Malcha Mahal, Jamali Kamali and more: The truth about 5 haunted places in Delhi

Djinns at the Feroz Shah Kotla Fort, a lady in white at Dwarka’s Sector 9 metro station and Malcha Mahal- the Paranormal Society of India tells us whether these places are haunted or not.

Djinns, house spirits, the woman in white and a British officer from the 18th century- these are just some of the ghosts that are associated with Delhi’s most haunted places. But how much of this is true and are there actually places in the nation’s capital where you can feel supernatural forces?

Malcha Mahal, which dates back to the 14th century, is supposedly haunted.(Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

We spoke to members of the Paranormal Society of India (PSI), who reveal the truth about these ‘haunted sites.’

Dwarka Sector 9 Metro Station

Just outside the metro station entrance, people have said they have seen a woman appearing and disappearing out of nowhere.

“People say that in Dwarka Sector 9 a woman in a white sari would sit on a tree and run after cars at night. We’ve gone there on multiple occasions, and no chudail or daayan has ever chased us away,” says Govind Kumar, the founder and chairman of the Paranormal Society of India.

However, Govind did say, “When we were exploring the area there we got a feeling that there is someone who is walking with us.”

Spooky.

 

Feroz Shah Kotla Fort

A view of the Feroz Shah Kotla fort. (Burhaan Kinu/HTPhoto)

A fort dating back to the Tughlaq era in the 14th century, according to legend Laat (pillar) Waale Baba, considered as the head of the Kotla djinns, stays in the Minar-e-Zarreen in the fort.

“I have visited most of the so-called haunted places in Delhi, but never encountered an unnatural experience. I like to believe as historian and author William Dalrymple wrote that Delhi is the City of Djinns. It is a mystical place inundated with so many shrines. The place in Delhi that stands closest to the title is Feroze Shah Kotla,” says A. Sarwar Borah, who runs the blog Delhi Explore.

“An otherwise medieval-era ruin, it wears a different look on Thursday evening with visitors sticking letters written in Urdu on the wall. The letters are addressed to djinns. According to popular belief djinns come and read the letters and help in fulfilling the dreams, desires and wishes of people. Many also light diyas. Some also leave milk in earthen pots for the djinns to drink,” says Borah.

The Malcha Mahal, another supposedly haunted spot, was out of bounds for visitors which was protected by barbed wires all around and 12 big dogs. After years the household helps left and the dogs died, leaving the once popular residence a mere shadow of its old self. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Jamali Kamali

Located within the Mehrauli Archaeological Park are the tombs of the 16th century Sufi saints Jamali and Kamali. A favourite haunt (no pun intended) for history enthusiasts, it is said that voices from the mazaar inside the central dome call out to those who visit the tomb.

“When we visited Jamali Kamali our instruments picked up certain vibrations there,” says Govind.

The PSI uses various equipments which pick up certain energies or vibrations from the sites that they visit. The equipments they have include the K2 EMF Meter, laser grid and night vision camera.

Sanjay Van

Situated in the heart of Delhi and stretching across 10 km, Sanjay Van is the burial place for various Sufi saints who go for their morning and evening walks there. Personally, however, what you should be more scared about are the anti social elements that are regulars there.

“We have also been to Sanjay Van and felt certain energies there. However, we don’t classify them as ghosts, only positive or negative energies. If there are negative energies in a place that is because the area has not been properly maintained, if that is taken care of then things improve,” explains Govind.

Malcha Mahal

The bed of Malcha Mahal’s last royal occupant, Prince Ali Raza (Cyrus). (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Malcha Mahal, also known as Wilayat Mahal, is a hunting lodge from the Tughlaq era situated in Chanakyapuri in Delhi. It was built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq in 1325, and was also known as Wilayat Mahal after Begum Wilayat Mahal of Awadh who was given the place by the Government of India in May 1985. On September 10, 1993, she killed herself by Begum committed suicide at the age of 62 by eating crushed diamonds. Those visiting the site claim that they feel some energy which hits them whenever they go to there.

Prince Ali Raza (second from right), with bis sister Sakina (second from right) and his mother Begum Wilayat Mahal at New Delhi Railway Stations waiting room on March 20, 1975. The Malcha Mahal did not have basic amenities like water and electricity, which the family enjoyed at the waiting room. (N Thyagarajan/HTArchives)

“It is people who give names like ‘bhoot’ or ‘pret.’ These are only stories which have been made up,” says Govind.

Apart from these, other places in Delhi about which you shall keep hearing ghost tales are Bhuli Bhatiyari ka Mahal, Khooni Darwaza and Chor Minar. Of course, the members of the PSI maintain that there is no ‘woman in white’ or a British officer from the 1800s who keeps roaming around in these places.

But if you disagree with them and have had experiences of the paranormal kind, do comment and let us know about them, along with other supposedly ‘haunted’ places in Delhi!

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