Malcha Mahal

Delhi · Indien · Ruin

Guards and visitors speak of voices and footsteps in the hunting lodge where the prince of Oudh died alone — few dare go near after dark.

Few dare approach Malcha Mahal after dark. Guards and visitors tell of voices from the empty halls, footsteps on the stone floor and the sense of being watched from the forest around — and the ruin has earned a reputation as one of Delhi's most haunted addresses.

The hunting lodge, built in 1325, lies hidden in the ridge forest behind the diplomatic enclave. In 1985 the self-styled 'Begum Wilayat Mahal of Oudh' moved in with her two children, her hunting dogs and inherited valuables, and the family lived there in bitter isolation without power or water. Wilayat took her own life by swallowing crushed diamonds, according to her children, and in 2017 her son 'Prince' Cyrus was found dead and alone among the debris. The New York Times later revealed the family had never been royal at all.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Malcha Mahal?

Malcha Mahal ligger i Delhi, Indien.

Image: कृष्ण कान्त शर्मा / CC BY-SA 4.0 — Wikimedia Commons