Have You Heard of These 10 Mysterious Places in India Yet?

From a place where birds commit suicide to a fort where entry after sunset is forbidden, there is no shortage of mysterious places in India. With a rich culture, history, and millions of people who believe in the metaphysical and the paranormal, India is definitely a land of mystery. To add to this, many places in India defy conventional laws of science and nature. Here’s your chance to check out a few of them.

1. Kuldhara, Rajasthan – The Abandoned Village

What’s the Mystery?

About 200 years ago, Kuldhara was home to more than 1,500 Paliwal Brahmins, descendants of a community that had lived here for more than five centuries. However, one day, the entire population, which included residents of 85 villages, fled. Overnight.

According to folklore, the people of Kuldhara didn’t just leave the village as it is, but instead they left it with a curse, forbidding any future settlements. All that is left here today are few dilapidated buildings, an old temple, and rumours that try to explain the sudden evacuation.

Getting There

Rail: Kuldhara is just 18 kms from Jaisalmer, the Golden City of Rajasthan. Board the Howrah Jaisalmer Express at Old Delhi Junction to reach Jaisalmer in about 14 hours.

Road: If you are planning to drive from Delhi to Jaisalmer, the 770 kms stretch will take around 12 hours of driving time.

2. Kodinhi, Kerala – The Village of Twins

What’s the Mystery?

Kodinhi, a small village in the Malappuram district of Kerala, just 35 kms south of Calicut, wouldn’t have entered international spotlight if it wasn’t for the unusually large number of twin births that are regularly reported here. Also known as the ‘Village of Twins’, Kodinhi has more than 200 pairs of twins and two sets of triplets.

What’s interesting is that women from Kodinhi who are married outside this village also have multiple births! Although most researchers haven’t been able to determine the reason behind this mystery, some doctors do believe that the answer lies in the chemical makeup of water in the area.

Getting There

Air: The best and fastest way to reach this mysterious village is to travel by air up to Calicut International Airport. From there you can book a cab for the 40 kms onward journey to Kodinhi.

Book Your Flight to Calicut

3. Kongka La Pass, Ladakh – An Alien Abode

What’s the Mystery?

Kongka La Pass is a low-ridge pass, lying in a disputed border area between India and China, at an elevation of 16,970 feet. Although neither Indian nor Chinese armed forces patrol the region, locals on either side of the border believe that the area is inhabited by extra-terrestrials. Reports ranging from UFO sightings to sightings of strange humanoids are quite common here.

Getting There

Air: Since the Pass lies in a disputed area, entry here is restricted. However, you can still board a flight from Delhi to Leh to get to know more about the strange UFO sightings near the Kongka La Pass.

Book Your Flight to Leh

4. Roopkund, Uttarakhand – The Skeleton Lake

What’s the Mystery?

Every year as the ice melts in Roopkund, a glacial lake located at an elevation of 16,500 feet, hundreds of human skeletons are seen floating. Rediscovered in the year 1942 by a forest ranger, the skeletons in the Roopkund Lake have since then been shrouded in mystery. With the help of forensics and radiocarbon tests, researchers believe that the corpses are around 1,200 years old.

Nobody knows for sure who these people were, and what they were doing in such an inhospitable region of the Himalayas. According to popular folklore, the skeletal remains are of King Jasdhawal of Kanauj, his pregnant wife and hundreds of servants, who were headed to Nanda Devi shrine on a pilgrimage. However, before they could reach their destination, they were caught in a terrible hailstorm, with hailstones the size of cricket balls. Unable to find any place to hide, the entire group perished near the lake.

Getting There

Road: Reaching Roopkund in Uttarakhand is just as difficult as solving the riddle of the bones. If your starting point is Delhi, make your way to Loha Jang Pass by road. From there, trek to cover the remaining journey of 34 kms to reach Roopkund Lake.

5. Jatinga, Assam – Where Birds Commit Suicide

What’s the Mystery?

Jatinga, a small village in Assam, has everything that you can expect in a peaceful holiday destination. However, instead of its lush greenery and the backdrop of mountains, Jatinga is famous for a mysterious phenomenon that happens every year during the late monsoon months.

Right after sunset, when locals are busy preparing for the night, hundreds of migratory birds commit mass suicide here. This happens every day. To no surprise, the local population gives a spooky theory that evil spirits in the sky are responsible for the event. Quite naturally, ornithologists aren’t satisfied with this explanation and have come up with their very own scientific theory. They state that the dense monsoon fog and high altitude daze birds. When these dazed birds try to make their way towards village lights, they end up hitting trees and buildings, resulting in death or serious injuries. However, there is no one to explain why these birds fly at night, and why they get trapped in the same place every year.

