Tag Archives: maharashtra

Ghost of the Dombivli Railway Station that wants to go Home

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Some of the busiest railway stations can also be the most dangerous. Dombivli Railway Station is said to be haunted by the people that tried to make it home, but never got off the tracks.

Dombivli Railway Station stands as both a vital transport hub and a chilling portal to the unknown according to the local legends. It is an old station and was built in 1886. Amidst the hustle and bustle of commuters and trains, whispers of paranormal activity linger like a haunting melody from the platforms.

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

Dombivli itself is a suburban city by the Ulhas river in Maharashtra outside of Mumbai where a lot of people are passing by. The station is also the busiest railway station on the Central line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway with five platforms and over 300 thousands of commuters daily. 

Death By Crossing the Tracks

Close by the bigger station in Dombivli you will find Kopar Rail Crossing—a seemingly innocuous intersection that belies its sinister reputation. According to local lore, this crossing has claimed the lives of many unfortunate souls. Before they built a bridge over the crossings, trespassing over the tracks claimed over hundreds of lives each year around the surrounding stations. 

Kopar Station is another stop in Dombivli city and the locals claim there is another paranormal reason for all of these deaths. According to some, there is an evil spirit around this place that lures people on the tracks. They say that they lose their consciousness and walk to the middle of the tracks without a reason to wait for the oncoming train.

Some say that the ghost is from one of these crossing incidents. Other variations say that she is waiting for the trail to arrive at the station. 

Deadly Crossing: The crossing over this train station is said to be very dangerous. Some say that the victims that were hit crossing the tracks are haunting the place. Some say that the place itself has a weird energy that draws people out on the tracks. // Source

The Crying Woman on the Platform

But back to the Dombivli Railway Station itself that are haunted by more than one ghost. There is one ghost story from this stop that are told more than the others:

One chilling account tells of a man on the trains late at night, who encountered a mysterious woman at the platform or crossing, depending on the different sources telling the story. Appearing to be in her forties or fifties in an office outfit, the woman was seen weeping inconsolably. When questioned about why she was crying and if she needed any help, she said she wanted to go home, but couldn’t.

The man returned to Dombivli Railway Station the next day with a friend, and saw the same woman crying. He tried to discuss it with his friend, but to his utter bewilderment, the friend couldn’t see the woman at all. 

The Haunting at Dombivli Railway Station

Commuters talk about not only the story about the crying woman on the platform at Dombivli Railway Station, but a sense of a strange energy seeming to stay on the overcrowded station. 

There are also said to be heard some strange and scary wailing that are echoing through the haunted station. When the haunted rumors really started circulating about Dombivli Railway Station is hard to pinpoint. The earliest sources online at least come from 2014 (at least the earlier English sources.)

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References:

https://hauntingindia.blogspot.com/2015/10/top-10-haunted-places-in-dombivli.html

Track accidents fail to curb trespassing at Kopar railway station | Mumbai news – Hindustan Times 

Dombivli – Wikipedia 

Haunted Nights in the Closed Room in Raj Kiran Hotel

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In the small village Lonavala in Pune, there is a small hotel where the reviews claim it’s haunted. Although no backstories are given, guests complained so much about a room in particular the staff closed it off. Would you dare to check into the haunted Raj Kiran Hotel?

India, a land of diverse landscapes and cultures, is often associated with age-old tales of the supernatural, or dramatic events from colonial times. While many of these stories originate from places of great historic importance, there are exceptions and even seemingly ordinary buildings in small places can come with a haunted story. 

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

Where the hotel used to be: Source

One such exception is the Raj Kiran Hotel in Maharashtra, a petite establishment that used to be in the picturesque town of Lonavala in the Pune district with two floors. During monsoon season the weather is pleasant and green around the hill station and there are several hotels in Lonavala to accommodate this. Like the Raj Kiran hotel that used to be found just by the main street.

Used to, because the hotel looks like it is no longer in operation, and comparing the maps to Google maps, it looks like the entire building is gone as well in 2014. The story about it continues though, and even reviews on other hotels in Lonavala retell the haunted rumors that once belonged to this particular hotel.  

