I have recently gained some interest in haunted places, and I would love to visit some of the haunted places in India. I am not so interested in the small haunted places or the rumored ones, so I thought I would get straight to the point and go for the most haunted place in India first. I think there will be a various number of answers for this question, but I would love to see what everyone's answer is to my query.
Hello there, welcome to the forum! (Images from Roni Rupak, Radha Joshi via Wikimedia and Hotels) Overview Every country has its share of mysteriously eerie places and even India has tons of them. From royal fortresses and palaces where tragedies occurred, cemeteries where the mortal remains of humans are laid and even buildings where friendly, sometimes unfriendly spirits, roam around, there's no shortage of haunted places in India. If you're a brave soul, enjoys the thrill of delving into the unknown and has that urge to explore the dark, the abandoned and hair-raising places around India, continue reading on. But remember, when you reach into the paranormal, some risks and consequences can be encountered. Top Ten Most Haunted Places in India 1. Bhangarh Fort (Alwar) - India's Most Haunted Place India's most haunted place, where entry is banned after sunset, Bhangarh Fort, has been attracting thrill-seekers all over the world. During day time, the fort is a tourist destination and rightfully so, because it has been well-preserved all throughout these years. The fort was built by Man Singh I around the 17th century. The fort is surrounded by dense forests of the Sariska Tiger Reserve and has several palaces, temples and even a market place within it. Dark Room in Bhangarh Fort (Image from Shahnawaz Sid via Flickr) The fort though has a very dark past, one that makes it the most haunted place in India. According to local legends, there was once a man named Guru Balu Nath who resided in the area where the Bhangarh Fort was to be constructed. He allowed for the construction of the fort on the condition that no structure should be taller than his house. But this condition was not followed and so began the decline of the fort. Ever since then, any house or structure around the fort premises collapses. You can visit the samadhi of Guru Balu Nath within the fort premises. Another legend is that of a love story turned tragedy. There was once a princess named Ratnavati that resided in the fort premises. Her beauty is known all over the kingdom and surrounding areas. A wizard, by the name of Singhia, fell in love with the princess but he knew that his love won't be reciprocated. One day, the wizard saw the princess's maid buying oil and so he replaced this oil with a love potion. The princess saw this and knew of the wizard's intentions so she threw the oil into the ground where it turned into a rock and rolled towards Singhia, which eventually led to his death. Before dying, the wizard cursed the fort, saying that no one would ever be able to live here. Thereafter, a deadly battle occurred which resulted to the death of all the residents of the fort, including the princess. Those who were very brave to visit the fort at night have relayed their stories of ghost encounters, of screams and eerie vibes. On the other hand, missing persons were also reported after they entered the fort at night time. Weird encounters of people talking to visitors and suddenly disappearing have also been known. Just like other haunted places, a few people have also reported that no strange encounters with the unknown happens on the fort. 2. Chandan Nagar (Pune) - Haunted by a Little Girl What could be scarier than a little girl roaming around with a doll in her hands? Most scary movies has this motif of a little girl, dressed in a cute little frock, seemingly innocent from the back and scary once she turns around. Pune has its version of this too, only this time, it's not of a movie setting, but of real life. Chandan Nagar is a small locality in Pune where the spirit of a little girl haunts those who venture late in the night. According to stories going around the locality, there was once a little girl who lived here. Unfortunately, this little girl died in a construction site, although the details of how are not known exactly. To this day, her spirits roam the place, distinguished as the little girl wearing a frock, holding a doll in her hand, holding a scary smile, to which the ones who see it remember it fully. So if you see a little girl late at night in this area of Pune, do your best to run away and avoid her scary smile as much as possible. 3. Dow Hill (Kurseong) - Under the Shadow of Darjeeling Just 33 kilometres away from Darjeeling is the hamlet of Dow Hill, located in the hill station of Kurseong. Being a hill station, the beauty of the place is idyllic. Surrounded by lush greenery and a pleasant climate, it is a nice getaway if you want to avoid the hectic city life. However, beyond this natural beauty are stories of haunted and paranormal activities in the region. Kurseong (Image from Shah Tour) The Dow Hill forests are believed to be haunted primarily because it is known as a place where numerous murders and suicides have occurred. Several people have reported incidents of seeing a headless man in the forest. Even people from a distance have reported of the same incident, spotting a headless man going into the forest and disappearing. Another haunted spot here is the Victoria Boys High School which is quite fascinating. The students who have studied in the boarding school don't report any haunted or paranormal experience. But during school vacation, when the school is abandoned by the students, the nearby residents report seeing boys in the school's windows or of laughing and running happening around. If you're around Darjeeling, don't forget to visit