India is a land of mystery and adventure, from ancient times India is known as country of black magic and tantriks. Either it's about religious or myth, there are many rumors and facts which are either undiscovered or vanished. India has captivated generations and generations of scientists and researchers with mysteries that till today remain unsolved and unexplained. Let's take a look at some of these mysteries of India that have baffled people throughout the ages. Today we're going to uncover 50 mysterious places in India which you have ever heard!
- Roopkund, Uttarakhand - The Mystery of Skeleton Lake
- Twin Town Mystery - Kodinhi, Kerala
- Mysterious Bird Suicide - Jatinga, Assam
- Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan - The Most Haunted Place in India
- BrijRaj Bhawan Haunted Palace: Getting slapped by a ghost
- Magnetic Hill,Ladakh: Get pulled uphill by magnetic force
- Khooni Nadi: A River That Sucks People In
- The Hanging Pillar at Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh
- Mysterious Red Rain : Idukki, Kerala
- The Village that Slithers, Shetpal, Maharashtra
- Karni Mata Temple, Rajasthan
- Great Banyan tree, Kolkata
- Floating Stones, Rameshwaram
- Living Tree Bridges, Meghalaya
- Immortal Jwala Ji Temple, Kangra - Himachal Pradesh
- Dead's whisper on Dumas Beach, Gujarat
- The Ghost Lights of West Bengal
- Balancing rock of Mahabalipuram
- Dow Hill in Kurseong – Darjeeling
- Fernhill Hotel, Ooty
- Delhi Cantt
- Tunnel 33, Shimla
- Asia's Cleanest Village - Mawlynnong, Meghalaya
- Village Without Doors - Shani Shignapur, Maharashtra
- Nohkalikai Falls, Meghalaya
- Natural Mummy of Sangha Tenzing - Gue Village, Spiti
- Dog Temple - Channapatna, Karnataka
- Gravity Defying Palace - Bada Imambara, Lucknow
Every year as the ice melts in Roopkund, a glacial lake located at an elevation of 16,500 feet, hundreds of human skeletons are seen floating. Rediscovered in the year 1942 by a forest ranger, the skeletons in the Roopkund Lake have since then been shrouded in mystery. With the help of forensics and radiocarbon tests, researchers believe that the corpses are around 1,200 years old.
According to some they are the remains of the Japanese soldiers who died of exposure, and another version of the story is that after a sudden and violent hailstorm which wiped out an entire group of people, their dead bodies were washed off into the lake.
How to Reach:
Roopkund is well connected to nearest railway station Haridwar and Rishikesh by trains from all major cities in India.
Best Time:
May-June that's right before the monsoon or Aug-Sept that is after the monsoon.
Dos:
Roopkund is well connected to nearest railway station Haridwar and Rishikesh by trains from all major cities in India.
Inform someone in your family or friends about your trek and let them know when the trek will begin and end.
Avoid hiking alone in the Himalayan wilderness.
Don'ts:
Travelling in monsoons should be avoided as the hilly region in Uttarakhand has its fair share of incessant rainfall.
Moreover, the region is prone to unexpected landslides and road blocks.
Accomodation:
NA
Kodinhi a small village in Kerala got the name of the Twin Village, which has a population of 2000 people, out of which there are around 350 pairs of twins! Scientists have yet to figure the reason behind high twinning ratio in this village, while in the rest of the country it is markedly low.
Kodinhi has rightfully earned the title of 'Twin Town.' 6 pairs of twins in every 1000 births is considered a high twinning rate. Kodinhi has a rate of 42 twins per 1000 births. This means, almost every family in Kodinhi has more than one pair of twins!
How to Reach:
Kodinhi is a small Village/hamlet in Tirurangadi Block in Malappuram District of Kerala State, India. It comes under Neduva Panchayath. It belongs to North Kerala Division . It is located 21 KM towards west from District head quarters Malappuram. 5 KM from Tirurangadi. 353 KM from State capital Thiruvananthapuram .
Best Time:
Monsoon or Aug-Sept is the best season, as you can find lush grennery after the monsoon.
