Kolkata iconizes Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial, trams, puchka,
macher jhol, rosogolla, and complete festivity madness during Durga
Puja. It is historical, colonial, bright, and sweet. But there is a dark
chapter as well. With this article we bring you the eeriest tales from
the most haunted places in Kolkata. Some scary mysteries, eerie beliefs, and presumably real haunted stories in Kolkata that chill the spine and blood to hell.
Top 12 Haunted Places In Kolkata
Let’s zoom and view Kolkata through spooky lenses. It’s unnerving and
we bet you’ll be visualizing our words and get goosebumps even in
daylight. Here are the 9 shortlisted haunted places in Kolkata:
- National Library
- The Royal Calcutta Turf Club
- Bhoot Bangla
- Park Street Cemetery
- Rabindra Sarobar Metro Station
- Kolkata Dock
- Ghats of The Ganges
- Writer’s Building At BBD Bag
- House Of Dolls
- Wipro Office
- Lower Circular Road Cemetery
- Kolkata Dockyard
1. National Library
Background: National Library, the former residence of
Governor General during the British period,
is well-known for rich treasures of rare and significant books and
publications; and eerie stories knitted on it. It is said and ardently
believed that
Lady Metcalfe, the
Governor’s wife, was fond of books and a
cleanliness freak.
She hated if things were out of order. What’s freaky is that she still
does that. So don’t you dare forget to keep books in their respective
shelves! It is one of the
best haunted places to visit in Kolkata.
Spooky Occurrence: Night guards and students studying till late have
heard the footsteps of Lady Metcalfe and have seen fade grey shadows on the wall. Many believe that it is the most haunted place in Kolkata, and we don’t deny.
Haunting Incidents: In 2010, while restoration work was on,
Ministry of Culture and Archeological Survey of India discovered a
door-less secret room on the ground floor. People believed with rumours that the hidden room is nothing but erstwhile
secret chamber during the British rule.
2. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club
Background: Long ago, there lived
George Williams, a complete race freak. His passion, desire and dreams of winning the bet revolved around a
snow-white horse named Pride,
who was the champion of all tracks. With time, Pride grew old and weak.
One day she lost a derby and the next day she was found dead on the
tracks itself.
Spooky Occurrence: People passing by The Royal Calcutta Turf Club, also known as Race Course, have observed and
reported a white horse galloping on the tracks in a moonlit Saturday night.
A perfect colour contrast makes the most horrific scene, scaring the
hell out of the witnesses. Certainly a haunted place in Kolkata that one
might want to avoid.
Haunting Incidents: Foggy Saturday nights at the
Kolkata Race Course are frightening and spooky. People and maintenance
staff relate foggy patches with “William Saheb ki Sada Ghora”.
3. Bhoot Bangla
Background: William Hastings, once a Governor General of Bengal, built this ancient building as his residence. Called as
Belvedere Estate, this haunted house in Kolkata is presently the location for an undergraduate women’s college under the University of Calcutta.
Spooky Occurrence: Rumours say that hotel girls and staffs have heard and
seen an English gentleman entering the premises on his horse and galloping throughout. God save the spectators!
Haunting Incidents: Few years ago, a young boy died
unnaturally while playing football in the Hastings ground. Odd stories
have cropped as few have seen the shadow of the boy who has suffered the
untimely death. Many other tales about this haunted place in Kolkata
have been heard.
4. Park Street Cemetery
Background: This is one of the
oldest graveyards of Kolkata
(then Calcutta) built in 1767. The burial ground possesses a bizarre
beauty of its own with unique serenity, tall vegetation and age-old
graves, mostly of British soldiers. It is one of the most
haunted places in Park Street Kolkata.
Spooky Occurrence: The name graveyard is enough for goosebumps. Reported incidents like
spotting of hazy shadows on the wall and
hearing eerie sounds further accentuate the weird feeling of unnatural presence around.
Haunting Incidents: A group of friends visited the
cemetery for photography. Suddenly the photographer and his friends felt
dizziness and breathlessness. Even a few photographs captured some
creepy shadows. Spine chilling, isn’t it? There have been many similar
real ghost incidents in Kolkata pertaining to this graveyard.
5. Rabindra Sarobar Metro Station
Background: Rabindra Sarobar is one of the
busiest metro stations in South Kolkata. Incidentally, the station is the sight for many metro
suicidal cases.
Spooky Occurrence: The souls of people who had committed suicide are seen on the metro station platform at late hours.
Haunting Incidents: Peculiar shadows on the platform
pillars or passing the tracks are common. Quite scary among the most
haunted places in Kolkata.
