Kuldhara, an abandoned village near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, India, carries a mysterious aura. Legend suggests its sudden abandonment was due to a curse, and locals believe it's haunted. The well-planned architecture and eerie silence make Kuldhara a captivating destination, attracting visitors intrigued by its enigmatic history and deserted charm.
Ghost stories have a very different kind of charm to lure readers with old forts, ruins of castles, deserted alleys, sinister houses and abandoned spirits. Explore the enigmatic Kuldhara Village on your Jaisalmer trip package, delving into its deserted charm and unraveling the intriguing tales within.
Lying 21 Km from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, Kuldhara village has a similar story to tell.
At present Kuldhara Village is a heritage site and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
As you enter the premises of this ancient village you can feel as if time has stood still in Kuldhara since the last 200 years.
Straight dusty roads with intermittent rows of mud houses, cul-de-sac lanes and sandstone walls and a temple once visited by the Paliwals stand as a living testimony of some sad past.
To the east of the village lies the parched river bed of Kakni which is a warning to the impossibility of sustenance of life in this place.
An erstwhile flourishing village of North-Western India whose history dates back to the 13th century was abandoned overnight in 1825 for some reason unknown. As you walk along the ruins of Kuldhara village you can witness the ravages of time on its soil.
However, the place does not have any supernatural fact behind its myth but a veil of sadness rends the air narrating the unfortunate past of its natives who were forced to leave their ancestral place under the cover of darkness.
History Of Kuldhara Village -
Kuldhara village was founded in 1156 by Jaisel Bhati atop the Trikuta Hill in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.
The purpose of building a settlement in such a place was due to the reason that the original capital Lodarva was under the threat of attacks by the enemies.
The place around the Trikuta Hill had a smooth trade route with Persia and Arabia in the Middle East by land and also through the ports of Gujarat.
As a result, they used to earn handsome revenues due to levied taxes from the caravans who used to travel from these places to Rajasthan.
Subsequently, the invaders travelled from Afghanistan and used this route to plunder the wealth from Gujarat and the Somnath Temple in particular, that was known for its assets.
For protecting themselves from the attacks of the invaders, the villagers abandoned Kuldhara and its adjacent villages as men, women and children were being held captive by the intruders and enslaved thereafter.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Kuldhara Village is between October and March when the climate is less hot and you can go for sightseeing at various places of interest without being exhausted. Rajasthan, being a desert area remains extremely hot for most of the months in a year.
During winter, the climate is extremely chilling and going out for sightseeing is quite arduous.
Other Essential Information
- Location: En route Sam Sand Dunes and Thar Desert, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan-345001
- Timing: Monday-Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM and on Sundays 12 AM- 11:59 PM
- Price: Rs. 12,000 onwards, entry fee: Rs. 10, Car charge: Rs. 50
Tourism Board Alliances
Kuldhara Village FAQs
What is the story of Kuldhara village?
They lived here for over five centuries and turned it into a flourishing settlement. But, suddenly one night the entire village was vacated with a curse that thereafter no human being will come and settle on the soil of Kuldhara Village.
It is said that the whole region of Kuldhara remains under a spell of uncanny silence due to the presence of evil spirits. Many people from Jaisalmer have tried to come and settle in Kuldhara Village but no one succeeded in their attempts.
That is why the houses in the village remain almost in the same condition as they were left some 200 years back.
Why is Kuldhara abandoned?
Then one day his evil eyes were set upon the daughter of the village chieftain. Salim Singh went up to the extent of demanding the girl’s hand for marriage. He also warned the chief saying that the villagers would have to face severe consequences had the chief not obeyed his demands.
Salim Singh also gave the chief a deadline of 24 hours to make his decision. Out of remorse and fear of the consequences, the 84 village communities left their houses, land, and everything they built over six centuries, under the cover of darkness.
Before leaving they set the village under a swear word that no human thereafter would settle on the soil of Kuldhara Village and if anyone dared to defy the hex would be met with death. Since then there has been no human settlement in that village for the last 200 years.
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