Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan: Located in the Alwar region, the uninhabited town of Bhangarh is one of the eeriest places imaginable and is unanimously considered as one of India’s most haunted places. It is considered to be so dangerous that even the Archaeological Survey of India has legally prohibited anyone from entering the Bhangarh Fort after dark. The legend goes that during the 16th century, a tantric named Singhia fell in love with Ratnavati, the beautiful princess of Bhangarh. And knowing it was a hopeless match, decided to use his magic to seduce her. However, the princess uncovered his plans and sentenced him to death. Before his death, enraged by the turn of events, he cursed the palace to doom and the town to be roofless and miserable forever. Nearby locals believe that anyone who goes into the fort after dark won’t make it back, so visit at your own peril.
Kuldhara Village, Rajasthan: Rajasthan sure does have the choicest selection of deserted ghostly villages and towns! The Kuldhara village is located near Jaisalmer and was originally inhabited by Paliwal Brahmins. The lore speaks of the sudden disappearance of all the villagers of Kuldhara as well as 83 other nearby villages in 1825 into thin air, leaving no trace of their whereabouts. It is said that the minister of state had fallen in love with a girl from the village and had threatened to impose huge taxes upon the entire village unless they married her to him. To protect the honour of the girl, the chief of Kulhara and surrounding areas abandoned their villages and cursed the land to remain unoccupied for eternity.
Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal: The Victoria Boy’s High School and Dowhill Girl’s Boarding School in Kurseong, Darjeeling, are believed to be the residence of many spirits whose footsteps can be heard echoing through the hallways. There have been countless murdered bodies found in the wood surrounding the schools and several locals and tourists report being followed by a headless boy who then disappears into the woods.
Dumas Beach, Gujarat: On the Arabian sea coast, the black sands of Dumas Beach in Gujarat are associated with several mysteries over several years. The beach used to be a Hindu burial ground and many believe that the restless spirits call out to visitors taking midnight strolls and walking towards the sea to return back to the shore. There have been reports that those who don’t heed the voices of the dead disappear into the waters forever. This beach is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
Jatinga, Assam: This tiny village with a population of 2500 has one of the most puzzling phenomena in the world, namely recurring mass bird suicides. For centuries now, local and migratory birds plummet to the ground in large numbers on moonless nights of September and October only on a specific area. This has baffled scientists who can’t find any reasonable justification for birds dropping dead from the sky in such a pattern and it is extremely disturbing to say the least.
Agrasen ki Baoli, New Delhi: This intricately built ancient place in delhi is an architectural masterpiece and is protected by the ASI. However the locals believe it to be haunted by the ghosts and satanic demons who lurk in the shadows following visitors around. Tourists have complained about feeling an uncanny dread once they step inside.
D’Souza Chawl, Mumbai: Even though this chawl is situated in a populated area in Mahim, Mumbai, the residents have reported ghost sightings of a lady who lurks around the area at night and vanishes without a trace once the sun is up. The locals believe she was an old lady who fell into a well while drawing water and drowned as no one heard her shrieks for help.
The Shaniwarwada Fort – Pune: The Shaniwarwada Fort in Pune is a historical delight in addition to being one of the ghostly places in India. In fact, there are many who are of the opinion that the story that is associated with this fort is one of the most chilling stories. Lauded for its architectural brilliance, this fort has witnessed various strange occurrences.
Legend has it that during a full moon, the level of supernatural activity increases. The mysterious story surrounding this fort talks about how a young prince was brutally murdered by one of his very own relatives in the fort. Therefore, his spirit still haunts the place and in the night, sounds of him shrieking almost violently can be heard. There are many locals who actually camp at night on the fort grounds just to hear that little boy’s scream for help. A chilling story indeed.
However, most visitors prefer to visit the fort during the morning hours as it is desirable. In fact, the fort is deserted at night except for maybe a caretaker doing the rounds.
Ramoji Film City: You may not know that one of the most famous film cities of India was built over the remains of dead soldiers of the Sultanate, whose restless souls haunt the film sets till today. Stuntmen get injured in freak accidents, lights go off suddenly, mirrors get marked and equipment is destroyed regularly. Women seem to be particularly susceptible and have had their clothes torn by invisible forces and gotten locked in rooms.
Bombay High Court: The lawyers working in the Bombay high court believe that one of the courtrooms is haunted by a vengeful tortured soul who restricts the entry of the accused into the courtroom in every murder trial. Reportedly this has been going on for almost three decades which is also best known as historical places in mumbai. These are just a few of the scariest and most haunted places in India and each of them have tragic and spine chilling stories. They have become popular amongst those who are fascinated with ghosts and spirits. If you’re one of them, you know where to head to! However, do take all the necessary precautions in this regard.