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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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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 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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The Haunted Charleville Mansion in Shimla

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Deep in the Indian mountains, Charleville Mansion in Shimla is said to be so haunted with an evil poltergeist activity that even the owners had to leave it and it has since then changed hands many times. 

India, with its rich culture and history, is also home to some of the most haunted places in the world like the Charleville Mansion, located in the picturesque hill station of Shimla. The city is the capital of Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous region north in India. 

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

This historic mansion or dâk-bungalow, has long been the subject of chilling tales and inexplicable phenomena that continue to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to step into its shadowy past.

A Victorian Era Abode

Constructed during the colonial era in the late 1800s, Charleville Mansion stands as an architectural relic of its time. The grand facades, intricate woodwork, and sprawling gardens exemplify the opulence that defined the Victorian period. However, behind the mansion’s splendid exterior lies a history marred by a series of mysterious events that have perpetuated its eerie reputation.

Even Rudyard Kipling, the author of the Jungle Book, mentioned how he saw a ghost in his writings “My Own True Ghost Story”, a story about a charecter hearing a ghost playing pool in the room next to him when he is staying at a dâk-bungalow in India.

The Poltergeist’s Haunting

The legend of Charleville Mansion traces back to the early 20th century when Victor Bayley, newly appointed as the Assistant Secretary of the Railway Board, arrived in Shimla with his wife in October in 1913. 

Charmed by the prospect of affordable rent, the couple chose to make this stately mansion their residence. Unbeknownst to them, the mansion harbored a chilling secret. The previous owner, an army officer, had abandoned the mansion due to a malevolent poltergeist that roamed its halls.

The Sinister Upper Room

It is said that it is the ghost of a British gentleman that is haunting the house. The haunting is that of a poltergeist with breaking and crushing objects inside the house, although no one is said to have been physically hurt by it. 

The heart of the mansion’s malevolence seemed to reside in one of the upper rooms, leading the owner that stayed there before the Bayleys to lock it away. The army officer that lived there before them didn’t really believe in ghosts, but wanted to test it out because of the haunted rumors.  

However, to his dismay, the room lay in ruins the following morning and everything was turned upside down. Frightened and unable to rationalize these bizarre events, the owner swiftly vacated the mansion, leaving it to bear the sinister legacy of the supernatural. 

When Victor Bayley and his wife moved in, they did not encounter any strange occurrences and stayed there for over a year. The unsuspecting couple lived a peaceful life in the mansion, but it was their domestic help who was in for an eerie surprise.

An Unnerving Encounter at Charleville Mansion

One evening, while the couple was attending a dinner party, their domestic help remained in the mansion. As he waited, an eerie feeling washed over him, and he was compelled to investigate a room upstairs. His blood ran cold when, to his astonishment, he witnessed a spectral figure and asked if he wanted something. The figure, looking British, didn’t answer and only passed through a closed door. 

Soon after this incident the Bayleys vacated the home.

Following Victor Bayley’s departure, the mansion changed hands and underwent a significant renovation and most of the people staying in the mansion had a story or two to tell and Charleville Mansion continues to be regarded as one of India’s most haunted places, its haunting past woven into its very walls, forever shrouded in an eerie mystery.

The last British living there was an old lady called Mrs A. She sold it after India’s independence to an Indian, telling him it was a haunted place. Today it is owned by an Indian gentleman who has renovated the whole mansion. Still, the locals claim to see the ghost of the British gentleman haunting the mansion in the hills. 

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References:

The Charleville mansion-Most Haunted Home of Shimla – Mysterious Himachal 

India’s Most Haunted: Charleville Mansion in Shimla | India.com

The Charleville mansion-Most Haunted Home of Shimla – Mysterious Himachal

https://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030621/windows/main3.htm

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Chudail Baudi and the Woman Haunting the Well

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A woman wearing a white saree is said to haunt the road close to the well known as Chudail Baudi and said to try to get into the cars of those passing on the road as well as crying from the depths of the water hole. 

In the breathtaking landscapes of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla is celebrated for its natural beauty and tranquil vistas. However, beyond the serene mountains and lush valleys, the state harbors a darker, enigmatic side. 

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

Among the most haunted places in India, Shimla is home to the enigmatic Chudail Baudi, a location steeped in eerie tales and haunting mysteries that have sent shivers down the spines of many.

The Chudail Baudi in Shimla

Chudail Baudi: a haunted place on Nawbihar-Chota Shimla road.//Source: Deepak Sansta / Hindustan Times)

Chudail Baudi is situated on the Shimla Highway between Chota Shimla to Navbahar, cocooned within verdant forests and picturesque natural splendor. This particular stretch of road close to the water hole is known to have a large amount of accidents according to local tales. 

Read Also: Many wells around the world have a ghost story attached to them. For more of these check out Minxiong Ghost Mansion, The Grey Lady of Stavern at Hotel Wassilioff and Banchō Sarayashiki — the Ghost of Okiku

The water hole found in the forest is also known as the Witch’s Well. The term “Baudi” translates to a well, and as per local legends, this well at Chudail Baudi was excavated during the British colonial era. However, this well holds more than water—it holds a chilling curse, believed to be the creation of a vindictive spirit.

The Woman in White Saree

Local folklore narrates the haunting tale of a woman who met a tragic fate many years ago, and her lingering spirit is said to torment this well. She is often described as an English woman with long black hair and a white saree. Many claim that she is asking passing cars for lift or just constantly staring at you from the backseat of your car if you refuse her. 

According to the legend, the woman was unjustly accused of adultery, a crime that led her husband to mete out a gruesome punishment—he buried her alive near this very well. Her restless spirit is thought to haunt Chudail Baudi, forever seeking retribution against those who cross her path.

Chilling Encounters on the Road

Around Chudail Baudi, many have recounted eerie experiences bordering on the paranormal, especially on the surrounding roads. It is said that cars automatically slow down in the area, no matter how much you try to accelerate. It is also said that if you encounter the woman in the white saree and doesn’t give her a lift, she will chase after your car. A story very similar to The Ghost of the Lady in White Sari of Delhi Cantt.

There are tales that her showing up has caused many accidents on the nearby roads, where even some of the car crashes have cost more lives. 

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

Some claim to have heard a woman’s anguished cries echoing from the depths of the well, while others have witnessed a spectral figure, ethereal and haunting, hovering above the water’s surface. Venturing close to the well after nightfall, they describe an unsettling silence.

The Future of Chudail Baudi

Although the haunted legends around the water hole are well known in the region, this doesn’t stop life for moving forward. Plans are to make this area a playground for the local kids. The question is, will the haunting stop for this reason? Or perhaps it will just get more fuel?

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References:

Haunted no more, Shimla’s Chudail Bauri to turn into children’s park – Hindustan Times 

Chudail Baudi Shimla (History, Distance, Images & Location) 

Discover the Chilling Story of Chudail Baudi in Haunted Shimla – Mysterious Himachal