Article by Dimple Negi
Ghosts, spirits, djinns and other paranormal entities while some believe in them others rubbishes them as something that science hasn’t proven yet. But there are places which offers an eerie experience that definitely reinstate our belief in such things. Listed below are some of the haunted places in India.
10) Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Tucked away beyond the fandom and bustle of the famous cricket ground are the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla, which once was the glory of Firuz Shah Tughlaq’s beloved city, Firozabad. However it’s just the Djinns now, who dwell in these ruins. The moment you enter the compound an air of mystery envelops you. On either sides, dilapidated stone staircase leads to two identical rooms with slit for windows and a low roof, apparently these were the room where the evil Djinns tortured their victims. The vicinity is filled with letters and waft of incense sticks. Numerous rooms and dark hallways are scattered over the place giving it a hauntingly beautiful look. Apart from the mosque and the Ashokan Pillar the Baoli is another significant attraction, it’s inaccessible to general public. The legend has it that fairies descend every night around the baoli and who so ever witnesses the specter will go blind. The guard rubbishes the stories and owes it to bad lighting and accidental death but we couldn’t help notice that most of the building faced away from the monument.
9) Tunnel no 33, Shimla
This famous town of Himachal Pradesh has been the favorite background of numerous horror stories and there seems to be a good reason for that. Tunnel no.33 is one such place; allegedly the current owner of this damp, dingy tunnel is the ghost of British Railway Engineer, Colonel Barog, which merrily chats away with anyone who walks in with a question.
How he died is yet another sad story. Barog was overseeing the construction of tunnel no. 33 and to complete it in time he dug the tunnel from both ends of the hill. As a result of gross miscalculation the tunnel could never meet. He was fined Re. 1 by the British Army which was a pretty big amount at that time, disappointed and humiliated Colonel Barog shot himself. The vicinity of Pine Wood Hotel now marks the location of this site. Though colonel Barog riding his horse is a happy spirit but there are two other ghosts which make people avoid this area, one that of a lady who screams and another man who can be seen asking for a lighter.
8) Malcha Mahal, Delhi
I don’t think it’s wise to include this place in this list but a when the forest part and the iron grill of this place appear like a ghost you can’t help yourself. After a long fight with the Government of India over her regal rights Princess Wilayat Mahal great granddaughter of Nawab of Oudh was given this place along with her children Prince Riaz and Princess Sakina, embittered by her fate Wilayat Mahal committed suicide and her children have lived here ever since with their ferocious hounds, with no connection to the outside world. Terrified of constant robberies and intruder they were given the right to shoot in self-protection. Ever since countless number of people including reporters have tried going in but no one really returns. Even the forest guards avoid this area. The mystery shrouds this place and time seems to have forgotten it as well.
7) Lohaghat, Uttrakhand
This town is tucked away in the folds of Himalayan foothills. It’s an ordinary town save for a bungalow named ‘Abbey’. It’s on Abott Hill and belonged to the founder of this place. In his fond memory and love for the people of Lohaghat, it was converted into a hospital. Things were fine until in the mid 1900 a doctor joined the staff but what marked him from the rest was his ability to predict deaths, the manner was very eerie. During his morning routine checks he would scribble the names down along with precise timings on a pad and then ask the patient to move to a different room where they’d die the following day. This room was renamed ‘Mukti Kothri’. Did he murder his patients or was he a really good doctor? The true story is buried in the abyss of time and mystery but the spirits of those who died still haunt this place especially the ones called ‘Bhoot ki Daang’ they are recurring spirits who walk down the roads of Lohaghat after dark. Local claim that it’s due to these spirits, the place never flourishes.
6) Lothian Cemetery, Delhi
Spirits and unnatural powers seem to have taken a liking to this city. There goes a saying about Delhi that who so ever tries to rule this city will only see it devastated ( surprisingly enough this curse was resonated when the British had to leave India, after they moved their capital from Kolkata to Delhi).
Lothian cemetery is the perhaps the oldest cemetery in Delhi built in the year 1808 this cemetery has seen more than 200 years of unusual happenings. The paranormal expert says that it might be due to the many unnamed victims of 1857 uprising that were buried here. But the most intriguing is the headless ghost. No not the headless Sir Nicholas, but a soldier who fell in love with a sweeping lady. He shot himself near Delhi gate, when she married someone else. The story is that every night people see him walking near Delhi gate before disappearing in Lothian Cemetery right before the break of dawn.
5) Agrasen ki Baoli
On Hailey Road near C.P Agrasen ki Baoli is just a short walk from Jantar Mantar. The hustle of city smothers when you walk down this step well’s steps. This Baoli was constructed on the orders of Maharja Agrasen. On the left side is the water reservoir and around 105 stairs lead to it. Built in 14th century although the well has dried up but that just adds more to the haunt as you go deeper the sounds completely die down and all you can hear is the echo of your own footsteps.
But what marks this place as haunted is the story that we heard from locals. Before the place lost its sheen, the Baoli was filled with black water which would call out to people mysteriously and ask them to scarify their lives. One really old feller recounted to us the horror of watching someone jump to his death, “He was fine and then we saw him standing there. He wasn’t himself it seemed as he was hypnotized, taken over by an unseen force, before we could reach him, he was gone.”
4) Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal
For everyone who is unaware of its horror tales, Kurseong or Kharsang (the land of white orchids) may appear as a pleasant hill station. But things change here in the long winter lull of December to March. Mostly famous for schools and tourist spots one can’t avoid over hearing the mystery of Victoria Boys Hostel. Locals are dead sure that spirits dwell there as they have heard distinct footsteps. Although no foot-marks are ever found, this place has seen numerous mysterious murders. On the stretch that links the Kurseong Dow hill and Forest office, woodcutters and labourers have reported the sighting of a headless boy walking and disappearing in the forest. The milieu around this area is very spooky, even those oblivious of this story have claimed to feel something near this area
3) Jamali-Kamali Masjid
The Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb are located in the famous Mehrauli Archaeological Complex. Jamali and Kamali were Sufi saints who preached here and were buried in the tomb when they died, around 1528 (source: R.V Smith ‘A Delhi that no one knows’). Though now the place is said to be haunted with banished djinns who try to converse with the passer by in animal voices. Many have claimed hearing growls and anguished cries in strange languages. One account was in particular, very scary. “My son wouldn’t stop crying, then I noticed a small hand imprint on his face. I thought he must have gotten into a fight but, he kept saying that a spirit had slapped him”. People also complain of prolong nightmares and strange experiences post a visit to Jamali- Kamali.
2) The Lambi Dehar mines, Mussoorie
On the outskirts of Mussoorie these abandoned quarry mines have haunted the surrounding area from the early 1990s when an unfortunate event led to the death of around 50,000 workers. Ever since the area has been deserted and natural forces have taken over the vacant houses. Far from civilization this place gives off a post-apocalyptic feel.
1) Bhangarh, Rajasthan
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? A lecherous priest, a beautiful princess and a curse marks the story of Bhangarh. At the edge of Sariska it is India’s most famous ghost town. The extent of the mystery can be estimated from a Google search for India’s most haunted places, every second link will take you to Bhangarh and hundreds of horror accounts that follows. By dusk no one dares to venture around this area and the guards listen to Sundar Kand at full volume.
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