Language:
Malayalam
Accomodation:
NA
Jatinga, a small village in Assam, has everything that you can expect in a peaceful holiday destination. However, instead of its lush greenery and the backdrop of mountains, Jatinga is famous for a mysterious phenomenon that happens every year during the late monsoon months.
Right after sunset, when locals are busy preparing for the night, hundreds of migratory birds commit mass suicide here. This happens every day. To no surprise, the local population gives a spooky theory that evil spirits in the sky are responsible for the event. Quite naturally, ornithologists aren't satisfied with this explanation and have come up with their very own scientific theory. They state that the dense monsoon fog and high altitude daze birds. When these dazed birds try to make their way towards village lights, they end up hitting trees and buildings, resulting in death or serious injuries. However, there is no one to explain why these birds fly at night, and why they get trapped in the same place every year.
How to Reach:
Jatinga, a village on a ridge, is located in Dima Hasao district, Assam State in India. It is 330 kilometres south of Guwahati. There are no regular flights from other major cities of the country to Jatinga. Nearest airport is Kumbhirgram Airport.Jatinga is well connected to other major cities of the country via regular trains.Instead of Jatinga you can a get a bus to Silchar on regular basis.
Best Time:
Monsoon or Aug-Sept is the best season, as you can find lush grennery after the monsoon.
Language:
Malayalam
Accomodation:
NA
There is a board on the fort gate which states "tourist are prohibited to stay inside before sunrise and after sunset". It is believed, the ghosts of a princess and the wizard still travels. Even while shooting for a show which was featured on the 'Fort's Story', the actors had some fearful experiences. It is the most haunted place of India which has different mysteries associated with it.
Bhangarh Fort, one of the most haunted places in India, does not need any introduction. This famous tourist place will spook the hell out of you! Even if it’s listed at the end here but it surely ranks at the top whenever we talk about any haunted tales. History behind: A popular tale behind the spookiness of the fort claims that a tantric wanted to marry the queen of the fort — Rani Ratnawati. After learning about his evil thoughts, Rani got the tantric who use to do black magic at her palace.
Spooky incidents: The fort is the spot for encountering incidents like ghost of the tantric shouting, a women crying for help, and the clinking sound of the bangles.
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.
We are aware of a vehicle slipping down downhill, but can it actually go up the other way around? There is a hill in Ladakh that is believed to be magnetic. If by any chance you happen to park your car and leave it on neutral on the road that climbs up 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.
At an altitude of 11000 feet above sea level, Magnetic Hill is one of the must-see things on the way to Leh. It is known to have magnetic power that can pull a car towards itself even when the ignition is off. It is a thrilling experience, but in reality, it is only an optical illusion caused by gravity hill. Magnetic Hill is one of the world's recognized gravity hills.
Like the name suggest, the Khooni Nadi is where some unexplainable occurrences take place. The water body flows across Rohini in Delhi. It is believed that anyone who enters the river gets sucked inside by a mysterious force. There are several who have lost their lives here and the reason is still unknown.
An important archaeological and historical site in India, Lepakshi is known for its architecture and painting. This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is among the most mysterious places in India, owing to its famous floating pillar.
The Mystery: Among the 70 pillars at the site, one is hanging in mid-air, that is, it exists without a support. People come to the temple and pass objects under the pillar, believing it’ll bring prosperity into their lives!
The Theory: People believe it’s just another of the many genius tricks the temple builders of the old were capable of.
Apart from a place with rich natural splendour of the Western Ghats, a vast forest reserve, & the tempting coastal curry, Idukki, or the ‘Red Region’, is also famous as one of the mysterious places in India.
The Mystery: The red coloured rain at Idukki first fell on 25th July, 2001, and occurred sporadically for 2 months, staining clothes and buildings as it poured. This blood-red downpour, when collected by the locals, turned into clean water with red particles settled at the bottom.
The Theory: The scientists, after much analysis and debate, have zeroed in on one explanation for this occurrence. They say that the red particles are airborne spores of the locally growing alga in the region.
