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Hiyang Athouba: The Neglected and Forgotten Corpse Returned from the Dead

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In Meitei tradition, tales about the Hiyang Athouba warn about the dangers of not taking proper care about the dead and ill in your community and family. Left alone to decay, a corpse can sometimes rise as a vampiric monster. 

In the traditional folklore of the Meitei people of Manipur, death does not always mark an ending. Among the most feared supernatural beings recorded in ancient tales is the Hiyang Athouba, a revenant born not from curse or sorcery, but from neglect. It is a dead body that rises again, transformed into something predatory, aware, and deeply unnatural.

Read More: Check out all haunted legends from India

The Hiyang Athouba belongs to the category of Lai Phattaba, malevolent spirits within Meitei belief systems. Unlike wandering ghosts or ancestral spirits, it is explicitly physical. The danger lies not in an invisible soul, but in the corpse itself returning to motion.

The Manipur Vampire of Neglect

The story of the Hiyang Athouba (ꯍꯤꯌꯥꯡ ꯑꯊꯧꯕ) is and old one, perhaps from the ancient Kangleipak, a lesser known civilisation in modern day Manipur in northeastern India. With strong shamanistic traditions, some of their folktales have the same spirit. 

The Kingdom of Kangleipak: The Kingdom of Kangleipak (present-day Manipur, India) was an independent monarchy with a rich cultural and political history. Traditionally believed to have been founded in 33 CE by King Nongdā Lāiren Pākhangbā, Kangleipak was ruled by Meitei kings, who established a distinct administrative system and patronised the indigenous Sanamahism religion. // Image: Illustration of common people of Kangleipak.

Folktales in Meitei tradition have many cases where the dead have a transformation and come back as something evil. Traditional narratives describe the transformation occurring when a body remains unattended after death. Isolation is central to the legend. A person who dies alone, without funeral rites or communal care, risks becoming something else entirely. Folklore frequently notes a specific omen. If an animal, especially a cat, passes over the corpse, the transformation may begin.

The Returning Wife of Neglect

One widely preserved tale tells of a poor couple separated by necessity. They are poor people and are expecting a baby. The husband leaves home to earn money while his pregnant wife remains behind to rest and wait for his return. 

He gave her enough money to get by for a couple of months, and hopefully their neighbours would also assist when he went away. As months pass, resources disappear. She falls ill. Neighbors initially assist her but eventually withdraw, burdened by their own survival. Also anger toward the man made them eventually stop visiting her.

She didn’t get better though and she died alone in the house. No one knew about her death, and she left unattended for days. A cat jumped over her dead body. 

Days later, the husband returns at night carrying his earnings. When he calls for his wife, she answers from within to get in. At first nothing seems wrong. Yet her clothing hangs loosely, her hair is disordered, and her movements feel unnatural. Gradually he notices signs of decay beneath familiarity. Her teeth appear enlarged. Her gaze does not blink. She had become a Lai Phattaba, a Hiyang Athouba.

Lai Phattaba: (ꯂꯥꯏ ꯐꯠꯇꯕ), also spelled as Lai Phataba (ꯂꯥꯏ ꯐꯇꯕ),[1] is a term in the Meitei language that refers to an evil spirit. Meitei polytheism recognizes multiple evil spirits, which can be grouped according to their nature and domain. Hiyang-Athouba being a demonic and haunting spirit. When offering food to the Lai Phataba spirit, devotees always face east. This is considered the correct direction for prayer. It is believed to roam around the surroundings of every family. During the offering, the head of the family places the food on a plantain leaf set on a bronze plate. // Image: The long handed demoness Lai Khutsangbi aiming to the lonely house in the village, by Subadani, Ksh.

Realizing the truth, he flees into the darkness while Hiyang Athouba pursues him through the village. Doors remain closed. No one answers his pleas.  Some say it was simply night and no one heard. Some say they heard, but ignored. He survives only by climbing some lianas beyond the creature’s reach and waiting for dawn. With daylight, the being returns home and collapses once more into lifeless flesh.

The villagers later cremate the corpse immediately, understanding that destruction of the body is the only safeguard against further return.

The Persistence of the Dead

The Hiyang Athouba remains one of the clearest examples of a Southeast Asian corpse revenant tradition. Whose fault is it that she died, and whose responsibility is it that the dead doesn’t come back as a vampiric revenant? The husband or the bigger society? One thing is sure though. No one gains anything with a Hiyang Athouba on their tail. 

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References:

Hiyang Athouba – Wikipedia

Kangleipak – Wikipedia

Lai Phattaba – Wikipedia

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Kanjirottu Yakshi: The Vampire Spirit of the Sacred Vault B of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple

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Sealed away in Vault B of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala is an old and bloodthirsty deity said to pray to atone for her sins. Known as the vampiric Kanjirottu Yakshi, people still fear her wrath and refuse to open her vault. 

Along the backwaters and shaded groves of Kerala, where river and forest blend into shadows long before nightfall, old folk tales speak of a being as beautiful as she is deadly. She is known as the Kanjirottu Yakshi, a female spirit once human, now hunting for blood. 

Read More: Check out all haunted legends from India

The yakshi spirits are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies. The benign ones are worshipped as tutelaries and are attendees of Kubera, the treasurer of the gods, and also the Hindu god of wealth who ruled Himalayan kingdom of Alaka. There are also malign and mischievous yakshinis with poltergeist-like behaviours. Many folk stories feature murdered women reborn as vengeful yakshis. Among these, the Kanjirottu Yakshi is one of the most feared, admired, and enduring figures.

Yakshi Spirits: Here depicting The Besnagar Yakshi, from the 3rd–1st century BC.

