Chasing shadows―the most haunted places in Delhi

Places to visit in Delhi Bablukumar1992

Searching for the creepiest haunted places in Delhi – places that would make you doubt all notions of rationality? While Mr William Dalrymple might not have thought of the many interpretations of City of Djinns, his travelogue’s title, Delhi has places that are rumoured to house spirits, a headless ghost, a wailing woman, ghosts and, of course, djinns. If you consider yourself a ghost-buster or are looking for an experience of a very different kind, here are some of the horror places in Delhi.

Chasing shadows―the most haunted places in Delhi

Lothian Cemetery
As if the thought of roaming around in a graveyard is not scary enough, Lothian Cemetery is rumoured to be haunted as well. This is one of the most famous Delhi haunted places as eyewitness accounts from people who have seen “it” are a few. While there are a lot of stories that keep doing the rounds, the possibility of running into a British soldier’s ghost (yes, the headless one who walks carrying his head in his hand) is enough to get goosebumps. As per the story, it is the ghost of General Nicholas, who shot himself in the head after discovering that the woman he loved had married somebody else. His heartbroken soul, as they say, still laments the loss and haunts the cemetery. One tormenting love story this.

Sanjay Van

Yet another one of haunted places of Delhi, Sanjay Van has a few densely green stretches in Delhi. Lush green, this 10 km strip is peppered with numerous graves and remains of Qila Rai Pithora. While the sight of graves and fort’s remains, now covered in creepers, is scary enough, there have been reports of people hearing cries of children, sighting a lonely woman who disappears suddenly and getting pushed by some invisible force while roaming in Sanjay Van! Sounds like a great night trip idea, right?

Northern Ridge

Talking about horror places in Delhi, this refreshingly green Northern Ridge, also called the Kamla Nehru Ridge is a real scary place. Sure you will see a lot of people hanging around in daytime, however, come night and this stretch is a scene of absolute desolation. Only visited by some very brave people who label themselves ghostbusters in the after dark hours, the Northern Ridge turns all the more darker and scary owing to the fact that some of its nooks have no phone network! Visit it if you want to test the stories that have everything from spirits chasing people and blood-curdling screams coming out of nowhere to strange and sudden appearances of bloodied spirits of the British soldiers who died in India.

Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal
Venture inside the entrance to this old and ruined hunting lodge, and you will know what scary means. One of the essential haunted places in Delhi, it lies in abject shambles, although the creepers that cover most of these might even make it look appealing somewhat, this 14th century structure does not see much crowd and might come across as creepy even in broad daylight. Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal is rumoured to be haunted, a rumour which is supported by people who have confessed to hearing strange sounds, including cries of men. Policemen are usually stationed at its entrance to keep people from entering the complex after sunset.

Agrasen ki Baoli
Agrasen ki Baoli is a stunning piece of architecture, a stepwell with 103 steps in the centre of Delhi. A stepwell of this proportion with a brilliant architecture is a wonder in itself and so are the many tales that have caught the fancy of many. Legends say that the black water of the well lures people and leads them to drowning thfemselves. As per the legends, the lure strengthens as you go further down the stairs, with nothing but the echo of your own footsteps following you. This one ranks quite high in the wishlist of people looking for some thrill. This one is definitely one of India’s haunted places.

Feroze Shah Kotla Fort
Yet addition to horror places in Delhi, the ruins of what must have been a grand fort once see little crowd today, except for Thursdays. Come Thursday and you will see a steady trickle of djinn believers thronging the place. Once the rituals of praying and leaving wishes written on a letter are over, the fort complex gets eerily silent. It is widely believed that djinns roam free in the fort complex once the sun sets, marking their territory and scaring away anyone who wants to enter the complex. Such is the belief in the story that all the nearby houses are built facing the other side in order to keep the djinns away.

Delhi Cantonment
Delhi Cantonment is a must if you are fond of chasing movie-like ghosts. One of the more reputable haunted places in Delhi, this is a deserted place that gets all the more desolate in the dark. As per the stories, a woman clad in white often hails motorists for a lift on the stretch. She then chases the ones who do not give her a lift, running at a speed that equals or is more than their vehicles! As for those who oblige and give her a lift, they are never seen again. What ups the chill factor of these stories is the fact that these sightings are reported quite frequently. Locals believe that the spirit is of a woman hitchhiker, who died waiting for help.

A city that has been established and ravaged over centuries, time and again, Delhi has a history that only a few cities in the world can equal. While the stories of these haunted places in Delhi might or might not be true, their history is fascinating. Explore a Delhi that is as thrilling as its past; see if the shadows that people say lurk around these places are for real.

Apart from beautiful and romantic places to visit in Delhi, the city is also known for its haunted sites.