In Delhi’s Central Ridge, you’ll find Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal, a haunted aged hunting lodge that is said to be haunted. But who of the many people who were associated with this Mahal are still there?
In Delhi’s bustling Karol Bagh district, there’s a monument that carries a legend far from the bustling market. Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal (भूली भटियारी का महल), a ruined fort palace in a dense forest with a haunting past.
Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal has been largely left to its own devices in the dense forest, falling into disrepair over time. Although some restoration work has been done, it seems that it will never be able to shake off its haunted past.
The Story and Legend of Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal
Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal, also known as Bhuli Bhatiyar Palace, was built in the 14th century by Emperor Firoz Shah Tughlaq during the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty. It is said that this fort was built as a hunting lodge, most probably in 1354.
After the Tughlaq dynasty, Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal was abandoned and became the residence of a Sufi saint named Bu Ali Bakhtiyari. The name of the building is said to be a corruption of the name of a Sufi and even one of the patrons named Bu-Ali Bhatti. It is also said that she was a tribal woman from Rajasthan who got lost and ended up here.
The Queen Haunting the Grounds
Perhaps it is a woman named Bu Ali Bakhtiyari or a Sufi hermit who haunts the area today. Perhaps it is something to the legend of an age-old queen haunting the place, according to one of the legends that grew out of the site.
One of the enduring legends told about Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Maha is of a queen who lived in the hunting lodge and died there about 600 years ago. Apparently, she liked the palace so much that she made it her residence.
Another version of the legend tells a more sinister story. Once, the king saw that the queen was in love with someone else and imprisoned the queen in the forest and palace where she ended her days. Some locals claim that the queen committed suicide in this fort out of revenge on the king, and if you meet her in the forest, you may also become another victim of the queen's revenge.
Although this legend is untitled, we also have no evidence that any queen ever set foot on this site.
According to this haunting tale, after her death she was seen haunting the place at night. But maybe she is not the only one haunting Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal?
Ghost Encounters and Haunting Stories
There have been many reports of ghostly encounters and haunting stories surrounding Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal over the years. Visitors have reported feeling uneasy as soon as they enter the palace.
Many have claimed to hear strange sounds, footsteps, and whispers coming from the corridors. Some visitors have even reported feeling a cool wind or a sudden drop in temperature, despite the warm, damp weather outside.
It is said that none of the guards want to stay in Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal or the surrounding forests after shadowy, and many reportedly quit after a few days. There is reportedly a note at the entrance warning people to come after shadowy. It is also said that the Delhi Police often patrols the area and tries to discourage people from entering.
The Mystery of the White Wall
There is also a strange story about people who claimed to have seen a huge white wall in the woods next to the building. It must have been many years ago because they were not using a digital camera. They took a picture with an analog camera, but when they developed the picture, there was no wall there.
When they returned to the place where they had supposedly seen the wall, they found no trace of it nor did they know what it could have been.
The Mystery of Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal
It’s tough to pinpoint where the legends of the place being haunted came from. Some say there’s always been stories about it. According to one ranger who’s been there for 34 years, people started talking about the place being haunted after people started writing about it on the internet.
Why, we can only speculate. Perhaps to attract tourists, perhaps to make the overgrown ruins a little more captivating? Or perhaps something lurks in the trees or just beyond the gates of the aged Mahal?
Bibliography:
Featured image: Abhishekhana/Wikimedia
A tweaked Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal
Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal, Delhi (2023) – images, times | Holify
The Story of Bhuli Bhatiyari Ka Mahal – The Mystery of Cycling
Bhula Bhatiyari's Palace. Department of Archeology
Bhuli Bhatiyari's PalaceBhuli Bhatiyari Palace. Our Heritage
Image Source: Pixabay.com
