Column by Saba Mahjoor | The jinn that wasn’t
This column recounts a personal anecdote involving a family dispute in Kashmir, where an elderly man claims his daughter-in-law is possessed by a jinn. The narrative explores cultural beliefs and interpersonal dynamics within a traditional household.
Why it matters
It offers a cultural perspective on social tensions and the intersection of folklore and family conflict in regional India.
On a crisp spring afternoon, Phuphee and I were sitting on the verandah chatting after our lunch. She had rustled up a simple dish of pootche gande ti thool (spring onions and eggs) and served it with hot rice and roahane koadur aanchaar (a pickle made from the tender green stems of young garlic).
She was telling me the recipe for pootche gande when the gate opened and a large party of people walked in. Before they reached the verandah, she called for Aisha, the household help, to bring the samovar, chinipyaale (small cups without handles) and some kulchas .
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