Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal, Delhi Ridge

Haunted or Lonely places are known to change their expressions as you go near to them and sometimes a ghost appears out of nowhere. Some people enjoy the moment, some frown and majority get frightened. Thats' the magic of haunted spots. Located near to Jhandewalan Metro Station, there is an abandoned and haunted spot in heart of Delhi. At walking distance from Jhandewalan Mandir, Bhuli Bhatiyari Mahal is remains of a hunting facility from 14th century inside the Ridge Forest.

Curiosity set me up so much that I landed up at the spot one Saturday morning. Got some strange reactions from a couple of people whom I approached for the directions. Other than a guard there was pin drop silence. It was unbelievable and surprising to come across such a desolate spot alongside one of the busiest centers of Delhi.

 

Indian movies have created an aura of haunted places associated with Ghosts, mostly Female. So, any abandoned spot if associated with a tragic event related to female/s becomes a legend. Weird looking trees greet the visitors at entrance and perhaps give the first signal of what should be expected inside. No doubts the place is not for faint hearted people.

Seeing the small gate and that too locked, I went around in search for a bigger gate to enter the premises. Walking around the structure and seeing the outside wall, the spot initially looked like a Palace or a Fort to me. 

There was no other entrance gate, so I returned back to the small door to check my fate. After the main door, there is a small door to let visitors to the palace. 

However, what looked like a Fort was actually a hunting facility built by Tughlaqs in 14th century for keeping animals killed by the Tughlaqs in the Ridge Forest. may call it as a hunting lodge. 

 

This palace or a fort has a huge rectangular courtyard and has rooms aligned across the boundary wall. 

These rooms aligned along the boundary wall are surprisingly colder than the outside air and were used to store the flesh of killed animals. 

From the stairs one can go up to the top of the Fort wall. But be careful as a small flutter may imbalance you, due to the spooky vibes. Palace or Fort is surrounded by dense forest on all sides and on Delhi Jal Board reservoir on one side, which makes the view from the place photogenic.

The legends about this place:

     1.      Queen of then Feroz Tughlaq liked the place so much that she started living here. However, king came to know about the affair of Queen with someone else here and Queen was subsequently kept as prisoner here. Queen died in captivity and her remains were never found. It is believed that her soul is still in this place and is searching for the king to seek the revenge. Lineage of the Queen was from Bhatiyaran family, so this adds up to the name of the spot. People visiting this place have often spotted female shadowy figure wandering around in evenings. That is why going to this place after sun set is not advisable.

     2.      One migrant woman from Rajasthan had forgotten her way and came to this place. She liked the spot and started living here. In English Bhuli Bhatiyari means someone who has lost the way. She once offered water to a thirsty king at this place and king happily named this place as “Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal”. King was Feroz Shah Tughlaq.

Everyone has a soul and after death the soul departs to embrace new life. However, soul of the person met with an untimely/ unnatural death does not take new life and haunts the place seeking for justice.

 

People visiting this spot after dark have often heard footsteps/ sounds of someone walking and miserable cries coming from the place. Desolate place, weird trees and any visitor is mostly alone at this spot. All factors combine to make this place so haunted that even a Dog’s bark or flapping of tree leaves will scare the hell out of you in daylight as well. However, amidst all tragic past and gloomy history, I found out a lovely corner for myself. 

One hour spent at this spot was exciting as well as scary at times when a dog came barking from nowhere. Thanks to the guard whom I disturbed; I was at exit after checking every part of the place. Definitely “Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal” is amongst the scariest places to visit and presence of a police van increases the horror quotient. Will advise to avoid this place after dark, as probability of finding any anti-social element will be much higher than meeting the ghosts of Bhuli Bhatiyari Mahal. 

Enjoy a virtual tour of Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal - 

 

Keep exploring Folks. If you want more of ghost hunting, continue to Malcha Mahal, which is just 7 km. away from this spot...