From the very beginning, India has been a land of mysteries and paranormal activities. Most of the famous towns, palaces, forts, roads, and even some hotels in India have a ghost or ghosts behind it. A majority of the ghost stories are spread by local gossipers but some of them are true and really spooky. These places are so haunted that even visiting hours are closed after 5 pm. Most of us had heard at least one ghost story from our grandparents during our childhood, which might have frightened or fascinated us. The following places which I am going to describe here is a paradise for the paranormal lovers and a nightmare for the weak hearted ones.

1. Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan

The very first name that is associated with haunted places is the Bhangarh Fort which is located in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, 80 kms to the north east of Jaipur. It is one of the top 5 haunted places in the world. This town was built by King Madho Singh who was the younger brother of Man Singh I, the general of great Mughal Emperor Akbar. A magician named Guru Balu Nath allowed to built this city under one condition that the shadows of this fort should not fall on his resting place. The grandson of Madho Singh, Ajab Singh increased the height of the fort and due to this the shadows reached the forbidden place. When his condition was broken Guru Balu Nath cursed the whole city which resulted in its devastation. Local villagers believe that the body of Guru Balu Nath is still buried under the ruins.

There is also a story about a black magician Singhia who wanted to marry Ratnavati, the princess of Bhangarh but his attempts were foiled and he was ultimately killed. Before dying he cursed the palace and everyone living in it. During the past few years, many people have went missing from this place. This has forced the Archaeological Survey of India to put  up a sign board in this place which says, "Staying before sunrise and after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area." It doesn't matter which story you want to believe but the fact is that this place is really haunted by a curse.

2. The Savoy Hotel, Mussoorie

It is the most popular haunted luxury hotel in India. It is located in the hill station of Uttarakhand. It was built in 1902 and the building and its architecture is in the Victorian style. In 1911, a 49-year-old spiritualist, Miss Frances Garnett-Orme was found murdered with prussic acid poisoning in her room. There were no witnesses and evidences to support this murder. The most mysterious incident that happened after her murder was that her doctor also died a few months later with strychnine (a highly toxic pesticide) poisoning. This murder was never solved. This murder was also an inspiration for Agatha Christie to write her first novel, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles."

People who had lived in this hotel in the past had seen the ghost of Miss Garnett-Orme singing through the corridors. If you are a die hard fan of Agatha Christie and detective novels, then you don't want to miss this once in a lifetime encounter with the ghost of Miss Garnett-Orme.

3. Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal

The most haunted school in India is the Victoria Boys School located in Kurseong, which is a hill station in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The Dow Hill forest, where the school is located is famous for its paranormal activities. A lot of people have been murdered in this forest, near the school and the locals believe that their ghosts are wandering in this forest. People visiting this forest had heard foot steps coming from the corridors of this school, even when the school is closed for the summer vacations. If this was not enough to scare people, the woodcutters in this area have seen a headless boy between the Dow hill road and the Forest Office, who later disappeared into the woods. The locals say that whoever has seen the headless boy is not spared even in his dreams. This is one of those rare paranormal places which has all the necessary spooky ingredients.

4. Dumas Beach, Gujarat

We all enjoy going to a beach but after reading this you will be afraid to visit any beach especially the Dumas beach. The most haunted beach in India is the Dumas beach. It is located 21 km southwest of Surat. This beach is famous for its black sand and equally infamous for its paranormal activities. The main reason behind this paranormal phenomenon is that people belonging to Hindu community burn their deceased on this beach. People who have stayed after sunset in this beach has experienced strange noises and whispers. Dogs are reported to behave in an unusual manner around the beach and howl uncontrollably at night. There are many cases of missing tourists, who have disappeared while taking walks along the beach during night have been reported so far. This beach is a place for scenic beauty but it is also a haven for ghosts, spirits, and other paranormal creatures.

