Few can muster the courage to argue with the meaning of my title in this publication. India is truly a very mystical country. Even the air there is saturated with something unusual. By inhaling it, you are already charged with unusual energy and your karma is cleared on many levels.

In this sacred year of 2012, I spent 38 days in India. It was a wonderful trip and was simply given to me by fate. Some stranger, who did not reveal his name, paid me in full for all travel and organizational expenses. Air travel and insurance is already a substantial amount. Every day I wonder why this man did not reveal his name and decided to remain an invisible hero.

Arrived in India early in the morning. I was the first passenger on the Delhi Metro. I needed to move to the metropolitan area - New Delhi. Arriving in international Airport Indira Gandhi, I was somewhat surprised by its modernity, although I understood that it must meet world standards, being the main airport of the country. I was very impressed by the richness of the airport and metro in this country. All this did not fit into the mind, since poverty raged outside the windows. The smell of poverty and poverty is present at every step in India. There are millions of people living simply on the streets. For some, their home is an ordinary blanket on the lawn, for others it’s just a cardboard box under a tree. There are a lot of poor people! But there are a lot of very rich ones.

Even those who have not been to India know that cows that do not belong to anyone roam the streets of the cities of this country. The cow and the monkey are sacred animals in this country. In addition to these sacred animals, other homeless animals also walk along the roads and garbage dumps: chickens and goats, donkeys and wild pigs, old horses and bulls. So they wander from one garbage can to another... There are a lot of rats, snakes, elephants, tigers... The benefits of stray animals are very great, as Hindus believe - they clean city streets from pollution, garbage and rotting food. However, they are not as peaceful as they seem at first glance. The same applies to Indians. I have never seen so many angry people in my life!

I built my journey and pilgrimage according to the principle “In the footsteps of Krishna and Buddha.” During this time, I covered more than 20 thousand kilometers, visited many states, cities, and villages. I will dwell only on the main points.

Krishna is the most famous avatar (divine incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, born on July 20, 3228 BC. At one time, he taught the world great teachings that spread throughout India and led to the emergence of various independent branches of Vaishnavism.

So, Vrindavan is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 70 km from Agra. This is a city of 7000 temples! More than 5,000 years ago, on the site of Vrindavan there was a small village of Gokula, where Krishna spent his childhood and youth. Krishna was born in the city of Mathura, but hiding from family enemies, he was forced to live in the village with his adoptive parents. Here he tended cows, played with gopi cowherd boys and played his wonderful flute.

Now the city, home to only 68 thousand people, is the world center of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. There are already a little more than 7 thousand temples dedicated to Krishna. You can meet many Europeans here.

I brought a lot of dry rudraksha fruits from Vrindavan. Rudraksha beads work on various levels: physical, emotional, planetary, karmic. Rudraksha enhances the power of prayer, improves physical health, normalizes blood pressure, weight, raises tone, increases the well-being of the place (home) where it is revered and stored. Each of the readers of the “Key” magazine can contact me to receive their own personal sacred bead.

After visiting Hare Krishna shrines, I discovered that chanting the transcendental sounds of the Hare Krishna mantra is a sublime method for reviving our Krishna consciousness. All of us living souls are originally Krsna conscious. It’s hard to believe, but I understand with an inner feeling that this is true. It's my personal opinion.

Before leaving for India, I came across this phrase: “You will be surprised that Buddhism in India is different from your ideas about it.” This phrase is true - I made this conclusion for myself when I found myself in Western Tibet.

The basis of Buddhism is a strongly linear perception of time, reflected in its dogmas of karma and continuous development. The first says that a person today lives according to karma, which was formed by his actions in past lives. And in today’s life, through his actions, he forms the karma by which he will live in future lives. The dogma of continuous development implies that any entity of our universe will pass (or has already passed) during its reincarnations the path from its most primitive state to the state of Buddha.

