Most haunted places in India-2!

1. Lohaghat, Uttarakhand: Located at the foot of the mighty Himalayas is the beautiful state, undisputed in terms of it's natural beauty and grandeur, called Uttarakhand . Lohaghat, located in the Champawat district, of the same state is famous for its ghostly hauntings in a Bungalow called as 'The Abbey' . Readers would also be interested to know that this was the same district where the famous hunter turned conversationalist Jim Corbett began his career of hunting down man-eating Tigers and Leopards.

Coming back to our story, the bungalow named 'Abbey' was constructed in the early 1900s and named after the owner. This bungalow was then converted into a hospital and that's when the spooky experiences began to manifest themselves. Strange on-goings prompted everyone to raise their levels of suspicion. The most apparent and intriguing episode consisted of a doctor, who could accurately predict a patient's death. He would then transfer such patients to his house called 'Mukti Kothri' , where in the dead body of the patient would be found the very next day! Naturally, rumors were rampant as to whether, were these cold-blooded murders? or were the deaths due to natural causes? or was the doctor indeed remarkable in predicting death with such precision and accuracy? Well! No one could actually figure out the exact reason, however gossip went flying fast and high that since 'The Abbey' was the first house to have come up in the region, this could have angered the gods residing on the hill-tops. And as if to support the local rumors and gossip, it's believed that due to the wrath of the gods that next-to-nothing development of the region has taken place, to this day! Hence the place never really prospered.

Lots of ghostly sightings including the ones called 'Bhoot Ki Daang - where in 2 ghostly figures are seen walking on the road holding hands', continue to this very day. Lohaghat, apart from its unparalleled natural beauty does offer the adventurers and thrill seekers a good reason for an exciting visit!

How to get there/ Accommodation: Regular buses, and taxis ply from Champawat. The nearest rail road station is at Tanakpur, Located at a distance of 89 Kms. Champawat is also well connected by roads to Nainital (130kms), Haldwani (190kms), Tanakpur (75kms), and Pithoragarh (74kms). The Kurmanchal Tourist Hotel, Chand Guest house, Kamat hotel, and state tourism guest houses are some of the accommodation facilities that can be availed of by the visitors. However, prior booking is mandatory.

2. Tunnel-103-Shimla-Kalka Railway line: The Kalka-Shimla narrow gauge railway travels along a mostly mountainous route and is known for the breathtaking views of the hills and the valleys. A tunnel numbered 103 apparently contains a ghostly phenomenon in the form of a British Sahib or gentleman by the name of colonel Barog. Not much is known about him other than the fact that he was assigned the task of finishing the construction of tunnel-103. He began the work with real earnest and starting digging the tunnel from either ends of the hill. However, on reaching the center, he found that his calculations were incorrect and the tunnels from either end weren't aligned at the center. He was imposed a fine of Re.1, which surmounted to quite a big amount of the days gone-by! So ashamed was he of his error that he shot himself. It's the spirit of Col.Barog mounted on a horse that is most frequently seen!The interesting feature about the spirit of this gentleman is that he talks back to humans who encounter him. Built between 1901-1903, tunnel no:103 is the last and one of the longest tunnels on the Kalka-Shimla line.There have been numerous reports about people who have confronted the spirit and have had long discussions with him. Apparently, the spirit vanishes as suddenly as it appears. There have also been reports of a woman whose apparition is seen and heard screaming down the railway line into the tunnel and then disappearing into the walls. Also seen is a man asking for match-sticks to light his cigarette. Sightings, far and many are a common order of the day and most people avoid venturing into the tunnel on foot even during the day, let alone the night! However, there are hardly any reports that indicate the sighting of the spirits while traveling in the train when it passes through the tunnel. Tourists and adventurers, the next time when you are on your way to Shimla in the kalka-shimla mountain railway, watch out for Tunnel-103!!

How to get there/Accommodation: Shimla is well connected by road through National Highway-22 and easily accessible by buses and taxis from the nearest city of Chandigarh. The Kalka-Shimla mountain railway, as mentioned above, is a not-to-be missed experience and is a fascinating way to reach Shimla. Kalka is the nearest rail-road station and is well connected to almost all major cities of India. While in Shimla, local buses and taxis can be easily hired for sight-seeing. There are numerous hotels, rest houses, cottages and guest-houses suiting everyone's style and budget. Prior bookings on most of them are possible through the internet!

3. The Lambidhar Mines, Mussoorie: Imagine a township thriving with 50,000 people, going about their daily nerve-wracking jobs of quarrying limestone from the mines below and living a life of hardship yet contentment. Now imagine the same township completely abandoned, surrounded by the mighty Himalayas and the coniferous forests and you have come right into our next ghostly dwelling in India!

The location of the Lambidhar mines could hardly have had a more ironical setting. Mussoorie was often treated as the summer capital by the Britishers during the pre-independence era. Surrounded by the lofty Himalayan peaks and thick coniferous forests, Mussoorie from time immemorial has been a haven for Indians and foreigners alike, who during the peak summer season come and visit here for a refreshing retreat! However the discovery of vast amounts of Limestone on one of the eastern slopes surrounding Mussoorie, changed all that. The mines buzzed with activity and also encroached on the lives of the workers who faced the wrath of the countless fatal diseases that came along with the job. Lime turns human tissues into stone, hence the deaths were extremely painful! However timely intervention by the government, both on humanitarian and environmental grounds, brought the entire mining operations to a complete standstill. The mines were closed and the entire work force and their families abandoned the township in a hurried evacuation. Well! Not everyone left. At least not the ones who were dead! It's since the abandoning of the township that the ghostly encounters started taking shape.

