A dilapidated building in the middle of a jungle or abandoned townships is often inaccessible to the public. Locals usually call it Bhoot Bangla, or haunted. They claim to have experienced paranormal phenomena while passing by or attempting to enter its premises. Many eyewitnesses also claim to have seen ghostly apparitions inhabiting the building’s eerie, empty rooms. This is an example of haunting in a small confined area. Imagine a fort or village comprising many empty structures, said to be haunted by the locals. Then, the level of fear it generates in the hearts of the visiting tourists is unimaginable.
Take, for example, the Bhangarh Fort and Kuldhara Village in Rajasthan, India. Both are reportedly among the most haunted places in Asia. Many paranormal experts from India and abroad visit these places to find ghostly traces. They also look for witches or negative energies. This is done for their research purposes and, of course, to attract viewers for streaming channels. Many tourists line up to glimpse ghosts, but return home without seeing anything. Sheer curiosity fuels interest in the paranormal. This fascination has led to the growth of a business model known as the ghost economy.
The most famous haunted sites always have stories passed down for generations. Bhangarh Fort, for example, has a story about a black magician (tantrik). He cursed the city after he was incapable of winning the queen’s favor. The second story recounts the tale of the supposed Baba Balunath. People say he cursed the town after the shadow of the fort fell upon his praying spot. In Kuldhara village, villagers from 84 villages fled one night. They refused to give the hand of a palliwal Brahman’s daughter to the devil dewan Salim Singh. In other places, like Dumas Beach in Gujarat, people are not allowed to enter the beach after evening. There is a fear they will not return. Many such haunted sites have many stories and folklore revolving around curses and anguishing tales. These stories have been passed on from generation to generation. It helps to keep the fear intact and obviously, the unquestioning belief.
Here comes the realm of the ghost economy. Many YouTubers and social media handles have emerged online. They thrive on telling ghost stories to spook the audience. Paranormal enthusiasts sit comfortably in their homes. They listen to the tall tales of ghosts without solid evidence. Most of them believe in these stories. The storytellers earn social media fame and money by telling spooky stories to their subscribers. Many sell merchandise also after becoming famous YouTubers.It’s part of the ghost economy.
Many guides and storytellers work on the premises of Bhangarh Fort and Kuldhara. They tell the stories of the places to visiting tourists for a fixed fee. It’s their job to inform the tourists who are already scared by the prospect of seeing a ghost. Many hotels and resorts are situated near parts of the fort said to be haunted by ghosts. Restaurants, snow parks, and many small eateries thrive on this ghost economy. It’s a myth in Bhangarh that if you take sweets inside the Fort, they will mysteriously be crushed. Many sweet shops near Bhangarh generate significant profits from this tall tale.
The Paranormal investigators take the cherry on top of the ghost economy. Many well-educated paranormal enthusiasts and psychics are equipped with scientific instruments. Some examples are the K2 or EMF meter. They venture into dark, haunted places. There, they record their findings. They have an online subscriber base to which they cater the conclusions. Many consider it pseudoscience. Yet, with sophistication and presentation, a gullible audience believes the so-called expert’s interactions with ghosts. The veracity of the claims is yet to be ascertained. Whether the instruments are functioning correctly is debatable. But, paranormal experts charge many clients for haunted tours. This business model has become a thriving one.
Many self-proclaimed gurus, psychics, and healers are operating for urban clients. These clients claim they don’t believe in blind belief systems. The horror podcasters are inviting such guests, who then spread the blind beliefs even more by claiming many supernatural stories. These paranormal experts were unaware. Their actions were affecting the mental health of lakhs of viewers. These viewers thought their content to be correct.
The truth about ghosts’ existence remains unclear. They might exist or not. But the business model, operating under the guise of ghosts, generates profits by capitalizing on the public’s curiosity. Plus, it spreads more blind beliefs than awareness. Proper guidelines must be established to guarantee the authenticity of paranormal claims.
The Witty Stride 