The Vengeful Courtesan

Kanjirottu Yakshi, also known as Mangalathu Sreedevi or Chiruthevi was said to have been born into a Padamangalam family called Mangalathy. She grew up in Kanjiracode, a small village in Southern Travancore that is now in Tamil Nadu.

Said to have been a beautiful courtesan, she had a relationship with Raman Thampi, son of King Rama Varma and rival of Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma in the 1700. She was also known as a flirtatious woman, playing with men’s feelings and driving them to financial ruin for sport. 

She loved her servant and palanquin-bearer named Kunjuraman though. The job of Kunjiraman was to carry Sreedevi and her brother Govindan on his back. He was a married man and one of the few that had no interest in her romantically. 

He was close with her brother, Govindan though, some even claiming they were lovers. They often shared the same room, but she didn’t do anything about this. Instead, she directed her anger toward his wife.

Frustrated and arrogant, she plotted to have his wife killed, although her brother intervened and stopped the plan by spilling it all to Kunjiraman. Thinking she had gotten her way, Kunjiraman agreed to sleep with her. But he was plotting for himself and murdered her to avenge his wife. Some say he strangled her to death when they were in bed together. Her brother turned a blind eye to his crime and protected his friend. 

After her death, she turned into a yakshi, the malevolent kind. She was reborn in the village of Kajirottu in Kundara as a grown woman, still as beautiful as always. Hunting Kunjuraman and terrorising the rest of the villagers, she drank their blood. She said that she would stop if he decided to marry her. 

Her brother was a devoted upāsaka and follower of Lord Balarama, a deity of farming. She made a deal with him that she would spend a year with Kunjuraman if she agreed to become a devotee of Narasimha after this year ended. 

Narasimha: is a deity in Hinduism, revered as the fourth of the ten principal avatars (Dashavatara) of the god Vishnu. Narasimha is venerated as a fierce protector who destroys evil and safeguards his devotees. He is the destructor of not only external evil, but also one’s own inner evil of “body, speech, and mind”

She also had to agree to pray for Govindan and his relationship with Kunjuraman in this birth and all subsequent ones. The yakshi swore on ‘ponnum vilakkum’ in agreement.

Later, she was installed at a temple that Kanjiraccottu Valiaveedu owned. devotees used to give ‘Pongala’ to the Sreedevi Yakshi Amma on Pooram on the first Friday in every Malayalam month except Meenom. This temple no longer exists, so where is she now?

Pongala: Pongala is a harvest festival of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The name ‘Pongala’ means ‘to boil over’ and refers to the ritualistic offering of porridge made of rice, sweet brown molasses, coconut gratings, nuts and raisins. Generally women devotees participate in this ritual. Here from the Kalam Karikkal festival on Makara Chovva at Kalathil Sree Rudhiramala Bhagavathy Temple, Manatthala, Chavakkaadu, Thrissur. // Source

The Vampire of the Night in the Vault

The Kanjirottu Yakshi is now said to reside in Vault B of Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu. which supposedly also contains an enormous treasure and secrets inside of their sealed vaults.

Source

B vault is one of the six vaults of the temple and its original name being “Mahabharata Kallara” and is the largest cellar. A four-day Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in August 2011 declared Kallara B as a “forbidden zone”. The enchanting and ferocious forms of this Yakshi are painted on the south-west part of Sri Padmanabha’s shrine. This is where Kanjirotty Yakshi is said to dwell. 

The temple was originally built in 6th century A.D., and later beautified further by the Kings of Travancore after 10 centuries. The royal family of Travancore is believed to be descendants of the adored saint Kulashekhara Alwar and are the ones watching over it.

Interior of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple from the early 20th century.

The vault remains unopened due to ongoing legal issues and the legend of the Yakshi, whom some believe will wreak havoc on the world if her prayers to Lord Narasimha within Vault B are disturbed by opening the vault.

Around a hundred years ago, when the area was grappling with serious famine, the temple authorities tried to open the chamber to use the treasure kept locked behind the doors. But, when they heard the sound of gushing ocean waves from behind the door, they stepped back and gave up the idea. Since then, it is believed that the chamber is connected to the Arabian Sea, and any attempt made with the modern technology to open the door will unleash catastrophes across the state and in Kerala.

Legend has it that in the 1930s, when a gang of temple invaders tried to siphon off the belongings of Vault B. But when they encountered Cobras, they fled the scene. 

In 2011 following the Supreme Court’s order five of them were opened and were found to be one of the largest treasure troves in the world. bags full of ancient gold coins, diamonds, gemstones, very heavy and huge gold and diamond necklaces.

The untimely death of Sundarajan, the petitioner, a month after the doors were opened. Another observer lost his mother to death as a result of the curse.

Kanjirottu Yakshi of Fear and Reverence

So what of the bloodthirsty Yakshi? Has all her years in prayers changed her terrorizing nature, or would she go back to her old ways if let out? 

Over the years, her deity has also garnered followers. Sundara Lakshmi, an accomplished dancer and consort of HH Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, was an ardent devotee of Kanjirottu Yakshi Amma.

In July 2020, the Supreme Court of India upheld the rights of the Travancore royal family to manage the Temple. The royal family has maintained that they oppose the opening of Vault B, stating that it is a “secret and sacred place.” According to them, no amount of treasure hidden inside would be worth the danger of letting her out. 

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References:

Kanjirottu Yakshi – Wikipedia

Yakshini – Wikipedia

Kanjirottu Yakshi: Blood Drinking Tale of Kerala – Scientific Monk

Padmanabhaswamy Temple ‘Vault B’: facts about the scary, inaccessible chamber, Thiruvananthapuram – TimesTravel

Kanjirottu Yakshi – Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia

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The Churel: The Vengeful Vampire Woman of South Asian Folklore

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Fueled by anger and vengeance, the vampiric Churel of South Asian folklore, is said to haunt down men to drain their blood as a vengeful spirit brought back from the dead.

