By Vasim Shaikh:
No doubt this place is considered as one of the most haunted places of the world but then again if you dare to enter it after sunset, don’t be surprised if you feel a little different than normal. Bhangarh is a town in India in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Although scientific attitude prohibits me from believing in such things, I can still say that I would not visit this place at night.
There are two versions of stories that have remained quite prevalent. Some say that this city has been cursed while others believe that this city is still in the capture of a magician called Singhia. If you visit this place you are quite likely to experience cold temperatures and extreme humidity as you go near your destination. Bhangarh fort is very famous for being a center for paranormal activities after sunset and even the government has put a board taking legal action against a person entering the fort after the evenings. While every person who is a believer and non-believer has something to say about this place, a lot of justifications seem to be very flaccid. So how did all this begin?
The first story says that this city has been cursed by Guru Balu who allowed the construction of the city on one condition and said, “The moment the shadows of your palaces touch me, the city shall be no more!” When one of the descendent disobeyed this, the city had to face his wrath and was destroyed in a day. You can still see ruins in this place that once used to be a place of civilization.
Another story talks about a tantric (magician) who fell in love with the princes of Bhangarh, Rani Ratnavati and had used magic to get her by giving her a scented oil through her mistress. The princess threw the oil on the ground instead, and it turned into a boulder crushing the tantric. While dying, the tantric cursed the palace causing the death of anyone living in the palace. The princess immediately died the next year during a war. Locals believe that she will return someday to Bhangarh to repel the curse.
Paranormal scientists have visited this place and pointed out that people here are extremely superstitious. They point out that a lot of things are made up by people and do not really prove an evidence of ghosts. The place also seems to be near a Tiger reserve and spotting wild animals is quite common. A lot of animals come here in search of water and people hear different noises, causing the rumours to be justified.
The place is void of human civilization and remains deserted most of the time. Nevertheless, you can see tourists exploring this place to find the possibilities of paranormal activities and have been amazed. A lot of them claim to have seen ghosts, felt something, felt like they are being followed or being slapped. The watchmen however have not experienced anything in the jobs at night. People going here prefer staying at different temples present nearby. We also have our minds to blame as the brain tries to make sense (perhaps humanoid) of any abstract thing it sees. It is difficult to say to what extent a person can be controlled by fear but every visitor has a reason to go there. Some will want to confer the facts and others would want to differ from it. The place will still give you chills and the amount of thrill you are looking for. Take my advice, visit it after sunrise, leave the place before sunset and you will be safe.
Photo Credit: Shahnawaz Sid via Compfight cc