Buddha Shakyamuni traveled a lot, so in India there are many places associated with his name. But four are considered the most important of all: Lumbini (now located in Nepal), Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. The first and last are the places of birth and death, the other two occupy a central place in the history of the doctrine. In Sarnath, the Indian emperor, the Buddhist Ashoka, installed a grandiose stupa (religious building) on ​​this site, as well as many temples and monasteries, most of which were subsequently destroyed by Muslims.

Bodh Gaya is the place of Buddha's Enlightenment or Great Awakening, which he achieved by meditating for 49 days under the Bodhi Tree. Now at this place there is a tree, which, according to legend, is a direct descendant of that same Tree, and the Temple of the Great Awakening with a 52-meter Mahabodhi stupa. Now this place is a center of pilgrimage; temples of all world schools and movements of Buddhism are located here.

In addition to the holy places, I was unexpectedly carried into Indian Bombay and taken out of it just as quickly. The morning began with a crowded and noisy train station. I moved to the area under exotic name Colaba found a hotel there too. A night in any hotel in India costs from 4 hryvnia with our money. A room with a large double bed, TV, private bathroom and toilet, and balcony will cost approximately 25-60 hryvnia.

Come to Bombay and you will immediately understand how much a pound is worth. In this city of just over 20 million people, life in the Dharavi slum can be stressful. A depressing sight! I've never seen anything like this before! A black mountain of garbage, a girl in a pink sundress climbing over them, sewer rivers and babies splashing in them, old people with broken limbs, faces covered in ulcers, all the wounds covered in worms and flies... Who needs details of Daravi’s life can watch the film “The Millionaire from slums." That's where it was filmed.

Although Bombay itself (Indians call it “Mumbai”) is a very modern, rich, beautiful city. Bombay is the financial capital of India and Delhi is the political capital. Bombay also has many temples, holy places, museums, and parks. Fascinating embankment. A fascinating panorama near the Gateway of India overlooking the sea. But to enjoy real sea (ocean) landscapes, beaches, water - go to GOA or Kerala. This is south India.

There are not even words to describe the beauty and what we saw in those places. I especially liked Palolem beach and that local Catholic church on the beach. The place itself is imbued with an aura of mysticism. And so that you understand my condition, by mystical experience I mean the experience of direct personal communication with the Divine (Absolute). The affirmation of the possibility of direct union with God is the essence of mysticism, as, for example, soul reincarnation. Various mystical doctrines are found in all world religions and beliefs and have common features: gravitate toward intuitionism and symbolism; involve the practice of certain psychophysical exercises or meditations necessary to achieve a certain state of mind and psyche.

For questions about this publication, with suggestions and comments, call my numbers: 063-0544188, 097-6064330 or write to the editorial office.

, reiki master, traditional healer

India is an ancient country with a special culture. It is not surprising that there are many places with amazing stories associated with them. True, Europeans have not heard about these stories. So we will tell some of them to our readers.

Haunted Houses in Kolkata

National Library of Calcutta. Voices are heard here at night

The National Library of Calcutta is located in the main building of the ancient Belvedere estate. The first owner of the estate was Prince Dwarkanath Tagore. In 2010, during renovations on the ground floor of the building, workers discovered a walled-up room with an area of ​​304 square meters. No one knows what was there before. However, it is known that mysterious entities have been living in the library for many years. At night, voices are heard here, footsteps are heard. In the mornings, books and archival materials are found scattered on the floor and tables. But the loudest story happened to a student who stayed to work at night in the archive, collecting materials on the Victorian era, and disappeared without a trace.

Hastings House in Alipur (a city in the state of West Bengal, of which Calcutta is the capital) is a branch of the Belvedere estate and was once the residence of the Governor General. Today, the building houses the women's college of the University of Calcutta. At night, the roar of a rushing train can be heard in the main halls, and once a ghostly horse-drawn carriage drove into the building through the main entrance. The late Governor General sat in it. The deceased went inside and began to look for some documents in one of the classrooms.