Dow Hill in Kurseong. If you're not that brave, the hill station is alive and vibrant during day time. If you're seeking for some thrill, look out for the forests of Dow Hill during night time, of course, at your own risk. 4. Fern Hill Palace Hotel (Ooty) - A Haunted Hotel Staying in a hotel means experiencing ultimate comfort and luxury even. But what if the hotel you're staying in is haunted? Will you be happy being in the company of the unknown entities? Or will it lead you running far, far away from the hotel? That is the story of famed Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan and his crew of dancers when they stayed in the Fern Hill Palace Hotel in Ooty. As the crew were resting one night, they were shooting for the Bollywood film Raaz, incidentally also a horror thriller, they heard strange noises above their room. It's as if the people from the room above theirs were rearranging furnitures, making all sorts of noise that won't let them sleep. They hurried to call the reception downstairs but wasn't able to connect successfully. Finally, some of the dancers decided to go down to the reception to complain, only to find out that there was no floor above their room! Spooky as that is, even those who are brave enough to stay in the hotel nowadays also experience weird incidents. Strange encounters with the once residents of the palace, since it was once the summer retreat of the Maharaja of Mysore, were related by some of the guests. Others have experienced spooky phenomena such as sleep paralysis. If staying in this hotel, better research well and find out which rooms are not haunted by ghosts. 5. Raj Kiran Hotel (Lonavala) - Yet Another Haunted Hotel The Raj Kiran Hotel is a mid-range to budget hotel located in Lonavala. It has been infamous for its haunted room, yes, just one room in the hotel is believed to be haunted by a ghost. The hotel doesn't rent it out to guests anymore, even refusing to answer any questions about it. But those who have stayed in the room has had an experience that is etched in their memories forever. Supposed to be, this room is just behind the reception of the hotel, on its ground floor. Those who have stayed in the particular room has had scary experiences. Some report of incidents of their blankets being pulled out from them. Some had experienced an eerie feeling, as if the room itself makes them restless. Some have reported waking up in the middle of the night with a blue light appearing near their feet. Some, the most unlucky ones, have reported seeing an apparition from the room itself. Such incidents have made the management stop renting out the room to guests altogether. So remember, if you're in Lonavala, better avoid this room in Raj Kiran Hotel, or not, if you're a brave soul. How you can rent it out is a task though as it has been banned from guests already. 6. Rabindra Sarovar Metro Station (Kolkata) - Kolkata's Suicide Point Kolkata is home to many haunted sites, one of which is the Rabindra Sarovar Metro Station, also known as the Suicide Point. Since the metro station was built in 1986, about 79 persons have already tried committing suicide in it. Out of this number, 36 have already died at the same point. Now though, the place seems to be haunted by all the lives taken by it. Everyday, at about 10:30 pm, at the last station where the trains stop by, both drivers and passengers witness an eerie sight. Shadows of figures of men jumping off the tracks can be seen, happening within seconds only. The drivers who have night duties have also reported strange presence of spirits in the station. Even with the management putting up suicide awareness campaigns around, the suicide rates continue to rise in the station. Truly tragic and sad, the Rabindra Sarovar Metro Station of Kolkata serves as the home of the souls who have taken their lives at their own will. Whether these spirits can be helped is an issue that is debatable, but for those who are still alive, in a depressive state and are thinking about suicide, surely, there's something that we can do to help them. 7. Putulbari (Kolkata) - The House of Dolls Known as the House of Dolls, Putulbari, can be found at Ahiritola, just opposite the Ganges, close to the Nimtala Ghat. Its name was derived from the ancient Roman dolls adorning the upper sections of the facade of the house. There are many controversies surrounding this house, although it is situated at a living neighbourhood. In fact, the house itself is inhabited by people, but only on its ground floor, no one dares to go to the upper floors. One story is that the house was once the venue for dancers, known as baijis. This was where wealthy merchants would go to watch these dancers perform and enjoy the good times. One night though, a baiji was murdered tragically in this house. From then on, her spirits haunt the house, some even say that she still dances at the terrace of the house during full moon. Another story says that this house is where the zamindars, land merchants, would exploit women and kill them. The spirits of these women still roam the place, where their cries and screams can still be heard during night. If you must visit Putulbari, do so at the early times of the day. Or else you take that risk of meeting one of these spirits that haunt the place still. 8. Valmiki Nagar (Chennai) - The Bhoot Bangle Chennai's most haunted place is the Apartment Number F2 on 3 in Sewar Road. It's even specifically designated as haunted by Google Maps. A bit of a background about the house, it was owned by a man and his daughter. The daughter committed suicide and has since then been haunting the place, as if guarding it from intruders who she deems not worthy of staying here. No one dares to stay at this apartment, except in 2008 when a group of friends decided to rent the place. They experienced spooky incidents of a girl crying, windows and doors slamming and of screams as well. Those who pass by the house experience eerie incidents too, of the house's gates suddenly opening or of their phone's mobile signal wavering off. Since then, no one has rented out the apartment and it has stayed abandoned, except by the spirit of the girl who committed suicide there. 