Across South Asia, there are countless legends of spirit beings that stalk the night and prey on the living like a vampire. Among the most feared and vivid of these is the Churel (चुडैल in Hindi and چڑیل in Urdu), a female spirit often associated with death, betrayal, and unfulfilled fate. 

The Churel appears in stories from all over South Asia, but is perhaps most predominantly told in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and today she remains one of the most potent ghost figures in regional folklore. Her presence is distinct, terrifying, and symbolic.

A Spirit Born of Suffering

The legend tells that a woman might become a Churel under tragic or unjust circumstances. Most commonly after she died during childbirth or pregnancy, but also that she was murdered by her family or husband can make her come back as the bloodsucking Churel. 

Instead of finding peace, she becomes trapped between realms, bearing resentment and a thirst for retribution. This way, she is known as an entity much like a vengeful ghost as well as a vampiric or even demonic creature. 

Other names she is known under: There are so many variations of this legend, she also comes under different names depending where her tales are told. She is called Chudail, Chudel, Churrail, Churreyl among otheres. In Gugarat she is also known as Jakihn, Jakhai, Mukai, Nagulai, Alvantin. In Punjabi they are often called Pichal peri or pichhal pairī.

The Churel is often described with a face that may be hideous and distorted. Her hair is long and unkempt. Her eyes are dark and burning with rage, her breast saggy, and her hands like claws. They are also described to have pig faces with large fangs or human-like faces with sharp tusks

Her appearance is based on what people deem unattractive in their time and culture it seems like. Sometimes she has the ability to shapeshift into a beautiful woman or a little girl to lure the men to her. 

One thing about her appearance she is known for is her backward-facing feet. Something that could be the only way to set her apart from other livingn women when she appears in her beautiful form. 

The Backward Facing Feet Vampire in Other Cultures: In Dominican folklore, people have the legend of ‘La Ciguapa’, a beautiful woman roaming through the trees at night. The only way you can tell she’s something other than human is by her backwards facing feet, and she as well lures men into their death. How did such a similar legend appear on the opposite side of the world? Some believe that it has African roots. Some believe it came with the Spaniards from the classics.  

Predator of the night

In folklore, the Churel is known to stalk men and especially young men traveling alone at night. She may call to them in the voice of a loved one, lure them to isolated places, and then reveal her true form. At that moment, the victim becomes trapped by fear and confusion.

Some tales describe the Churel’s attack as sucking the life force or blood from her victims. She is often said to attack people from the youngest to the oldest, or perhaps most handsome to the least. Working herself through families and friend groups. Legend also tells about Churel’s kidnapping of young men, imprisoning him until he is elderly, or else using him sexually until he withers and dies.

It is also said that she is a danger to new mothers as well. In other versions, the Churel’s goal is not consumption but revenge. Her victims may be men who wronged women, men who harmed others, or simply those unlucky enough to encounter her.

She stalks her prey close to graveyards, forests, crossroads and cremation grounds, feeding on her victims blood, and even semen. Some are said to die instantly, some youth surviving her initial attack is slowly wasting away and dying. 

Types of Churel According to Lore

Although it is a rather old legend spanning across countries, languages and religions, the variations of the legends are vast and many. There are those who have tried to break the types of legends down into three categories though. 

Most Churel are Soshi Churel, women who were neglected in life and now stalk men to drain their blood and semen. Often they will be particularly fond of the blood of their own relatives.

Some Churel specifically target and molest children. Known as Poshi Churel, they only feed upon children and are submissive to their husbands, should he still be alive.

Toshi Churel, and are kind and beneficial to their families. They often become protectors of their family and serve their husbands after death.

Regional Variations of the Legend

But from where does the legend come from, this particular bloodsucking monster with her feet backwards? The Churel myth likely originated in Persia, where similar spirits were said to arise from women who died with unfulfilled desires. And there are Persian accounts of travelers seeing reversed footprints and by mistake, running right toward her. 

The legend spread into South Asia and merged with local traditions. In some accounts, they are associated with demonic entities or identified with dakinis female spirits or servants linked to the goddess Kali.

The Dākinī: The concept of the ḍākinī varies by context and tradition. In early Hindu texts and East Asian esoteric Buddhism, it refers to demonesses who consumed human flesh or essence. In Hindu Tantric literature, Ḍākinī is a goddess linked to specific chakras or the seven elements of the body. In Nepalese and Tibetan Buddhism, ‘ḍākinī’ can signify fierce female embodiments of enlightened energy or spiritually developed women who aid Tantric initiates in achieving enlightenment.

There are many variations of the legend, many of them found in Uttar Pradesh in northern India. Among the Korwas of Mirzapur, a woman who dies in a lying room for childbirth can become a Churel. The Pataris and Majhwars say a girl who dies during pregnancy or in an “unclean” state becomes a Churel, appearing as a girl in white who lures men into mountains. To free the captives they need to sacrifice a goat. 

The Kharwars believe that when the soul leaves the body, it becomes air but if it comes in contact with a person, the soul becomes troublesome. The Bhuiyars claim a girl who dies before 20 days of age becomes a Churel.

In Punjab, it is believed that women who die without proper funeral rites related to their bed may return as Churels. In Punjabi they are often called Pichal peri or pichhal pairī (ਪਿੱਛਲ ਪੈਰੀ, پچھل‌ پيری), meaning reversed footed. They are said to roam the mountains of India and Pakistan and are found in the Himalayas, though it occasionally comes from the mountains and enters some Indian villages.