5. Brijraj Bhavan Palace

This is a historic palace which was built by the princely family of Kota in Rajasthan. This is the second most haunted place in Rajasthan. This is a 178-year-old palace which is situated on the the banks of the Chambal river. This is the only place in India which is haunted by the ghost of a Britisher. This haunting has its roots from 1857, when Major Charles Burton who was the owner of this palace, as he was the British resident posted to Kota was killed by the Indians in the famous revolt of 1857. Major Burton with his two sons tried to escape his killers by hiding in a room but they were found by the revolters and were murdered. The ghost of major Burton made his first public appearance in 1980, when the former Maharani of Kota told British journalists that she had seen his ghost in the room where he was murdered. The most recent findings about his ghost is that, he is harmless but during his night visits if he sees any guards sleeping, then the ghost of Major Burton would give them a good hard slap. If you are a true paranormal lover, then you definitely deserve a slap from Major Burton.

6. Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad

Most of us are familiar with Ramoji Film City but some of us only know that it is actually a haunted place. It is situated near Hayathnagar in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It holds the record for the largest film studio in the world. This huge film studio was established by Ramoji Group in 1996. It is not only a film studio but also a famous tourist destination. There are 2 hotels at the entrance of the film studio and it is believed that these are haunted. The most popular assumption is that the film studio is built on the ancient war grounds of Nizam Sultans. Most of the people believe that these dead soldiers are responsible for paranormal activities. Some people have seen strange marks on mirrors in the bathrooms of film studio. Apart from these marks people have heard knocking on the bathroom doors which are locked from outside and shadows in the changing room.

We have read in newspapers that the shooting of a movie was cancelled in Ramoji film city due to the death of a member of the film unit team in a freak accident. People believe that some kind of paranormal phenomenon is behind such accidents.

7. The Lambi Dehar Mines, Uttarkhand

It is located near Mussoorie. A few years back there were mines and lime quarries in this area but they were shut down following innumerable truck accidents and irregularities in safety precautions. It is estimated than more than 50,000 workers lived in this area but a lot of them died a painful death due to lung diseases caused by improper mining. People are no longer living in this area but during night time some tourists have reported hearing strange noises. A lot of people have met with fatal road accidents in this area. The most recent one was the shocking crash of a helicopter in this area. There is also a rumor about a witch seen in this area. This place is definitely more scary than any other haunted places due to its lack of population.

8. Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamilnadu

It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Tamilnadu and the fourth Project Tiger Reserve in the state. It is also the "Most Haunted place in Tamilnadu." It is located in the Nilgiri biosphere between the Western and Eastern Ghats. This forest was popularized by the legendary bandit, Veerappan. The majority of the people living in this area are tribal. The paranormal phenomenon was noticed in this area after the death of Veerappan in 2004. At first it was the tribal people who heard screaming in the middle of the night and afterwards it was also reported by some travelers. The next phenomenon was the floating lanterns, which were seen deep in the forest. Ghost sightings are common in Sathyamangalam Wildlife sanctuary.

9. GP Block, Meerut

GP block is located in Meerut in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The haunted house is a two story building and has been abandoned for years. Most of the people passing through this house, even in daytime have seen 4 guys sitting inside the house with a lighted candle and drinking beers. They have also seen these guys on the terrace of the house. The latest addition to this ghost gang is a lady in a red dress. The people are so frightened with this paranormal activity that they have left moving through that house now.

10. Shaniwar Wada Fort, Pune

This fort is located in the city of Pune in Maharashtra. It was built in 1746 by the Maratha empire. A large portion of the fort was destroyed in 1828 by an unexplained fire. The haunting in this fort is most prominent during the full moon days. According to the legends, the ghost of a 13-year-old boy who was killed by his relatives is still wandering in this fort. During the full moon days the shrieking of the boy can be heard in the fort.

If you are looking for some adventure and adrenaline rush, then these are the places which you must visit at least once in your lifetime.

The source of all the pictures used in this article is wikipedia.