The Cursed Village: My Visit to Kuldhara

The Cursed Village: My Visit to Kuldhara

Angela Chakraborty

I’m quite sure that you must have come across some YouTube videos with the title “Top 10 Haunted Places in India”. Am I wrong in assuming that? I hope not. So, let me tell you about my personal experience in one of the places in that list – Kuldhara.

After indulging ourselves in the vibrant Rajasthani dance and cultural performances, savouring the finger-licking spicy snacks under the desert sky, it was time for our sleep.

We had to spend the night under the stars, nestled in a cozy tent at a resort in the Thar Desert. Apart from the jeep safari in the desert, I highly recommend everyone to have this experience at least once in their lifetime.

It was the month of January, and the weather was extremely cold. My sister and I shared the same tent. We were jolted awake at midnight by the sound of stone grits hitting our tent and as we unzipped the tent flap, rain greeted us. The desert was raining – how crazy was that?

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The next morning, we woke up and got to know from the manager that it hadn’t rained in Jaisalmer since years! We felt extremely fortunate to have witnessed this. Jaisalmer was truly giving us once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Although we were lucky, our joy was short-lived, as the weather condition started worsening. Dark clouds gathered and the wind started blowing out at an alarming rate.  The cold was stinging, as our hands and nose turned numb.

We struggled to walk up to the tent where breakfast was being served. But after having a spicy North Indian breakfast along with a rich coffee, we could warm up ourselves to start off for exploring the city of Jaisalmer.

As we slid into the car and settled ourselves, our driver asked us “Ek haunted jagah dekhna chahoge?” (Do you want to visit a haunted place?)  Our adrenaline rush didn’t let us tell him “No”. We exclaimed out loud, “Zaroor uncle, jaha aap le chalo, hum wahi jayenge.” (Yes, Uncle, we will go wherever you take us.)

Our driver gleamed with excitement as he started the car and we set off for Kuldhara. It took him around 45-50 minutes from our resort to get to Kuldhara. Soon the clouds parted and we were welcomed with the warmth of sun’s rays. Upon reaching the village, we saw that it was surrounded by numerous Indian army personnel and our driver enlightened us about the Indian army base camp adjacent to the village.

The village was completely enclosed in sandstone, with huge walls, houses and ruins, everything made from the golden-hued rock. I couldn’t spot any vegetation or plants nearby; the area was completely barren.

Upon interacting with the locals, we got to know about the story of Kuldhara that made the village being termed as ‘haunted’. According to them, Kuldhara was cursed by a sorcerer who was infuriated by the villagers’ ill-treatment towards him. So, he placed a curse that no one would ever be able to live there again.

One night, the villagers, including their King, fled the village, leaving behind all their possessions, belongings and property. Kuldhara was left abandoned, with no signs of life or activity. Moreover, visitors have reported strange occurrences, such as hearing weird noises and feeling supernatural presences. Fortunately, we didn’t encounter any ghostly presence or strange occurrence during our visit.

Some believe that the curse of the sorcerer still lingers, preventing anyone from inhabiting the village. On the other hand, others believe that the village was abandoned due to economic decline, water crisis or natural disasters.

We spent about two hours exploring the village, surrounded by desert sand as far as the eye could see. After capturing our memories in the haunted village through photographs and listening to spine chilling stories from the locals, we had to bid farewell to Kuldhara as we began our journey to explore the Golden City – Jaisalmer.

This cursed village has been declared as a protected archaeological site by the Government of India, and it is now a popular tourist destination for those interested in history and the paranormal.

Kuldhara’s haunting landscape has caught the attention of Bollywood filmmakers, with several movies choosing to shoot on location in the village. Some notable examples include ‘Agent Vinod’, ‘Bachchhan Paandey’, ‘Apurva’, etc.

Although we didn’t experience any paranormal activity, the village definitely radiated a sense of abandonment and desolation. The crumbling sandstone structures paint a picture of a community that once thrived in the village they called ‘home’.

Regardless of all the diverse tales of the village, Kuldhara remains to be a mysterious place treasured with history as well as mystery nestled in the heart of the Jaisalmer desert.

Angela Chakraborty is a studebt of Communication & Journalism, Gauhati University

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