One day our Chemistry teacher Mr. Raghu Nath Panda was tutoring us how Phosphorus reacts with Oxygen. Phosphorus + Oxygen produces Phosphorous Pent oxide (P2O5) which glows sending illumination. I instantly reminded Sir how folks in our village would think of the moving lights as DAHANI (in Odia meaning witch) who walks upside down using her hands as feet. But our Sir went on explaining that jackals would eat bones from carcasses which would contain phosphorus. It gets stuck to their teeth and as soon as it come in contact with atmospheric oxygen it illuminates. The moving jackal is considered as a ghost by the locals who in reality it was nothing but P2O5 causing luminance. I was reminded such stories told by grand mother during my childhood. In order to put us into sleep she would tell the stories of seeing moving lights in villages. Everybody from our village would stay a safe distance lest the rolling ball of fire (called MADALA in Odia) would chase them. If the fire ball roll goes through within their legs they are destined to vomit blood and die. Now I knew those moving light balls were nothing but the glowing P2O5 from the teeth of the jackals. It confirmed my skepticism why I havent encountered a single case of someone dead from a RAKTABANTI (blood vomit) due to a incandescent ball rolling within his legs.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 02:48:48 +0000
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