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Irrespective of whether you believe in paranormal existence or not, it doesn’t take away from the fact that certain haunted places in India will leave you with jitters and goosebumps. From ancient forts whispering tales of bygone battles to abandoned buildings with unexplained activity, the country has numerous haunted locations. What’s interesting is the folklore and the stories associated with each of these haunted spots across the country. If you are interested in exploring haunted spots in India, being aware of their location and the backstory is quintessential.
Best 10 Haunted Places In India
The majority of the haunted locations, steeped in legend and mystery, attract both sceptics and believers. Following are some of the real haunted places in India:
1. Bhangarh Fort
Photo: Deepak Kosta / Unsplash
Bhangarh Fort located in the Alwar district, Rajasthan is one of the most haunted places in India and dates back to the 17th century. There are multiple legends about the fort. Among them, one story is of a wizard Singhia who fell in love with Ratnavati, the beautiful princess of Bhangarh. Knowing that he could never win her over, he tried to enchant her with a potion. However, his plan did not work, and he was killed, but not before cursing the fort. People say that they see a woman with a burnt face appearing and disappearing. The government too has banned entry post sunset.
Suggested Read: Famous Forts In India To Explore For An Amazing Experience
2. Dumas Beach
Photo: Brahspati / Wikimedia Commons
Dumas Beach in Surat, Gujarat is one of the most haunted spots in India. You can apparently hear whispers of restless spirits and cries for help from the shore. Local folklore says the beach is a burial ground. Many people believe that the cries are of the souls without eternal satisfaction. Some legends even say that the black sand of the beach is due to the “ashes” from people’s cremation back in the day. It is best not to visit this place post sunset because some people have gone missing from this beach.
3. Shaniwar Wada
Photo: Rahul Soni 23 / Wikimedia Commons
The Shaniwar Wada in Pune happens to be another haunted fort in the country. The most renowned haunted tale associated with the fort is that it harbours the spirit of Bajirao’s son, Narayanrao. He was murdered by his uncle Raghunathrao, who became overwhelmed and jealous of his nephew’s power and the kind of dominance he had in the kingdom. To transfer those powers to himself, Raghunathrao killed his nephew, whose spirit now haunts the fort. Visitors report cold spots, disembodied footsteps, and unsettling whispers, particularly near the coronation hall and the cries for help “Kaka Mala Vachwa”.
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4. Lambi Dehar Mines
Photo: PRASHANT BHATI / Unsplash
The haunted tales associated with the Lambi Dehar Mines date back to the 1990s. It isn’t as “old” as the other haunted places in the country. According to reports, about 50,000 mine workers were killed inside these mines due to unjust mining practices. Most of them had lung diseases and mining accidents. These Lambi Dehar Mines were later known as ghost mines. You can hear stories of paranormal activity, including apparitions of miners trapped underground and unexplained equipment malfunctions, along with the cries of those workers to be saved.
Location: Mussoorie Range, Uttarakhand
5. Mukesh Mills
Photo: Appaiah / Wikimedia Commons
In 1982, a fire broke out inside Mukesh Mills, destroying everything and now serves as a filming spot for several Bollywood movies. Stories abound of the restless spirit of a young woman who tragically died on the machinery. Visitors report witnessing strange apparitions, inexplicable sounds of machines whirring, and a sense of uneasiness. Additionally, in a recent report, during a shoot, a woman on set suddenly had her voice changed to warn people on set about the spirit in the mill.
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Summer In India With Family For A Memorable Vacation
6. Saffron BPO
Photo: Dealtroadd / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
If you are a frequent social media user, you have likely seen videos of Saffron BPO in Gurugram and its notorious haunted tales. In this urban city, a girl was found dead. Besides this, there are reports that several employees had committed suicide in the building. Reports of paranormal activity here include flickering lights, cold winds, and feelings of unease. Here, people notice spectral figures and even hear despondent voices, particularly during night shifts. Despite these stories, the office is operational with people working night shifts too.
7. Dow Hill
Photo: Arkashis Das / Wikimedia Commons
Kurseong and its associated areas have several haunted tales and Dow Hill happens to be one of the most paranormal spots. Among the many haunted locations in the area, the Victoria Boys’ High School and the surrounding forest have chilling stories associated with them. Also, this school, operational since the early 20th century, has ghosts of children. The forest nearby is infamous for sightings of a headless boy who roams the area, along with other eerie apparitions. Many people have reportedly seen a boy vanish into thin air.
Location: Kurseong, West Bengal
Suggested Read: Best State Museums In India To Plan Your Next Cultural Visit
8. Kuldhara Village
Photo: Dinesh Valke / Wikimedia Commons
Kuldhara Village, also known as Ghost Village, in Jaisalmer is a haunted village. Back in the day, the village was home to Paliwal Brahmins. According to legend, the evil Prime Minister Salim Singh saw the daughter of the head of the village and wanted to marry her regardless of her consent or not. The villagers left the village overnight in the 19th century. However, before leaving this village, they put a curse on it, condemning it to remain inhabited. This explains why no one lives in this village.
9. Delhi Cantonment
Photo: Ramesh Lalwani / Wikimedia Commons
Imagine driving down the roads at night, with the headlight flickering and you suddenly see a lady in a white saree on the side of the road, standing. That’s the kind of paranormal activity in Delhi Cantonment. According to reports, the woman in a white saree stops cars to ask for a lift. The people report seeing a woman and get an eerie and unsettling feeling. There are many stories as to who the woman is. The most common one suggests that she is the wife of a soldier’s wife who died in an accident.
Suggested Read: Places To Visit In Monsoon In India
10. Writer’s Buildings
Photo: Adam Jones / Wikimedia Commons
Writer’s Buildings in Kolkata, West Bengal, is the secretariat building of the state government. According to legends, the spirit of Captain Simpson of the British East India Company haunts this building. Visitors report flickering lights, noises like shuffling footsteps and slamming doors. Also, no caretaker has been able to stay on the night shift for more than 24 hours.
An ancient land with so many dynasties, kingdoms, and wars of power, having an abundance of haunted places in India is not shocking. With so many stories and real-time evidence of the existence of the paranormal, there is a lot of discussion surrounding the existence of these spots. If you want to explore such offbeat experiences, plan your next vacation with TripXL to embark on a paranormal investigation journey.
Cover Photo: Chainwit / Wikipedia
