mysterious places in India
India is full of mysterious places and stories spanning back
over the centuries that are just beckoning to be explored. Some you may have
heard of, but some are rare tourist places in India that will take a little
more getting to. Often the road less travelled takes us to the most memorable
places. Both on and off the beaten path, India is home to some of the top ten
mysterious places in the world, that will leave you in awe.
Many of the ancient mysterious places can be found right
here in India. India itself is enshrouded by fascinating stories, deep history
and creepy paranormal activity. As we introduce you to the most mysterious
places in India, it is hard to not let your imagination run too wild. When you
visit these places, you will see that so much of what happens seems to go way
beyond anything that could be explained by your own imagination…
1. A river that sucks people in – Khooni Nadi
Khooni Nadi mysterious places in India
Would you risk swimming here??
This may actually be one of the most dangerous places in
India. The Khooni Nadi river, also known
as ‘the bloody river’, is one of the spookiest places you can visit. There are
many terrifying accounts of people being sucked into the water, never to be seen
again. Even if you’re not too quick to believe in the paranormal, this is
definitely somewhere you do not want to go for a swim. In fact, it’s not
somewhere you should really visit by yourself. It is spooky enough that the
water has claimed so many lives, but the fact that bodies have never been
recovered is really quite creepy. There are many unknown mysteries of India,
unresolved stories, but ones where bodies are never found again are not to be
taken lightly!
2. The abandoned village of Kuldhara – Rajasthan
abandoned village of Kuldhara mysterious places in India
Definitely a must visit for the fan of the creepy
Abandoned towns and villages have to be one of the most
weird things about India. What you often find makes mysterious places in India
so fascinating and indeed intriguing is that there is so much told and retold
regarding the history. It all overlaps to a point where you can’t quite get to
the bottom of what happened. There are actually many ruins in this region. These
are often best explored with a motorbike and camping gear. Though, you would
have to be made of tough stuff to sleep after hearing about all the paranormal
activity surrounding Kuldhara. Legend has it that the last successful
inhibitors, the Paliwals Brahmins left suddenly in the night, never to be seen
again. They say they left a curse on the place. Since that time, anyone who has
since tried to re-inhabit the area has been chased out by evil spirits. Check
out this post to find out more about India’s ghost towns…
3. A drowning church – Shettihalli
drowning church mysterious places in India
What a strange place!
Drowning Churches are quite a fascination across the world.
Something about them captures the imagination. Shettihallli may not be the most
secret place in India, but it is one of the more mysterious places to visit in
India. However, rather than being spooky many people say that it is a deeply
peaceful place to explore.
It is sometimes referred to as the floating church,
sometimes the drowning church. As you may have guessed this is due to the fact
that waters around it rise and fall. Rather excitingly, if you are visiting
during monsoon season, you should be able to explore by boat! India is of
course a Hindu country, perhaps why this church was abandoned in the 1960’s. By
contrast with so many Hindu temples, some may find this church is one of the
more mysterious spiritual places in India.
4. The Whispers
of the dead on Dumas beach – Gujarat
Whispers of the dead on Dumas beach mysterious places in India
Goosebumps and how!
This will make the hairs on your neck stand up! We tend to
associate beaches with relaxing in the sun. Not at Dumas beach in Gujarat! Many
have reported the same haunting experience of walking down the beach and
hearing whispers, but as they turn around, there is no one there. More concerning, there have been reports of
people going missing on this beach. Whatever you believe, these unexplained
mysteries of India could genuinely be dangerous. So, however you decide to see
this one for yourself, please plan it cautiously.
5. The Village that Slithers – Shetpal
Village that Slithers mysterious places in India
The slithering creepiness
In Shetpal, Maharashtra you will come across the village
that slithers. Even just its name will have some people’s skin crawling. Snake
worship runs deep for many Indians and dates back to ancient times. If you can
hack it, it is definitely worth putting on your itinerary. What fascinates many
about this place and makes it one of the most mysterious places in India is
that there is a harmony between the snakes and people. Many would associate
cobras with being aggressive and try to keep away from them. However, in this
village it is mandatory to have a resting place in each home, should a cobra
decide to live with you. Since adopting this relationship with the snakes they
have found they have virtually no problems with them.
