Professional Documents
Culture Documents
lake full of skeletons, guards being slapped by a ghostseem like stories from a
horror mystery novel dont they? Believe it or not, these are occurrences that have
actually been reported. Some of the enigmas are decoded, some still remain mysteries
and others, for all you know are hearsay. Whatever they are, it makes for an
interesting read.
As if the dark and murky swamps of Bengal arent scary enough, there is also a
danger alert in line of paranormal activities. There have been whispers that along with
the regular marsh beings, there are also mysterious Aleya Ghost Lights that lurk about.
Seducing travellers to their doom, they are said to zoom by and float above the land.
Locals believe that these are the souls of dead fishermen. Recently, a scientific theory
has surfaced suggesting these lights are gases formed by the decomposing organic
matter in the swamps. When they emerge to the surface and get mixed with oxygen,
oxidization and ionization effects bring about a disquieting glow in the air.
Those who believe in the reality of aliens would be glad to discover that there is a
place where UFOs are sighted. The area in question is the Kongka La Pass, the
disputed land on the Indo-Chinese border.
Locals from both sides of the border happen to believe in the underground UFO bases
and have even reported them coming out of the ground. Remaining a case of enigma,
the entry here is restricted and tourists are not allowed.
It is said that the guards at Brij Raj Bhavan Palace in Kota, Rajasthan were apparently
slapped whenever they dozed off on duty. While the possible explanation would be the
presence of a supervisor or a person of authority who monitored them, the truth was
that there was no living being in sight.
According to the beliefs, the man in action is a harmless ghost, Major Burton. He was
murdered by Indian sepoys during the Mutiny of 1857 while serving as the British
Resident of Kota. With a cane in hand, the Major is said to haunt this 178-year-old
palace that is now a heritage hotel.
On 14th January every year, during the revelries of Makara Sankranti at Sabarimala
Temple in Kerala, a rather mysterious phenomenon takes place. A kind of celestial
lighting has been spotted on one particular hilltop. Hindus believe that this is none
other than the act of Lord Ayyappan who asserts himself to bless his devotees.
However some state that the lighting is a manmade one. According to one theory, it is
said to be the result of forest-dwellers who used to light up a lamp during this day.
And even after they left, this ritual continued to take place. This theory is said to be
debatable though.
[Click here to 51 things to do in Kerala]
If you plan on going off-roading in Markonahalli Dam at Kunigal Taluk, a slight word
of caution. Passing your bike through a certain ditch might cause it to stop altogether.
Many bikers recount this episode and claim that they had to drag their vehicle all the
way to Bangalore in order to get it working again. According to some, this ditch is the
very spot where an old lady was buried.
What appears to be a scene out of a Lord of the Rings movie, the Living Tree Bridges
of Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, is just what the name suggests. Providing a rather
mysterious and surreal sight, the rubber tree in question is said to have roots that go as
long as 3000 feet.
Famous for its back sand, Dumas Beach in Gujarat is said to infuse an ominous air.
This is also a cremation ground where people gave claimed to experience paranormal
activities. Apparently, taking a stroll by the beach is not a sunny affair as you may
land up in some strange place.
There have been reports of tourists missing in the past here. Locals too warn people
not to venture this beach at night.
the hill, it will ascend the steep road on its own at a speed up to 20kms per hour!
Popularly known as Himalayan wonder, the place is rather talked about among
travellers.
[Click here to know more about Ladakh region]
What seems to have come straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie, this
phenomenon is a rather depressing one. Jatinga village, Dima Hasao, Assam is where
several migratory birds just drop dead.
This especially happens between 6pm to 9.30pm on moonless nights during the
months of September and October. Several theories have popped up regarding the bird
suicide happenings but none have managed to be accurate.
There were many theories looming around. Initially, they were believed to belong to
the 19th century, later it was alleged that the skeletons were an effect of mass death
during 9th Century AD. National Geographic dived into the matter as well and
suspected that some of the bones still had flesh on them. Creepy!
[Book a tour to Skeleton Lake today]
Om Banna, an avid bike lover was on his way during the elections to meet some
people on his Bullet bike. En route, he met with an unfortunate accident and passed
away. The cops seized the vehicle and put it in the police station, only to discover that
it was missing the next morning. After a few searches, they found it at the same
accident site. Even after placing the vehicle back, the incident repeated again.
It was believed that the late owner himself rode it there. Today, they have built a
temple in that location in his memory where people come to worship him as the
accident preventer. Another interesting fact, some of the devotees actually offer
Bullet Beer to him. This place is located 20 kms before Pali city, in Rajasthan.
For 5 centuries, the villagers of Kuldhara were said to live in harmony. Then, on one
night, they just left all of them. This strange act has been a source of mystery for a
long time. After all how can around 1500 residents disappear like that?
Various interpretations have emerged; some say that they did so to flee from an
oppressive landlord and others mention about a love-struck young couple. The tale
states that the father of the girl was an important man in the village and did not
approve of the alliance. Whatever the cause was, nobody knows where they went to.
With towering trees that let little sunlight seep through and a misty air that looms
large, Dow Hill, Kurseong makes for an ideal backdrop in a horror movie. Whats
more chilling is the apparition of a headless boy disappearing into the woods.
He is said to be travelling from the road and vanishing into the density of the forest.
Locals have claimed to have strange sightings and experiences. It is also believed that
anyone who comes across the spectre commits suicide due to depression. There have
been many murder cases here too.
Agrasenki Baoli on Hailey Road near Connaught Place has a rather gloomy story to it.
According to the tales of the locals, the structure belonged to the 14 th century and was
constructed by Maharaja Agrasen.
Banni Grasslands Reserve in the Rann of Kutch lends its own charm. Since centuries
locals have claimed to have spotted few mysterious dancing lights. Labelled as Chir
Batti, they are alleged to be as fierce as a mercury lamp and can apparently change
their colour into blue, red, yellow to a pear- shaped moving ball. Sometimes they are
still and other times they move at a fast pace.
There have been visitors and soldiers who complained that these lights seemed to have
followed them. Scientists refute paranormal activities here and believe that the
occurrences are due to oxidation of methane from the marshes.
As a matter of fact, a curious British Engineer tried to figure out the secret of its
support, consequently dislodging it a bit in the process. Some believe that the entire
complex stands on the pillar.
Bikers who have crossed Kukkarahalli Lake, Mysore during late hours of the night
send a warning. For some unexplainable reason, the engine stops working till the
entire stretch is passed. Or worse, if you are a lone rider, you might just experience
someone sitting on the back of your bike!
People have claimed to undergo some strange occurrences; some have been slapped
by invisible hands while some were chased by the wind. You can also hear cries in the
night which is why the mosque is always avoided post sunset.