However, the most famous “haunted building” is the Writers’ House in Calcutta, built by the British authorities. Till October last year, the secretariat of the West Bengal government was housed here. On December 8, 1930, Police General Simpson was killed within these walls by Indian rebels. Since then, his ghost has haunted the building. The Writers' House staff try not to stay here alone after dark.

Spirit Fortresses

The Agrasen Ki Baoli staircase in Delhi is called the suicide staircase.

The Agrasen Ki Baoli staircase in Delhi is called the suicide staircase. It was built in ancient times; some argue that it is a contemporary of the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. In the 14th century, the building underwent reconstruction. 103 steps lead down to the black water. People say that a spell has been cast on this place, and anyone who goes down the stairs and approaches the water is seized with the desire to commit suicide. And it is very important not to give in to this desire...

From the Delhi fortress of Firuzabad, built by Firuz Shah Tughlaq, now only ruins remain, in which, according to legend, evil jinn live. These places also actively attract suicides, and the ghosts of those who committed suicide here continue to wander through the ruins. There are wells in the fortress, to which, according to legend, fairies descend every night. According to legend, a mere mortal who sees them will lose his sight. Perhaps that is why the surrounding houses here were built so that the entrance and windows do not face Firuzabad. Of course, who wants to go blind!

To the west of Hyderabad (a city in South India) is the Golconda fortress, which once served as the residence of the Kakatiya Raja family. The local ruler, Shah Abdullah, was married to a courtesan named Taramati. After their death, both were buried in the royal cemetery not far from the fortress. They say that in the evenings the spirit of Taramati organizes dances in the central hall of the former residence. Poltergeist phenomena also occur in the building - some shadows move, inexplicable sounds are heard, objects fall, pictures on the walls turn over.

Shaniwar Wada Fort is located in western India, in the center of Pune (150 kilometers from Mumbai). It served as both a palace and a fortification. In 1818, most of the building burned down in a fire. Now after sunset, especially on a full moon, local residents try to avoid this place for fear of hearing heartbreaking screams. This is the cry of the spirit of a 13-year-old prince, who became a victim of political intrigue and was brutally murdered by his relatives...

Bangar Fort in Rajasthan, built in the second half of the 16th century by the powerful Maharaja, also enjoys ominous fame. As legend has it, the building was originally built in such a way that the shadow it cast during the day in the sun's rays would not reach the house of Guru Balu Nath. However, after the death of the Maharajah, his son built the building up, and then its roof began to collapse. No restoration work helped; the roof still collapsed inside the building. They say the reason for this is a curse. Whose? Perhaps the guru himself? Nobody knows this.

There is also a legend that the history of the fortress is connected with the magician Singhia and the princess Ratnavali, who rejected his love, and who destroyed the sorcerer with the help of his own divination. Dying, the sorcerer cursed the princess, and at the same time this place itself. Now anyone who finds himself in the fortress at night may disappear forever. However, it may not disappear. It depends on your luck.

Local residents believe that many spirits live here and sooner or later the reincarnation of Princess Ratnavali will occur, who will be able to break the sorcerer’s curse.

"Bad" hotels

The Rajasthan palace Brijraj Bhavan is allegedly haunted by the ghost of Major Charles Barton, one of the members of the British government. The major and his sons were shot dead during the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. Now there is a hotel here. Security guards say that sometimes, when they happen to light a cigarette or fall asleep on duty, someone’s invisible hand hits them on the shoulder. The guests also get it: from time to time they feel someone’s intrusive presence.

Another “bad” hotel is the Savoy in the city of Mussoorie, located at the foot of the Himalayas. This Gothic-style building was built in 1902 as the summer residence of the British viceroy. In 1911, two British women involved in spiritualism stayed here - Frances Garnett-Orme and Eva Mountstephen. One morning Frances was found dead, and Eva was arrested on suspicion of poisoning her friend. However, the court acquitted the woman. The ghost of Miss Garnett-Orme still haunts the hotel to this day in search of her killer.