In Pakistan, sightings are usually reported in the rural mountainous regions of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, however sightings in the Punjab province are also occasionally reported.

The Reversed Feet Tribe: Abarimon or antipode in mythology are people whose feet are reversed, however, in spite of this disability, were able to run at extreme speeds. This majestic tribe was first described in Europe by Pliny the Elder, in his book, Natural History (VII 11), who believed them to be native to India or somewhere in the Himalayan mountains.

In Gujarat, any woman who dies unnaturally may become a Churel, though earlier traditions linked this specifically to lower-caste women. In South Gujarat, a village near Mandvi is battling an unusual crisis as it is named the same as the monster, creating problems for the locals. For more than a decade, villagers have been striving to change the name. They say they do not even know how the village came to be called Chudel. Families face difficulties during marriage negotiations. Young men struggle to find brides, as many families hesitate to send their daughters to a village with such a name. Similarly, girls from the village find it hard to secure matches elsewhere, as prospective grooms are reluctant to visit.

It is also believed if a woman died during the Diwali festival, she would return as one of the undead as well as days where she was menstruating. Churel is also the word for a living witch.

Rituals and protection

The best way to avoid a Churel is to prevent her creation. Across regions, people believed in various ways to protect themselves from a Churel and various rituals to appease or ways to content them, like spitting three times, reciting prayers and other spiritual rituals. 

In Tamil culture human priests gather and collectively propitiate her with offerings. In some villages, a Stonehenge-like structure is used to ward off the Churel.

How to prevent a Churel Forming: The body of the woman is anointed with five different products of a cow and sacred texts recited. The place where she died is cleaned thoroughly and mustard (Sarson) is sprinkled on the spot, and along the path used to carry the body. Mustard is said to grow in the land of the dead, and the sweet smell keeps her pacified. Sometimes a Baiga who is someone who pacifies spirits, will step in. In some villages, people believed that placing a corpse face down or burying it in a specific posture would prevent the spirit from rising. If Hindu, the remains are cremated as per Hindu tradition.

The Churel in modern memory

Today the Churel appears in South Asian horror films, television dramas, and contemporary storytelling. She is often depicted as a terrifying female figure, her feet turned backward, her eyes glowing in moonlit fields.

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References:

Churel – Wikipedia

The Name Of This Gujarat Village Has Become A Curse For Its Women

Pichal Peri – Wikipedia

Rajaram Narayan Saletore (1981). Indian Witchcraft. Abhinav Publications. pp. 121–2. ISBN 978-0-391-02480-9

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The Witchcraft Haunting Dub Pukur on the Night of Bhoot Chaturdashi

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Every 25th year on the night of Bhoot Chaturdashi, it is said that the ghost haunting the water of Dub Pukur comes back from beyond. You can hear wailing screams from the ghost thought to be a witch over the dark water. 

Hidden amidst the modern buildings of Haldia Township lies a seemingly innocuous pond known as Dub Pukur (ডুব পুকুর). Beneath its calm surface lurks a sinister secret—a tale of witchcraft, murder, and restless spirits that continues to instill fear among the local people to this day.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Haldia is today an industrial port city in West Bengal by Haldi River, coming from Ganges. The surrounding area of the Zamindari used to be ruled by the Mahishadal Raj family and it is in connection to these royals, the ghost story comes from. 

The Haunted Pond: Nabaratna Gopaljiu temple inside Mahishadal Rajbari complex at Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal. Is this the haunted Dub Pukur? //Photo by: Amitabha Gupta/wikimedia

The Midwife Witch Haunting Dub Pukur

Legend has it that in the early 18th century, during the peak of the reign of the Royals of Mahishadal Rajbari, a midwife accused of witchcraft and child-devouring faced a grim fate at the hands of a vengeful mob. 

The details of this story are sparse, and there is not a lot to go on to dig deeper into the legend of when it started to be told. Some of the few sources claim that the midwife was attacked by witches and they were the one that devoured the child when the Queen gave birth. 

Daayans, or witches in Indian folklore are often thought to be a sort of succubi with vampiric traits as they often are said to feed on their victims for power. And as in the rest of the world, old or widowed women were often the subjects of witch hunts. As well as women in certain professions like being a midwife that are often accused of being witches. 

In any case, the midwife was blamed and a mob formed. Tied and dragged far from Mahishadal into the depths of the forest along the banks of the Haldi River, she met her untimely end in the murky waters of Dub Pukur on a moonless night.

Dayan Hunts in Modern Day India: Although a creature from folklore, witch hunts still have deadly outcomes in India: “According to the National Crime Bureau records, as many as 1,157 women were branded as witch and killed in Jharkhand between 1991 and 2010. Here pictured in the Star Plus show, Nazar played by Monalisa aka Antara Biswas,

The Bhoot Chaturdashi Haunting

Since that fateful night, Dub Pukur has become a place of dread and superstition, shrouded in eerie tales of paranormal activity. Every 25 years, on the night of Bhoot Chaturdashi, the 14th day of Krishna Paksha, locals report hearing a blood-curdling scream emanating from the depths of the pond—a chilling reminder of the midwife’s tragic demise.

In West Bengal It is believed on the eve of this dark night, the souls of the deceased come down to earth to visit their dear ones. On this night they are also performing rituals to chase away the evil spirits.

But the horror does not end there. In the morning light of Diwali, the Festival of Lights, the lifeless body of a missing person is often discovered floating ominously in the murky waters of Dub Pukur—a grim testament to the vengeful spirit that still haunts its depths.

