‘It happens only in India…’
We’ve often heard people rant that India is a land of mysteries and wondered where the notion came from. Well, we’ve finally got an answer for you! India truly has zillions of secrets buried deep in its most bizarre of places, that either leave people wide eyed with shock or freak them out when they learn about them. From hills that pull cars up to motorbikes that are worshipped, India is home to the most unusual of places. We’ve listed some of those mysterious places in India here to tell you of the wonders this amazing country holds.
1. The Hanging Pillar at Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh
An important archaeological and historical site in India, Lepakshi is known for its architecture and painting. This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is among the most mysterious places in India, owing to its famous floating pillar.
The Mystery: Among the 70 pillars at the site, one is hanging in mid-air, that is, it exists without a support. People come to the temple and pass objects under the pillar, believing it’ll bring prosperity into their lives!
The Theory: People believe it’s just another of the many genius tricks the temple builders of the old were capable of.
2. The Mini Desert at Talakad, Karnataka
Located on the banks of river Kaveri, in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka, lies a village buried deep in sand. Talakad is believed to have been home to about 30 temples once, 5 of which are Lingams representing the 5 faces of Lord Shiva.
The Mystery: It is believed that a widowed devotee of Lord Shiva had once cursed the land, following which the village turned into this strange desert and a mysterious place in India, where the river Kaveri mysteriously transforms into a swirling whirlpool.
3. The Tale of Twins at Kodinhi, Kerala
The extraordinary factor about this otherwise ordinary village in Malappuram, Kerala is the strikingly large number of twin births that it witnesses. Kodinhi, or the ‘Village of Twins’, as it is now called, holds an eminent place among the mysterious places in India!
The Mystery: Once you set foot into this village, you’ll start seeing doubles of almost everyone! Kodinhi is currently home to over 200 pair of twins and two sets of triplets. And that’s not all! Kodinhi’s women who are married outside the village also end up having twins or triplets.
The Theory: Doctors believe that the reason for this strange phenomenon lies in the chemicals of the water in the area.
4. Levitating Stone at Shivapur, Maharashtra
The Hazrat Qamar Ali Darvesh shrine is no unusual shrine. The shrine is listed among the mystery places in India and is known for this one special rock that weighs 70 kg and can only be lifted by one means.
The Mystery: To lift the rock, 11 people are required to gather around it, touch it with their forefingers, and loudly call out the name of the saint who placed a curse on it, following which the stone rises up in the air magically! The stone cannot be lifted by any other means, no matter how strong it is!
The Myth: It is believed that a sufi saint called Qamar Ali placed a curse on this stone being used for body building about 800 years ago.
5. The ‘Holy’ Rat Infested Karni Mata Temple at Deshnok, Rajasthan
The Karni Mata Temple is one of the most holy sanctums, but little do people know that it is also one of the most mysterious places in India. The temple is home to over 20,000 rats. Revolting as it may sound, one is not allowed to kill, hurt, or even scare them away!
The Mystery: These rats, or ‘kabbas’, as they’re called there, are considered to be highly auspicious, are worshipped, and safeguarded, which is why they hold more value than the humans visiting the shrine.
The Myth: The rats are believed to be the reincarnated relatives and family members of Karni Mata. In fact, the rare, white mice at the place are considered to be her sons.
6. Door-Deprived Houses of Shani Shingnapur, Maharashtra
Shani Shingnapur, a small village located 35 kms away from Ahmednagar, is famous for its Shani temple. But that’s not all that is famous about this village.
The Mystery: None of the houses, schools, and even commercial buildings in this village have a door, or even a door frame. In addition to this, not a single crime has ever been reported here.
The Myth: The villagers have undying faith in Lord Shani and believe that the near zero crime rate in the village is all His doing.
7. The Gravity Defying Palace at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
A stunning creation of the 18th century, Bara Imambara, with a blend of Arabic and European architecture is among the most mysterious historical places in India.
The Mystery: This monument’s central arched hall is about 50 metres in length and almost 3 stories high…but without any pillars or beams supporting it. The main hall is also famous for its unique interlocking brick structure and for the ‘Bhulbhulaiya’, a dense maze.
8. The Magnetic Hill of Leh, Ladakh
The enchanting hills of Ladakh have more than mere beauty to offer. The Magnetic Hill, located at an altitude of 11,000 feet above sea level is one of the most unusual places to visit in India.
The Mystery: Cars driving up the hill get pulled up of their own accord. That is, one can drive up here with the ignition of their vehicles turned off!
The Theory: This exciting phenomenon is actually only an optical illusion resulting from the hill’s gravitational pull.
9. The E.T. Inhabited Kongka La Pass at Ladakh
At an elevation of 16,970 feet, the Kongka La Pass is one of the least accessed place in India, owing to the fact that is a disputed territory between India and China. But that’s not what makes it one of the most mysterious places in India.
The Mystery: A number of UFOs as well as strange figures of humanoids have been sighted there, according to many reports. So much so that the locals living around strongly believe that the area is home to aliens!
10. The Lake of Skeletons at Chamoli, Uttarakhand
Roopkund Lake is a glacier lake located at an elevation of 16,500 feet in the most God forsaken place in the Himalayas. But it’s remote and dangerous location has got nothing to do with the gloom and despair associated with this lake. It’s what lies beneath it that scares the shit out of most people.
The Mystery: Around 300-600 skeletons can be seen beneath the surface of the frozen Roopkund lake every year when the ice melts at this mysterious place in India. Radiocarbon tests and forensics date the corpses back to the 15th century AD.
The Theory: The locals believe that the corpses belong to the then king and queen of Kanauj, who were going on a pilgrimage but plunged into the lake due to a severe hailstorm and died.
