Bhangarh Fort

Bhangarh was founded in 1573 and laid out as a planned town at the foot of a hill in the Aravallis, with a bazaar street, havelis, temples, a palace and gates within a wall, and it was abandoned in the following centuries, leaving the whole plan legible in ruins. It is best known for its reputation as a haunted place, attached to competing legends about a curse, and the Archaeological Survey posts a notice prohibiting entry between sunset and sunrise, which is unusual and has done more than anything to fuel the story. By day it is a substantial and quiet ruin walked through scrub with monkeys in the temples.

What to look for

• The bazaar street - the town's main axis with ruined shopfronts.
• The palace and temples - stone buildings at the head of the town.
• The gates and walls - the enclosing circuit of the planned settlement.
• The night prohibition - the official notice barring entry after dark.

When to go

October to March; the site closes at sunset by order, so afternoons are the practical time. Rajasthan summers are severe with no shade. Weekends bring crowds drawn by the reputation.

Before you go

The overnight prohibition is a legal notice, not evidence of anything; the ruins are simply unlit and unsafe after dark. Monkeys are aggressive around food. Interpretation on site is minimal.

Nearby

Sariska lies north; Jaipur is southwest.