Getting There

Air: Board a flight to Silchar Airport in Assam and complete the remaining journey of around 100 km by road, to reach Jatinga.

Book Your Flight to Assam

6. Shettihalli, Karnataka – The Drowning Church

What’s the Mystery?

Built by French missionaries in the 1860’s, the Rosary Church, as it was called back then, was a centre of all community activities. The building not only included a church and an orphanage, but also a hospital.

However, exactly 100 years later, the Indian Government built the Gorur Dam, which now floods the Hemavathi Reservoir. The damage – villages upstream had to be relocated. The villagers obliged and Rosary Church was left to fight it out with the water. Since then, Rosary Church submerges every year during the monsoons and resurfaces as the water levels recede. Battling the regular tests, Rosary Church now has a mysterious charm to it and a new name – The Drowning Church.

Getting There

Air: Board a flight till Bengaluru International Airport. Shettihalli is around 80 kms from the airport, which is a 2-hour journey by road.

Book Your Flight to Bengaluru

7. Vittala Temple Complex, Hampi, Karnataka – The Musical Pillars

What’s The Mystery?

Originally built in the 15^th century, the Vittala Temple is one of the most extravagant pieces of architecture in Hampi. However, what sets it apart from some other equally glorified temples around the country is a collection of 56 musical pillars, which produce musical sounds when tapped gently. During their rule, the British were so intrigued by the pillars’ music producing ability that they cut two pillars into half to check if anything was inside the seemingly hollow pillars of granite. If you are interested, you can still check these two pillars inside the temple complex.

Over the years, curious visitors damaged several other musical pillars by regularly tapping them. To protect any further damage to this heritage site, tapping on musical pillars is now forbidden.

Getting There

Rail: If you’re planning to visit Hampi by train, you’ll have to book your journey up to Hospet Junction. From there you can book a cab to Hampi, which is merely 13 km away.

8. Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan – Most Haunted Place in India

What’s the Mystery?

Built in the 17^th century, Bhangarh Fort was a hub of activity in Rajasthan. According to legend, it was so beautiful that the Pink City of Jaipur was modelled after its design. However, the fort’s good days ended soon and now the Bhangarh Fort is recognized as one of the most haunted places in India. So much so, that even the Archaeological Survey of India’s notice board near the fort, forbids tourist entry between sunset and sunrise.

Some call it a curse, others believe that the place is home to the evil soul of a magician who was in love with the princess of Bhangarh. Although there is no evidence to prove any of the rumours, tourists report a sense of uneasiness on entering the premises.

Getting There

Bhangarh is easily accessible by road, rail and air.

Air: The Jaipur Airport, at a distance of 56 km, is nearest to Bhangarh.

Rail: For those travelling by rail, the nearest railway station is Dausa Junction, which is merely 22 km away.

Road: For people travelling from the National Capital, Bhangarh is an easy 250 km road journey.

Read more: Haunted Places in India

Book Your Flight to Jaipur

9. Lonar Crater Lake, Maharashtra – World’s Only Hyper-velocity Impact Crater

What’s The Mystery?

Lonar, an unremarkable village around 140 km from Aurangabad, is home to a highly remarkable meteor impact crater. Recognized as the only hyper-velocity impact crater in basaltic rock in the world, it has a lake inside it that is alkaline and saline at the same time.

To add to the science fiction elements, no one knows the source of the perennial springs that feed the lake and what lurks at its murky bottom. Moreover, compasses don’t work in many parts of the lake and somehow the unique chemical composition of its water supports several microorganisms that are rarely found elsewhere on our planet.

Getting There

Air: The nearest airport to Lonar is at Aurangabad that receives direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai. On reaching Aurangabad, you can either hire a cab or board a bus to Lonar that will take you around 5 hours.

10. Gyanganj, Somewhere in the Himalayas – A City of Immortal Beings

What’s the Mystery?

The snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas hide mysteries in plenty. One mystery that stands out from the rest is that of a mysterious city of immortal beings, known by several names such as Gyanganj, Shambala, Siddhashram or Shangri-La.

It is believed that this place hides from sight and modern mapping technologies, by camouflaging itself or it exists in a different dimension altogether. However, according to legend, the immortal beings who live here not only influence the proceedings of the world in subtle ways, but also guard several secret spiritual teachings of all religions.

Getting There

Unfortunately, no one knows the exact location of Gyanganj as it is believed that only great saints and yogis can pass through the dimensions and the psychic barriers.

Have you already been to some of these places or know any other mysterious places in India? Share your views in the comments section below.