Uttarakhand to many is known as one of the best places in India to have adventurous sports in, such as going paragliding and going bungee jumping. However, there are places you can also visit in Uttarakhand which will spook you out and get you asking questions, getting scared or get you pretending to be brave. We’ve gathered a fine list of the best haunted places in Uttarakhand that you mustn’t fail to visit. These places will add spice and life to your stay in the already wonderful land.
Know more about Uttarakhand and why it’s called the Land of the Gods
Before getting into the best haunted places in Uttarakhand, it’s important that you get to know a little more about Uttarakhand itself. Uttarakhand, popularly referred to as Devbhumi or the Land of the Gods is one of the Northern states in the North of India. It is also considered as India’s ninth highest income earning state, which makes it amongst the top 10 states in India where income earning for workers is presumably good.
There are many ways to get into Uttarakhand including going by road. Many tourists visit this land to enjoy its scenic views of the Himalayan mountains, to partake in the rich cultural diverse nature of the land, to bask in the glory of nature, for pilgrimage purposes and even also to visit and experience the spookiest and most haunted places in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand was divided and created out of Uttar Pradesh and it was formerly called Uttaranchal. It’s highly esteemed for its vast green, thick forests and view of the Himalayas where tourists can choose to go for a walk in nature and enjoy the bliss that comes with solitude. Campers also love visiting Uttarakhand as the thick trees and forests provide a perfect getaway from the noise and bustling of the city. Here in Uttarakhand, you can live and be at zen with Mother Nature.
Besides paying visits to some the most haunted places in Uttarakhand, Uttarakhand as a popular pilgrimage site is home to the original sources of the Ganga and the Yamuna which are two of India’s most sacred rivers for Hindus. Four of the most pious sites of pilgrimage to the Hindus which are Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath and Yamunotri, are found in Uttarakhand and many tourists and Hindus pay visits to Uttarakhand to pay homage to these four rivers, collectively known as the Char Dhams.
The ancient temples, national parks, hill stations, forest reserves and mountain peaks are ‘sweet’ places you should pay visits too. But now that we’ve told you all about the nice places and beauties of Uttarakhand, now is the time to tell you about the haunted places in Uttarakhand which you should surely visit by yourself, or most recommended, with your friends.
Haunted Places in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand as you’ve read above is a very enchanting place to be in but do not be deceived, there are gory tales, scary stories about ghosts, myths and tales of missing people that would leave you stunned and in disbelief. Since you’ve read up to this part, there’s no point quitting and here are some of the best stories of haunted places in Uttarakhand.
1. The Abbey Bungalow: The Doctor and the Ghosts
Local stories have it that once upon a time in Lohaghat, a certain British couple built their home right there in Lohaghat and they lived a happy life together for a longtime. However, this beautiful place was donated as a hospital for the sick. The story has it that that the Abbey Bungalow when it turned into a hospital was home to so many deaths which occurred in one of its rooms or wards called Mukti Kothri (room of freedom.) And all of these happened during the mid 1900s. But what really went wrong and why would a hospital cause the deaths of so many?
Well, the story has it that everyone loved the newly acquired hospital when it started out. It was really popular and many people came to visit the hospital and be treated, not only because it was run on charity but also because it had clean surroundings and good facilities. As the hospital continued to grow, a certain new doctor joined the hospital’s team of medical experts but he was so mysterious and he was alleged to have the power to see into a patient’s future and predict their death. Whenever a new patient was admitted, he would pay them visits, speak with them and determine the fate of their lives in the hospital — whether they were going to live or die. And not only did he predict their deaths, he would also mention to them the exact dates they would die. Strangely, every time he predicted this dying dates, just a few days before it happened he would send the patient into Mukti Kothri — the room of freedom. Indeed, none of them ever came out of that room a free, living soul.
Locals believe that he was no seer of the future at all but rather a killer! He would secretly kill his patients in the room of freedom just to prove his point that he could see the future and fortell deaths. Now, more stories have it that the souls of those killed are not at rest. They wander around the deserted hallways of the now deserted Abbey Bungalow unable to find freedom, and people no longer venture into the bungalow after dark.
2. Lambi Dehar Mines of Mussoorie: The Screaming Witch and the Mines of Death.
The deserted houses and abandoned streets around the Lambi Dahar Mines currently gives the area a very eerie and uncanny feeling. Being in such a place will spook you out and it has been considered as one of the haunted places in Uttarakhand.
The Mines are located in Mussoorie which happens to be a popular hilltown tourist attraction in Uttarakhand. It is rather very interesting how very beautiful places have very scary and gory stories. Now you might be wondering what really went wrong. The Lambi Dahar Mines is also known as the Mine of Death due to the mysterious death of so many of the mine’s workers during the 1990s. It was alleged to be the work place of over 50,000 people and over that period, many of them died an agonizing death by choking on their own blood as a result of the improper mining facilities and systems put in place, which couldn’t save the lives of even those who had died.
Ever since their death by choking, the area has been deserted. Now only plants, weeds and trees live on the abandoned properties. The locals have also refused to venture too close to the Mines because many bad accidents have happened near the site including an air crash. Twists of the story also have it that there is a witch who lives in the Mines, causing these accidents and if you go near the Mines after dark, you might hear
her scream or shriek.
4. The Mullingar Mansion and Captain Young’s Wandering Ghost
One time in 1825, Captain Young, an Irishman built a house which he enjoyed so much and made it very lively. He lived in this house until the British rule came to an end. When the British surrendered and left, Captain Young also retired from his services and he decided to return back to Ireland which was his original home.
Many spooky sightings from people say that Captain Young’s spirit can be seen walking around the mansion he built. That he hasn’t left yet and his spirit seems to have returned to the Mulingar Mansion which it was considered as home. The stories have been debunked as mere superstitions, while others say it is, others believe it’s a true story.
5. The haunted house in Jabarkhet
This particular story is a short one but the Jubarkhet Haunted House is one of the haunted places in Uttarakhand you should visit. Many people can tell you about the story of the man and woman who once lived in the house. Over 70 years ago, one day the man’s wife died and the husband went missing without any traces. Some day the husband killed his wife and then himself, now their spirits linger on in the house as during the night times, voices can be heard with strange moaning sounds.
6. Pari Tibba, the Hill of Fairies and place of lightening strikes
Here is another scary story from the beautiful land of Mussoorie. Pari Tibba also known as the Hill of Fairies is a place covered with thick woodland and is known for supernatural happenings and most especially, or rather interestingly, it’s a place known for lightening strikes! While some say it’s only natural that lighting strikes should be appearing there, another school of thought believes that there is a spiritual charm that attracts so much lightening to these woods. On visiting this place, you would notice many black and grey trees that have been burned beyond beauty. Twists to the story also tell tales of two lovers who once went to Park Tibba but were unfortunately struck by lightening and burned to death. Their bodies were recovered days later. Now their ghosts roam around searching for eternal love.
This was our take on haunted places in Uttarakhand. If you’ve experienced something spookier here, let us know in the comments.