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References:

Naraka Chaturdashi – Wikipedia 

Dayan (witch) – Wikipedia 

ভূত আদতে কল্পনা না কি বাস্তব জানতে পশ্চিমবঙ্গের এই সাতটি ভৌতিক স্থান একবার ঘুরে আসতে পারেন… – Tripoto 

List of reportedly haunted locations in India – Wikipedia 

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Convent of Jesus & Mary in Shimla and the Headless Horseman

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The prestigious girl school The Convent of Jesus & Mary, known as Chelsea, is also known for their ghost stories from students that died on the premises as well as a headless horseman after them, luring them away with a red rose on their pillows. 

Shimla, with its enchanting landscapes and colonial-era architecture, conceals a series of eerie stories within its picturesque hills. The Convent of Jesus and Mary, also called Chelsea, is a renowned prestigious school for girls in Navbahar where the royal families of Thailand, Nepal and high class families in India used to send their daughters. Although it harbors chilling tales that continue to haunt its premises. 

The CJM schools that Chelsea is a part of is a network of Roman Catholic schools that have spread all over the world, and so have its ghost stories. 

Convent of Jesus & Mary: The school in Shimla used to be a catholic boarding school for girls, and a legend about haunting from a headless horseman made its rounds around the students.//Source

The Convent of Jesus & Mary was founded by a French nun in 1864 called Marie Claudine Thevenet and was run by nuns, originally as an orphanage for the children of the British soldiers. In post colonial India the school of Convent of Jesus & Mary was re-branded as an elite educational institution. It used to be a boarding school as well, but as of 2000 it has just been a day school. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

While some may dismiss these stories as mere rumors, the spectral legends surrounding the Convent of Jesus & Mary have persisted over the years, adding an air of mystique to this educational institution.

The Legend of the Headless Horseman

During the Convent of Jesus & Mary’s time as a boarding school it was an international close knit community with little to no phones or internet with strong and old traditions with a lot of time to kill in the chilly Himalayan range. No wonder that many ghost stories were passed around at the school, although it is unsure exactly when these stories took shape. 

The Headless Horseman: The figure is found in folklore across Europe since the Middle Ages. Typically depicted as a rider on horseback missing his head, variations of the tale exist in different cultures. In Irish folklore, the dullahan is a demonic fairy who carries his head under his arm and causes death when he stops riding. Scottish tales involve headless horsemen haunting areas after being decapitated in battles. In Welsh folklore, headless horsemen are said to haunt locations until their bodies are found and buried. German folklore tells of revenant headless horsemen who wander until they atone for sins.//Image: The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane by John Quidor

One of the most told stories associated with the Convent of Jesus and Mary revolves around an ominous figure: the headless horseman that have traveled the world and times with its striking imagery. Stories about the Headless Horseman have been told since medieval times, and everyone got their own twist.

It is said that the spirit of the Headless Horseman haunting the Convent of Jesus & Mary, started out as a coachman that used to live close to the school. He was said to have been too interested in ladies, but he died in some sort of accident or was decapitated in a brawl. It is said that on fateful Fridays, specifically the 13th of the month, this spectral rider materializes on the school grounds.

Read Also: Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, perhaps the most famous story coming from the folklore of the Headless Horseman.

It is said that when coming to the school, he offers one of the girls a rose. A trope found in many girl boarding school legends, including Convent of Jesus & Mary. In some versions The Headless Horseman gave it directly to her or the rose was left on the girl’s pillow and found when the girls got back from class.

What happens to the girls after being chosen depends solely on their choice. Those girls who accept the rose are led away by the sinister figure, never to be seen again, while those who dare to refuse meet a ghastly fate and are killed. 

The girls attending the school are wearing a red uniform and they are often referred to as Chelseaites and easy to spot. It is said that the fear of the headless horseman got so bad for a while that the girls covered their faces around the time leading up to a Friday the 13th. 

The Dormitory Fire Tragedy

Another haunting tale whispers of a devastating fire that engulfed the Convent of Jesus & Mary’s dormitory during the British colonial rule on April 29 in 1946, taking out a two-thirds of the school building. The present-day play area conceals a grim history, as it is believed to be the final resting place of the 10 year old girl who tragically perished in the flames. 

Ghostly apparitions are said to roam the playground, evoking the spirits of the past. Among these restless souls is a young girl, forever in search of her lost doll. She is not alone, as the spirits of other young women, taken by the headless horseman, are believed to linger in the shadows.

It is also believed to have been a fire that broke out when it was used for orphans, and the current building was built on top of the orphan children buried underneath it, still lingering as ghosts. 

The 2012 Tragedy of Convent of Jesus & Mary

Tragedy struck the Convent of Jesus & Mary in 2012, when two young students, were found lifeless near the school. The grieving families and friends of the victims made a distressing claim: the children had taken their own lives due to mental harassment and torment inflicted by their teachers. 

A pall of sadness and fear descended upon the school community. Some residents and students assert that the souls of these young victims linger within the school’s premises, casting a somber veil over the institution and are haunting the school.

Boarding School Ghost Stories

The Convent of Jesus & Mary in Shimla with its history and culture of young girls with a wide imagination and perhaps a ghost or two following them seems dark. Beyond its academic pursuits, the school has nurtured stories of spectral encounters that are found perhaps at other similar institutions. 

While some may dismiss these tales as mere superstition, the eerie legends continue to linger in the hallways and grounds of the Convent of Jesus & Mary, evoking a sense of both fascination and dread among its students and visitors. Whether real or imagined, these spectral stories add an intriguing layer to the school’s rich history and the enigmatic charm of Shimla’s haunted landscape.

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References:

Convent of Jesus and Mary Chelsea: Giving young women tools to take over the world | Latest News India – Hindustan Times 

Convent of Jesus Mary and Chelsea School- Some Untold Stories 

7 Most Haunted Places In Shimla: Exploring The Eerie Side In 2023! 

Convent of Jesus and Mary, Shimla – Wikipedia

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Mary’s Ghostly Lament in Dagshai Cemetery

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A grave in Dagshai Cemetery is said to be haunted by Mary, a woman haunting the place after people started to chip away at her tombstone for good luck. 