Snake worship happens to be an ancient and widespread practice in India, but there’s one town in Maharashtra that follows it way too religiously. The village has established a custom for every household, wherein it is mandatory for the house to have a resting place for cobras in the rafters of their ceilings.
The Theory: The snakes here, it seems, are pretty friendly. The reason it one of the most mysterious places in India is because no snake bite has ever been reported in this village.
Karni Mata Temple is positioned in the Deshnoke Town in the regal land of Rajasthan. One aspect that makes this temple unusual is the astonishing rat population in this shrine. The rats are revered here. Surprisingly, there is something like 20,000 ratsin the premises and it is believed that the food eaten by these rats becomes extremely sacrosanct. Moreover, if a rat is killed then a rat made of gold should be used as a substitute for it!
Imagine yourself in a place that looks like a woodland but in fact it is just a banyan tree! Sounds exciting? The Great Banyan Tree, situated in Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanical Garden near Kolkata, embraces the world’s widest banyan tree. This tree is immense beyond imagination and is 250 years old. The original trunk of this tree seems to be lost in the cluster of the roots and the aerial roots make it appear like a forest. Interestingly, these roots are 25 meters above the surface!
You must have heard about the story of the Ramayana and know how a bridge was built over the sea to reach Lanka. Well, it is very much in reality as well. The remnants of such stones are still found in Rameshwaram. The name of Lord Rama is still engraved on these stones and they float when kept in the vessel full of water.
There is an unusual formation of trees in the gradients of Khasi and Jaintia Hills in Cherrapunji. There is a rubber tree having 3000 feet long roots slinking its way along the gradient. The trees stick to the upper area and the roots are elongated to the riverbed hence providing natural bridges between the rivers. This mystifying sight bewitches the mind of the tourists instantly.
Jwala Ji temple is a holy shrine located in the lower Himalayas in Kangra district, typical of other Jwala Ji shrines in the country. Why then, is it listed among the mysterious places in India, is another matter altogether.
The Mystery: The central pit of hollowed stone inside this shrine holds a flame that has been burning endlessly for over a 100 years.
The Theory: The flame is burning off a supply of natural gases like methane under its surface.
Listed among the mysterious places of India, The Dumas Beach in Surat, Gujarat has a lot of spooky tales associated with it.
The Mystery: People strolling on the beach hear whispers and find no one when they look around for the source. There have even been reports of disappearances on the beach.
The Theory: The beach was previously a burial ground for Hindus, and thus it is full of spirits of the dead! Maybe it’s the theory that makes it one of the mysterious and haunted places in India.
The marshes of West Bengal can get spooky in the dark, but there is one phenomenon that really freaks out fishermen there.
The Mystery: There have been many sightings of unnatural glowing lights of different colours hovering over the marshes in West Bengal. Referred to as ‘Aleya Lights’ for many years now, these lights are a nightmare for fishermen, as they usually end up confusing them and they would lose their way. In many cases reported till date, various fishermen have even lost their lives due to these strange lights. These marshes are some of the most mysterious places in India owing to this unexplained phenomenon.
The Theory: Scientists suggest that these lights are essentially ionization of methane over the marshes that forms out of the decaying organic matter present in abundance in these bogs.
The enormous balancing rock, also known as Krishna’s Butter Ball, is a prime tourist attraction in Mahabalipuram. This rock is 5 meters in diameter and is positioned on a smooth gradient. It seems to defy all the laws of physics. It offers shed to all those who dare to sit underneath it.
Dow Hill might not be a very sought after place but is definitely one of the most haunted places in India. The Dow Hill Boarding School for Girls is very well known for spooky activities bordering on the paranormal. There have been reports talking of ghostsightings. Also, the forest that surrounds the school is considered to be haunted. In fact, many woodsmen who visit the forest have reported seeing a headless boy who suddenly appears and then disappears into the forests. Legend has it that there were innumerable murders which took place in this forest area. That says more than required on the matter.
