Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/nascent_carbon/ Kuldhara is an abandoned village in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, India. Established around the 13th century, it was once a prosperous village inhabited by Paliwal Brahmins. It was abandoned by the early 19th century for unknown reasons, possibly because of dwindling water supply, or as a local legend claims, because of persecution by the Jaisalmer State's minister Salim Singh. A 2017 study suggests that Kuldhara and other neighbouring villages were abandoned because of an earthquake. Over years, Kuldhara acquired reputation as a haunted site, and the Government of Rajasthan decided to develop it as a tourist spot in the 2010s. Ghost towns and villages hold a charm very different from the ruins of castles and fortresses, mostly because they give us a chance to peep right into the lives of the people who once inhabited them. Being a desert region, Rajasthan has no dearth of ghost villages but few of them have got as much attention as Bhangarh and Kuldhara, perhaps due to the legends associated with them. While we were in Jaisalmer, it was quite natural for us to desire a visit to Kuldhara, and so we did. In an era of powerful kings and ministers, about 200 years ago, Kuldhara was home to the Paliwal Brahmins. It was during this time that Salim Singh, the Diwan of Jaisalmer, known for his debauchery and unscrupulous tax-collecting methods, set his eyes on the beautiful daughter of the village chief. The Diwan was absolutely hell bent on having the girl and he told the villagers if they came in his way he would levy huge taxes on them. --This Indian Village Was Abandoned Overnight And No One Knows Why --Kuldhara—the ghost village --Abandoned and Cursed for Over 200 Years, This Rajasthani Village Has a Tale to Tell --Why did all of the residents of Kuldhara flee one night under the cover of darkness? Known for their extensive understanding of agriculture, the Paliwals were able to grow crops in the harsh, dry conditions of the Thar Desert by identifying areas that stored gypsum rock, a soft mineral made up of 20 percent water, beneath the surface. They also utilized their trading skills to help the community prosper, expanding over time, and living among one another for nearly six centuries.