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shopkeeper named Kedanat Choubey. After many years of marriage, Lugdi fell pregnant, but was devastated to learn only a week before she was due to give birth that the baby had died some years later. By then twenty three, Lugdi was overjoyed to discover she was pregnant once more, but again there were complications. Fearing for his wife and unborn child, Kedanad rushed them to the much better equipped hospital in
the city of Agra, thirty miles away. It was there the next day, on September twenty fifth, nineteen twenty five, that Lugdi gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Nabanid. For Lugdi, however, the pregnancy had taken a hefty toll. She would not live to see the child she had brought into the world, dying nine days later on the
morning of October fourth. Five years later and roughly six hundred miles to the south, in the coastal town of Dandy, a gentle looking man, modestly dressed in a pristine white doughty and shawl, reaches down into the wet mud at his feet, lifting a handful of it into the air. He turns to the fifty thousand strong crowd of men and women who have waited twenty six days for this very moment, and declared, with this, I am shaking the
foundations of the British Empire. Next, the man filtered salt granules from the mud and placed them in a pot of boiling sea water. He watched with a smile as the water slowly began to evaporate, liberating the salt from its bonds, until with the water having all but vanished, the salt was all that remained at the bottom of the pan. The man was Mahandas Karamchant Gandhi, perhaps better
known as Mahatma Gandhi. With this powerful, peaceful gesture, Gandhi, who had walked for twenty six days to get to the coast, had shone a light on a greedy and restrictive salt tax that had been imposed on the people of India by British colonial powers. As with all empires, there comes a time when the ruling powers are no longer able to reconcile the myth of their great nation with the truth of what it takes to sustain it.
And so it would prove with Great Britons. With Gandhi's iconic Salt March proving an irresistible catalyst, opposition to British rule among both the local Indian population and the British public intensified, though at the time the empire's Viceroy, Lord Erwin quipped that Gandhi's Salt campaign would be unlikely to keep him up or night. Only seventeen years later, the Indian nation achieved independence. After the Salt March, Gandhi's position as a leading statesman and as the head of the
Indian independence movement had been thoroughly secured. As such, his trust and judgment was often sought on a number of wide ranging events and incidences, provided they were of sufficient importance. None were quite as strange, perhaps as that which was presented to him in nineteen thirty five, regarding a peculiar case of a young girl who claimed to have already died ten years previously. You're listening to Unexplained, and I'm
Richard McClane Smith. Born in December nineteen twenty six, Shanty Deevi rarely cried as a baby, despite living in the intense bustle of inner city Delhi. Having grown into a shy and quiet toddler, it was all the more surprising when the young girl became suddenly agitated afternoon. This wasn't her home, she complained to her perplexed mother. My house was much bigger, she said. Shanty's mother, naturally, assuming her daughter to be playing a game, did her best to
ignore her strange proclamations. It was far harder, however, for her to ignore Shanty's insistence that she wasn't her mother at all. Her real mother lived in the city of Matra, over ninety miles away, as did her husband and sisters. For the next year, Shanty continued to talk about another life, claiming that her name was in fact Lukdi. One evening, at the dinner table, after her mother had dished out the food, Shanty screwed up her face and pushed her
plate away. It isn't right to eat animals, she said, I won't do it. The now four year old, Shanty went on to explain that she and her husband only eight sat for food, a group of foods that pertained to the Hindu modes of existence, consisting only of meat free, energy enriching foods. Only Shanty's parents weren't Hindus, nor could they fathom how a four year old child could have
learned such a thing. A few years later, with Shanty showing no sign of dropping the charade, she explained blankly one morning that she had died giving birth to a child, and that she wanted to see her husband again. But when Shanty's mother asked who he was, she would say only that when she knew him, he sold fabrics, and that he owned a shop near the Dua Kadis temple in Matra. Though Shanty's parents try to reassure themselves that their daughter's behavior is only a phase, it is hard
not to be concerned. It is said in the Vedic Scriptures, the most sacred text of Hinduism, that any child who could remember a past life was destined to die young. Growing increasingly unsettled, Shanty's parents forbade her from talking any more about her past life, But Shanty never lost sight of her dream to return to her long lost family in Mattera. It was sometime in nineteen thirty five that Babu Bu Shan Chand first heard about Shanty's strange obsession.
