Why does Bengal worship Kali on Diwali night? Explore the Dark Mother, Bhoot Chaturdashi’s fourteen lamps, festival food and Bhai Phonta in the final part of my Bengali festival series.
From Ireland’s Samhain to Mexico’s Day of the Dead and Bengal’s fourteen lamps, explore how different cultures welcome their ancestors and guard against unwelcome spirits.
Explore Port Arthur’s ghost stories, from the haunted Parsonage and Blue Lady to the Separate Prison and Isle of the Dead, with history and a practical ghost tour guide.
Behind Château de Brissac’s Green Lady legend lies a killing, a disputed date and a royal pardon. Explore the record behind the ghost story and plan your visit.
Explore the Island of the Dolls in Xochimilco: Julián Santana Barrera’s history, the uncertain drowned-girl legend and how to visit the original island.
What is Durga Puja? A Bengali writer explains Akal Bodhan, the five days, the food, and why Bengal wakes the goddess in autumn, not in spring.
What is Mahalaya? A Bengali writer explains the pre-dawn radio ritual, the Durga and Mahishasura story, and why this morning opens Durga Puja.
At Čachtice Castle, the Blood Countess legend overshadows the servants who stood trial in 1611. A Dark Atlas investigation into Elizabeth Báthory, disputed testimony and the people the ghost story leaves behind.
Eastern State Penitentiary was built to silence its prisoners. Today its ghost stories are full of voices. The Dark Atlas examines the history, the evidence and what those stories reveal about how we listen.
Was Vlad the Impaler imprisoned at Corvin Castle? Explore the records behind its legends, its dramatic restorations and what to know before visiting.