The Hotel’s Mysterious Tale:

Source: Exterior of the hotel

Surprisingly, there is no known story or legend attached to the Raj Kiran Hotel that might explain the supernatural occurrences within its walls. Instead, it’s the guests who have ventured into this unassuming abode who share the hair-raising tales of their stay and ended up on more than one list of India’s most haunted. 

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

Among the unsettling accounts, one room on the ground floor, situated next to the reception counter, emerges as the epicenter of paranormal activity. Many have reported experiencing unexplained phenomena within its confines, enough to leave them tossing and turning through sleepless nights.

The Hair-Raising Encounters at Raj Kiran Hotel

Source: Was it behind this reception the room was?

According to the rumors, the haunted room is a room in a corner behind the reception at the hotel. Numerous guests have reported a peculiar occurrence – their bed sheets being tugged off during the dead of night. It’s as if an invisible presence were pulling the sheets, leaving startled occupants in sheer disbelief.

For some, the night takes an eerie turn as they suddenly awaken to a surreal sight – a mysterious ray of blue light illuminating the area around their feet. The source of this uncanny radiance remains a perplexing mystery.

Perhaps the most unsettling encounter is the sighting of an indiscernible apparition that seems to float through the room’s darkness. Guests have recounted the unnerving experience of witnessing an inexplicable presence making its presence known in the dead of night.

Room of Unrest

Source: Picture of one of the room

In light of the inexplicable incidents that have unfolded within this room, it has earned a notorious reputation and even the reviews for it people claim it is haunted. As a result, hotel management has taken the extraordinary step of permanently locking this room. It is no longer available for rent, as the unsettling encounters have left guests with restless nights and enduring unease.

The Raj Kiran Hotel doesn’t boast historical significance or a well-documented ghostly legend, so it’s hard to pinpoint the background story for the potential haunting. 

Where, what and who is behind the haunting the hotel in the lush green valleys remains a mystery.

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References:

RAJKIRAN RISHIKESH RESORTS – Prices & Hotel Reviews (Lonavala, India) 

Dare To Stay Here? This Place In Lonavala Is Supposedly The Most Haunted Hotel In Maharashtra 

India’s Most Haunted: Raj Kiran Hotel in Lonavala | India.com 

Ghostbusting goals: the most haunted hotels in India 

Horror Tales of Raj Kiran Hotel, Lonavala – Tripoto

The Ghostly Screams from Pune’s Shaniwar Wada Fort

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Every full moon it is said that the dying screams of the young Peshwa Prince that was brutally murdered echoes through Shaniwar Wada Fort. The murder was so horrible that it is said to have opened for every spirit that died in the old fort. 

Pune, the cultural capital of Maharashtra, is a city steeped in history and mystery. The Maratha Empire was an early modern India that controlled large portions in the 18th century, at its peak in 1758 from the south to the Sutlej River in the north until its fall in 1818. 

And when it comes to mysterious tales, the Shaniwar Wada Fort stands out as one of the most intriguing and haunting structures in the city. 

Shaniwar Wada Fort: The Delhi Darwaza is the main gate of the complex, facing north towards Delhi. The gatehouse is strongly built with massive doors, large enough for elephants with seating canopies. The Shaniwar Wada Fort was built by a contractor from Rajasthan known as ‘Kumawat’ after completing construction. The gate is used for ceremonial purposes and military campaigns depart and arrive here with religious ceremonies.

Built in the 1730 century and was the seat of the Peshwas until 1818 when they lost it to the East India Company. The Peshwa was the second highest rank in the Maratha Empire, serving as a prime minister and de facto ruler when it became hereditary position in 1749. 

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

The Shaniwar Wada Fort was witness to several historical events, including political intrigues, battles, and even a tragic supernatural incident. The fort’s eerie atmosphere and the unsolved mysteries surrounding it have fascinated locals and visitors alike for generations. 

From the mysterious footsteps that echo through its corridors at night to the blood-curdling screams that can be heard on full-moon nights, the Shaniwar Wada Fort has been the subject of many chilling tales. 

The Ghosts of the Peshwa’s at Shaniwar Wada Fort

The Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao was the 8th Peshwa from 1740 until his death in 1761. He was also known under the name, Nana Saheb and had three sons – Madhav, Vishwas and Narayan Rao. Under Peshwa Nana Saheb’s reign the empire reached its peak and golden era, but it went downhill for his family from then on. His eldest son, Vishwas Rao died in battle and the 8th Peshwa got depressed after his first son died and died in 1761. 