Chand was a teacher at Shanty's school in the Daria Ganj district of Delhi. Being a relative also, he couldn't help but being trigued after overhearing the now eight year old girl telling yet another friend how she needed to find a way to get to Mattera to visit her husband. Determined to see if Shanty was telling the truth, Chand demanded that she'd tell him the name of her husband. When she refused, Chand offered to take her to Mattera
himself if she would only give him his name. The young girl hesitated, explaining that it would not be correct to speak his name, but finally relented. She gestured for Chand to bend down and whispered it into his ear. Cared a nat choube, but that wasn't all. She knew his address as well. Before rushing off to visit the man, Chand suggested they write him a letter first to see
if he can help verify her claims. Together, they composed it, putting in everything that Shanty had said that she was once married to a man named Chaube who had owned a fabric shop near the Dua Kadish Temple i Matura. She added also that one of their homes was painted yellow and that she believed her name to be Lukdi. After posting the letter, Chand waited for almost two weeks
before finally receiving a reply. I did have a wife who died named Lugdi, it said, and I have a shop very close to the Duwa Kadish temple and my name is Kennedat. Chaube in Matra. Kadanat had barely slept since first receiving Shanty's letter. Having sent his reply to Chand, he contacted a cousin, Pandit Kanjimau, who lived in Delhi, and asked him to visit Shanty and her parents on
his behalf. A few days later, an astounded Pandit sat with the young girl and her parents as she detailed the layout and location of the house that lugd A use to live in with his cousin, also describing perfectly the streets close to it that she had walked many times before. When she asked about the health of her son, a stunned Pandite can only mutter that he is doing well. When Cadenat's cousin bids farewell to Shanty later that evening, it is with the absolute conviction that he had just
spoken to Cadnat's deceased wife. The following day, he traveled to his cousin's home to deliver the incredible news. Are you always taking care of your family? Do you often take care of others and not yourself? Now it's time to take care of yourself, to make time for you. You deserve it. Tell adoc gives you access to a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling your best, to feeling like yourself again. With teledoc, you can speak
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Download the app or visit teledoc dot com forward slash Unexplained podcast today to get started. That's t e la d oc dot com slash Unexplained podcast. It was only a few days later, on November twelfth, the Pandit returned to Shanty's home along with Kedanat and his new wife, as well as ten year old Nabanite, the son that Lugti had died after giving birth to. When they arrived, Shanty's mother, who was clearly troubled by the situation, was
there to greet them at the door. She explained that Shanty had not yet returned from school, but invited them inside, none the less to sit and wait for her. When the young girl returned home half an hour later, it had been decided that they would try and catch her out, having been informed that more people had come to speak to her about her supposed past life. Shanty was led into the living room and introduced to a few of the guests, including Kdanad, who was introduced as an older
brother of Lugdi's, but Shanty was confused. No, she said, that is my husband. Walking straight up to him, she bowed her head and stood by his side, as was customary for the time. Kdnat could only stare dumb struck, but the strangely confident little girl stood beside him. A moment later, Nabanite was shown into the room. At the sight of the young boy, Shanty's eyes widened and began to well up. She rushed towards him and hugged him tightly.
My son, she cried, you are my son. Immediately, Shanty turned to her mother and asked her for all her toys to be brought for the young boy, but she refused as she tried to comprehend what exactly was happening before her. Shanty eventually gathered them up herself and offered them to the boy. Later, Shanty's parents watched their daughter leave the house with the chowbees, with the creeping sensation that maybe she hadn't been making everything up after all.