According to locals, there are quite a few extraordinary phenomenons which take place here at night. First are the painful cries and groans of the patients heard from the town's hospital. The once-fully-equipped hospital, which now lies in ruins is one of the most haunted places of the township, and rightly so, since some of the most grievously injured, who later succumbed to their injuries, were treated here. Second is the ghost of a young army officer murdered a few years back. Apparently, his murder was planned by his girlfriend and his newly acquired boy friend and took the victim completely by surprise! His ghost is seen running to the spot of his murder in utter disbelief! The third is that of a black shadow which attacks or blocks anyone traversing a mountain path skirting the township. The last but not least are the horrendous cries of fear heard from the abandoned staff quarters overlooking the deep valley where the mines are located. Many trucks quarrying the limestone to and from the mines have met their doom by skidding across the narrow perilous road. Even a helicopter carrying some high-profile dignitaries crashed here in 2001 killing 5 of the 6 aboard! Eye-witnesses recall that the helicopter started losing height as soon as it entered the valley of the mines. To this day, many cars and buses which travel on the road adjoining the valley at night are often swerved off the road by some invisible force and sometimes ending in tragic results. So the next time you are in Mussoorie, take a day off to visit the township and check out whether the spooky meter indeed crosses the threshold or not!!

How to get there/Accommodation: Mussoorie is connected to Delhi and other major Indian cities by road. Dehradun is the nearest railway station. Taxis are easily available for mussoorie as are the buses at regular intervals from Delhi and Dehradun. Hotels/rest-houses/cottages of all kinds and needs are available for accommodation. A thorough research on the internet and advance booking can ensure a peaceful and memorable stay!

4. The Sanjay Van, New Delhi: Spread over 10 kms, 'Sanjay Van' is a forest area located right at the middle of the bustling capital of India. The place, despite it's urban location- is not short of hauntings- reported almost on a daily basis. There is a motorable road which runs through the heart of this forest land and it's in this tract of land, where a lady dressed in a white saree is often seen asking motorists for a lift.

The strange phenomenon though is- she never actually accompanies anyone. The moment an innocent motorist stops near her, she just disappears. Now that must be nerve-wracking! There have also been reports where motorists who have driven right through her have seen her chasing the car/bike at a speed equaling the vehicle's. Many other reports just claim to have seen her sitting right on the road, with stony, cold eyes staring blankly into the jungles beyond!

How to get there/Accommodation: New Delhi is known throughout the world and is connected by Air with all major cities of the world. Every city in India which falls under the railway network has trains connected to the capital city. Once in New Delhi, asking around for 'Sanjay van' would yield you the desired direction of the location within seconds:) Innumerable hotels, guest houses, rest houses and dormitories can be found suiting everyone's budget and taste.

5. Meerut-GP Block, Uttar Pradesh: Meerut is a metropolitan city located in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. This is an ancient city having it's origins since the hay days of the 'Indus Valley Civilization'.

In this bustling city lies an area called GP Block, in which is to be found one of the most haunted locations in the city's history. The most common ghostly sighting reported correspond to a double storey house in which 4 guys sitting around a table with a single lighted candle are seen enjoying themselves over a couple of beers! Reports have also been generated about women dressed in red clothing moving in and out of the building. The scenes keep repeating all over the house- beginning at the first, second floors and culminating at the terrace.

The reasons behind the ghostly appearances remain shrouded in mystery and the house has remained locked for as long as people in the area can remember. However the spooky sightings are so frequent that people, these days, generally avoid the road stretch lying in front of the house.

How to get there/Accommodation: The nearest airport is at New Delhi, located at a distance of 80 kms. Meerut has 7 railways stations associated with her amongst which the 'Meerut City' railway station is the busiest and is well connected to New Delhi and other major cities of North India. Certain weekly trains from the southern and western parts of India also ply to and from Meerut. There are regular bus and taxi services connecting Meerut with all major cities of North India. There are numerous hotels and guest houses in Meerut. A little research on the internet and advance reservation of the same would save the travelers any last minute hassle!

6. D'Souza Chawl, Mumbai: Mahim is a locality or neighborhood in Mumbai and was one of the seven original islands that made up Mumbai.

Near the Canossa Primary school of Mahim, lies a chawl (A type of building with 4-5 floors each accommodating up to 6-10 tenants on each floor- Basically rented out to lower-middle class families) called D'Souza Chawl. The ghostly sightings correspond to a well located inside the building's compound. This well- in the days gone by- was the sole means of water supply for the tenants of the building. Also, the well did not have any protective boundary around it. The legend goes that one day while a lady was drawing water from the well, the entire structure collapsed burying the lady along with it. It's the ghost of this lady that apparently appears on a daily basis near the well to this day!

She is a harmless ghost- as the locals say. She predominantly appears during the late hours of the night, strolls around aimlessly and then disappears before the day break.

How to get there/Accommodation: Mumbai is well connected by air with the rest of the world and major cities of India. It is extensively connected through the length and breadth of the country using railways and roadways. Hotels, guest houses and rest houses are in plenty and caters to every kind of tourist!