According to Singh, Kuldhara was once a prosperous place, home to Paliwal Brahmins. But things became increasingly difficult for the people when Salum Singh, a lecherous Prime Minister of the king of Jaisalmer, laid his eyes on the Chief of Kuldhara’s beautiful daughter. Salum proposed marriage, but, not surprisingly, the chief of Kuldhara rejected it. Unable to handle the rejection, Salum sent an ultimatum to the chief that should his daughter not accept his hand in marriage within 24 hours, people of Kuldhara would face serious consequences. The chief sent a letter to Salum requesting for time to reconsider the proposal. Meanwhile, the people of Kuldhara, scared of the consequences and dishonour hurriedly prepared to abandon the village altogether. According to our tour guide, the same night, the Paliwal Brahmins gathered whatever possessions they could, and abandoned the village, never to return. Before leaving, however, the people cursed the village. Since then, Kuldhara has been uninhabited by man. It is now believed that this village is home to ghosts and evil spirits.
By the time Singh finished the story, it was already dusk. From the terrace, I could see the setting sun casting shadows upon the ruins of the once prosperous village. Before the darkness could engulf us, he guided us down the stairs and escorted us to where our car was waiting. As we got into the car, I felt a wave of relief washing over me. “There was nothing ghostly about the place, was there? Kuldhara doesn’t seem haunted…” one of my friends commented as we pulled away. She then informed us that the Rajasthan tourism board is looking to renovate Kuldhara to the way it was 200 years ago. Soon, cafes and restaurants will cater to tourists who wish to stay overnight. Is it possible then, that Kuldhara is not really haunted? I mused. Perhaps the ghosts have fled as more and more humans are now haunting the place… I thought to myself, smiling.