In the hills of Himachal Pradesh, Dagshai town stands as a testament to time, bearing witness to a history. The very name of the town means a royal stain, and comes from when the Mughal rulers sent criminals for capital punishment here. A jail was built to house the criminals and the jail was known as Himachal’s black water at that time. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Situated just 11 kilometers from Solan and perched at over 5,600 meters above sea level, this old cantonment town, though devoid of the typical touristy allure, harbors a story of a ghost said to be haunting the Dagshai Cemetery.

The Mystery of Dagshai’s Haunting

Dagshai primarily comprises an army cantonment, various military structures, a handful of schools, local residences, and a cemetery. It is the cemetery, steeped in history and mystery, that has garnered the most attention, both positive and negative. 

The Original Grave: The statue and the grave of Mary Rebecca Weston and her unborn child as it used to be before people started coming for it inside of the Dagshai Cemetery in the pine forest.

Although Dagshai has a notoriously haunted cemetery with a lot of stories, most locals talk about the single ghost haunting the cemetery known as Mary or Mem Ki Qabr by the locals. 

A Tale of Love and Tragedy

Dagshai Cemetery is believed to date back to the British colonial era in India when the British made Dagshai into an army cantonment. 

Read more: Check out more ghost stories from cemeteries around the world

The story goes that a British man named Major George Weston, lived in Dagshai with his wife, Mary Rebecca Weston. While Major Weston practiced medicine, his wife served as a nursing assistant. After years of childlessness, the couple’s fortunes took a turn when they met a wandering Muslim saint who bestowed upon them a blessed amulet. Following this divine intervention, Mary, George’s wife, became pregnant with their first child.

However, fate dealt them a cruel hand, as Mary tragically passed away during the eighth month of her pregnancy on 10th of December in 1909. Grief-stricken and deeply in love, George Weston erected a splendid grave in memory of his beloved wife and their unborn child in Dagshai Cemetery. The exquisite marble used for this poignant structure was imported all the way from England.

Mary’s Misguided Legacy

As the years passed, tales of Mary’s grave possessing miraculous powers began circulating within the region. A misconception took root: if a pregnant woman took a piece of marble from Mary’s grave, she would be blessed with a male child. Consequently, countless visitors flocked to Mary’s resting place, foolishly attempting to disfigure her beautiful monument to avoid giving birth to a daughter. This relentless carving at the grave close to ruined the marble grave. A local woman even started selling marble pieces by mail order. 

Chipped Away: Over the years, the grave of Mary in Dagshai Cemetery with the statue started to disintegrate as people sought it out because of the legend. On the grave it was written: “To the sacred and in loving memory of my wife Mary Rebecca Weston, who died at Dagshai 10th December 1909, and our unborn Babe” // Source

Many visitors to the Dagshai Cemetery have claimed to witness the spectral apparition of Mary herself, meandering through the grounds close to her grave. Some suggest that Mary’s spirit may have intervened to protect her and her unborn child’s final resting place, preventing it from further desecration and warding off unwanted visitors.

Protecting Mary’s Legacy in Dagshai Cemetery

Since then, the locals took business into their own hands and started to restore the broken grave and desecrated statue. It got a protective cage over it and inside the grave was fixed back to how it first was made. Perhaps this will help to deter the haunting of Mary herself?

Source

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References:

Your Soul will Tremble after Reading the Horror Story of this Beautiful Place of Himachal 

Dagshai – Haunted Place in Himachal – BikingMystery 

Stories about Dagshai, the haunted town of Himachal | Times of India Travel 

The Haunting Of Dagshai: Himachal Pradesh’s Scariest Town

Why childless couples visit the grave or Mary, also known as ‘Mem Ki Qabr,’ in Dagshai? – my mountain – QuoraIn memory of the beloved : The Tribune India

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The Ghosts of Dukhani House in Shimla Hills

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The House of Dukhani is a beautiful house once used for gatherings and parties for the British. The Dukhani House is also thought to be haunted by the ghost of an old man wearing a gown that is said to have shot himself in the house. 

Shimla, with its enchanting cold airs and mystical ambiance, has always been a magnet for ghostly tales from the mountains and forests and otherworldly phenomena in the old colonial haunted houses and ghosts of dead British settlers and locals alike. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Amidst these hills lie the echoes of the British colonial era, where grand mansions and bungalows once hosted British officers that used this area as their vacation spot. However, some of these elegant houses continue to house more than just memories, as they are believed to be inhabited by the spirits of their former occupants. 

Dukhani House, an old and sprawling house in the beautiful Shimla hills, is one such place where the spirits of the past persist.

A Haunted Night in Dukhani House

This bungalow was once the property of an elderly British gentleman known as Buck or Bucky, who primarily resided in Delhi, but came to Shimla in the summer times with the rest of the British to escape the worst heat further down the mountain. His home, Dukhani served as the venue for his occasional weekend gatherings. Among the regular attendees of these gatherings was an English officer named Sir John Smith, a close friend of Buck’s.

One night, Sir John and his wife found themselves staying at Dukhani House overnight. Sir John was given Buck’s room together with the host, nestled in one of the oldest sections of the house.

British Houses and Architecture in Shimla: Still to this day, there are many houses left from the colonial times like the Dukhani House.

