Chhalava (छलावा) – The Undead – Incarcerated between earth & hell

As described by Pradhuman (Pune)

India is full of myths and legends – the roots of which sometimes take you back by centuries. The historical monuments, excavation sites, abandoned villages and dark forests – each of them have a typical set of haunts attached to them. Indians have always cherished these haunts & the Indian ghost stories associated with them – the legends run through generations.

Chhalava (pronounced as ch - huh – laava) is one such age-old legend which still haunts north-Indian villages. This legend is quite popular in the remote villages of the state of Uttar Pradesh. According to what Pradhuman narrated me – a chhalava is not a ghost as such (no mantrik would be able to locate and destroy it). He is rather a spirit trapped between earth & hell. A chhalava, is supposed to be a legend dating centuries back, a notorious warrior who was punished to be trapped in transition for centuries. He is known to haunt single men (generally those who have their marriages scheduled in the near future).

Hound in a Hotel – Raj Kiran Hotel – Haunted Hotel in Lonavla (Mumbai)

From shadowy figures, strange mists and apparitions to angels and demons, India has experienced it all. Many of these incidents verified by the experts, Indian ghost stories have been into the talking since ages. Horror movies are being directed, and T.V. serials are being shown, the world has learnt to make a business out of Indian horror tales. Apparently, when such an incident takes somewhere close to Mumbai: the Dream City of India, the magnitude of any incidence just doesn't remain the same. The ever-increasing news media and other communication channels, all of them get ready upfront to cover the news and win the race. 

Hotel Raj Kiran Resort, Lonavala (Mumbai) - A Haunted Tourist Destination

Hostel Horrors - Haunted Place in Pune

A Personal Encounter by Anwar (Pune)

Since my childhood, I have been sensitive (and often attracted) to paranormal vibes. My folks tell me how I (as a kid) used to wander away into abandoned houses & forests, simply lured by such vibes. However, I chose to suppress these feelings, since they would lead me nowhere.

Dumas Beach - Crematory to Haunting

Every country, religion, tradition, caste has its own set of beliefs and disbeliefs. India leads this suite when it comes to having a set of beliefs. India, a country which believes in Unity-in-Diversity has diverse beliefs right from a person’s birth till his death. They believe that ghosts are considered to be mere unfortunate souls exist as a result of being cursed or having committed severe sins in their lives. They are alleged to persist between the higher worlds and earth.Indian mythology teaches that ghosts are people without physical bodies or the souls of people who died before their time, or bodies created due to paranormal activities and tragedies. This is another reason why Indian ghost stories have a unique significance all over the world. It is trusted that the apparitions hang around or just prevail leading to buzz words such as Indian isolated places, Indian deserted buildings, Indian ancient ruins, haunted beaches in India, Indian hunted hotels, haunted destinations in India etc. Indian mythologies also claim that ghosts, not having experienced life’s joys, undergo a lot of sufferings as the senses are intact but there is no physical body to interact with the outside world. Hindus, having majority of their population in India, do not bury the dead bodies like other religions but cremate it with an intention of releasing the soul from its earthly experience. Hindus believe that cremation, as compared to burial is most spiritually beneficial to the departed soul. One such cremation place is in the beach named Dumas which is supposedly haunted. Apparently, this is one of the true Indian ghost story.

Morning Horror

A Personal Encounter by Shekhar (Mumbai, Maharashtra)

Hi everyone, this is Shekhar from Mumbai. Just thought of sharing this bizarre incident I came across when I was at a friend’s place, about two years ago. I was spending a night at his place near CP Tank. It was an age-old place, probably dating back to the British era – a typical Mumbai styled chawl. His room was on the topmost floor in a forgotten corner. There was dust and the roof was wearing off. The bulb in the lobby was either stolen or was never put up.