That afternoon, having taken a trip round the city with Kedernat's family, it was said that Shanty held on to Nabanite's hand the entire time. That evening. The two families gathered again to talk, but something was ailing the young girl. She couldn't stop staring at the jewelry on the arm of Kehdanat's wife. It was as if she recognized it. You promised you would never marry again, she said, turning suddenly to Khednat. The man's eyes turned to the floor,
sensing the awkward shift in the mood. Shanty's father asked his daughter to talk more about the house she had apparently lived in when she was lugdy. The young girl's eyes lit up as she recounted the place in great detail, including how she loved to bathe and relax the well located in the middle of a grand courtyard in the center of the property. Her apparent recollections drawing tears from Kedanat's eyes at the memories. It was late evening when
the Choubey family left the house, though Shanty was inconsolable. Together, they promised to make arrangements to meet again. It wasn't long before Shanty's extraordinary story reached the media, and in turn, Mahatma Gandhi. It has been alleged that Gandhi's interest in the story stemmed as much from political motives as it did from personal interest, being as it was an apparent vindication of the Hindu belief system. Nevertheless, his involvement was
hugely significant. Having now met Kedanat, Shanty had only grown more determined to visit her apparent former home in Mattera. But every reference to her past life as Lugdi was just one more break in the hearts of Shanty's parents, who feared their daughter might be lost forever if they agreed to let her go. It was Gandhi who finally convinced them to let whatever her destiny might be play out.
Such was the faroor surrounding the story. Gandhi also organized for a committee of journalists and government ministers to accompany the young girl to Mattera to determine for themselves whether her claims were true or not. And so it was that on November twenty fourth, Shanty and her family boarded a train to Mattera, escorted by Gandhi's committee, which included among them, the respected Member of Parliament des Pandoux Gupta.
That cool morning, as the train trundled through a green and dusty countryside and a warm, pink haze settled across the land, a quiet eight year old girl gazed absent mindedly out of the window, dreaming of a former life. Having arrived at matter of station. As the committee disembark, a crowd of thousands are there to greet them, all desperate to see the miracle child. As Shanty is led from the train, the crowd surges forward and a middle
aged man steps into her path. Shanty stops. After taking a moment to look up at the man, she bows down and touches his feet. Before the man can say anything, Shanty is already back up Babu ram Chaube. She says hello. The man cracks the wide smile and turning back to the crowd them away to give the child and a committee room to get through. As they push on to the front of the station, one of the committee asks Shanty who the man is, to which she replies, he
is my husband's brother. Outside, the girl is led into a tanger, a small horse and cart, where she is joined by Deschbandou Gupta and another committee member, with the others arranging to follow on behind. Much to Gupta's surprise, Shanty, who has never been to matter Of before, wastes no time in instructing the driver on where to go, telling
him to look out for a yellow house. As they make their way through the streets, Shanty points out all the places she remembers and the ones that have changed since Lukedi's time, all of which the astonished driver confirms to be true. Turn into one street flanked by a large, colorful building fronted by a series of delicate arches, Shanty points out that to work at each temple, and on the other side of the street the shop where her husband worked. Reaching across roads a short time later, she
asks the driver to pull over. But I don't understand, she says, as she steps down from the cart. It's supposed to be yellow. The committee members exchanged concerned glances as they followed the young girl across the road toward a decidedly white house. Though the color is wrong, the large crowd of people gathered outside suggests they have indeed
come to the right place. Shanty points out two men standing by the entrance as her brother and the brother of her father in law, who both greet her warmly before leading her inside. Moving from room to room, Shanti amazes every one with her apparent recollection of how the house had been set up when Lugdi had lived there. However,
one committee member is unconvinced. After all, wasn't the house supposed to be yellow, but it was explained one of the new residents, it had been painted over after Lugdi had died that afternoon. As the crowds continue to grow, the eighty year old girl from Delhi is hoisted on to the shoulders of one of the committee members before effortlessly guiding them all to the next property. It is the last place that Lugti had lived and Kedannat's current home.