Despite being tired after the late night, Sir John found it challenging to fall asleep due to Bucky’s snores. As the night wore on inside of the Dukhani House, he was awakened by the curtains billowing in the breeze, allowing moonlight into the room. He contemplated whether to get up and close the window but decided to return to sleep. Just then, he spotted an elderly man with silver hair, clad in a dressing gown. Assuming this figure to be Bucky, Sir John asked him to secure the window. However, to his shock, he heard another thunderous snore coming from a different corner of the room, where Bucky was sound asleep.

Panicking, Sir John tried to approach the elderly man, who seemed to retreat outside the window, vanishing into the garden. When he ventured outside to investigate, the specter had vanished, leaving only the memory of the old man’s forlorn expression etched in his mind. Sir John’s nights were haunted by this eerie encounter.

Further inquiries into the incident led Sir John to a startling revelation. He learned that an elderly man, wearing a dressing gown, had tragically taken his own life in the very same room where he had seen the apparition by shooting himself. It was apparent that he had encountered the ghost of this desolate soul that had died around 40 years before that night.

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References:

If you do not believe in Ghosts, then Visit these places in Shimla, Opinion will Definitely Change 

10 Best haunted places to visit in Himachal Pradesh 

The Ghosts of Dukhani- A Lovely House in Shimla Hills – Mysterious Himachal

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The Haunted Chittoor Railway Station and the Violent Death of an Officer

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After a violent clash between two factions of officers at the train station, a CRF officer was beaten to death by the time they reached the Chittoor Railway Station. It is said that ever since that fateful day, the station has been haunted by the ghost seeking justice for his death. 

Along the coast of Andhra Pradesh lies the Chittoor Railway Station—a station with 3 platforms and a local rumor passed around. It is said that the station along the Gudur-Katpadi branch line is one of the most haunted stations in India. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Legend has it that the ghost of a Central Reserve Police Force jawan named Hari Singh from Jharkhand roams the deserted halls of Chittoor Railway Station.

Haunted Railway Station: According to the legend, the Chittoor Railway Station is haunted by an officer who was beaten to death as he was on one of the trains. // Source: Moulalisaheb.g /Wikimedia

The Ghost of CRF Hari Singh

Source: Moulalisaheb.g /Wikimedia

According to local lore, on that fateful day of October 31, 2013, Singh was aboard a New Delhi-Kerala train when he was attacked by Railway Protection Force personnel and a few Traveling Ticket Examiners.

Exactly why this happened is not specified, but there have been situations before this where the two forces have ended up in an argument or fight on the train, often because of unpaid tickets. Although, there was no mention of the cause for this incident in most of the sources.

As the train pulled into Chittoor Station, Singh was badly injured after the fight. He was rushed to a hospital in Chennai, but succumbed to his injuries ten days later.

The Haunted Chittoor Railway Station

Since that tragic day, the ghost of Hari Singh has been said to haunt the grounds of Chittoor Railway Station, forever wandering in search of the justice that eluded him in life. Locals speak of his ghostly apparition, his presence felt in the eerie silence that descends upon the station after dark.

According to a chilling report by The Hindu in 2015, the people of Chittoor have reported feeling the icy touch of Singh’s ghostly presence. This is also the earliest source found for this said incident, although not referring to other sources and if we are to believe the story, we must also believe that the death never reached the news.

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References:

Know The Truth of 8 Most Haunted Railway Stations in India | RailRecipe Report 

‘Ghost tale’ haunts Chittoor railway station | Andhra Pradesh News – The Hindu 

Chittoor railway station – Wikipedia

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The Haunting Secrets of Indira Gandhi Medical College in Shimla

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The Indira Gandhi Medical College is located deep in the mountainous Shimla in India. The college campus as well as the road leading up to the school are thought to be haunted.

In the scenic lap of Shimla, the prestigious Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) stands as both a medical college as well as a hospital. Established in 1966, it initially bore the name “Medical College, Shimla” and was housed in the former Snowdon Hospital. 

IGMC, or इंदिरा गांधी राजकीय आयुर्विज्ञान महाविद्यालय और अस्पताल began its journey in the early 1960s, slowly growing into one of Himachal Pradesh’s preeminent medical institutions. Initially offering only MBBS classes, it progressed with time. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Over the years, it evolved, and in 1984, it was rechristened as Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. Today, it is the largest medical set up in not only Shimla, but the whole of Himachal Pradesh. 

The Campus on the Hillside: Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) is a state-owned medical college and hospital in Shimla. It was established in 1966 as the Himachal Pradesh Medical College (HPMC), and assumed the present name in 1984.// Source

Mysteries Beyond Medicine at Indira Gandhi Medical College

There exists an eerie and mysterious side to Indira Gandhi Medical College though and talks about paranormal experiences. It is said that patients, their families, doctors, and staff have encountered inexplicable incidents that lend an aura of mystery to the institution. The corridors, lifts, and rooms have become the stage for bizarre occurrences. 

Strange noises, unexplained voices, and unsettling sensations have become a part of daily life for some within the college. Some claim they have had their names called out, only to turn and not see anyone there. 

Visitors and personnel alike have described sensations of being pushed from behind while coming up and down some of the staircases. Some claim they have been stuck in the lifts for hours without it being anything wrong with them. 

The collective belief holds that these perplexing activities are attributed to the lingering spirits of individuals who have met their fate within the hospital’s walls. Although the motives for these spirits to haunt the college remain uncertain, their presence has created an air of trepidation that envelops the premises.

The Haunted Road to IGMC

Not only is the building itself haunted, but it is also claimed that the road up to the hospital and college is also believed to be haunted. The forest road leading to the institution is not devoid of eerie legends, although not connected to the hospital legends at all. 

Read more: Check out all of the Haunted Roads around the world

In the 1960s, it is said that a man who sold oranges along this very road met a tragic end while he was working. Some have claimed to witness his apparition while walking there. Clutching his basket of oranges, the spectral vendor appears, though he does not inflict harm on those who encounter him.

