Bhangarh is a cursed ghost town in India where you can't go at night

India is full of mystical places shrouded in eerie legends. The most famous of them is the abandoned city of Bhangarh in the state of Rajasthan, which has been considered cursed for many centuries. It hides many secrets and mysteries that attract curious tourists. However, locals prefer to avoid this place, especially after dark. What made the once thriving trade and cultural center turn into a ghostly place?

The history of Bhangarh began in 1573. Maharaja Bhagavant Das of the Kachwaha dynasty founded the city as a gift to his favorite son Man Singh I. The prince appreciated his father's generosity and turned the city into a prosperous center. He built a strong fort, erected temples in honor of Gopinath, Shiva, Hanuman and Ganesha, erected a majestic palace and allocated space for shopping arcades. Thus, Bhangarh became an important cultural and economic center of the region.

There is a curious legend connected with the appearance of Bhangar. It says that on the land where the city is now located, there lived a powerful ascetic Guru Balu Nath. His influence was so great that even Man Singh I asked him for permission to build. The elder agreed, but put forward a condition: not a single building in the city should cast a shadow on his modest home. Otherwise, he promised that terrible disasters would befall the inhabitants of Bhangar.

The young ruler strictly observed this requirement, and the city began to flourish. It grew rapidly, and its population soon reached ten thousand people. Caravans from all over Asia arrived in Bhangarh, and the locals quickly grew rich. This continued until 1614, when Man Singh died. By then, the old man had also long since passed away, but the place where his hut stood was still considered sacred, and it was never overshadowed by buildings.

The ruler's successor, Ajab Singh, did not take the agreement with the old man seriously and stopped adhering to the established rule. The area where the ascetic's hut was located ended up in a development zone, and the last reminder of him disappeared forever. This decision quickly turned into a tragic one. The city was attacked by the troops of the ruler of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh II.

After a long siege, the enemy captured the citadel, partially destroyed it, and annexed the land to their possessions. The new ruler of Bhangar showed even less respect for the legends about the curse. He began to build high fortress walls in place of the old ones and erect majestic temples, striving to perpetuate his name.

However, no matter how hard Sawai Jai Singh II tried, his dominions were dogged by failures. Trade caravans began to bypass the city, epidemics and famine decimated the population, and the survivors left their homes in search of a better life. In addition, enemies intensified their raids on the weakened Bhangarh.

All these disasters continued for several years, and then the city suddenly became deserted. Historians still cannot confirm or deny this legend. Local legends cite various reasons: from some natural disaster to the capture of the city by an enemy army, which killed the entire population.

Another legend tells of the beautiful princess Ratnavati, who lived in Bhangar. Her beauty delighted everyone, including a powerful sorcerer named Singh. He loved her dearly, but knew that she would never reciprocate his feelings. So he decided to turn to magic. The sorcerer made a love potion in the form of body oil and threw it to the girl. But the princess suspected something was wrong and threw the bottle of liquid out of the window. According to legend, the bottle fell on a boulder near the palace and broke. At that very moment, the stone moved, rolled down and crushed the unfortunate magician.

Before his painful death, the sorcerer Singh managed to curse the city, wishing that all its inhabitants would perish and their souls would remain in Bhangar forever. They say that soon after this, the city was captured by the Mughals, and Ratnavati and thousands of others died in a bloody massacre. The spell turned out to be so powerful that it works centuries later and Bhangar is dangerous to be in even now. Not everyone believes in the ancient legends, but, nevertheless, the ghost town has a bad reputation.

Despite its dark reputation, Bhangarh attracts crowds of tourists during the day. They come to see the majestic ruins of the Gopinatha Temple, the Dance Palace and the royal palace. Today, Bhangarh is one of the most visited mystical places in India. The architecture of the city, although battered by time, is still impressive. Tourists take pictures near the high walls and stroll along the ancient streets, but at sunset they hurry to leave this place.

Bhangarh is a place where history meets mysticism. If you love riddles, ancient architecture, and a little chill down your spine, this ghost town is worth adding to your India itinerary. But remember: come during the day, enjoy the views, and leave before sunset. Because in Bhangarh, they say, the night belongs to the ghosts.

The Archaeological Survey of India has banned nighttime visits to the Bhangarh ruins. The decision was probably made for safety reasons: in the dark among the ancient ruins, it is easy to get injured or even die. However, this ban has given rise to a new creepy story. They say that once a group of curious tourists broke the rule and entered the city after sunset. At first, everything was calm, but soon strange and frightening events began to occur.

The offenders said they saw ghosts and heard eerie sounds. One of them, overcome by fear, ran away, but fell into a well in the darkness. Fortunately, he survived, although he was seriously injured. Friends helped him get out and decided to take him to the hospital by car. But on the night road the car got into an accident, and all the participants in the tragedy died. It is unknown whether this story is true or fiction. Nevertheless, locals and tourists firmly believe in this legend.

Hindus associate the activity of otherworldly forces with the fact that the souls of all the dead residents remained in the city. Because of the curse, they were unable to find peace and now roam around Bhangarh at night, looking for the living to harm them. According to rumors, the state authorities tried to prove the safety of the abandoned city and sent a police squad there at night. But the guards of order resolutely refused to approach the ruins after sunset, even when they were promised a large bonus.

Bhangarh has another mysterious feature that is not related to ghosts. It is impossible to restore the buildings in this dead city. All the buildings are roofless and are slowly being destroyed by the weather. Any attempts to install roofs end in failure. The structures collapse immediately after the work is completed, and the buildings, already damaged by time, are in an even worse condition than before.

Engineers do not comment on this strange phenomenon. Local residents, in turn, are sure that this is the effect of the curse of the ascetic Balu Nath. In their opinion, the spirit of the old man still resists the city's buildings rising up and casting a shadow on its land. Of course, whether this is true or not, no one knows. Nevertheless, the ghost town of Bhangarh remains in ruins, and there is no talk of its reconstruction.

The legends of Bhangarh are both frightening and alluring, leaving more questions than answers. Can the series of misfortunes that have befallen the city be explained by coincidences, or is there really an ancient curse hidden in these stories? Do you believe in mysticism and cursed places, or do you think that logic and chance are behind all the “miracles”? Share your opinion in the comments!