Unusual, Mysterious & Funny places of India – Amazing India

It happens only in India…’We’ve often heard people rant that India is a land of mysteries and wondered where the notion came from. Well, we’ve finally got an answer for you! India truly has zillions of secrets buried deep in its most bizarre of places, that either leave people wide eyed with shock or freak them out when they learn about them. From hills that pull cars up to motorbikes that are worshipped, India is home to the most unusual of places. We’ve listed some of those mysterious places in India here to tell you of the wonders this amazing country holds.

1. The Hanging Pillar at Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh

An important archaeological and historical site in India, Lepakshi is known for its architecture and painting. This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is among the most mysterious places in India, owing to its famous floating pillar. Among the 70 pillars at the site, one is hanging in mid-air, that is, it exists without a support. People come to the temple and pass objects under the pillar, believing it’ll bring prosperity into their lives!

2. Jal Mahal or ‘The Floating Palace’ of Jaipur

Located right in the middle of Man Sagar Lake, this palace in Jaipur has been abandoned for ages now. It is said to have been built as a summer retreat for the royals. However, today, it lies abandoned and desolate, in the center of the lake. The mysterious or the bizarre thing about this palace is that it actually has five floors, with four of them being submerged in the lake! How the palace got submerged, no one knows. However, it makes for a hauntingly beautiful experience. You can book a boat and view the submerged palace up close, in peace.

3. The Tale of Twins at Kodinhi, Kerala

The extraordinary factor about this otherwise ordinary village in Malappuram, Kerala is the strikingly large number of twin births that it witnesses. Kodinhi, or the ‘Village of Twins’, as it is now called, holds an eminent place among the mysterious places in India!

The Mystery: Once you set foot into this village, you’ll start seeing doubles of almost everyone! Kodinhi is currently home to over 200 pair of twins and two sets of triplets. And that’s not all! Kodinhi’s women who are married outside the village also end up having twins or triplets.

4. Karni Mata Rat Temple in Rajasthan

Ever heard of rats being worshipped? While you might shiver at the thought, there is a temple built in Deshnoke, Rajasthan that does exactly that! The temple is filled with over 20,000 rats that lap at bowls of milk laid out just for them. If you happen to step on a rat and hurt it, you have to purchase a silver or gold rat statue and offer it to the temple, as penance for your sin. The devotees believe that rats are incarnations of the Goddess Karni Mata. It does make for a strange experience, visit it and feel for yourself.

 5. Lucky Restaurant in Ahmedabad

This experience in Ahemdabad is a seriously bizarre. At this restaurant, you can literally dine alongside the dead! No, we’re not kidding. Located in the Lal Darwaza region, this restaurant has been built in the place of a graveyard. Instead of shuddering at the thought, the owner of the restaurant decided to make this his USP. Apart from installing iron bars around the grave, everything is left untouched, the owner has built sitting areas around the graves, in the available space. Every morning, the staff cleans all the graves and adorns them with fresh flowers! Dining here will surely be an unforgettable experience.

6.  Bullet Baba Shrine in Jodhpur

Legend say that on his way home one day, Om Singh Rathore met with a drunk-driving accident when his bike crashed into a tree. The bike was taken away by the police but was miraculously discovered at the site of the accident the next day. Thinking of it as a prank, the cops took the bike away again and even chained it up at the cop station, But the bike reached at the site of the accident yet again! After that, the bike was permanently moved to the site of the accident, inside a glass enclosure. People offer flowers and liquor to this bike and worship it like some kind of deity! Strange, isn’t it? We sure think so.

7. The Sulabh International Museum Of Toilets in New Delhi

This museum, true to its name, offers up all the rare details and facts of the historic evolution of toilets, from 2500 BC till date. It even displays the trends in toilets over the course of these years! From medieval toilet displays to modern ones, this place is all about commodes both old and new! It really is a quirky museum that you must visit when you travel to New Delhi.

8. Door-Deprived Houses of Shani Shingnapur, Maharashtra

Shani Shingnapur, a small village located 35 kms away from Ahmednagar, is famous for its Shani temple. But that’s not all that is famous about this village. None of the houses, schools, and even commercial buildings in this village have a door, or even a door frame. In addition to this, not a single crime has ever been reported here. The villagers have undying faith in Lord Shani and believe that the near zero crime rate in the village is all His doing.

9. The Floating Stones at Rameswaram

As per our Epic Ramayana, Shri Ram and his Vanar sena made a floating bridge of stones to cross the grand sea and reach Lanka. These stones are said to be present in Rameshwaram till date. Don’t believe me?. Take a tour to the south most tip of India to see it yourself.

10. Magnetic Hill in Ladakh

Ladakh is located 11,000 feet above sea level and is known to have magnetic powers that will pull your vehicle towards it, even if the ignition is off!. This happens due to an optical illusion created of course, but it’s thrilling and unusual, to say the least!

11. The Great Banyan Tree in Howrah

What looks like a dense forest from afar, is actually just one wildly growing tree! About 3,600 aerial roots of this banyan tree have spread across a vast space, making it look just like a forest. This tree is actually the widest tree in the world! With every passing year, you will see that the tree continues to grow. The original root is impossible to find, you must see it to know more.

12. The Red Rain at Idukki, Kerala

Apart from a place with rich natural splendour of the Western Ghats, a vast forest reserve, & the tempting coastal curry, Idukki, or the ‘Red Region’, is also famous as one of the mysterious places in India.The red coloured rain at Idukki first fell on 25th July, 2001, and occurred sporadically for 2 months, staining clothes and buildings as it poured. This blood-red downpour, when collected by the locals, turned into clean water with red particles settled at the bottom. The scientists, after much analysis and debate, have zeroed in on one explanation for this occurrence. They say that the red particles are airborne spores of the locally growing alga in the region.

13. Bull Surfing in Kerala

No, this is not at all like the great bull race of Spain! Bull surfing is a water sport conducted in Kerela, after the harvest season. Two bulls charges down a paddy field through dirty mud, with a person hanging on to the tails of the bulls. All three are soaked with water and mud by the time they are finished. Obviously the fastest one wins. It is definitely a strange and intriguing thing isn’t it?

14. Dog Temple in Karnataka

I have heard of people who are head over heels in love with their dogs. But worshipping them? I think that takes it to a whole other level! Located in Chennapatna’s Ramanagar district, this temple houses statues of dogs. The locals believe that dogs work alongside their village deity. They also believe that dogs symbolises faithfulness and faithfulness must be worshipped. If you are a dog lover like me, you will find it cute.

Strange, aren’t they? Know of any more mysterious places in India? Let us know in the comments below. We will come back with more places soon only on a hope that you will see atleast few of these by then.

Happy Travelling!