Horror fiction: Three friends meet the ghost of the emperor and his begum in Qutubpur

The incident I am about to narrate took place a long time ago.

Every year, during the Durga Puja holidays, we three friends went on a trip. It was a tradition we had.

I am speaking of a time when India was still under British rule, and Bengal had not yet been divided into East and West Bengal.

People all over the country lived contented lives. There were no fierce riots, and only rare instances of murder or violence.

Ordinary folk were not afraid to go out on the streets.

The three of us bought tickets and boarded the Toofan Mail. Our destination was the city of Delhi.

Old Delhi was a lot like Chitpur Road, with narrow lanes and bylanes forming a labyrinth of thoroughfares lined with old houses. Fatehpuri, where we stayed, was close to the Old Delhi railway station.

Delhi was famous for its landmarks. In Old Delhi, the main places of interest included the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Lahori Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Kashmiri Gate, and many more.

We took a bus from Old Delhi to New Delhi and saw the Central Secretariat, the Viceroy’s House, and several other interesting places.

One day, we took a bus to see the Qutub Minar. It was a historical monument...

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