I have hesitated to write about this for years.
Not because I forgot what happened, but because I still don't know how to explain it.
Even after all these years, every detail of that day remains as clear as ever.
It all began with what was supposed to be an ordinary stop at Bhangarh Fort.
My family and I were returning home after attending a relative's wedding near Alwar. Since Bhangarh Fort was on the way, someone suggested we stop there for a while.
I wasn't particularly interested in visiting, but everyone else wanted to, so I went along.
It was daytime, and the fort was bustling with visitors. Families were walking around, people were taking photographs, and everything felt completely normal.
At some point, I got separated from my family and unknowingly walked farther inside the fort.
Eventually, I found myself near an area with several kewda trees.I don't know why, but the moment I reached that area, I had an overwhelming feeling that someone, somewhere in the distance, was watching me.
I couldn't see anyone. But the feeling wouldn't go away.I stood there, looking around, trying to understand where that feeling was coming from.
Then, without any warning, my body simply refused to move.I couldn't move.I couldn't respond.I just stood there, staring ahead.
Meanwhile, my family had realised I was missing and started looking for me. They later told me they found me standing there, completely silent, staring into the distance.They kept calling my name, but I didn't respond.
It wasn't until my mother touched me that I suddenly came back to my senses.Within moments, I started feeling dizzy. They gave me some water, and we decided to leave.
On the drive back home, I barely spoke. We stopped to eat on the way, but I had no appetite. Soon after, I developed a high fever and started vomiting.
By the time we reached home, my condition had become much worse.The fever wouldn't go away. But what disturbed me even more was the constant feeling that someone was watching me. I was restless all the time, and even the slightest sound would make me jump.
My family took me to several doctors. I underwent tests, took medicines, and waited for answers.Every report came back normal. Days turned into weeks, but nothing changed.
Then, one night, I got up to drink some water. My brother was talking to his friends on the phone. They were planning a trip to Bhangarh Fort, and he was explaining the route.The moment I heard the word "Bhangarh," something inside me changed.
As he continued describing the road, mentioning the lotus ponds along the way, I began trembling uncontrollably.
My heart started racing. An unbearable pressure built inside my head. The glass slipped from my hands and shattered on the floor. I couldn't stop crying.My mother woke up immediately and held me close until I finally calmed down.
A few days later, on the advice of someone we knew, my family took me to a Hanuman temple for a traditional ritual.What happened after that is something I still cannot explain.
The fever disappeared.
The fear disappeared.
The restlessness disappeared.
It was as though everything that had been weighing me down was suddenly gone.
Since that day, I have often asked myself what really happened at Bhangarh Fort.
Was there a logical explanation that we simply never found?
Or was it something beyond my understanding?
I don't know. And perhaps I never will.
All I know is that I walked into Bhangarh Fort as an ordinary visitor......and walked out with an experience I still can't explain.
