Most Famous Haunted Places in Kolkata

Do you know there are some terrible haunted places in Kolkata? In this article, you will find a list of these places where supernatural power exists.

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. This city is known as the ‘city of joy’ for its colorful festivals and culture. It is the second biggest city of India is also famous for tourism. There are so many beautiful places in Kolkata to visit. However, It is famous for some haunted places, as Kolkata has the most ancient establishments of history.

No matter if you believe in ghosts or not, but you cannot deny the fact that you get thrilled every time you watch a horror movie or read any story about paranormal activities. So if you are one of them, who loves adventure and horror tales at the same time; then this article is for you.

Most Haunted Places in Kolkata

Here are some famous haunted places, you can definitely check out whenever you visit Kolkata:

1. The famous Howrah Bridge

Howrah Bridge is one of the most beautiful places of Kolkata. This bridge is standing over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, connecting the two cities of Howrah and Kolkata. This bridge is a famous symbol of Kolkata and West Bengal. However, much to your surprise; this place is also famous for some paranormal activities.  It is said that near the banks of Ganges, some unnatural activities has been observed. Ganges is a holy site for the Hindus. In spite of that, some Ghats of Ganges are known to be haunted. Though we have known that ghosts mostly roam around at nights; but in this case, these paranormal activities are known to take place in the morning. When the first light of dawn appears, people see flailing hands of a drowning human being asking for help. But the residents live near the Ghats believe that those hands are of some evil spirits playing false with them. People who visit the Mullick and Zanana Ghats early in the morning regularly observe this abnormal phenomenon. The wrestlers practice in that area on a daily basis has also claimed this to be true.

Rumor has it, people also see a lady wearing white dress who draws their attention to her by calling their name in a nasal tone. Those who followed the voice or tried to approach the figure have claimed to be traumatized.

The local residents believe that, they are the spirits of those people who died from falling off the Howrah Bridge; either willingly or unwillingly. These spirits keep haunting the Howrah Bridge by appearing as humanly figures.

So next time you visit Howrah Bridge, if you see any hands rising out of the water asking for help; you know what to do. Just be a little alert. You might miss the hands of a real human in the fear of evil spirits.

2. National Library

If you consider yourself to be a bookworm and an adventurous person at the same time, then this one is for you.

The national library of India is located in Kolkata. This is the largest library in India and 14^th in the list of largest libraries in the world. Book lovers are definitely attracted by the huge collection of this library. But there is one more thing that makes the readers more curious about this library, is the spooky incidents that keep happening in the library. This library is known as one of the most haunted places in Kolkata.

Students and bibliophiles come to that library claimed that they felt some unnatural presence while reading alone. They felt someone was watching them from a distance or felt someone’s breath on their neck. It happens even more when people don’t put the book in the right place, where they took it from. Now it seems the spirit to be very particular about cleanliness. Apart from the readers, the librarians have also complained to feel some unnatural presence. They claimed to see the library chairs being drawn away, and heard the sound of ruffling pages or books being dropped. They also saw shadows on the walls.

People believe that this is the spirit of Lady Metcalfe, wife of Governor-General Lord Metcalfe. She was known as a book lover and obsessed with cleanliness. In her lifetime, she hated if things were out of order.

Another spooky secret of this place came out when a mysterious door-less chamber was discovered on the ground floor of the library. Rumor has it; this chamber was used as the torture room during the British rule in India. No one could enter the chamber as there was no door. During the renovation, 12 laborers died in an accident. Another incident occurred there; a student who was reading in the night and was found dead in the next morning.

So, if you ever go to the national library in Kolkata. Don’t forget to put the books in the right place.

3. Rabindra Sarobar Metro Station

Rabindra Sarobar is one of the busiest metro stations in South Kolkata. However this metro station is considered to be a popular suicide site. It is said that, about 80% of the suicides of all suicides in the city take place in this metro station. For this reason, this metro station is known as the ‘paradise of suicide’. People believe this station to be cursed.

People claimed that they saw spiritual figures wearing white clothes roaming in the station. Even the staff members of the station saw unnatural events. Drivers complained that they had to halt the train after seeing some strange figures wearing white clothes, walking across the train tracks. All these events mostly occur at the night.  It is said that; if anyone takes the last train, they will not see any living soul on the station. So people usually avoid the last train.

The mysterious figures are assumed to be the spirits of those people who died at the station by committing suicide.

Therefore, if you are faint-hearted, do not take the last train at Rabindra Sarobar.

4. Writer’s Building

Writer’s building was established in 1777 to provide accommodation to the junior servants of the East India Company. They were known as the “writers”, that is why this building was named “Writer’s Building”. This 300 years old building is known as the most powerful building of Kolkata, also known as one of the most haunted places in West Bengal.

No one works here after sunset. Because after sunset people start hearing giggles, screams and whispers. No caretaker could work at the writer’s building for more than a day. Caretakers who did night shifts heard someone walking through the corridors of that building.

People believe that the ghost of Captain Simpson keep roaming here after 7.00 pm. Captain Simpsons was murdered by three famous revolutionaries Binay, Badal and Dinesh during the struggle of independence. Legends has it that his spirit which apparently walks here at night.

So if you are planning to check out this place, make sure you are there before sunset; unless you want to encounter with the spirit of Captain Simpson.

5. Putulbari

Dolls are cute, but those who watched Annabelle or The Child’s Play may not agree with this term. Putulbari means the house of dolls, is another spooky place of Kolkata. Putulbari is located near the Shovabazar jetty, having a few residences in the ground floor. No one ever dare go to the upstairs even during the daytime. This is a huge building, built in Roman style. And the terrace is adorned with dolls which multiples the spookiness.

