I remain speculative. There is no way to prove hauntings and the supernatural events just as there is no way to disprove them. It remains a matter of mystery and subjective beliefs. But one thing most of us can testify to is the mystifying intrigue and morbid curiosity stories of ghosts and haunted places inject into us.
Here are 10 haunted places in Mumbai we suggest you not visit. Or, should you?
1. Aarey Milk Colony
I can’t imagine how a place with a name as innocuous as ‘Milk Colony’ would ever inspire fear. But, lo and behold, the Aarey Milk Colony in Mumbai has been the centre of many less-than-pleasant experiences for visitors. Apart from the leopards and the street crime, local legends talk of a lady who poses as a hitchhiker at night only to soon turn violent and murder the innocent passer-by.
2. Nasserwanj Wadi
This little village fairly close to the Mahim railway station in Mumbai has been considered by many as the most haunted spot in the city. The lore tells the tale of a certain local resident called Nasser who was burnt alive. The area is now said to be haunted by his tormented spirit that claims to have acted violently against those who trespass on his property.
3. St. John’s Baptist church
This particular story is fairly spooky, mainly for the reason that there is only one common lore surrounding the area that’s widely believed. Originally said to have been abandoned during an epidemic in 1840, the church also has a graveyard attached to it. The haunting however, is said to be due to a bride’s spirit who tormented those who trespassed on her site. An exorcism held in 1977 to rid the place of the spirit is said to have culminated with the wails of a woman, ending with a splashing sound from a nearby pond. Apparently, that was the bride’s second death.
4. Grand Paradi Towers
A must in any haunted places list in Mumbai, the Grand Paradi Towers are closely linked with the urban legend of a haunting due to a slew of suicide cases over the past decade. Over seven suicides, is the claim. Ever since then, the towers and the local area is said to be cursed in some manner and people like to keep their distance from it.
5. D’Souza Chawl
D’Souza Chawl is said to be haunted by the spirit of a woman who fell into a well and died an unwanted death. Her spirit’s known to dwell around that well now, haunting the locals after sun down. Best keep away!
6. Marve and Madh Island Road
One of the most scenic routes in the city is also considered to be one of the most haunted. The long stretch, surrounded by lush greens, is said to be haunted by the spirit of a bride that torments those who drive by. The spirit has been attributed to have caused a series of fatal accidents.
7. Mukesh Mills
Built in 1870 and deserted after a fire broke out and turned it into a ruin, Mukesh Mills perhaps looks spookier than it actually is. Apparently, it was one grand incident of a TV actress who was supposedly possessed during a film shoot at the spot, that gave it its mean reputation. Whatever the case, the mills looks spooky as hell.
8. Vrindavan Society
Far from easily being recognised as haunted, the Vrindavan society in Mumbai happens to be one of the more posh and wealthy parts of the city. But urban legends don’t spare anyone in their wake. The society is said to be haunted by the spirit of a troubled man who committed suicide there. His spirit apparently roams around the society at night slapping security guards who’re sleeping on the job. Crusader of justice or mischievous ghost?
9. Brothel No 25, Kamathipura
Supposedly the hub for visits by British soldiers during the colonial era, thanks to the services rendered by ladies who were imported from Russia and Japan, Brothel 25 is said to be haunted by the spirit of a prostitute. Unsuspecting customers are her preferred choice of prey.
10. Sanjay Gandhi National Park
The phantom that trawls through the national park after sundown has been vouched for by visitors and the guards at the park. Apart from all the splendid flora and fauna, you can expect to jumped by the ghost, who (surprise, surprise) asks for a lift that inevitably ends in the person going missing. Spooky stuff, we say!