New Delhi : Delhi’s ‘Haunted’ Tree located in Dwarka Sector 9 has stirred curiosity across the internet, with claims of supernatural occurrences and unexplained energy surrounding the spot — but new revelations suggest that something much deeper (literally and figuratively) may lie beneath it: a buried historical stepwell, or baoli.
The viral buzz began when travel blogger Nakul Chhabra Dehlvi shared a video on Instagram offering a virtual tour of the site. In the video, he highlighted not just the eerie vibes reported by locals and passersby, but also the hidden history that could be buried beneath the concrete base of the tree.
“People say there’s a strange energy here at night. They often speed up while passing through this spot,” Nakul says in his video. “But what if the fear isn’t just superstition? What if something far more significant is being hidden beneath this tree?”
A Forgotten Stepwell Beneath the Surface?
What appears to be a haunted tree, according to Nakul, might actually be the surface marker of an ancient, circular stepwell — unlike the more commonly found rectangular ones across Delhi. He links the location to Toganpur village, a historical name that has long since faded from the collective memory of the city’s residents.
“This isn’t just a myth or a ghost story. There’s historical evidence. The structure is even mentioned in Maulvi Zafar Hassan’s archival survey Monuments of Delhi,” Nakul explained. “The baoli has likely sunk and been buried under layers of urban development. It’s an archaeological treasure hiding in plain sight.”
From Urban Legend to Potential World Heritage Site
Chhabra described the baoli’s architecture as rare, circular in design, unlike traditional wells found in Delhi, and even hinted that the site deserves World Heritage status for its uniqueness. Yet today, it remains largely unrecognized, dismissed by many as just another local ghost tale.
Haunting or Heritage? Locals React
Social media users have responded passionately to the video, with many validating Nakul’s claims of an unusual presence in the area.
“True, we always speed up near that spot,” wrote one user.
“There used to be a huge tree here — it always felt strange,” commented another.
But not everyone is convinced.
“This is just hearsay. I pass through here daily,” a viewer countered.
“It’s all made-up,” said another. “I’ve never felt anything strange.”
An Invitation to Reconnect With Delhi’s Past
Beyond spooky folklore, this story reveals a larger truth: many of Delhi’s ancient structures and stories are fading into oblivion as modern infrastructure overtakes heritage. The supposed ‘haunted tree’ might actually be the last visible remnant of a piece of the city’s architectural and cultural history.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about preserving lesser-known monuments and how urban legends often have historical roots.
Whether haunted or hallowed, the tree in Dwarka Sector 9 has certainly reignited interest in Delhi’s layered, mysterious past — and perhaps, the need to dig a little deeper.