Locals have claimed to hear women giggling, screaming or whispering with sound of their bangles or anklets. Even in the daytime people heard someone walking in upstairs.

Now behind these unnatural activities people have different theories. Though none of stories connect to each other, but the one thing is constant in these stories that they are based during the colonial times.

• This one is said to be the reason behind the name of this place. The owner of this building had a daughter who was obsessed with dolls. With time the house was full with different sized and different shaped dolls. The girl was so happy with her dolls, but the sudden death of the girl turned this happiness into sadness. According to this theory, this place is haunted by the spirit of the girl. And every night the dolls wake up and roam around the house.
• This house was once said to be the palace of zaminders, where they used to sexually exploit young girls and later killed them. Locals believe that the ghosts of those exploited women roam around the house seeking for justice. This one is a strong theory about this house that many tend to believe it.
• Some people say freedom fighters used to hide in this house. However once the fighters got stuck here and were brutally murdered by the British. And ghosts of those freedom fighters keep haunting the house.

We really don’t know which story is true or if the place is actually haunted, but this one is a must visit for those who love spookiness.

6. Nimtala Shamshan Ghat

A Shamshan is a Hindu cremation ground, where dead bodies are burnt on a pyre according to the Hindu ritual. Nimtala Shamshan Ghat is the oldest cremation ground, located in the center of Kolkata.

People believe that, Aghoris come to the site at the night of Kaali Puja (a Hindu festival). Aghoris are the devotee of Goddess Kaali, come there to eat the leftover flesh of the burnt dead bodies in order to get occult powers. And invoke Kaali as she is their reigning deity. People say that their names must not be said out loud.

If you are in Kolkata during Kaali Puja, then Nimtala Shamshan Ghat is worth a visit.

7. Hasting’s House, Alipore

Hasting’s house is one the most ancient establishments in Kolkata, also known as Belvedere Estate. William Hasting, the Governor General of Bengal during British rule built this house as his residence. Now this building is used as a college for girls under the Calcutta University. Hasting was impeached in London for misconducts, and was on trial for seven years until his acquittal. The students have said that they saw an Englishman riding on a horse, roaming around the campus. They assumed that it was the spirit of Hasting’s, who was looking for some folder contained importatnt papers; the papers which could have freed him from the impeachment.

Another story behind this place is, a boy died on the field while playing football a few years back. The spirit of that boy still haunts the place. And if anyone went to field to play, they would suffer from terrible injuries.

8. The Royal Calcutta Turf Club

Not only the spirits of humans, but the spirits of horses are also found in Kolkata. The royal Calcutta turf club is another famous haunted place of Kolkata. This place is haunted by the ghost of a horse. People claimed that at moonlit nights, they saw a white horse riding on the tracks.

This story dates back to 1930, when there was a race maniac George Williams. He loved his horses more than anything. He owned a pearl white horse named Pride who was the champion of all tracks. She was known as the Queen of the Tracks and own pride, fame and prizes for her master. But as she grew old, she was getting weaker. Pride’s last race was the Annual Calcutta Derby; she lost the last race of her life, and George Williams lost his fortune. The next day she was found dead on the tracks.

It is supposed that the spirit of the horse ride on the tracks on full moon. People say if you pass the race course at Saturday midnight you might see the Saheb er Shada Ghora.

9. South Park Street Cemetery

We all know cemetery is an ideal place for paranormal things. Almost every paranormal story we hear is based on the graveyards or cemeteries. So with obvious reasons, The South Park Street Cemetery is another haunted place of Kolkata. This cemetery is quite popular among tourists and visitors. This cemetery is one of the most ancient burning grounds of Kolkata. Built in 1767, it has more than 1600 graves. This is the largest Christian cemetery outside Europe and America, and was in use until 1840.

While visiting this site, a group of friends clicked a picture of the cemetery. After clicking the picture, all of them suddenly fell ill; and one of the friends got asthmatic attack, though he never had any sign of asthma. And the members of the group stated that they saw a dim white figure in the picture they clicked on the cemetery.

Local residence claimed that they had seen shadows on the wall of the cemetery. Cameras malfunctioning, moving shadows and eerie images are regular incidents in this place. People live near the cemetery are so afraid of the cemetery that they keep shut the windows all the time.

So if you want to visit this famous haunted site; do not dare to click any pictures.

10. Lower Circular Road Cemetery

Another cemetery in Kolkata is famous for its paranormal activities. Just down the Street Park Cemetery is Lower Circular Cemetery, was built in 1840. The background story behind this spooky site is quite savagely violent. Among all the graves, there is one grave which belongs to Sir William Hay MacNaghten. He was a civil servant during the British rule, who was killed brutally in the first Anglo-Afghan war. His body was ripped apart; his wife went to Afghanistan, found his leftover body and reassembled his body. She returned to Kolkata with his body and laid him in the cemetery. They say that if you narrate this unfortunate story in front of his grave, the tree above the grave starts quaking.

If you want to experiment with this phenomena, you may try narrating the story at his grave when you visit this place.

11. Wipro Office, Salt Lake City

Wipro office is situated in the Salt Lake City. This city is now the IT hub of Kolkata. This place was a part of the Kolkata wetlands, and the Wipro office is built on a graveyard. Local residence claimed that they have seen unnatural visions in the office. The third floor of the tower 3 is strictly forbidden for people to wander, as this place is haunted by ghosts. Staffs work here at night shifts are afraid to use the washroom or take the lifts alone.

12. Kolkata Dockyard

This dockyard is the lesser known haunted place in Kolkata. This property was owned by Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh. During the British rule in India, this property was seized by the British from him. People believe that the ghost of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is still roams around the property for seeking revenge from the British.

If you are not a faint-hearted person, then these places are worth a visit if you ever go to Kolkata in your lifetime.