Kuldhara  - Village of Ghosts

Do you believe in Ghosts ? Can you dare to visit to the village full of Ghosts. It is believed that no one can dare to live in this village. Nobody has dared to live here. Whoever tried, suffer a brutal death.You will come across this deserted village during camel safari in Jaisalmer. Once Kuldhara was home to more than 1500 people. Suddenly one night the entire population of this village disappeared,  isn't it Scary ?.  It didn't happen because of volcanic eruption, earthquake or floods. Apparently the Diwan of Jaisalmer, who was famous for his debauchery set his eyes on the beautiful daughter of village chief. When he was tipped off about the intention of Diwan, chief decided to leave the village to save his daughter. Fearing that in the absence of chief, other people of village may become victim of Diwan's anger, the entire village decided to disappear overnight. They only took some of the valuable items and left the village in dark. But not before cursing it that whoever will dare to live in Kuldhara will die. Since then, this village has become a ghost town now. The houses made out of sandstones have become a tourist attraction. Several of these houses have been restored by Rajasthan tourism.

The Real Witchcraft in Orissa (India)

One of the most studied tribal religions in India, Santhal religion worships Marang buru or Bonga as supreme deity. The weight of belief, however, falls on a court of spirits (bonga), who handle different aspects of the world . The Santals are  non-Hindu people--in fact, they make a clear distinction based on race between themselves and Hindus and are classified as a "Pre-Dravidian" tribe. A number of ancient texts recount terrifying stories highlighting the sorcery or witchcrafts aspect of the Yoginis in this area. According to these stories, Yoginis could acquire certain magical powers with which they could transform human beings into animals and birds. A few other stories talk of a category of witches referred to as 'Dakinins', known for their ability to fly, besides their appetite for human flesh. These spirits operate at the village, household, ancestor, and sub-clan level, along with evil spirits that cause disease, and can inhabit village boundaries, mountains, water, tigers, and the forest. A characteristic feature of the Santhal village is a sacred grove on the edge of the settlement where many spirits live and where a series of annual festivals take place.

In Orissa, the ancient practice of witchcraft is still practiced. Among the Santals of Mayurbhanj district, the Santali witches often leave behind their husbands in bed in the midst of the night to assemble in a forest. Completely naked, they spend the rest of the night dancing and singing with 'bongas' (spirits or deities) and lions as their partners. At the break of dawn, they return to their beds, back to being what they originally were. The Santals believe that the 'talent' for witchcraft is not innate, but is attained through strict discipline.