Standing in ruins , abandoned since long,
The shifting sands seem to sing eerie songs,
With not a single soul in sight,
Where voices are silenced during nights.

A place that was once bustling with activity,
Due to strange events deserted for posterity,
Haunted by ghosts of the past,
Where a civilization ceased to last.

Where did all the villagers flee?
How far did they go, what did they carry?
With the pages of history that unfold
Several versions of stories are being told.

But one story has stuck till date,
That has brought all the ill fate,
It’s about the reigning ruler who fell in love with the chieftain’s daughter,
Her hand in marriage, he asked the father.

The chieftain refused , he was stubborn,
Despite persuasion he remained stern,
The angry ruler vowed to destroy their livelihood,
Imposed heavy taxes, that seemed just a prelude.

So the chieftain had a meeting with other village heads,
And to escape the wrath of the ruler overnight they fled,
Never did they return, the dilapidated walls breathing stories still stand,
Several years have now spanned.

Now, serving as a mere tourist attraction,
For horror movies a much sought location,
It is Kuldhara, the ghost town of Jaisalmer,
The mere mention of its name still gives me jitters.

***

( I visited this place in Jaisalmer during my trip to Rajasthan in November)