9. The Karkardooma Court (Delhi) - Even Lawyers are Spooked The Kakardooma Court in Delhi has been viral over the past few years because it is supposedly haunted by ghosts. What's more, this incident was caught in camera, as computers suddenly turned themselves on, drawers opened by a mysterious white figure and bubbles caught on camera at the middle of dawn. All these incidents have lead to the lawyers in the court believing that the place is haunted by ghosts. Who these ghosts are remain a mystery though. Some believe it's the ghost of a lawyer who died here with his family when floods wreaked havoc on the place. Others believe it's the ghost of an electrician who got electrocuted in the place. It's still not sure who are doing these spooky incidents but none of them are actually harmful to the lawyers or other people who work in the court. 10. Delhi Cantonment (Delhi) - Delhi's Most Haunted Last on the list is the mysterious ghost of Delhi Cantonment. The area is surrounded by lush forests, which can be quite scary in itself at night. The scary ghost of a woman clad in white saree adds to the thrill of the place as well. Some believe that this woman was a hitchhiker, raped in the city during her last night. Some believe that this ghost died after killing herself, that is, after she had killed her cheating husband and even her children. Whatever the real story is, there are many accounts of people reporting about the ghost of Delhi Cantonment. Delhi Cantonment (Image from Delhi Pedia) The ghost has several antics for innocent passers by. Those driving by with their car and helped the ghost by letting her in the car was never to be seen alive again. Those who got scared and did not allow the ghost to ride their car experienced being followed by the woman, even after their speed up. Those who asked for directions from the woman got lost in the area, circling and circling, never able to find their way back. If you are brave enough, some say that the ghost appears every 1:00 am at the Delhi Cantonment area. Conclusion Did this list fulfil your craving for scary places around India? Of course, the issue of ghosts, the paranormal and the unknown would always be a fascinating one. Humans have always been fascinated about the things beyond their reach. And whether these places are truly haunted, that's another topic that requires a different thread. Enjoy this list and I hope others can share their favourite haunted places in India.
The Enigmatic Journey to Bhangarh Fort The call of the unknown has always enticed me, leading me to some of the most extraordinary locations on Earth. Yet, nothing had prepared me for the captivating allure of Bhangarh Fort, a 17th-century fortification, and its enchanting stories that reside in the heart of Rajasthan, India. It all began on a sultry morning. As the sun painted the desert horizon in hues of gold and vermillion, my journey to the famed "haunted" fort of Bhangarh commenced. The roads to the fort, adorned with a desert landscape, were a surreal juxtaposition of the mundane and the magnificent. Upon arriving, the towering fort gates greeted me, almost as if inviting me into a world lost in time. Birds chirped in the background, with the sprawling ruins of the bazaars, temples, and palaces ahead of me, giving a post-apocalyptic aura to the place. The tales of the fort being haunted were easy to believe amidst the hauntingly beautiful ruins. The fort, built by Bhagwant Das for his younger son Madho Singh, was once a symbol of opulence and grandeur. However, legends whispered about a curse from a spurned wizard who had tried to woo the beautiful Bhangarh princess. This tale of unrequited love and magical vengeance, locals believe, is what led to the fort’s downfall. Walking through the remnants of the market, I could almost hear the echo of laughter, chatter, and the jingling of anklets from a time long past. Each corner of the fort held a story, a fragment of history waiting to be discovered. The temples dedicated to Lord Someshwara and Lord Gopinath stood as testaments to the architectural prowess and spiritual inclinations of its ancient residents. Yet, the eeriest part of the exploration was the descent into darkness as I entered the royal palace. Even in the midst of daylight, the shadows inside seemed to dance, telling tales of days filled with joy and nights wrapped in mystery. From the fort's highest point, the panoramic view was breathtaking. Rolling green hills contrasted the sandy, arid foreground, making time seem to stand still. As evening approached and the sun began its descent, a hush fell over Bhangarh. It is believed that after sunset, the spirits roam freely, and it's considered inauspicious and unsafe to remain. Respecting local beliefs, and with the chilling stories playing in my mind, I started my return journey. On my way back, amidst the hum of the car's engine and the intermittent chirping of crickets, I pondered the day's adventures. Bhangarh Fort was more than just a historical site; it was a bridge between reality and legend, logic and lore. Today, as I pen down this travelogue, the enigma of Bhangarh Fort continues to resonate within me. It stands not just as a testament to architectural grandeur but as an eternal symbol of the thin line between the world we know and the tales we've heard. A trip to this place is more than just sightseeing; it's an encounter with history, mystery, and maybe, just maybe, the supernatural.