6. Kolkata Dock
Background: Kolkata dock or Kidderpore dock was
constructed by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. He was
ditched and dumped by the British while trading with The East India Company.
Spooky Occurrence: There are many scary stories about this place, which is now a significant node of marine trading.
Haunting Incidents: Traders and sailors have seen
shadows (read as Nawab’s shadow)
roaming in the dock area. Rumours underline that Nawab wanders around
to take revenge from the British for his betrayal. No British, no Nawab. Only dock staff are there for chilling their blood!
7. Ghats Of The Ganges
Background: One of the most haunted places of
Kolkata are the banks of beautiful Ganges. The ghats of Ganges,
especially those near the Howrah bridge, are haunted. There have been
countless unnatural deaths including suicide or drowning accidents.
Spooky Occurrence: The undeparted and unsatisfied
souls of the accident or suicide victims roam about the area and visible
as grey shades. The morning scene is said to be the reason why it
features on all lists of
most haunted places in Kolkata.
Haunting Incidents: People who visit Mullick and Zanana ghat early in the morning see
pale images of hands rising out of the water asking for help. Just be a little alert. You may miss to render real helping hand in fear of the frightening spirits.
8. Writer’s Building At BBD Bag
Background: Writer’s Building is the
former office of clerks and junior staffs of the British raj and now the secretariat of the State Government.
Spooky Occurrence: There are many huge and vacant
rooms inside the building; unutilized hence quite eerie. Workers refuse
to do night shifts, but is the ghost scare just an excuse? Well, who’s
ready to take chances with that.
Haunting Incidents: Night guards and food vendors on the adjacent pavements have heard
desperate cries from the building late in the evening.
9. House Of Dolls
Background: Putulbari (read
House of dolls) is a century old house, almost in its ruins. The
architecture depicts dolls in the arches, hence the name. The house was once inhabited by rich landlords of Bengal, who tortured and exploited women to a great extent.
Spooky Occurrence: Tittle-tattle talk about hue and cry in female voices is heard from local people.
Haunting Incidents: One can get a Red and White Bravery Award for climbing the stairs till the haunted and dark upper floors of the hoary house.
10. Wipro Office
Background: Wipro Office is situated in the Salt
Lake area. This area was initially part of the wetlands. The office is
allegedly built on a graveyard. It is one of the most haunted places in
Kolkata.
Spooky Occurrence: People have allegedly seen strange apparitions in the dark. The third floor of Tower 3 is shut since it is haunted by ghosts.
Haunting Incidents: People claim to have heard
noises of things falling when they use the lift or the staircase to the
upper floors. The security guards complain of hearing noises all night
while they are on duty.
11. Lower Circular Road Cemetery
Background: Allegedly, Sir William Hay MacNaghte, a
civil servant in the British Era, was brutally killed during the first
Anglo-Afghan war. His wife found his body cut into tiny pieces. He was
buried in the Lower Circular Road Cemetery.
Spooky Occurrence: Several paranormal occurrences
have been reported in Lower Circular Road Cemetery. People have reported
hearing noises in the cemetery and around it in the night time.
Haunting Incidents: People who narrate Sir William
Hay MacNaghte’s haunting story near Lower Circular Road Cemetery
reportedly felt the tree above the grave start shivering.
12. Kolkata Dockyard
Background: The owner of Kolkata Dockyard was the
infamous Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. The British removed him from his
own home and set up their base there. This angered the Nawab who
allegedly died due to heartbreak.
Spooky Occurrence: People have reported seeing the apparition of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh roaming in the bylanes plenty of times.
Haunting Incidents: People believe that the Nawab’s
ghost roams in Kolkata Dockyard to seek revenge from the Britishers who
ousted him from his home.
Although it's best known for its memorable views and Emma Stone-Ryan Gosling dance break, L.A.'s Griffith Park has a few ghost stories hidden behind its popularity. According to legend (as reported by The Washington Post),
the park was once owned by a wealthy bachelor named Don Antonio Feliz,
who lived there with his niece Petranilla in the mid-1800s. When the Don
died of smallpox in 1863, he left the entire ranch to a local
politician—and nothing for his niece. Petranilla, unpleased with the
lack of inheritance, cursed the entire park, declaring: "The wrath of
heaven and the vengeance of hell shall fall upon this place.” Over the
next few decades, horrible fates (mysterious deaths, crop fires, etc.)
befell every subsequent owner of the property. Add to that some
modern-day murders and satanic cult rituals taking place within the
park's dense woods, and you have yourself one enigmatic tourist
destinations. Those views though...
