Desi Horror Swathi Rao

History is often dark and traumatic. World War 2 in particular was disastrous for several countries. When Japan and USA were at war, a city in Philippines was used as a strategic pawn. A secret underground tunnel system was created by the Japanese.

The result was war and hundreds of dead Japanese soldiers whose souls were trapped in these tunnels forever. Narrow, dark and cold tunnels that now carry the weight of these souls.

In the 1900s Chinese immigrants were laid to rest in a cemetery in Bangkok. Decades of neglect caused the spirits to be angered and they wandered. Rumours spread and the city intervened in the 1990s.

The cemetery became a playground for children, jogging track for adults and a symbol of inclusivity. The spirits have been put back to rest.

Crag Hotel is a site that was once a residence, a hotel, a school and then a film set. One piece of land at the top of Penang Hill in Malaysia that lived through so many lives right from the 1800s. It was abandoned and now sits in ruins, weathered over time, waiting for visitors. Folklore deem it to be haunted but is it really the case?

To have a haunted bridge in the middle of an IT hub is unusual. The Holkar bridge in India, was built by the Peshwas, a Maratha ruler in the 1800s, it connects the outskirts of Pune to the city and is located right next to a cemetery. Do lost souls wander here at night?

Maldives is more than a tourist destination. We explore more folklore from this region in this episode. In ancient times the realms of spirits and men were separated by a set of laws and spells that were agreed upon by both races according to Maldivian beliefs. But one demon Dhonkamana was different, she made the grave mistake of transforming into a human but did she stay human?

The Maldives is known for its tourism, turns out there's more to this island country. Rannamaari wreck is a popular diving spot at a luxury resort in the Maldives. But where did it get its name from and what is the story behind this monster?