The burden was too heavy on the second son Madhav Rao who was appointed the 9th Peshwa after his father and brothers death at the age of 16 with his uncle Raghunath Rao acting as his regent for a long time. But their relationship turned sour however and the uncle was put under house arrest. 

The young prince got tuberculosis though and the sickness killed him slowly until his death in 1772 and his death was seen as the start of the end of the Maratha Confederacy.  

Because Madhac Rao died slowly, he also had the time to appoint the next heir, and he chose his younger brother, Narayan Rao, although his performance didn’t really impress anyone. 

The Tragic Life of Narayan Rao

Narayan Rao (नारायणराव पेशवे) was a young man of only 16 or 18 when it was announced. The fact that he was to inherit the title and seat was not taken well by his relatives. His uncle Raghunath Rao and his wife Anandi Bai were ambitious and willing to go far to get the power. Even though they were in house arrest, the uncle tried to escape several times and the scheming continued.

It is said that they hired a tribe of hunters known as Gardis by letter. The Gardi soldiers were employed by the Peshwa for police duty around the palace and in Pune. They had no personal attachment to their employer and were soldiers from North India, Ethiopia, Arabs and so on. During Madhav Rao’s reign he had emptied the treasury and owed them many years of payments. It is also said that they used the Kalbelia tribe, which are a snake charming tribe from the desert in Rajasthan. 

The letter from the uncle was supposed to say:  Narayan Rao la dhara”, which means “Hold Narayan Rao” as his plan was to kidnap him and hold him in a house arrest. However, his wife got hold of the letter and changed it to “Narayan Rao la mara” which means “Kill Narayan Rao”

The assassination happened during the Ganesh Chathurhu Festival in August with over 500 men storming the Shaniwar Wada Fort. 

They got him from his chambers and they chopped his body into small pieces and threw them in a nearby river to rid themselves of evidence. It is also said that his remains were gathered in a bundle to be cremated. But did he? There is a rumor that because of his murder and because he didn’t even get a cremation he returned as a ghost. 

The Ghostly Sightings at Shaniwar Wada Fort

Legend has it that his ghost still haunts the Shaniwar Wada Fort, and on full-moon nights, his blood-curdling screams can be heard echoing through the corridors of the fort. “Kaka Mala Vacchva“ he screams which means “Please save me uncle”. Visitors to the fort have reported feeling an eerie presence and hearing strange noises, making it a prime location for ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts.

The Shaniwar Wada Fort has been the site of several ghostly sightings over the years and people are discouraged to enter it after 6:30 in the evening. Visitors have reported seeing the ghost of a young prince roaming the corridors of the fort and heard his screams on full moon nights

It is even said that the 13th and the last Peswha, Baji Rao II believed in the presence of the ghost. To satisfy and appease the ghost he planted thousands of mango trees around Pune city as well as donating  to Brahmins and religious institutions. 

Other Ghosts Haunting the Fort

But it is not only the young prince that is said to be haunting the Shaniwar Wada Fort as the murder was so heinous and awful and said to have opened a portal to the underworld for the other people that died inside of the fort. 

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

Others have reported seeing the ghost of a lady in white, who is said to have been a courtesan in the Peshwa court once upon a time. These ghostly sightings only add to the overall mystery and intrigue of the fort.

The Mysteries of Shaniwar Wada Fort Remain Unsolved

Another strange thing that happened was the fire. Pune fortress broke out in 1828 when the British controlled it. The fire lasted for 7 days and destroyed everything but the stone part of the building. No one has found out what really happened and how it started. 

The Shaniwar Wada Fort is an iconic structure that has stood the test of time. Its haunting legend, mysterious architecture, and supernatural occurrences have fascinated visitors for generations. While some of the fort’s mysteries have been solved, many still remain unsolved.

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References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Narayan_Rao

Tales of Love & Deceit – the Shaniwar Wada haunted story – Thrilling Travel 

Know why you should avoid visiting Pune’s Shaniwarwada Fort on full moon nights | Times of India Travel 

Is Pune’s Shaniwar Wada really haunted? | Times of India Travel