Source: Outlook India

India! As soon as that word pops up, images start crossing your mind. Images of royal palaces and forts, the grandeur of monuments, the vibrant atmospheres of temples, churches, mosques and gurudwaras, the roar of the endangered Asiatic lions and tigers sprawling amongst the jungles of India, the joyousness of festivals of Holi and Diwali, the crispy and spicy street foods and most importantly, Indians with their warm smile to welcome you all.

India, the birthplace of one of the oldest and most prosperous civilizations on the earth, has captured the heart and minds of people from all walks of life and parts of the world.

While the words of French scholar Romaine Rolland perfectly sums up the heart and soul of India, the words of Mark Twain describe the importance of India over the centuries and its contribution to world advancement:

"If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!" 

– Romaine Rolland

"India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most artistic materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!" 

– Mark Twain


Let’s dive into some of these mysteries that have passed over the centuries and to date remain unanswered to the modern advancements of the 21st-century world.

1. The 9 Unknown Men of Ashoka, The Great –

Source: Flickr

The 9 Unknown Men is a more than 2000 years old secret society formed by the Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, The Great. The emperor always believed in the power of knowledge and wanted to preserve it from getting in the wrong hands.

The society was designed to ensure that, in case of death or moving out of any member of the society, the member was replaced by a worthy successor. This society is believed to have continued to this date and preserving some of the most important secrets of knowledge, still unknown to modern mankind.

The 9 men were chosen by Ashoka for the 9 disciplines - Cosmogony, Propaganda, Light, Communication, Physiology, Gravity, Microbiology, Alchemy, and Sociology. These 9 disciplines are considered to form the very basis of the advancement and survival of humankind.

There are known definite ancient scriptures that throw light on this secret society, but it is believed that the society is active to this date and said to have included several prominent members from not only India but other parts of the world as well. If you want to know more about it, ‘The Nine Unknown’ by Talbot Mundy is one of the best mind-bending read about this secret society.


2. Skeletons of Roopkund Lake –

Source: Getty Images

Roopkund Lake, a majestic lake about 16,500 feet above sea level in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, is popular among tourists as the lake of skeletons. As the lake remains frozen for the most part of the year, the skeletons are most visible when the snow melts. The frozen skeletal remains of more than 500 humans have been found to date at this lake.

There have been many theories attached to the mystery of this lake, but no conclusive evidence has been found to date. For all the mystery lovers who want to see the skeletons at this lake dating back to as early as 900AD, September-October is the best time for you to visit.


3. Mass bird suicides –

Source: Twitter.com

Assam is a beautiful state in the eastern parts of India and is famous for its wildlife habitat. However, amongst this state lies the mystery of suicides by migratory birds in large numbers in Jatinga. The train ride to Jatinga is considered to be one of the most beautiful and at the same time one of the scariest train routes in entire India.

These suicides happen every year during the months of September to November between 7 and 10 pm. After research, it is believed that these mass suicides happen due to the combination of high altitude, high-speed winds and the widespread fog in the region.

This phenomenon is believed to have been going on for more than a century now with no conclusive response amongst the wildlife fraternity as to what causes more than 40 species of local and migratory birds to commit large scale suicide year after year.


4. Kondinhi: the village of twins –

Saliva collection from twin for research. Source: thehindu.com

The God’s very own country has a special village wherein an abnormally high number of twins are born. As you will enter this village, you will find a signboard reading – ‘Welcome to God's own country of twins.’ The number of twins is increasing every year and even the collective research by Indian, German and British researchers have not been able to explain this unnatural phenomenon. The village has more than 500 pairs of twins. It average of 45 twins per 1000 births is one of the highest in the entire world.


5. The magnetic hill of Ladakh –

Source: Traveltriangle.com

If you are driving through the scenic routes of Leh - Kargil highway, you will come across a stretch of road, that defies that gravitational rules. The now-famous hill is believed to pull stationary vehicles upwards and thus attract thousands of visitors every year, just to experience this unique phenomenon. There have been several theories attached to the magnetic hill. One such theory is that there used to exist a road to heaven at this place. Another theory associates this strange phenomenon with optical illusion. 


6. The uninhabited town of Kuldhara –

Source: Wikipedia.org

For any person who loves mystery, suspense and horror, woven in the threads of historical tales and folklores, Kuldhara is a must-visit place. Situated near the city of Jaisalmer, the village was once inhabited by the Paliwal Brahmins. However, the village is now believed to be cursed. Several people visiting this spooky village have reported the experience of the unexplained paranormal phenomenon during the day as well as at the night. It is believed that the village is haunted by the souls of the people residing there before their sudden vanish in a single night. If you are a paranormal lover, October to March will be the best time for you to plan a trip to experience the nerve chilling experience yourself.

Conclusion:

The above are only six of the thousands of unresolved and untold mysteries of India. It is a land of mystical tales which have captured the attention of scholars, inventors and the general public for centuries and welcomed them with open hearts to discover the realities of the evolution of humankind. If you come with an open mind, each and every part of this rich land has a story to tell, a story that will leave you astounded and mesmerized.

Thus, India was, has and will always remain a land of mysteries with its ancient and modern tales of grandeur, success, knowledge and evolution, passed on from one generation to another and withstanding the test of times. 

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