded the
statement of Pt. Kalka Pershad s/o Pt. Ran Naraim Aginhotri, resident of Pargana
Maholi, Tehsil Misrikh, District Sitapur, agent of Raja Sahib of Kusmanda. I am
stating the facts which I have seen with my own eyes. Pt. Bhekari Lal son of Pt. Uma
Dutt Pande is my neighbour. He had a daughter aged 20 years, her name was Must
Chamela. She was unmarried. Bhekari Lal betrothed the girl to Basswan Lal Sukuls
son whose age was only 11 years. On return home Bhekari Lal spoke to the people that
owing to poverty he could not get a match of equal age for his daughter. As boys of
equal age demanded much dowry, he could get only this small orphan boy.

The girl heard this talk but did not say anything. She cooked food for the family
and fed all the family members. When all fell asleep she drowned herself in a tank
which was very close to her house, and died. She had covered herself with a blanket
which was found under the wooden Pata on the bank of the tank in the morning when a
search was made for her. The dead body was found at 8 a.m. the next morning. She had
made a lang of the lanhga which she was wearing and she wore a Kurta. Thakur Gauri
Shanker Singh, Sub-Inspector Thana Maholi had completed the Panchayat namah. The
Sub-Inspector has now retired and lives at Sitapur. There used to live Kamta Pershad
Baqal son of Khanjan, teacher of Kasmanda School near the house of Bhekari Lal. He is
now a teacher at Barmholi, Tehsil Misrikh, District Sitapur. He has a daughter named
Musammat Champa. Her age is 12 years now. When the girl was five years old she said
that she was the daughter of Pt. Bhikari Lal and that she ended her life by getting
drowned in the tank. She also gave other particulars to her mohalla people. This girl
used to come to my house when she was Musammat Chamela and used to call me Baba.
She comes to my house even now when she is Musammat Champa. She calls me Baba
although according to village custom she should call me Chacha. She also said that
although she has been born at a Banias house she does not take food left in anybodys
plate after dinner in her household.

When Champa was some five years old I heard her story and asked her to take
me to the house of her previous birth and to show me her things which may still be
there. She went with me to the house of Bhekan Lal. She showed me her bedstead and
one box of deal wood and said that her clothes and other articles which she had left in
the box were not now in it. She pointed out correctly the room in which she used to live.
Her face and colour are all like Musammat Chamela who had died of drowning. She has
a swarthy colour like Chamela. The name is also very similar. The girl even now says
that she does not want to get married and has a feeling that she should put an end to her
life by getting drowned. The parents of the girl have betrothed her to one Maula Baqqal,
resident of Wazirnagar, Tehail Misrikh, District Sitapur this year. I am a Zilaidar of
Riasat Kusmanda and am deputed at Wazirnagar. I have stated the facts which I have
seen with my own eyes, and nothing has been stated which I have not seen myself.
 Brij Chandra Sarans Story
It was in the year 1906 that I for the first time became convinced of the truth of
the theory of transmigration and rebirth. My cousin Mr. Naud Nandan Sahay B. A.,
expired at the early age of 19 at Mirzapur. He died of cholera. There was great
mourning in the family as well as among friends as my cousin was extremely popular
being a public speaker, a regular and brilliant student and a very keen sports-man. He
also liked swimming and riding. At the time of his death his wife had two months of
pregnancy. She had very wild dreams and once she dreamt that her husband appeared
and said that he would be born as her son. He also said that a wet nurse should be kept
in waiting as he could not suck her milk and shall die of starvation if no such
arrangement was made. He also said that he shall have a scar on his head as an
identification mark.

His wife described the dream to the others members of the family and a wet
nurse was engaged and was in an attendance at the time of delivery. The baby was a
male, had the scar on the back of the head equal to one inch, and the child did not press
the breast of the mother. The milk of the mother was then taken out in a spoon and was
forced into the babys throat. The baby vomitted freely and never sucked her milk.
Although the child sucked the breasts of other ladies in the house. When the child was 5
years old, he one day spoke to his mother in great secrecy, that he was her husband and
that his grand-father was his father and his grand-mother was his mother. He showed
great perplexity over this. His mother spoke of this story of the child to other members
of the family. On the third day the child got fever which afterwards turned out to be
typhoid and was down after 21 days. After this in the interests of the child nobody
talked to him on this subject and story was allowed to be forgotten. Now this child has
grown into a young man and is reading in the college. His name is Brij Chandra Saran.
His face is very similar to that of his father and bears a very close resemblance to his
photograph. His hair are parted on one side as were of his father.

Witnesses:Mr. Kekai Nandan Sahay Vakil, Bareilly, B. Girdhari Lal Sahib,

Retired Sub-Judge, Patwa Street Bareilly. B. Jado Nandan Sahay, Overseer P. W. D.,
Moradabad. B. Gopi Behari Sahay, Offg. Deputy Commissioner, Partabgarh. Rai Lal
Behari Sahai Retired Tehsildar, Patwa Street, Bareilly.
 Bajrang Bahadurs Story
Bajrang Bahadur s/o M. Ram Charan Lal, document writer, resident of Mohalla
Saidpuria, Bareilly, was born in 1918. His father and mother are all of swarthy colour
but he is very white, and has grey hair, and hazel eyes like English men. He has two
round scars like those of a bullet. One on the right side of the neck and the other on his
skull. He knew his story up to last year when he narrated it to B. Shakambri Das Singi,
Zamindar of Zakati Mohalla, Bareilly. Now he has forgotten it. He used to take his
meals with a knife and fork up to the age of four, used to play frogleap and other
peculiar games. He playfully walked in military fashion and gave cautions. His father
and mother are old type people who firmly believe that such remembrance shortens life.
They do not know English. They did not disclose the facts when the boy began to give
them out. It is a pity that such a good and instructive case has been spoiled by
superstition. He had two other brothers and a mother. He gives his name as Arthur and
says that he was a white soldier who died in the German war. His father had died long
ago.

His age at the time of death was 28. A second son was born to Ram Charan Lal
who was also white. Bajrang said that he was his second brother.