Situated near the famous Sariska Tiger Reserve, Bhangarh is considered the most infamous location for believers in supernatural. In fact, it is also loosely nicknamed the most haunted place in India. This mini town boasts of a magnificent fort, desecrated yet glorious temples, eye pleasing greenery and half a millennia old heritage within its walls. As exciting and fertile this town seems, in a sharp contrast with a sparsely populated and vastly barren surrounding lands, the ill reputation of the town has been keeping it deserted. Or is it indeed because of a curse?
Bhangarh wasn't always this cursed haunted city. In fact, this entire block of civilization is considered as old as the times of Asoka the great or perhaps even older. It finds a mention right there among Mughal historians alongside kingdoms of Ajabgarh and Amer. But what made this place earn such infamy? Well, there are two versions of the popular folklore regarding this. One version talks about an angry ascetic cursing Bhangarh king for building his fort higher enough to cast a shadow over his abode atop a hill. But the real thrill is in the second version.
It is said that the Queen of Bhangarh Ratnavati was the epitome of beauty. She evoked desire among the rich and poor, kings and commoners, even men and divine alike. One day the queen was in marketplace and an Aghori laid his eyes on Queen. Driven by an instant desire to conquer Ratnavati, he switched his appearance to an old sage's and came up to the Queen and her assistant. In the guise of a blessing, the impostor sage handed over to the assistant a bowl of chanted water. Aghori had mastery in black magic and had cursed the water such that whoever consumed it, would run behind and embrace Aghori with insatiable desire.
Ratnavati was an extra ordinary woman. A true beauty with brain. She saw through Aghori's charade clearly. But pretended to express gratitude and went her way back to royal palace laughing about the matter with her assistant. On her instruction, the assistant poured the water outside, incidentally on a giant stone boulder. The Aghori was waiting sitting above the hilltop next to royal palace when saw the big rock hurtling towards him. Aghori ran as fast as he could, but his own mantras couldn't be beaten. The rock embraced and crushed him. With his dying breath and a maniacal laughter, the Aghori cursed the Queen and the kingdom to be doomed for eternity. Soon a Mughal invasion came and the city was decimated along with its natives.
Even today, the palace, the marketplace, the courtyard and the ancient Shiva temples (barring the desecrated statues)- everything is in pretty neat and well preserved condition. And it's quite a livable habitat compared to hardships around. Still, nobody seems to be wanting to live here. Legends exaggerate that the marketplace comes alive on every moonless night and ghosts assemble here frequently. Some say that nobody goes in after sunset and comes out alive the next day.
As a matter of fact, I personally have been there multiple times. Not just for a day trip (it's quite a popular touring place), but also for midnight till morning. All that our group found there was a campfire and Kingfisher bottles spread around. Must have been some modern day ghosts. ASI department has appointed security guards to watch over the entrance, but usually they wouldn't be found anywhere near the palace beyond nightfall. Only in the newly built Hanuman temple on the perimeter perhaps.
The superstition runs too deep in the psyche of locals. And the curse seems to be more psychological than a real magical one. Not a surprising fact given the abundance of such haunted forts in Rajasthan. But the baffling fact that this city hasn't been inhabited since Mughals invaded it 400 years back, is what makes it the most haunted place in India. May be the Aghori had the last laugh after all.
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