Cursed village

Bangar Fort in Rajasthan enjoys an ominous reputation

In Rajasthan, near the border with Pakistan, lies an abandoned village called Kuldhara. No one has lived there for two centuries. It is said that 1,500 villagers disappeared one day to God knows where.

Tradition says that Kuldhara was inhabited by Brahmins for five centuries, and Salim Singh, the ruler of Jaisalmer, took a liking to the daughter of the head of the Kuldhara community. He demanded that she become his wife and gave her only a day to think about it. If she refused, Salim Singh threatened to kill all the girl’s fellow villagers.

Then her father turned to the village residents with a request to leave their homes. In a hurry, people left the village forever, while sending curses to Salim Singh. Since then, anyone who dares to stay here overnight will face death. Those who visited Kuldhara said that at night the ghosts of people who left their homes roam the village...

Last year, 30 members of the Delhi Paranormal Society decided to take a closer look at this sinister place. Subsequently, the researchers reported that they saw moving shadows, heard someone's voices, and several people even felt the touch of invisible hands. In addition, unexplained temperature fluctuations were recorded in some places. It is curious that ancient drawings have been preserved on the walls of some houses, and the paints have not faded in 200 years.

Alien ship

Recently, rock paintings dating back about 10,000 years were found in caves beneath the villages of Chandeli and Gotitola, located in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, 130 kilometers from the city of Raipur. They depict creatures that resemble humanoids. Some of them are dressed in spacesuits and holding objects resembling weapons in their hands. Nearby is an object on three supports, reminiscent of a flying saucer.

There is a widespread legend among the local population that in ancient times, small people, nicknamed “rohela,” descended from heaven several times in these places. When going back, the “rohelas” always took one or two people with them, and they never returned. Ufologists and supporters of the theory of paleocontact are convinced that we are talking about aliens...

The Department of Archeology and Culture of Chhattisgarh intends to contact NASA soon to consult about the mysterious images.

Those who have been to India know that there is an incredible number of architectural structures there. The various palaces and temples are magnificent. You can feel the greatness of the ancient builders and feel respect for their talent.

When you first look at these photographs, you think that this is also some kind of temple or palace. Only then do you pay attention to the details and realize that something is wrong here. The building goes deep and below you can see bright green water.

It turns out that this is an ancient rainwater collection system. These are unique underground wells. The depth of these stone structures reaches twenty-five meters. They are created as charitable projects by the rich people of India to help solve the problem of prolonged dry periods. During spring rains, water accumulated in these wells and residents could use it for their needs. Some wells are filled with groundwater.

For a millennium, Indians have used these buildings to conserve water. They are now abandoned. Due to uncontrolled use groundwater Most of the wells have dried up.

Some wells are maintained for display to tourists, but mostly they are dumps with garbage that local residents dump there.

The zeenews website has published a selection of the 10 most terrible and mysterious attractions in India.
In general, there are many unusual places in India, but this top is associated with destruction, death and ghosts and other mysticism. Believe it or not, if you happen to find yourself in one of these places, for safety and mental health reasons, do not stay there for long, much less overnight.

1. Bhangarh Fort, in the state of Rajasthan
The fort was built in 1613 by Raja Madho Singh, son of the great Mughal Man Singh of Amber.
Bhangarh was abandoned soon after it was built, presumably after being cursed by a magician.
Ajab Singh, the grandson of Madho, built there and his shadow reached the cursed place, after which the city was destroyed. Local residents say that every time they built houses there, their roofs collapsed. We are sure that no one can return home alive if they stay after dark. And the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has put up a sign saying, “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited!”

2. Brij Raj Bhavan Palace in the city of Kota in Rajasthan.
The 178-year-old Bridge Raj Bhavan of the erstwhile princely family of Kota in the state has its own ghost. British resident Major Burton was killed by Indian sepoys in the 1857 Mutiny. The sepoys killed the major and his two sons in the central hall of the building. Locals say that old man with a cane in his hand, Burton's ghost still walks around the palace, he does not harm anyone, but if during his rounds he sees that one of the guards is sleeping or dozing, Major Burton slaps them in the face.

