In addition to its breathtaking scenery, apple orchards, and winter sports, Narkanda is also well-known for the ghost of the Yellow Saree. Being one of the most spine-chilling urban legends in the area, this spooky tale has been terrifying travelers along the desolate roads that lead to this lovely hamlet for decades.
The story starts on the meandering roads that lead to Narkanda, a well-liked vacation spot for travelers and nature lovers. The roads have a distinct personality at night, but during the day they are calm and provide beautiful views of the hills and valleys. A woman in a yellow saree is a peculiar figure that many drivers who have driven through Narkanda after nightfall say they have seen standing on the side of the road.
The folklore claims that this ethereal form doesn’t first seem dangerous. Standing serenely by the side of the road, she appears to be giving lost passengers directions. The woman points in the direction of what appears to be a shorter or safer detour. The trick, though, is in the peril that ensues. The unwary vehicles that follow her instructions quickly find themselves traveling directly into the edge of a steep valley, even though she is pointing in an opposite direction from the road’s signboards.
The tale cautions against believing anything you see in Narkanda at night. It is thought that obeying the ghost in the yellow saree would result in catastrophe, regardless of how convincing she may seem. Even if the mystery woman makes her presence known, locals tell tourists to continue driving and abide solely by the official road signs. It is thought that this ghostly apparition tries to deceive cars into swerving off course and into the dangerous lowlands below, which can result in deadly collisions.
The origins of the Ghost in the Yellow Saree are unclear, as is the case with many local stories. Some people think the spirit is that of a lady who perished tragically on Narkanda’s roads. This version suggests that she may have been pushed off the road by a landslide or engaged in an automobile accident, leaving her ghost to stalk the highways indefinitely, looking for unwary victims. According to another version of the story, the ghost might be a vindictive spirit that wants to exact revenge on the living by tricking them into suffering the same fate she did.
This terrifying tale could have been inspired by early collisions in which drivers lost control of their cars and swerved into the valley in an attempt to discourage careless driving. Some residents swear by their personal experiences and caution others to follow the advice: believe the signs, not the ghost. The story of the ghost in the yellow saree has endured for decades, regardless of its origins.
