Kuldhara: a cursed village 

#Desert #Extreme #Haunted #Unconventional

Do you really believe in ghosts and sprites?? Do you enjoy watching horror movies?? 

If you ask me, I am actually scared of ghostly stories and spooky places, though I don’t believe in these hooky things, however this is also true that I never watch horror movies but this doesn’t mean that I am suffering from Phasmophobia. While coming back from Thor desert, we encountered a deserted village; the village was so desolated, silent and scorned from all the bliss; when I asked a villager, why this place is so forsaken and isolated and why no one lives in this village, he replied after a long pause with his pale face and whispering voice….. ‘this village is called ‘Kuldhara’, a haunted village, don’t go, don’t go there’ and with his last word he got disappeared. We actually got stunned, but we decided to face this fear and after gathering lots of courage, we set to visit India’s most haunted place ‘Kuldhara’.

As we headed towards the village with dusty sandy road, I noticed a negligible presence of human being. The greenery is insignificant; some timid wandering goats have perhaps banqueted on the final crumbs. Finally, we reached the town and I saw two big rusty decayed gates at the entrance of the village; at the same time I also spotted an old man, who introduced himself as a caretaker of the Kuldhara. Suddenly, he asked for an entry fee of Rs 10 per person, apparently the old man advised us to leave the village before sunset, which was so frightening; because there is a myth that anyone who tries to stay at Kuldhara, dies in mysterious ways.

After having this fearsome insight from the old-man, we got into the village with lots of fairy tales and legends of ‘kuldhara’. The place was so abandoned, ruins of castles and fortresses, even wind was also blowing silently, and I felt that something was there, which was making me so anxious; a hasty chill sweep up over me and I got goosebumps. I don’t know, is it due to the creepiness of the place or the cold breeze of the desert. But the fairy tale and curse of ‘Kuldhara’ certainly left me in the deception. Luckily, we caught a guide Mr. Singh; he was so co-operative and promised us to take through the village. He started narrating the history and also the cause of becoming this village a ghostly village.

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As he narrated, some 300 years ago, the village used to be a wealthy and prosperous village of Paliwal Brahmins beneath the state of Jaisalmer. As per the fable, the bad break of Salim Singh, the authoritative and corrupt sovereign, fell on the daughter of the village head and he desired to marry her by force. The Salim Singh threatened the village with serious consequences if they do not fulfill his wish. As an alternative of tendering to the order of the bully, the villagers detained a committee and people of 85 villages left their inherited homes and misplaced and complete village vanished overnight. But this was not everyone, before leaving; they put a curse on ‘Kuldhara’ that no one will ever be able to survive in their village afterward.

 Watch Video of Kuldhara: Narrated by Villagers

To this date, the village remains infertile and barren. It is also said that people who have tried to stay there at night have been followed away by strange paranormal experiences. Our guide also told us that in 1998, two foreigners were caught digging village and covering something in their bags, others who saw them informed local police about this and when cops investigated their bags, some gold and silver coins were found after this incidence, government placed boundaries around the village.

Apart from all these legends, there are also some pragmatic aspects of this village; currently this place is a preserved monument and is undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). There are lots of evidences that prove; there were lives and people used to live happily in this village, like lots of ruins mud houses, their roofs left and ruined walls standing as a skeletons of some gloomy past and inside the ruins proper home setup was there like rooms, wall mounted racks, Stairs, distorted farming instruments, carts etc. There was a temple which was perhaps not in use any more, and one more street goes from there parallel to the main street, there was also a well situated inside the temple, also some pillared were also there along with some writings and symbolic crafting. We also found some storage system and graveyards just like other village.

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‘Kuldhara’ is completely a barren place with a miserable appearance and carry sorrow;  when I think of those unfortunate villagers who were enforced to leave their motherland. However, the place doesn’t recorded any proof to be hunted except for the legends themselves, and for our own awareness based on those stories. Though, there is grief and misery in the air.

 So would you like to explore this ghostly place, what do you think? Is this village haunted?

Visit and share your experience with us on twitter [@lifetimemusafir], Facebook Page [LifeTimeMusafir] & here in comments box.

Checkout LifeTimeMusafir’s some Amazing Travel Experiences:

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Are you planning a trip to Haunted village – Kuldhara, Check out details:

  HOW TO REACH – Kuldhara:

Kuldhara Village is best reachable by your car or taxi. The nearest city to Kuldhara is Jaisalmer which is approx. 40 Kms away from the village. Jaisalmer is well connected by air, rail and roads.

 

  WHAT TO CARRY DURING TRAVEL:

Desert is a entirely different terrain unlike beach and hills, so you need to really maintain your travel inventory. Things to carry –

1. water pouch (for drinking)
2. candies
3. Torch with extra batteries and charger.
4.  Sunglasses
5. Camera + battery.
6. A large cotton scarf, Warm Hats
7. Sunscreen, lip-balm, Hand sanitizer.
8. Tissue / toilet papers.
9. Jacket (as nights are cold in winters).
10. Sports shoes
11. First aid kit.
12. Insect repellent.
13. MAP print out.
14. Extra Mobile and Postpaid SIM.

  WHEN TO TRAVEL:

Though tourists visits Thar Desert across the year, but the Best season is Winter (November – February) and full of festivals, we would suggest to Go in winters with pre bookings.

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