She is especially pleased to find him waiting there for her when she arrives. After being led inside once again, Shanty seems able to recall the layout of the house, but when she moved into the courtyard, something is wrong the well, says one of the committee members. You said there was a well here that you used to bathe beside, but there is not. Without uttering a word, Kedanad walks into the middle of the square and pulls up a large paving slab, inviting the committee members to have a
look underneath. It was the well the family had paved over it only a few years ago. Later, having moved up to one of the bedrooms on the second floor, Shanty lets out a short gasp. I remember something, she exclaims, turning to the group. Under the floor, I hid a money box full of savings for a special occasion. Just there, she says, pointing to the floor. One of the group pushes at the spot and finds the floor board to
be loose. He pulls it up and, to the amazement of all, reveals a small rusted tin nestled in the space below it. The tin was empty, however, The girl, disappointed, turns to Caedanad, who can only apologize he had found it some time after Lugdi had died and spent the money on himself. Satisfied they had seen enough for the day, Shanty made one more request that they visit the River Yamuna, where as Lugdi, she had apparently also enjoyed spending lots
of her time. After a short ride to the river, Shanty's parents, who had endured so much already, watched with a strange uncertainty as their young daughter gazed out across the water. Suddenly she was running far along the bank toward a house in the distance. As the committee members tried desperately to keep up, they were relieved to see Shanty stopping outside another home, where a small crowd of
people had gathered to meet her. It was Lugdi's parents house, and there standing at the front where Yagti and Chatterbuchbai looked these parents themselves. Shanty already had tears in her eyes as she approached the elderly couple. When her parents
arrived moments later, Yagti invited them into the house. As the congregation of committee members and Lugdi's family sat and talked, the young girl's parents can only watch with increasing dread as their daughter, now sitting in Yagti's lap, continued to amaze everyone with her supposed collections of her life as Lugdi. But although Shanty seems elated to be with her old family again, she is equally struck by a deep melancholy. Turning to Lugdi's mother, she asks, why did he not
keep bringing me flowers like you promised? Just like with Kedanad, Yaghti can only apologize, holding the girl tighter in her arms as she wipes their tears away. Then comes the moment that Shanty's mother had been most dreading. It was clear that a decision had to be made. Both Lugdi's family and the Chowbees were far more wealthy than Shanty's parents not to mention of a higher cast, and if it was true that this place really was her home, would it be wrong to deny her the opportunity to
live here? Yaghti suggests the only fair thing to do is to ask Shanty herself what she wants. Shanty's mother reluctantly agrees, taking her daughter by the hand and trying not to cry as she asks her the devastating question. All in the room are silent as they watched the little girl think on her decision. Then, after a moment's pause, she turns to Ludi's parents, embraces them one after the other, and asks for forgiveness, telling them quietly through her tears
that she had another family. Now, turning back to her parents, Shanty took them each by the hand and led them out of the house. That evening, Shanty Devi returned to Delhi with her mother and father, escorted by Gandhi's committee members. None were in any doubt that the child they had taken to Mattera was nothing less than the reincarnation of Luk Dubai, the young mother who had tragically died over
a decade ago. In April the following year, a nine year old Shanty is taken back to Mattera by another group, this time led by prominent journalist Saint Nihal Singh and the psychologist doctor Indra Sen. Again, the girl's claims are put to the test, with varying degrees of success. Both men returned to Delhi convinced that her extraordinary claims were true.
A few weeks later, doctor Sen arranged for Shanty to undergo a process of hypnotic regression, where she is alleged to have documented Lugdi Bai's journey from death to the moment of her rebirth before later the child Shanty Devi. Soon after this session, doctor Senn learned something else. Although it was true that Shanty had never been to Mattera, not only had Lugdi's husband, Cadnat Choubey, been to Delhi
a number of times. One of the places he visited most frequently was a fabric shop directly opposite Shanty's family home, and he had done so since Shanty was only a baby. Either way, for the rest of her life, Shanty Devi, who had become a highly qualified teacher, never wavered in her belief that she had lived a previous life. She would eventually die at the age of sixty one in nineteen eighty seven, having never married out of respect for
her apparent former husband. If you enjoy listening to Unexplained and would like to help support us, you can now go to Unexplained Podcast dot com, Forward Slash Support. All donations, no matter how large or small, are massively appreciated. All elements of Unexplained are produced by me Bridge McClain smith. Please subscribe and rate the show on iTunes. Feel free to get in touch with any thoughts or ideas regarding the stories you've heard on the show. Perhaps you have
an explanation of your own you'd like to share. You can reach us online at Unexplained podcast dot com or on Twitter at Unexplained Pod. Now. It's time to take care of yourself. To make time for you, Tell a Doc gives you access to a licensed therapist to help you get back to feeling your best. Speak to a licensed therapist by phone or video anytime between seven am to nine pm local time, seven days a week. Teledoc
Therapy is available through most insurance or employers. Download the app or visit teledoc dot com, Forward Slash Unexplained Podcast Today to get started. That's T. E. Ladoc dot com Slash Unexplained podcast