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References:

If you do not believe in Ghosts, then Visit these places in Shimla, Opinion will Definitely Change 

Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) – Premiers Institute of Himachal 

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Haunting Tales of The Lower Circular Road Cemetery

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After the mutilated body of Sir William Hay MacNaghten was brought back to Kolkata from Kabul, he was buried in the Lower Circular Road Cemetery. After his death it is said that he is haunting the place and the nearby tree shivers every time someone tells the tale. 

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At the Lower Circular Road Cemetery that are constantly being filled up with the Christians in Kolkata, there is one grave said to house the ghost of Sir William Hay MacNaghten that are said to haunt the cemetery. 

The Lower Circular Road Cemetery in Kolkata, stands as a silent sentinel to bygone eras as it was established in 1840 during the colonial times in Kolkata and can be found a short walk away from the South Park Street Cemetery. 

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

This cemetery is still in use and this historic burial ground also known as General Episcopal Cemetery serves as a poignant memorial of the city’s rich and tumultuous past with over 12 000 graves. Although many have been moved to make way for new burials, there is one grave at The Lower Circular Road Cemetery left said to be haunted.

And if we are to believe the stories, there is a tree in The Lower Circular Road Cemetery that shakes every time someone narrates this story, at least while being close to it. 

The Barbaric and Bloody First Anglo Afghan War

Legend has it that The Lower Circular Road Cemetery harbors a spectral presence, none other than Sir William Hay MacNaghten, a prominent civil servant during the British colonial era. His untimely demise at 48, a grisly affair that sent shock waves through the community, has become the stuff of local lore. 

Sir William Hay MacNaghten: Buried in the Lower Circular Road Cemetery

MacNaghten was also a Baronet born in 1793, came to India at 16 and played a big part in the first Anglo-Afghan War from 1838-1842. The British had successfully invaded the country after using an internal dispute of the rulers in Afghanistan to their advantage. 

Although an important figure in history, people were surprised by his involvement in war. “What? Lord William Bentinck was to exclaim when he heard Macnaghten had launched an army against Afghanistan. “Lord Auckland and Macnaghten gone to war? The very last men in the world I would have expected of such folly”.

Macnaghten purchased a mansion in Kabul, and brought his wife, decorating their home with crystal chandeliers, a fine selection of French wines, and hundreds of servants from India. The act of just making themselves at home further enraged the Afghans. If we are to believe the sources he was not necessarily a well liked man and was known for his arrogant manners, and was simply called “the Envoy ” by both the Afghans and the British.

By 1841 the British forces were depleted and their commanders were old and not up for the task. The plan was for the British to march back to India under a guarantee of safe passage from the Afghan tribal elders. However, in a last ditch effort, they tried to play the chiefs up against each other, and MacNaghten met up with Mohammed Akbar Khan, the son of a chief, but one that had no reason to like the British. 

Macnaghten presented Wazir Akbar Khan with a fine pair of pistols as a gesture of friendship and good faith on December 23rd. However, Wazir Akbar Khan murdered Macnaghten on the spot. If he meant to kill him or if he was killed because he resisted capture is unclear to this day. 

The aftermath of it all was gruesome for the British, as around 120 was taken prisoners, including his wife and a certain Lady Sale who wrote in her diary about the murder: “All reports agree that both the Envoy’s and Trevor’s bodies are hanging in the public chouk: the Envoy’s decapitated and a mere trunk; the limbs having been carried in triumph about the city”

‘Remnants of an Army’: by Elizabeth Butler portraying William Brydon arriving at the gates of Jalalabad as the only survivor of a 16,500 strong evacuation from Kabul in January 1842.

In fact, his death was recorded as “one of the basest, foulest, murders that ever stained the page of history” in the post-mortem investigations. It is said that his wife stumbled upon his lifeless body, horrifically mutilated and strewn across the street. His remains are said to have been recovered from the pit they threw him into and brought back by his widow. 

Awful as it must have been, it is interesting to note that most of the prisoners thought the Afghan kidnappers were polite enough, but Lady Macnaghten remembered in a bad light as she didn’t want to share any of her clothes or sherry. 

The Haunting of the Lower Circular Road Cemetery

Despite his mortal remains finding their resting place within the confines of the Lower Circular Road Cemetery, Sir William’s spirit is said to linger among the tombstones and mausoleums. 

Read more: Check out more ghost stories from cemeteries around the world

One chilling aspect of these ghostly sightings at The Lower Circular Road Cemetery is the peculiar behavior of a solitary tree that stands all by its lonesome over Sir William’s final resting place. According to local lore, whenever the gruesome details of his murder are recounted, the tree above his tomb begins to shiver as if stirred by an unseen force, adding an eerie atmosphere to the already haunted grounds.

The spectral presence of Sir William MacNaghte is not the only source of unease within the Lower Circular Road Cemetery. Late-night guards, tasked with keeping watch over the silent slumber of the dead, have reported spine-tingling encounters with inexplicable phenomena. Eerie noises echoing through the stillness of the night, ghostly whispers carried on the breeze, and fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures flitting among the tombstones have left many a sentry shaken to their core.

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References:

First Anglo-Afghan War – Wikipedia 

William Hay Macnaghten (1793-1841) – Find a Grave Memorial 

“One of the basest, foulest murders that ever stained the page of history”? The brutal death of Sir William Macnaghten 

William Hay Macnaghten – Wikipedia 

Lower Circular Road cemetery – Wikipedia  https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/places/drowning-hands-to-headless-bodies-these-haunted-places-in-kolkata-are-filled-with-ghost-stories-pbfhhotogallery/cid/1869126?slide=5