In the sand of Rajasthan, not only palaces and forts, but also layers of countless mysteries and stories are hidden. One of these mysterious places is the Kiradu temple, which is situated in the lap of the Thar Desert in Barmer district. Historical and architecturally, this temple is as amazing as it is full of mystery and fear. It is said that as soon as the sun sets, humans are forbidden to stop here, and the one who stops becomes a stone.
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The history of the Kiradu temple is believed to be between 11th and 12th centuries. It was built by the kings of the Parmar dynasty, which were famous for architecture. There are a total of five temples here, the main temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Their architecture reminds the temples of Khajuraho and Konark – complex carvings, beautiful sculptures and grand pillars, but as much as this temple seems to be a symbol of reverence and art during the day, it becomes the center of fear and mystery at night.
Local people still believe that as the sun sets, the air around this temple changes. As the evening is, the temple and the entire area around it are submerged in a strange silence. No local person dare to stay here after sunset. It is said that whoever tries to stay here in curiosity, he never comes back – and the next morning a new stone is found there.
There is also a legend to this mystery. It is said that a saint came here years ago and he did penance in the temple. The disciples who came with him fell ill, but the villagers did not take care of him. The saint got angry and cursed the entire village that “whoever will now spend the night at this place will become a stone.” Since then, due to the curse of the saint, no person has stayed in the temple premises at night till date. Researchers and courageous people tried many times about this mystery, but no strong evidence could be found of those claiming to spend the night.
Some people consider this mystery to be mental fear and social confusion. According to him, at night, there is an atmosphere of fear due to wild animals and desert winds. Also, due to lack of electricity and lights here, people leave the temple themselves fearfully. However, till date this belief has not been completely denied. There is no concrete scientific evidence that can prove or dismiss these stories, and this makes it even more mysterious.
The Kiradu temple has now become a major tourist attraction, especially for those who are interested in mysterious and historical places. There is a large crowd of tourists here during the day, but as soon as the evening, people automatically leave from there. Efforts are being made by the government to preserve the region too, but the entry into the temple at night is still restricted-and perhaps this restriction makes this mystery stronger.
