Ghost towns and villages hold a charm very different from the ruins of castles and fortresses, mostly because they give us a chance to peep right into the lives of the people who once inhabited them.
Being a desert region, Rajasthan has no dearth of ghost villages but few of them have got as much attention as Bhangarh and Kuldhara, perhaps due to the legends associated with them.
The reason why Jal Mahal can be counted amongst the top mysterious places in India is the story of how it came to be. It was built 300 years ago by the Raja as a hunting lodge.
However, when the King of Amer decided to build a dam between the two surrounding hills to save the city from floods in the 18th century, the depression around the palace started filling up with water.
Today, when you look across the Man Sagar Lake, you see this palace in the middle, with one floor and plant life peeking from above its roof.
Another aspect that makes it such a prominent pick among mystery places in India is the fact that the water hides 4 more floors below it. Little else is known about this structure which has no chambers but a pavilion and a terrace garden.
Kuldhara is a desolate place with a forlorn look and bring sadness to the heart when one thinks of those unfortunate people who were forced to leave the land of their forefathers.
However, the place doesn’t seem to be spooky for any reason other than the legends themselves, and for our own perception based on those stories. Though there is sadness in the air, there is hopefully nothing cursed about it.
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