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By Sean Yoong
The Associated Press
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In one of Malaysia's oldest cemeteries, hundreds of
headstones blanket a hillside.
(AP Photo/Andy Wong) |
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K U A L A L U M P U R, Malaysia, Oct. 6 —
In one of Malaysia's oldest cemeteries, tour guide Francis Nantha gazes at
hundreds of headstones blanketing a hillside, made visible tonight with the
help of a van's headlights.
"This is where you can commune with the
spirits," Nantha says, while his listeners exchange nervous glances.
"They're usually harmless — so long as you don't go traipsing carelessly all
over their resting places."
The cemetery is the centerpiece of the "Asian Spooks Experience," a
privately run, nightly tour of sites notorious for spectral sightings in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's largest city.
Supernatural folklore might seem incongruous in a country with the world's
tallest buildings and one of Asia's most industrialized economies. But ghost
tales have captivated people here for centuries, making this predominantly
Muslim nation a place where superstition still resonates.
Nantha, a former public relations executive who strongly believes in
spirits, started the spooks tour recently to offer Malaysians and foreign
visitors a glimpse into Kuala Lumpur's surreal side — with the tantalizing
prospect of spotting a ghost.
Can Seafood Ward Off Spooks?
The three-hour $44 tour kicks off with a seafood dinner, which Nantha says
makes participants "spiritually stronger" and less susceptible to demonic
possession. Participants are also offered talismans to ward off any evil
spirits.
"Don't wave, don't smile, don't stare too long if you see a ghost," Nantha
warns sternly as participants cram into a van. "Such behavior might attract
the spirits to move toward you."
The first stop is a nearly 150-year-old tree believed to be the abode of a
serpent spirit. People seeking guidance and luck place milk and eggs under
the tree, which was planted by 19th-century Indian migrant workers.
S. Mahendran, a resident in the area, said the tree was almost chopped down
a decade ago by construction workers. But when the tree's branches ominously
began leaking water, the project's developers feared potential misfortune
and left the tree undisturbed, Mahendran said.
Hot Spot for Female Vampires
Next, Nantha drives visitors to a deserted cemetery, with no streetlights or
noise except for cricket chirps. Visitors can walk on pathways amid
seemingly endless tombstones or stand at a chilly spot believed to be a
gateway where spirits enter and leave the graveyard.
Nantha claims one of his tour groups saw the cemetery teeming with spirits
earlier this year when lightning briefly illuminated the area. Whether or
not this is true, the mix of Nantha's shrewd storytelling and the creepy
atmosphere transformed a recent group of skeptical journalists into
wide-eyed scaredy cats.
On the next stop — purportedly the most dangerous — Nantha won't even allow
passengers to leave the van. The location atop a hill is a stomping ground
for "pontianak," or beautiful female vampires who prey on men.
Other highlights include a former railway station, reputedly haunted by
people who committed suicide, and a disused jail where inmates tried to
escape allegedly by using black magic to open doors to other dimensions.
The eerie excursion ends with a "cleansing ceremony" — participants rub lime
juice on their foreheads, lips and fingertips, while Nantha uses a digital
camera to take an instant snapshot of the group.
"If there's a red or purple aura surrounding you in the photograph, you must
visit an exorcist immediately," Nantha says. "It means that evil spirits
became attached to you during the tour."
If You Go… Asian Spooks Experience: http://www.ez2pr.com
Tourism Malaysia: (212) 754-1113 or www.visitmalaysia.com
Article taken from:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Travel/World/Travelfeature031006Malaysia_tours-1.html
Copyright © 2003 ABCNEWS Internet Ventures.
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