Bhangarh Fort Alwar, Story of Bhangarh Fort, History of Bhangarh Fort, Timings, Entry Fee, Bhangarh Fort at Night, Legends of the Haunted Bhangarh Fort

 

Bhangarh Fort Alwar, Story of Bhangarh Fort, History of Bhangarh Fort, Timings, Entry Fee, Bhangarh Fort at Night, Legends of the Haunted Bhangarh Fort, Know Before You Go, The Brighter Side, Best time to visit, How to reach.

About Bhangarh Fort Alwar

Located at the border of the Sariska Tiger Reserve in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, Bhangarh Fort is a 17th-century fort, infamous all over India for being the “Most haunted place in India“.Bhangarh Fort was built by Madho Singh in 1613. Because of the numerous ghostly experiences and happenings in the fort premises, villages have sprung up far away from the fort, due to the fear of what lies within. Even the Archaeological Survey of India or the ASI has forbidden the locals and tourists from entering the fort at night. This completely ruined, haunted fort of Bhangarh does have a very eerie, negative aura to it. Several legends have attested to the paranormal happenings inside the fort.

Technically, Bhangarh Fort is actually a small city with temples, palaces, and multiple gates. The sprawling grounds cover a swath of land at the foot of a picturesque mountain, but according to locals, all is not well in on the well preserved grounds. A number of legends regarding the lonely historical buildings exist, but two stand out above the rest.

One legend speaks of a holy man who lived in the area of the fort and built a house which he did not want any other house to eclipse, warning that should the shadow of any taller building ever touch his abode, he would destroy the entire fort city. Which he assumedly did.

The second prominent legend involves a curse that was laid on the city by a mythical wizard as he was killed by a woman he had just tried to magically dose. As he was crushed by a boulder, he cursed the city to be destroyed and sure enough, a marauding soon sacked the fort, killed each and every resident.

History

The history of the fort dates back to centuries. Built in the 17th Century in Rajasthan, the Bhangarh fort is an ancient specimen. It was believed to have been erected by Man Singh I, one of the Navratnas of Akbar’s court for his son Madho Singh I.

There are always two sides of the story of the Bhangarh Fort, haunted for generations. Let me relate the story first. The two sides can wait for some time.

The Bhangarh fort in Rajasthan was built by King Madho Singh, the younger brother of Emperor Akbar’s general called Man Singh. It was built after getting approval from ascetic Guru Balu Nath who meditated at this place. According to common folklore, the ascetic made the king swear that the fort shadows would not touch his area of meditation. But the king failed to keep up to his promise. As soon as the shadows touched his spot, Guru Balu Nath cursed the village to remain roofless. Even if a roof is built today, it collapses soon after.

Another story is about tantrik Singhia, who fell in love with Princess Ratnavati. He tried to use magic to win over her, but the princess got to know of his evil plans and ordered to get him killed. Before the tantrik died, he too, cursed the residents of the fort to die and the village dwellers to remain roofless forever.

Bhangarh Fort Haunted Stories

Story 1

The first legend claims that a king named Madho Singh raised the Bhangarh fort after obtaining due permission from an ascetic named Bala Nath who lived there; having agreed to a condition which said that the shadow of the fort must never fall upon the home of the ascetic. But as fate would have it, one of the ambitious successors of Madho Singh added to the fortifications vertically, thereby causing its ominous shadow to engulf the abode of the ascetic. Lo and Behold, once it came to pass, the fort was doomed within no time. The alleged prophecy stood fulfilled, and the Bhangarh Fort became haunted.

Story 2

A second legend behind the Bhangarh Fort haunted, more popular than the first one, claims that Princess Ratnavati of Bhangarh was responsible for the apocalyptic situation which befell the fort. A local black magician fell in love with her (the princess is believed to have been very beautiful) and once tried to bewitch a cosmetic she was supposed to use, to make her fall in love with him. The princess smelled suspicion and foiled the entire conspiracy of the black magician by pouring the bewitched cosmetic over a massive stone boulder, which then supposedly crushed the ‘tantrik’ to death. Before the magician breathed his last, he placed a curse upon the entire landscape that no soul would ever be able to live in peace there. The entire landscape around the Bhangarh Fort has been haunted since.

