Behind the ostentatious palaces and majestic forts of Rajasthan lies a lesser-known, shadowy corner of the state: Jagatpura, a residential area where witches and the ghosts of those who died of starvation roam.
This bustling and seemingly ordinary residential area on the southeastern outskirts of Jaipur is renowned among local paranormal enthusiasts for its atmosphere and spine-chilling legends.
Unlike many haunted places that are abandoned and desolate, Jagatpura is a living, breathing community where the residents coexist with the supernatural, making it one of the scariest places in Rajasthan.
A shadowy history of hunger and deprivation
The haunting of Jagatpura has its roots in a shadowy chapter of its history. Legend has it that the ruler of the area, known for his greed and arrogance, was responsible for the suffering of his people.
As famine and malnutrition swept through the village, people died en masse. What kind of famine could it have been? Rajasthan, with its more desert climate, is probably more prone to it, and there have been several over the years.
We have the Rajputana famine of 1869 which killed over 1.5 million people. The Indian famine of 1899 claimed between one and 4.5 million lives. These are just some of the recent ones which affected cities like Jaipur and areas like Jagatpura.
Some of the afflicted villagers cursed the king with their dying breath. They were witches, or perhaps the curses made them witches in the afterlife? These curses, steeped in sadness and despair, seemed to bind their souls to this place, forever seeking aid from the living.
Meeting with ghosts and witches in Jagatpur
It is said that the tormented souls of the villagers wander the streets, their cries of despair carried by the wind, calling out to passersby for facilitate, alms and food.
Both locals and tourists have reported sightings of witches, eerily similar to those depicted in classic Indian horror stories or Bollywood films. These apparitions are described as senior women dressed in white dresses, with long, grey hair hanging loosely over their faces, as they appear on the roads.
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