6. Mysterious amount of Twins – Kodinhi
Kodinhi twins mysterious places in India
Can you imagine something so weird?
This is by far one of the strangest and most mysterious
places in South India! It is so mysterious it actually caught the attention of
an international science team who went to investigate it.
Fascinatingly, they couldn’t actually get to the bottom of
why this one village has more than 500 twinned siblings! The locals say this
phenomenon dates back to 1949. Some have theorised it to be linked to a
chemical found in the local water. This however has not been conclusive and has
been dismissed by various doctors and scientists. The villagers really embrace
the phenomenon and tend to honour it by intentionally dressing identically.
This really is one of the most mysterious places in India and definitely worth
heading to if you are exploring the south of India.
7. Jamali-Kamali Masjid – Delhi
Mosque in India
Explore at your own peril! –
Taking photos of temples in India is one thing, knowing the
story behind them is another. At a glance many wouldn’t even know that
Jamali-Kamali is indeed a mosque and tomb. It’s important to connect with where
you explore. Some mysterious places in India are easier to get to.
Jamali-Kamali is easy to get to for those visiting Delhi; it is open most days
and free to visit. What is less easy is hanging on to your senses as you walk
amongst the dense haunted atmosphere. There are many reports of unexplained noises
and movements and just general freak-factor as you walk around the spooky 16th
century mosque and tomb. For more kick ass places to explore, check out this
awesome guide to Delhi.
8. Reaching Nirvana – The Ganges
The ganges ghost stories mysterious places in India
Ganges- the ultimate mystery!
Most seasoned travellers have heard of the Ganges. It may
even seem a little too obvious to mention, so you may be wondering why it has
made it into our top ten mysterious places in India. Quite simply, the Ganges
are enshrined in mystery and if you miss out on the depth and significance of
the Ganges, you miss out on India. It is the most sacred place of worship in
India. Many Indians go to Varanasi in particular as a pilgrimage. Walk along
the banks, be still and watch the cremations and ceremonies that take place
every day as locals strive to reach Nirvana. Listen to the locals stories about
spirits and the afterlife. Walk with them join their journeys and truly connect
with one of the most mysterious places in India.
9. Hauntings and bizarre behaviour – Alwar
Haunted Alwar strange little town mysterious places in India
So beautiful yet so haunting…
Unusual things in India almost become the norm as you get to
grips with the culture. Paradoxical, I know. There are several forts in and
around Alwar that have been reported as haunted, many Indians actually claim
Bhangarh Fort to THE most haunted in India!
The tiny town of Alwar fascinated me. I have to say it is
without a doubt one of the strangest places in India. At first, It seems like a
perfectly average little town, I thought it would have been a non-event of a
place to visit when we first arrived, oh how wrong I was!
When you’re thinking of places to visit in India, try to find
at least a few that are off the beaten track, they often have a way of becoming
some of the most memorable places. Some mysterious places in India just can’t
be put into words, but you can certainly start to get an idea, by reading about
our bizarre time in Alwar here.
10. Mass Bird Suicide – Jatinga, Assam
Bird death festival mysterious places in India
Experience the bizarre phenomena!
One of the weirdest stories in India that turns out to be
true, and takes place every year between September and November is in the
northeast of India. Well, it’s mostly true, many scientist have tried to
explain and quantify it, but they still can’t get to the bottom of it. This
makes it one of the top unsolved mysteries of India. No amount of trying to
rationalise it detracts from how ominous it is when the intense event takes
place. Do what you can to make this one of the places in India you get to and see
it for yourself.
As the sun begins to set and hundreds of birds begin falling
from the sky. It is such a remarkable happening that they have now developed a
festival around the phenomenon. Many locals believe it is due to evil spirits
and they are eager to share their own stories about it. The atmosphere is truly
intense and it is hard to not get freaked out by it. Go to Jatinga.
So, these are our top ten mysterious places in India, but as
you may imagine there are many more. India is truly one of the most mysterious
countries in the world. However, no matter how much of a ghostbuster you are, please
do approach and explore these places with care. People have gone missing and
although it can be exciting to explore these places, some of them do pose very
real threats.
We would love to hear about any mysterious places you have read about or even visited in India; please
drop us a comment below.