From a Lunatic to a Sane Person
My name is Dhanraj Gupta. I am a farmer and reside in Birla, Bihari Basti, Karbi Anglong District.
One day, I became very ill mentally. Pujas and Rituals were performed to dispel my mental illness, but my problem became more serious and prolonged. People thought that, spirits are inside of me; one famous Pujari from Adivasi community from Manja was called to cast away the spirits in me. Both my hands and my legs were tied up in the process. With the chanting of his mantras, the Pujari also started beating me. In the process, I had to undergo a great deal of pain. I tried to free myself but there were about 10[ten] to 12[twelve] persons who took control of my movement. After his best efforts, the Pujari gave up, saying that the demon was too powerful to be cast away.
Another popular Pujari was invited from Lanka, also called as ‘Deori’ by the Karbi community. The Deori made a list of items to be brought before him for the rituals, which included alcohol, a white colored feathered fowl and a pair of doves. I was a practicing vegetarian at that time and did not consumed alcohol, but I was subdued and forced to drink alcohol with the impression that the demon inside will take leave. The demon did not leave me but the alcohol did its job and I became fully drunk that day. This incident was the worst day of my life ever.
After a month, my condition deteriorated. I did not know where I was going neither knew what I was up to. I would run away from home in the middle of the night. At time, I would hang around naked in the market places; sometimes, I would pick up fights with the gatekeeper of Birla Plywood factory. At times, I would manage to get inside the factory and sleep in the parking space. At times, I would get hold of a knife with the intention to harm and kill people.
One day, my brother brought along 10[ten] to 12[twelve] men and tied me up. I was made to lie down in the open sunlight in front of my house with both my hands and feet tied up with a plastic ropes. I was left in the scorching sun just like rice grain being dried before husking. I beg them to provide me water but they would not; I beg them to loose me but they would not; I thought that, I was going to die that day.
Tormented with my condition, at 3:00 A.M in the early morning hours, I felt like an electrical current passed through my body with a sudden sparkle of light and when I opened my eyes, I saw a person wearing a white robes. He said to me, “Do not be afraid of me, I am Jesus Christ”. After that experience, I began to experience changes taking place in my behavior. Once again, following the next day, I saw a man in my dream in a white dress approaching towards me and as the man came closer to me, He touch my forehead and prayed for me; and before leaving, he said : “From today, your sense will be restored and your sickness will be healed in Jesus name.”When I opened my eyes, I saw no one but I realized that I had become a normal person again.
I called my people to untie my hands and feet but they would not listen to me. As I insisted that I be untied, my nephew had pity on my condition and came forward to untie me, asking me not to harm him after I had been released. As soon as I was made loose, I went to a ring-well nearby and drew buckets of water and had a bath. People were indeed surprised that, I have become a normal person again.
After that, I frequently visit Hidisajir, a Christian Village, to share my experiences to the people there, and tell them that, “I met Jesus in my dream,” but the people would not believe my story, because they thought I was still a ‘lunatic’. Infact, I requested them to baptize me but they would not. Then one day, while I was tending my cows, I witnessed a Baptism Programme in a stream at Hidisajir, where 10 to 12 youth were undergoing baptism. At that moment, I approached them to baptize me, but then they refused, asking me to grow in the word of God. I silently observed the baptism that day.
On Sunday, I would not go for works and attend the Hidisajir Baptist Church; I would sit in the last benches and observe the people worship the Lord. People would at best avoid me, as they think that, I am still a lunatic. A year passed by in this manner.
Then in the year 1996, a programme was organized in Diphu Stadium called 'Festival of Hope'. I joined the Baptism Programme in a pond at Taralangso, Diphu, and was baptized in that year. When I reached home my wife was very furious and remarked: “We comes from a good Hindu family background from time immemorial and you broke this chain by converting to Christianity”. I told my wife: “If you do not want me, than you can leave me and take all the children with you; I need a True and Living God and I have found Him; I found Jesus in my dream and only Jesus can give me Eternal Life and Everlasting Peace” I have accepted Christ not for riches or worldly pleasures or just for my healing but because, He alone can save me from Eternal punishment. He is the only one who can save my soul.Wife of Dhanraj Gupta
When my husband became mentally unsound, we underwent a great deal of pain and sorrow. My father-in-law had a temple in our house and we would propitiate hard, so that my husband could be a normal human being again, but all our efforts were in vain.
Today, my husband is completely healed and we have peace and joy in the family. I accepted Christ and took my baptism after 3 years from the day my husband accepted Christ. I was very disappointed at first because my parent comes from a Hindu background, so do all my relatives. But latter on, I understood the love of Jesus Christ and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives.
This is how, my household along with all my children accepted the Lord Jesus Christ. We attend worship Services at Hidisajir Baptist Church. Today, myself and my family have real peace and joy in our hearts.