3. Beach Duma in the state named after famous writer Dumas.
Historically, bodies have been burned on the shore here, and locals have many times reported numerous paranormal activities and the spirits of dead people around the area. There have been cases where tourists have disappeared while walking along the beach at night.

4. Ramoji Film City Studio in city, state.
They say that there were battles here during the war and the studio was built on bones, so it is haunted by the ghosts of dead soldiers.
Many paranormal activities were reported during the filming of the film, but these stories were suppressed due to the prestige of the studio. Torn clothes, shadows in the closet, a knock on the bathroom door, locked from the outside, were often noticed even by hotel guests in the city.

5. Dow Hill, Kurseong,
There have been several murders of children in the forest on these hills, which have left an eerie atmosphere. Many local residents say they heard footsteps in the corridors of Victoria Boys' School during the December-March holidays. Loggers claim to have seen beheaded boys walking between the trees.

6. D`Souza Chawl of Mahim V
, took water from the well and fell into it, where she died. Many people claim to have seen the ghostly apparition of a deceased woman at a well during the night. This ghost does no harm.

7. Thane – Vrindavan Society
A certain man committed suicide in one of the buildings in the Vrindavan Society (Bldg. No. 66 B). The guards who patrol the area have encountered strange events - someone is fighting here. One guard received a strong blow and hit another guard, believing that he was fighting, but it turned out that he was not...

8. Shaniwarwada Fort in Pune,
On a full moon, heartbreaking screams can be heard throughout the fort; locals believe that a ghost is screaming. This fort is haunted by the ghost of a prince who was brutally murdered here by his relatives when he was 13 years old.

9. Delhi Cantt to Delhi
People saw a lady in a white sari voting by the roadside. If you don't stop the car, it doesn't stay on the side of the road, but moves in front of the car, as dozens of people have reported. Some people think that the lady hitchhiked during her lifetime, which is why she continues to do so now.

10. GP block - Meerut
This place, popular among lovers of devilry, is also inhabited by ghosts. Usually four guys sit and drink beer by candlelight. Some people have seen the ghost of a girl in a red dress leaving the house. Others saw boys sitting on the roof.

Jul 15 2017

India is a country located in South Asia. The country borders with many other states. The country's area is 3.3 million square meters. m. India includes several union states and 28 states.

Geographical location of India: Deccan Plateau, Himalayan Mountains, Indo-Gangetic Plains, which is located between the Deccan Plateau and the Himalayan Mountains.

People traditionally begin to get acquainted with India from Delhi, the capital of the state. And one day is not enough to see all the sights. Delhi has many temples, tombs, museums and many other interesting things. Therefore, tourists will have the opportunity to raise their cultural level and learn a lot of new things.

Delhi combines tradition and innovation. Old traditions and culture directly influence new culture and art.

It should be noted that tourism development is connected with many alternative proposals. You can just lie on the beach or go on excursions, gain a lot of knowledge and expand your horizons. In Delhi, popular attractions include the Golden Triangle and the Taj Mahal. And this is easy to explain, since these places are truly beautiful and interesting. After all, it doesn’t hurt tourists to raise the level of cultural development.

If a person is ready to learn and work on something new, or improve his personality, then here is the opportunity to learn Ayurveda, do yoga or meditation. You can improve your health in Kerala. Moreover, here you can not only cure some diseases, but also simply arrange preventive measures for the body.

Also, one of the most famous places visited by tourists is Goa. For some it is a suggestion of a paradise, for others it is an opportunity to hang out, for others it is an opportunity to simply relax.

India is attractive to foreigners for its special variety of attractions, climate and culture, which many guests are interested in with undisguised delight. Although a holiday in India may not be suitable for everyone, everyone will experience emotions. Some will love the country, the people and the culture. And for some it will remain a mystery - why this place is so popular among tourists and pilgrims.