Mayong, 'Land of Black Magic': A Village in Assam known for its Black Magic

Mayong is popularly known as 'Land of Black Magic' is a small but strange village on the bank of the Brahmaputra full of mysteries and prevailing silence. The village is situated 40 kilometres away from Guwahati in the Marigaon district of Assam. For many years the village has been attracting the attention of tourists because of its mysterious past.

More than a hundred magicians and witch doctors live in Mayong and they are locally called with the name oja or bej/bez. The source of their talents and capacities are not any stone or previously dormant powers but they believe that their descendants have passed on this skill which comes from the family tree. Those doctors have the cure for any kind of disease whether it is an unwanted sickness or ghosts having control over the body.

It is of the faith that they also have the ability and powers to make people disappear or make them a beast. They can even make predictions and see the future with the use of broken glasses and seashells. Their practices and rituals of curing sometimes include sacrifices. One of the very strange practices is to chant mantras by balancing a plate of copper in the back of a person. Villagers still strongly believe that many saints and witches of the past who had once practised black magic dwells in the jungle of Mayong.

RITUALS AND PRACTICES 

There are numerous stories behind the origin of Mayong but the actual evidence of any of them is not yet considered as truth. Some believe that the term Mayong is derived from the word of Sanskrit called 'Maya the meaning of which is an illusion but many others are also believe that Mayong is taken from a similar word Miyong which in the Dimasa language means elephant. Locals sometimes say that during the ancient time the village was the habitat of Moirang clans belongs to Manipur and as a result, the term Moirang formed mayhong and lastly it became Mayong.

The place is found in various epic books like Ramanaya, Mahabharta and Alamgir Nama. In Mahabharata along with ancient Assam Pragjyotishpura as it is said that Chief Ghatotkacha was involved in the battle of Mahabharata by acquiring the magical powers from Mayong.

There are many stories related to the incidents that happened in the village Mayong which may or may not be true. There are stories where people get disappeared into thin air human beings are turned into animals and many such stories. One example of stories like this could be the example of Muhammad Shah and his army as it is very commonly believed by people that Muhammad Shah's 100,000 horsemen suddenly disappeared in the Mayong area. This happened as a result of black magic and witchcraft and after the incident, none of the evidence was left behind.

The Village is situated close to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and a festival named Mayong Pobitora Festival is celebrated in November month every year where an amazing fusion of magic and wildlife is shown to visitors. The Mayong Central Museum and Emporium of Black Magic and Witchcraft established in 2002 shows Weapons, Magical remnants, Scriptures, Old coins, Jewellery created from the bones and skulls, and equipment used for human sacrifice, out of other artefacts.

People with curiosity in dark arts seeking adventures must definite visits the village. The strange black magic of the village is still kept as a secret in the state but the document Myong: Myth/Reality by Utpal Borpujari exploring culture and beliefs brought some attention of media into the village.

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