There’s a widespread notion that travel brings us happiness and tranquility. But there’s another aspect of travel and tourism that will change your mind about that. Dark tourism, sometimes referred to as grief tourism, is a type of travel when travelers visit locations associated with tragedies, death, suffering, or notable historical atrocities. Unlike ordinary tourism, which tries to offer travelers pleasure, tranquility, and entertainment, dark tourism involves exploring places with gloomy or dismal history. It can raise awareness of historical events and promote comprehension and recall. So, get ready to book cheap flight tickets from Toronto to Hyderabad with Flyopedia and explore these 6 dark tourism sites in India with rich histories.
Best Destinations for Dark Tourism in India
1. Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
On April 13, 1919 Thousands of innocent citizens were shot dead in the center of Amritsar city while peacefully opposing British authority over India. It was a mass murder of humanity. As the British forces surrounded the unarmed, defenseless crowd in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, from all sides, acting Brigadier-General Dyer ordered his men to fire.
Many of the victims made the fruitless attempt to jump into the on-site well in an attempt to escape the relentless hail of gunshots.
Due to this disaster, over 1500 people were injured and about 1000 people lost their lives.
Many visitors come to this location to witness the bullet holes and understand the people’s helplessness during that period of British control.
2. Cellular Jail, Andaman & Nicobar Island (Kala Pani)
On the isolated island of Andaman & Nicobar, the British Indian government built The Cellular Jail, popularly known as Kala Pani, in 1906. Kala Pani, also called the jail of death, was renowned for its iron rods and concrete walls. Its purpose was to torment and confine the Indian freedom warriors.
It is reported that not many of the convicts who had been sent there survived this horrific nightmare.
80,000 people were housed in jail, hundreds of them were liberation fighters convicted of torturing and isolating themselves from the outside world. Because of the tight security measures in place, nobody had ever been able to escape from Kala Pani Prison save for the well-known freedom warrior Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
3. Indus Valley Civilization Sites
Between 3300 and 1300 BCE, the Indus Valley civilization existed in South-Western Asia during the Bronze Age. One of the world’s most widely dispersed civilizations spanned Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, establishing itself as one of the three oldest civilizations in the Middle East and southern Asia. The Indus Valley Civilization was the oldest in South Asia.
An archaeological camp led by Sir John Hubert Marshall, Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni, and Madho Swarup Vats excavated the Indus Valley Civilization sites in 1921.Approximately 1400 sites in India have yielded structures and artifacts that provide insight into the past. Furthermore, you can visit Flyopedia to book affordable air tickets from Vancouver to Mumbai.
4. Kuldhara Village, Rajasthan
Kuldhara, a village with 83 inhabitants, is now a ruin located in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district. The Paliwal Brahmins departed the region around two centuries ago because of insufficient water supply and high taxes collected by Diwan. According to another version, King Salim set his eye on a girl in the village and planned to marry her anyhow, so he cursed the settlement so that nobody else would ever live there. Consequently, the locals evacuated their homes and left the area throughout the night.
Nobody saw them go, and nobody still knows where the Paliwals of Kuldhara have settled, leaving behind their dwellings, which are now open to tourists.
5. Roopkund, Uttarakhand
Roopkund Lake, often called the Lake of Skulls, is a strange location in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
This amazing lake, located five thousand meters above sea level, is a popular trekking destination. At the shore of the lake are hundreds of ancient human skeletons that become visible as the snow melts.
According to scientists, the skeleton discovered next to the lake belonged to 200 Indian tribe members who perished in a severe snowstorm in the ninth century. Also, if you are seeking cheap flights from US to India, make sure to check out Flyopedia.com.
6. Union Carbide Factory, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)
The Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the strangest disasters in history, was an industrial accident that occurred at a Union Carbide subsidiary pesticide facility in Bhopal.
On December 3, 1984, 42 tonnes of toxic methyl isocyanides (MIC) gas leaked near a residential area of over 500,000 people due to senior Union Carbide officials’ disregard for certain industrial maintenance.
Hundreds of people died instantaneously from an extremely toxic material in the air that destroyed their lungs and gave them a burning sensation.
As of right now, this location is India’s most well-known and well-liked Dark Tourism attraction.
To Sum Up
Dark tourism destinations attract visitors from a wide range of backgrounds. Motivating factors may involve things like learning objectives, a desire to comprehend the past more deeply, and so forth. The urge to try something novel or unique motivates some people. Despite not being a fun activity, many people appreciate the educational benefits of dark tourism. Thus, if you are planning on visiting these places, make sure to browse Flyopedia first to book cheap flights from Toronto to Chennai India.
Also Read: The Caves of India are here to Amaze the History buff in you
