India is a beautiful country with a vast array of historical achievements. The medieval history, cuisine, religion, and influential leaders of this place are truly fascinating. Their rich tapestry of remarkable feats is difficult to measure. The allure of architecture, the enchantment of romance, and the saga of barbaric and breathtaking tales. The customs, and traditions of India should, if they are not already, be envied the whole world over. Bhangarh Fort certainly fits these criteria. Despite the wonders, India is also rich in paranormal phenomena, curses, and weird events. As a result, this enigmatic cocktail of supernatural blend should catapult India to the forefront of every paranormal enthusiast’s watch list.
Macabre Silence
At night, it is said that silence lies heavily against the wood and stone of Bhangarh Fort, and for good reason. Misfortune, unbearable terrors, and even untimely death are said to be the price for disturbing whatever dwells there. Scores of evidence, in both recent times and years gone by, show that egos and heroism are fiercely chastised. Visitors are warned to take heed of the sunset threshold. Begone by nightfall or you will have to contend with the treacherous forces that bitterly wait and skulk within this unforgiving, embodiment of evil. Make no mistake: the curse, whatever its desire, will engulf you. It will strike with a venomous bite. Instantly or slowly. There is no escape.
Naturally, within the aged walls of the world’s most majestic structures, whatever their purposes were, lie oceans of residual emotion. Euphoria, love, exasperation, and dejection, to name but a few, will forever be rife within these blood-drenched and tear-stained places. India's historical architecture is no exception when it comes to eerie stories and superstitions that are still being told today. These tales continue to circulate in communities daring enough to listen.
The History Of Bhangarh Fort
The construction of the Bhangarh Fort dates back to the 16th century under Bhagwant Das, the 23rd ruler of the Amber kingdom. The fort's purpose was to serve as a dwelling place for his second son, Madho Sing, along with his family. The fort was built in Rajasthan, India, near the Sariska reserve. It was strategically placed at the base of the Aravali range hills to protect the important family who lived there.
The location was strategically chosen to make invasion plans and escape routes for rebels and mercenaries difficult to operate. The fort sat, as it does today, eagle-eyed, watching everyone and everything, ready to chastise all who dare to oppose it.
The Curse Of Bhangarh Fort
Historical landmarks that survive over time often have fascinating stories that show important moments of change or development that shape their current traditions. The Bhangarh Fort manages to emulate this and remains atypical, for it boasts not one, but two possible reasons for the dark curse.
Guru Balu was regarded as a great man of wisdom, who was knowledgeable of all things supernatural. Upset by the fort’s building, he warned that bad things would happen to the community and anyone linked to the fort and its family. When mockingly questioned about when this would happen, Guru Balu Nath coldly warned that the great wrath would engulf the town the second the shadows of the fort should touch him or his home.
As the fort was being built, it started to cast shadows over the Guru's house and the town. The fort looked more and more imposing as it grew taller. Before long, the inevitable clash between the shadow and the mystical man reared its ugly head and catastrophe unfolded.
As the Bangargh Fort legend goes, the city of Bhangarh was destroyed instantly. Sickness befell the healthy and businesses that once thrived, suddenly collapsed, ruining so many people. The once delightful and caring personalities that brought resilience, hope, and joy to the city became despondent and emotionally crushed. With nothing left but despair and emptiness, the residents slowly vacated, leaving the city baron and desolate. All that remained was the eerie howling of the wind, empty sandy roads, and the echos of wind-swept homes.
A Cursed Love Story
The next story, and equally unnerving, is of Sinhia, an occultist and mythical expert who regularly visited Bhangarh. With great stage presence and an ocean of magical and mind-boggling tricks, the mysterious magician would rack up crowds in their hundreds. He could grip the hearts and minds of all who watched him.
People were always left baffled and in awe of his physics-defying skills and manipulation of the natural world. Naturally, it wasn’t long before he would notice the presence of the beautiful Princess Ratnavati. She watched his performances with a great degree of reservation, unlike the locals, from one of the fort’s tower windows.
Sinhia was enthralled by her radiating beauty and regal presence. Knowing that such things would forever stand as a broken bridge between them, the occultist, becoming more smitten by the day, had other plans. The princess was known for using special oils that were regularly brought to the city from afar. So exotic and costly were these majestically aromatic oils, that the magician knew only she would have the privilege of using them.
Magic and Mystery
Knowing this, the magician, dressed in his finest, intercepted a weekly batch delivered to the city. Whilst pretending to inquire about a purchase, he quietly enchanted the oil with a hypnotizing love spell. When the oil arrived at the palace, the princess would, after using the oil, fall deeply in love with Sinhia. She would fall helplessly into his arms, or so he hoped.
Unfortunately for Sinhia, a passerby who happened to witness his sly actions with the oil merchant, shuffled quickly to the palace. Immediately, they informed the princess of his unsavory intentions. When the oil arrived a short while later, the Princess ordered that it be burned and the intricately decorated bottle in which it was stored, be buried. However, the tale takes a drastically darker turn...
During the burning of the oil outside the palace walls, a small drop of the oil was gathered up by a gust of wind as it was poured on the fire. It landed on a huge boulder near the dirt track next to the fortress.