Frenhill Hotel, which is now shut down after re-occurrence of haunting events, gained much name after spooky incidents during the shooting of movie Raaz. “Once Sarojji and her troupe checked in late at night and were kept awake by someone rearranging furniture in the room above. The dancers who had an early morning shoot tried calling reception but the phone was dead. Desperate for sleep, some went down to complain, only to have the receptionist escort them outside and point upwards to show that there was no floor above” Said Bipasha.
One of the most polluted places in the country includes Delhi. But the Delhi cantonment is a place where you see nature’s true beauty with lush green trees surrounding the path. This place has got something more than just trees.
The locals, as well as many people who have been there, have witnessed an unusual activity in the Delhi cantt. According to the people who witnessed, they said they have seen a ghost of a lady in white dress and was asking for a lift. When they stopped the vehicle, she vanished. If they didn’t stop the vehicle, the people found her chasing after the vehicle often running at the speed of the vehicle and sometimes even faster. But there are no cases of harm registered till date.
Clearly topping the list of most haunted places in Shimla is Tunnel 33. British engineer Captain Barog was assigned the responsibility for constructing this tunnel enroute Shimla Kalka Highway. He failed to complete the task assigned and was thus humiliated and penalised by the supervisors. Out of frustration and defame, Barog committed suicide. Locals believe that spirit of Captain Barog still roams in the tunnel. Many people have also seen a woman walking along the rail track and disappearing gradually.
Mawlynnong Village in Cherrapunji is popularly called 'God's Own Garden.' It has won international accolades for being Asia's Cleanest Village. It is a community-based effort for promoting eco-tourism. It is interesting to note that this village has a 100% literacy rate and most villagers speak English fluently. Mawlynnong boasts of other amazing sights like waterfalls, Living Roots Bridge and a Balancing Rock.
Located 35 kms from Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Shani Shinagpur village is known for its popular Shani temple. This village has never witnessed any crime, and that is attributed to the blessings of Shani Dev. The villagers have full faith in their god, and have completely entrusted their safety into his hands. That is why homes and commercial buildings in this village has no doors, or even a door frame. Taking note of the near-zero crime rate, the UCO Bank has also opened a 'lock-less' branch in this village, the first of its kind in India.
At a height of 1115 feet, the Nohkalikai Falls near Cherrapunji is India's highest plunge waterfall. Fed naturally by rainwater, this waterfall is named after the tragic tale of a woman called Ka Likai. After the death of her husband, Ka Likai remarried. But her new husband was extremely jealous of her love for her daughter. He murderd the daughter, and to hide the evidence, cooked up her remains into a meal. Kali Kai searched high and low for her daughter but cannot find her. Her husband offers her the meal, as she is exhausted. After eating, she discovers to her horror, the daughter's fingers lying in basket filled with betel-nuts. Grieved and anguished, she throws herself off the cliff, giving the waterfall its name, ' Nohkalikai ' meaning 'Fall of Ka Likai.'
If you thought mummies were to be found only in Egypt, you are mistaken. In a little village called Gue, in Himachal's Spiti district, lays the remarkably well-preserved 500 year-old mummy of Sangha Tenzing, a Buddhist monk from Tibet. It was found in a sitting position, with skin and hair intact. This is probably because, the monk started mummifying himself while he was still alive. Natural mummification, as compared to chemical enbalming, is a complex procedure and is extremely rare. The mummy was discovered after an earthquake in 1975. It is now on display at a temple in Gue.
A community in Channapatna's Ramanagar district has erected an unusual temple in honour of man's best friend. Pujas are conducted seeking blessings of the Dog God. According to locals, the dog is considered good-natured and loyal, but at times he is also formidable. This Dog God is believed to work alongside the village diety.
This architectural wonder dates back to the 18th CE. Nawab Asaf Ud Daulah created this marvel, blending European and Arabic architecture in perfect harmony. The central arched hall is 50 metres long and about three stories high, hanging without the support of any pillars or beams! The main hall is known for the architecture of the labyrinth or bhul-bhulaiya, with more than 1000 narrow staircase passages. The Imambara complex also houses lush gardens, a spectacular mosque and a baoli.
The list is still counting...
