It’s only natural that Kolkata, with its complex history and old buildings, has managed to accumulate quite a number of stories about “supernatural” incidents involving everything from colonial era ghosts to dark energies. Here are our picks for the most allegedly haunted places in Kolkata.
Built in 1777 to accommodate junior servants, or “writers” as they were known, of the East India Company, the Writers’ Building has been around long enough in the city to have accumulated its fair share of ghosts. Locals who have visited the building during late hours, when it is usually deserted, have claimed to have heard whispers, giggles, and even screams. The building has been host to a complex past, including the assassination of an infamous British Inspector General of Police by three Indian freedom fighters.
Kolkata’s historic South Park Street Cemetery—dating back to 1767—is quite popular among tourists and visitors seeking a peek into a slice of the city’s multilayered history and culture. As one of the oldest non-church cemeteries in the world, as well as the largest 19th-century Christian cemetery outside Europe or the United States of America, South Park Street Cemetery is a fascinating place to see. However, you can imagine a deserted cemetery to be an unsettling place to visit during odd hours of the night. To make that worse, there have been quite a many rumors of strange noises and sightings here, as well as of people falling ill after visiting the place.
Located below the Howrah Bridge, where it enters the city of Kolkata, Mullick Ghat is a place bustling with activity during the day. However, it’s an eerie place rumored to be visited by spirits of those who have died in the Hooghly River during odd hours. Howrah Bridge, which spans across the river, has witnessed quite a few suicides since its inception.
Kolkata’s metro or underground rail system has its own fair share of ghosts. Among all the stations and routes alleged to be haunted by supernatural entities, the Rabindra Sarobar Metro Station has managed to gather the most notoriety. The station accounts for a majority of the suicides that take place in Kolkata’s rail network. A few locals on board the last train to leave the station at night have claimed to have seen supernatural or strange figures on the tracks as the train departs.
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Nimtala Burning Ghat
This historic Hindu cremation ground in Kolkata has gathered many allegations of hauntings and supernatural occurrences over the years. Built in the early 1800s, quite a lot of Kolkatan Hindus have burnt their dead in this ground. Aghori sadhus, or ascetics who are known to engage in various post-mortem rituals that involve using ash and leftover burnt bones from cremations, are said to frequent Nimtala on certain nights.
The largest library in the country by volume, and one of its oldest, the National Library of India is among Kolkata’s most prized institutions. However, visitors have claimed to have experienced quite a range of supernatural experiences, from feeling someone breathing behind their necks to hearing footsteps and laughter that couldn’t be accounted for.
Established in 1862, Calcutta’s High Court is India’s oldest, and possibly among its most haunted. According to some locals, the court is ridden with ghosts, of which that of a convict who had been hanged to death at the court’s premises is particularly notorious.