11. The Red Rain at Idukki, Kerala
Apart from a place with rich natural splendour of the Western Ghats, a vast forest reserve, & the tempting coastal curry, Idukki, or the ‘Red Region’, is also famous as one of the mysterious places in India.
The Mystery: The red coloured rain at Idukki first fell on 25th July, 2001, and occurred sporadically for 2 months, staining clothes and buildings as it poured. This blood-red downpour, when collected by the locals, turned into clean water with red particles settled at the bottom.
The Theory: The scientists, after much analysis and debate, have zeroed in on one explanation for this occurrence. They say that the red particles are airborne spores of the locally growing alga in the region.
12. The Shrine of the Bullet Baba in Bandai, Rajasthan
There is a famous shrine somewhere in Rajasthan, that is believed to protect travelers. But what makes this one unique is the fact that people don’t worship the usual figurines of Gods and Goddesses here. What they worship, is a motorcycle!
The Mystery: A man named Om Singh Rathore, or Om Banna, had died at this very spot in a tragic accident while riding back home on his bullet. What followed was a series of unusual happenings wherein the police would take away the bike, empty its fuel tank, and bind it in chains, but it would return to the same spot before day break…every single time! When the authorities finally gave up, the locals built a temple around this bike, which is now listed among the most mysterious places in India owing to the story behind it.
13. The Immortal Flame of Jwala Ji Temple in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh
Jwala Ji temple is a holy shrine located in the lower Himalayas in Kangra district, typical of other Jwala Ji shrines in the country. Why then, is it listed among the mysterious places in India, is another matter altogether.
The Mystery: The central pit of hollowed stone inside this shrine holds a flame that has been burning endlessly for over a 100 years.
The Theory: The flame is burning off a supply of natural gases like methane under its surface.
14. The Place of Suicidal Birds in Jatinga, Assam
An otherwise quaint and picturesque little village in Assam, Jatinga experiences a bizarre, yet sad phenomenon every monsoon.
The Mystery: During dark and foggy nights in monsoons, migratory birds flying over the village, dive headlong into trees, buildings, poles, and what nots, crashing to death. Jatinga is one of those strange places to visit in India that turns into a land of mass bird suicide every year during September & October.
The Theory: Ornithologists say that the dense fog and high altitude daze birds because of which they end up crashing into trees and buildings. However, there are many arguments that counter this theory.
15. The Abandoned Village of Kuldhara, Rajasthan
Once inhabited by Paliwal Brahmins, the village is now nothing more than a barren land with empty houses, broken structures, & an old temple.
The Mystery: About 2 centuries ago, over 1,500 Paliwal Brahmins fled the village, OVERNIGHT. Since then, no one has been able to live here and it is now one of the abandoned places in India. Those who try are chased away at night by ‘paranormal activities’. Tourists who visit Kuldhara encounter an uneasy feeling when they set foot inside the village.
The Myth: Apparently, the rightful inhabitants of Kuldhara left a curse on the village that no one would ever be able to settle here after them.
16. The Whispers of the Dead on Dumas Beach, Gujarat
Listed among the mysterious places of India, The Dumas Beach in Surat, Gujarat has a lot of spooky tales associated with it.
The Mystery: People strolling on the beach hear whispers and find no one when they look around for the source. There have even been reports of disappearances on the beach.
The Theory: The beach was previously a burial ground for Hindus, and thus it is full of spirits of the dead! Maybe it’s the theory that makes it one of the mysterious and haunted places in India.
17. The Floating Stones of Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu holds immense importance in the Hindu mythology, as it is the place where, according to Ramayana, Lord Rama’s Vanara Sena built a bridge of floating stones all the way to Sri Lanka. But there is something else about the bridge that makes this place one of the most mysterious places in India…
The Mystery: According to Ramayana, the bridge was built of stones that would stay afloat once the name of Lord Rama was scribbled on it. As it turns out, this wasn’t just a story. The bridge was actually made of such stones, as they are still found around here and are a major tourist attraction in Rameshwaram.
18. The Visa God of Chilkur, Hyderabad
Troubled by your endless attempts at getting a US visa? Not to worry. Get to the Balaji Temple in Chilkur, Hyderabad, and Lord Balaji will grant you one!
The Mystery: Be it the poor or the elite, every kind of person can be spotted here bowing before the Visa God and begging for a visa. But that’s not the queer part. The fact that they soon end up getting one is, and this has landed the temple in the list of mysterious places in India.
19. The Village that Slithers, in Shetpal, Maharashtra
Snake worship happens to be an ancient and widespread practice in India, but there’s one town in Maharashtra that follows it way too religiously. The village has established a custom for every household, wherein it is mandatory for the house to have a resting place for cobras in the rafters of their ceilings.
The Mystery: The snakes here, it seems, are pretty friendly. The reason it one of the most mysterious places in India is because no snake bite has ever been reported in this village.
20. The Ghost Lights of West Bengal
The marshes of West Bengal can get spooky in the dark, but there is one phenomenon that really freaks out fishermen there.
The Mystery: There have been many sightings of unnatural glowing lights of different colours hovering over the marshes in West Bengal. Referred to as ‘Aleya Lights’ for many years now, these lights are a nightmare for fishermen, as they usually end up confusing them and they would lose their way. In many cases reported till date, various fishermen have even lost their lives due to these strange lights. These marshes are some of the most mysterious places in India owing to this unexplained phenomenon.
The Theory: Scientists suggest that these lights are essentially ionization of methane over the marshes that forms out of the decaying organic matter present in abundance in these bogs.
