Believe in ghosts? Or maybe up for some adrenaline rush? If you answered yes to either question, Bhangargh, a deserted village in Rajasthan should definitely be on your list of places to visit.
Located near the Sariska Tiger Reserve, the village houses the ruins of a 17th century fort and what was once a bustling village.
Folk lores abound of what went wrong in the village, the two most popular ones being -
Curse of the Sorcerer
The most popular legend is that of the beautiful princess Ratnavati of Bhangarh. It is said that a sorcerer fell in love with her, and made a magic potion in order to make her fall in love with him. He tried to sell this potion off as a beauty enhancing oil to her maid. The princess, however, saw through the whole act and poured it on the ground. This oil is said to have then turned into a boulder that crushed the sorcerer, who cursed her saying that the she would die without an heir to leave behind, and the place would soon be razed to the grounds. The sorcerer’s curse came to pass and soon Bhangarh was engulfed in a war with the neighbouring Ajabhgarh. Soon the beautiful village was destroyed and since then no one has come to inhabit the now crumbling buildings left behind.
Broken promise to a Guru
Yet another legend claims that king Madho Singh decided to make the fort his capital in the 17th century after getting the approval from Guru Balu Nath who meditated at the highest point there. He got permission on the one condition that the shadow of the palace should never fall on his meditation spot; else the city would be ruined. However, the king’s ambitious descendants paid no heed to this and built it to such heights that the palace cast a shadow on the meditation spot. And this led to Bhangarh’s undoing. One can still see this spot high up beyond a rocky trail.
However, the actual cause of the ruins might be a bit less exciting, as its considered to have been a famine in the 1800s that wiped out the village and left it deserted!
Whatever maybe the reason, the fort and village has earned the dubious distinction of being one of the most haunted in world and attracts travellers from all across the world for a glimpse of the uncanny.
#DidYouKnow The government authorities have put a strict restriction on entering the fort after sunset!
Today, the fort and its surroundings are an distant reminder of its beautiful past. You can imagine the grandeur of the three stories fort with its columns and archways, as you walk by what was once a bustling jewellery bazar. Ruins also remain of a dancing girls’ quarters! Even in this state, the architectural beauty of the fort and the surrounding village is unmissable. The village also houses a number of gorgeous temples and a step well, reminding the traveler of the village that once was.
So, for your next trip to Jaipur, plan to visit the haunted village of Bhangarh and get your heart racing !
For more information and for booking exclusive tours to the village, write to us at info@thethingstodoinindia.com