Shortly after, Sinhia made his way triumphantly back toward the palace, eagerly awaiting the arrival of his princess after bathing in the oil. All of a sudden, the boulder that caught the oil, cracked and groaned like a demonic entity. It appeared to loosen itself from the wall and charged at Sinhia like a raging bull. Lost in his lustful thoughts, the occultist failed to see the destructive mountain-sized rock hurtling towards him and within seconds, was crushed beneath its powerful impact.
In agonizing pain, distraught, and knowing death was imminent, the heartbroken and crippled Sinhia cursed the palace and all who dwelled there, including the townsfolk. Within a year, a destructive war unexpectedly broke out between Bhangarh and the nearby village of Ajabgarh. Atrocities befell the Bhangarh townsfolk and the princess was mercilessly killed, leaving behind a soulless maze.
What lurks within the fort’s walls?
Naturally, something disturbing lurks within Bhangargh Fort’s dark walls. After all the glamour, hope, excitement, horror, love, and tragedy, it should bare no surprise.
Could it be the angry soul of the princess seeking revenge for the demise of her town and people? Perhaps it could also be the love-sick devastated spirit of the occultist desperately trying to execute his love-sick plan for the rest of eternity? Maybe it’s the sadistic nature of the Guru bestowing misfortune on anybody who dares enter the town or fort to this very day? Let’s take a look at the reported phenomena and you can decide for yourself.
Strange disappearances
Interestingly, the government has imposed a warning that all visitors to the town and fort should vacate the premises before sunset and not return until sunrise the following morning. This message is relayed by a never-ending display of notice boards all over the town and on the outskirts. There are many tales of people who have ignored such warnings and have never been seen again.
One tragic tale involves two curious young boys who decided to hide in one of the fort’s desolate rooms as night fell. The boys hid from security officers who nervously completed their evening checks, before quickly leaving the premises themselves. Shortly after, the boys were left all alone as darkness and silence engulfed the town and its foreboding fort. They were never seen again. Not a single trace of life, clothing, or struggle was left behind. It was as if the boys had simply vanished into thin air. To this very day, there are no further answers to this tragic and confusing tale.
Well of tragedy
Similarly, upon hearing of the disappearance of the two boys, another boy decided to challenge the wrath of Bhangarh. Arming himself with lighting equipment, the boy paraded around the fort and surrounding town in the dead of night. Curiously, he slipped and plummeted to the bottom of a well, where he unwillingly and badly injured, spent the rest of the night.
The next morning, in agonizing pain, the boy was discovered by staff and rushed to the local hospital. However, tragically and unsurprisingly, as stated by locals, the car in which the boy was being transported suffered a head-on collision with an oncoming lorry. The driver and everybody else in the car, including the boy, were instantly killed.
The mysterious boy
Another less tragic incident involved a large group of ghost-hunting enthusiasts. They managed to persuade the keeper of the fort to allow them inside just before midnight. Despite the keeper’s warning, the enthusiastic team went inside. After anxiously parading the premises, they entered the fort. Within one of the rooms, looming in the darkness, was the figure of a young boy. When questioned about how he had entered the fort or why he was there, the figure quietly moved back into the darkness and was never seen again. Not a sound was made, and the team was left alone again, unnerved by what they had seen.
Upon further investigation, the team realized that there were no windows, doors or any other entrance that the boy could have used to enter the fort. It had been locked and bolted at sunset. The security team, upon completing their evening checks before closing up, had not seen a boy in the area.
An orchestra of unnerving sounds
Despite not being allowed anywhere near the town or fort after sunset, some folk possess a strong disposition. Although not brave enough to go inside, they lurk as close to the boundary lines as possible. Many have reported an array of strange wailing sounds coming from the town in the dead of night and ghastly groans and wails emanating from the towers of the fort.
Sometimes, simultaneous noises create what is often described as ‘an orchestra from hell’. Although there are claims that the sounds could be from animals, they appear to have been refuted as the sounds bear no resemblance to the local wildlife. According to many people who live near the town and fort, animals, for some reason, appear to stay away...
Apparitions, broken roofs, and mysterious parties
Again, those who choose to venture past the many sign-posted warnings claim they can hear the delicate sounds of distant partying. Although people never get close enough to hear the dialogues, it is evident that some sort of ‘ethereal’ celebration is taking place. In addition, from a distance, have identified strange white and bright glowing mists standing on what appear to be the roofs of buildings. Oddly, many of the fort’s roofs collapsed centuries ago.
Speaking of roofs, there also appears to be a never-ending cycle of ‘continuous collapsing roofs’. After some roofless buildings have been renovated or restored, they collapse again. Despite the work, investigation and efforts of professional builders, no rational explanation is has ever been conveyed. Could it be that the Guru and Occultist, who bestowed such devastation on the town and fort, intended it to last for an eternity?
The Bhangarh Fort certainly has a catastrophic and unusual history that suits the tales associated with it. True or not, people clearly enjoy the ancient architecture and remnants of the past when they come to visit. As for staying after nightfall, it seems that remnants of a different kind are waiting to be accessed. Proceed with caution!
