Several villages are spread across Dukki, where hills and plains coexist. The region is rich with tales of mythical creatures, many of which are still strongly believed in and often make their presence felt. One such tale is of the "Tor Div," which translates from Pashto to "Black Giant."
It is said to live in every cave or abandoned building slightly away from the village. These include the little cottages built beside the farms where farmers rest during the summer days and which are empty at night. Children playing outside in the afternoon were always warned not to go near these cottages, as the Tor Div might be lurking there if not the farmers.
Tor Div is sometimes described as a giant man, but children often imagine it as a giant black shadow. The Tor Div would sit in any empty place where men seldom went, swinging a baby swing. It was never clear whether the swing was empty or if it was guarding a baby. They say it is part of the mountain, and when it is sad about its baby, you can hear it scream in the heavy wind. What this baby is or how it looks is a mystery. Some say it is the soul of the mountains and hills, a shadowy being.
There was a time when the Tor Div's existence was believed to be in a hill near the village, an area that was once a civilization many years ago but was destroyed by natural disasters or time itself. This civilization was believed to be of wealthy, ignorant people who lived in greed, blessed with treasures from their land. Rumours say their destruction was due to their obsessive search for more wealth from under their own land.
On the hill of “Sharghwalai,” the Tor Div is believed to be sitting and guarding its baby, swinging a swing. They say the baby swing is empty, but what is it guarding then? People who wander near the hill or lose their way often come across small pieces of gold or precious jewels. They take them home and benefit from them. Several times, people from the area have tried to dig for gold in large groups with machinery, only to be stopped by accidents like vehicle failures, disappearing tools, and even worse incidents like madness and death. The Tor Div does not like interference with its hills.
This tale is no longer just about a creature and its existence. Its presence on the hill of “Sharghwalai” is strongly believed in the area. The nearby villages are also believed to be cursed because of their past. They were the people who once disrupted the natural order of the land, trying for years to dig up wealth from the hill but never succeeding because of the curse of the Tor Div. The Tor Div's presence prevents any man or machine from disturbing the land. Perhaps there is a mystery buried there, or maybe it is simply guarding itself and its baby.
The current villages around the area are thought to have followed this curse. When they began digging for wealth under their own lands and houses, the land started to collapse, threatening to turn into ruins, burying all the wealth once again.
Source: Recorded in Pashto, Thal Chotyalai, Balochistan, Pakistan.
Notes: The Tor Div (Black Deo/Siyah Div) features in many legends, including that of the hero Hoshung.
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