 

Story 3

I am from Alwar and was only 9 years old when this happened. One day, I was walking near the fort with my father when an unknown man started walking by our side. We tried to get rid of of him but he was desperate to tell us the real story behind this haunted fort. My father carried me and walked fast to get rid of him. The plan worked, but when we turned to see if he was still following us, he had disappeared. People who were around us told us that there was nobody following us.

After hearing all the horror stories, my friends and I decided to go to Bhangarh fort during the night. We reached there around 8.30 p.m. and started exploring the place. Around 12.30 a.m., we heard a female voice shouting from the fort and we decided to leave. Horrified by what had happened, we all started running towards the main gate. And right then a wall fell in front of us. We started running again till we finally got out of the fort.

Legends of the Haunted Bhangarh Fort

The Bhangarh Fort haunted is like other forts in Rajasthan, and is surprisingly well preserved. Its ramparts and fortifications stand amidst the ruins of the ghost town by the same name. Legends have it that the fort and the surrounding establishments around it once buzzed with life. Then something happened along with a chain of other unfortunate incidents which led to the doom of the place within a very short span of time.

Bhangarh Fort at Night

No one is allowed to enter the fort after sunset or before sunrise. The entire landscape is subsumed by a pall of gloom and a chilling hollowness once the last ray of sunlight bids adieu until its arrival the next morning. There are many local tales about the paranormal activities in the fort. It totally depends on a person whether he would believe it or not. It is said that the spirits roam in Bhangarh fort at night and various strange noises are heard. Also as it is said, anyone who enters the fort at night would not be able to return in the morning.

One constantly feels as if their movements are being watched, and the air is charged with a dizzying heaviness. A board put up by the Archaeological Survey of India cautions the visitors not to venture within the premises of the fort during the dark hours.

The haunted fort of Bhangarh has had several stories associated with it. Believing on of them is akin to believing that the fort indeed is haunted, and this is a tale that has been in circulation for years. There is evidence to support the claim of those who say that those tried their luck either went missing or weren’t able to explain anything coherently. You might say that the entire episodes were mere figments of imagination by ruminating minds, but the fact remains a fact.

Know Before You Go

If you are considering visiting Bhangarh Fort, then you will have to go during the day time. In fact, one of the departments of the Government of India has prohibited entry between sunset and sunrise. A sign informs visitors of this rule, though it is not in English.

The signboard simply says, “…It is strictly prohibited to enter the borders of Bhangarh before sunrise and after sunset. Legal action would be taken against those who do not follow these instructions…” There is a local saying that if you do enter this area, you will not return.

The Brighter Side

The fort is situated at the edge of a lusciously green expanse of Sariska Tiger Reserve between Alwar and Jaipur, and is not very far away from Delhi either. The fort was clearly modelled upon the medieval city of Shahjahanabad, with four massive wooden gates in every direction. The precincts of the fort have ornately carved a miniature waterfall and temples which lend an air of tranquillity to the place during the better part of the day. The remnants of some palaces within the fort are clear indicators of the fort’s prosperity during its heydey. The fort would have been a tourist hotspot for its serene atmosphere during the day and the architectural marvel that the fort is, and as a matter of fact, it is. It is a tourist attraction and it does attract hordes of tourists during the day, but for all the wrong reasons. Local folks would have you believe that no one dares to build a house with a roof in the vicinity of the fort. The roof collapses shortly after being built.

Best time to visit

September – February.

Timings

Opening hours: 6 am – 6 pm; it is forbidden to roam around the area during other hours as per ASI’s orders

Bhangarh Fort Entry Fees

Ah yes, even some of the most haunted places in India charge you.

Foreigners: Free

Indians: Free

Video Camera: INR 25

Haunted or not, the truth is that many people have committed suicide or have died unnaturally in the precincts of the fort. So why not take a trip yourself and try to unveil the Bhangarh Fort mystery.

How to reach

By Road: The Bhangarh Fort is close to 300 kilometers from Delhi by road, the best time to leave for the Bhangarh ka Kila as it is popularly known is in the wee hours of the day. The Bhangarh Fort is connected to with Delhi through National Highways, while it takes approximately 5-6 hours to reach the fort, depending on the traffic. One can reach this place from Jaipur and Alwar too.

By Rail: Alwar railway station is the major nearest railway station that is in close proximity to the fort. Cab services are available from outside the railway station for Bhangarh Fort, it takes around two to three hours to reach the fort from Alwar railway station.