Great Unsolved Mysteries: What Happened to the People of Bhangarh, India?
Ruins of Bhangarh, India
by Christine B.
The ruins in Bhangarh, India have long been the subject of speculation and mystery. The town was once thriving, but in the 1700’s everyone who lived there mysteriously disappeared and no one has inhabited the village since.
No one knows what happened to the villagers who built the amazing buildings that now stand in partial ruins. Signs are posted throughout the city that command that no one is permitted to be in the former village during the hours before sunrise and after sunset under penalty of criminal prosecution. No one is sure what happens after dark there that is horrific enough to support such a strict edict, but one legend is that anyone who goes there after dark never returns.
The Palace ruins are protected by two inner walls that span across the valley that include several ramparts and five gates. The town was established in 1573 as the residence for the son of the then ruler, Bhagwant Das. In 1720 Bhangarh was attached to the state of Jai Singh. The population diminished appreciatively after that and was totally uninhabited by 1783. There are several legends surrounding the ruined city regarding the reason it was abandoned, but nothing has ever been proven to be fact. One legend is that the city was cursed by a magician who was jilted by a princess who once lived there. The curse was that everyone who lived in the city would die and their souls would stay there for centuries without the prospect of rebirth. This could be why the grounds are also believed to be haunted. Many books have been written about the city that support that including one entitled, “The Ghosts of Bhangarh” by Markos Moschos.
Bhangarh is known as the most haunted place in India. Many visitors report feelings of anxiety and restlessness while in the city. There are no roofs on any of the buildings because every time one is erected, it collapses. It is on many of the top ten Scariest Places on Earth lists.
