India’s complex history has left behind numerous genuinely abandoned palaces that are silent witnesses to bygone eras. These forgotten structures continue to captivate with their decaying grandeur and atmospheric charm. Their crumbling walls and overgrown courtyards tell stories of the rise and fall of princely states, colonial influence, and dramatic shifts in India’s political landscape.
Here is a list of 20 truly abandoned palaces in India that maintain their stunning beauty despite being forsaken by time.
Moti Mahal
Hidden deep in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, Moti Mahal has been completely reclaimed by jungle vegetation since its abandonment in the 1950s. Massive banyan trees have taken root on its once-grand terraces, their aerial roots forming natural columns alongside the original marble pillars.
The palace’s ornate jharokhas now serve as nesting sites for tropical birds, creating an enchanting fusion of human artistry and wild nature.
Hampí Royal Enclosure
Once part of the Vijayanagara Empire capital, the abandoned royal quarters in Hampí lie scattered among massive granite boulders. These 14th-century structures feature innovative water-cooling systems with channels carved directly into stone floors.
Completely forsaken after Muslim invaders conquered the kingdom, these chambers remain exactly as they were left, with emptied treasure vaults and crumbling audience halls.
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Ghost Palace of Kota
Standing alone on a small island in the Chambal River, this hunting lodge of the Kota royal family has been abandoned for over a century after a series of unexplained deaths. Local legends claim spirits haunt the palace, and boatmen refuse to approach its crumbling ghats even during daylight hours.
The palace’s distinctive octagonal towers remain surprisingly intact, their sandstone facades gradually sculpted by relentless desert winds.
Bahadur Kothi
This forgotten 18th-century merchant’s mansion in Ahmedabad’s old city has remained sealed since its owners fled during Partition. The structure features a unique blend of Gujarati, Mughal, and European architectural elements, creating an eclectic appearance typical of wealthy trading families.
After decades of legal disputes among distant heirs, the palace continues to deteriorate behind locked gates, with only occasional urban explorers documenting its fading splendor.
Hiran Minar Palace
Built as a hunting lodge by Emperor Jahangir, the residential quarters of the Hiran Minar complex have been completely abandoned since the fall of the Mughal Empire. The decaying palace stands beside an unusual tower studded with stone elephant tusks and an artificial lake now used by local farmers.
Untouched by restoration efforts, the palace chambers feature crumbling plaster that still shows traces of intricate wildlife paintings commissioned by the emperor.
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Dhumrao Palace
Perched on a cliff in the Aravalli range, Dhumrao Palace was hastily abandoned in the 1920s after a partial collapse killed several royal retainers. Its remaining wings hang dramatically over a 300-foot drop, with engineers marveling that these structures still stand despite a complete lack of maintenance.
The palace interior contains untouched royal apartments with personal belongings still in place, creating an eerie time capsule that authorities have left undisturbed due to dangerous access.
Rampuria Havelis
Located in remote Bikaner, the abandoned mansion complex of the Rampuria merchant family features elaborate red sandstone facades that have withstood the harsh Rajasthan climate. The interconnected structures contain over 400 rooms built around seven courtyards, with intricate latticework screens designed to catch even the slightest desert breeze.
Since the family’s business collapsed in the 1950s, these once-magnificent havelis have remained completely abandoned, with occasional film crews providing the only human presence.
Phool Mahal
Known as the ‘Palace of Flowers,’ this abandoned summer retreat in the Sivalik Hills features unique cooling systems with water channels running through hollow walls. The palace’s distinctive curved rooflines and floral stone carvings are slowly being overtaken by flowering vines that have taken root in cracks throughout the structure.
Left to decay since an earthquake damaged its foundations in the late 1800s, the palace has never been restored, remaining in splendid isolation far from tourist circuits.
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Cheena Qila
Often called the ‘Chinese Fort’ due to its unusual style, this abandoned palace in rural Odisha combines Chinese pagoda elements with traditional Kalinga temple design. Its remote location in a malaria-prone region led to its abandonment in the early 20th century after most of the royal family succumbed to the disease.
The palace’s distinctive ceramic roof tiles, imported from China, continue to glisten in the sunlight despite a century of monsoon seasons beating against them.
Rang Mahal
Hidden within a forgotten corner of Punjab, the true Rang Mahal has remained abandoned since its royal occupants fled during Partition. Its remaining wall paintings, created using crushed gemstones and gold leaf, have faded but still hint at the extraordinary craftsmanship lavished on this hunting palace.
Completely overlooked by preservation authorities, the palace slowly crumbles as local villagers occasionally salvage materials from its outer structures.
Piramal Haveli
Isolated in a small Rajasthan village, this merchant’s palace has been abandoned since the 1970s, when the last caretaker died. The haveli’s unusual combination of Mughal, Rajput, and colonial architectural elements creates a strangely beautiful hybrid structure.
Despite being legally protected, the palace receives no maintenance funding, resulting in collapsed roofs that allow rain to damage the colorful interior frescoes.
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Sheikhpura Palace
Tucked deep in rural Bihar, the Sheikhpura Palace complex has been abandoned since Independence when its nawab owners relocated to Pakistan. The palace combines Rajput defensive architecture with European neoclassical elements, further enhanced by decades of neglect and encroaching jungle vegetation.
Local legends of hidden treasure have led to occasional illegal excavations, but the palace remains largely untouched due to superstitious fears of a curse.
Barwara Fort Palace
Certain wings of Barwara Fort Palace in eastern Rajasthan have remained untouched for over 70 years, with collapsed roofs and crumbling walls. These forsaken chambers contain architectural elements from the 14th through 19th centuries, showcasing the evolution of regional design across six centuries.
Though parts of the larger complex have been minimally maintained, these abandoned sections remain exactly as they were left, with emptied storage jars and broken furniture still visible.
Malcha Mahal
Hidden within Delhi’s Ridge forest, Malcha Mahal was abandoned after the death of its last occupant, a self-proclaimed princess who lived there until 2017. This Tughlaq-era hunting lodge previously housed descendants of the Nawab of Awadh, who lived without electricity or running water and fiercely protected their residence.
The structure now stands empty and is deteriorating rapidly, and officials are reluctant to intervene due to legal questions about ownership.
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Nujum Palace
Located on a remote island in the Sundarbans Delta, Nujum Palace was built by an eccentric Bengali zamindar as an astrological observatory and retreat. It features unusual circular chambers aligned with celestial positions, earning the nickname ‘Palace of Stars’ among locals who avoid it after sunset.
Abandoned after a cyclone in 1970, mangrove trees now grow directly through the broken floors, and saltwater inundates its lower levels during spring tides.
Chandra Mahal
Standing amid sugarcane fields in rural Maharashtra, Chandra Mahal was abandoned during a family dispute in the 1940s, leaving personal belongings disintegrating under accumulated dust. The palace features unusual moon-themed architectural motifs, with crescent shapes incorporated into railings, windows, and decorative archways.
Though the surrounding lands are actively farmed, villagers maintain a distance from the structure, believing it is inhabited by the spirits of feuding family members.
Dinajpur Rajbari
Deep in West Bengal, the abandoned wings of Dinajpur Rajbari have been completely overtaken by strangler figs and monsoon vegetation. Though some portions serve as government offices, its former royal apartments remain untouched since the zamindari abolition, with collapsed ceilings revealing ancient clay bricks.
These abandoned sections feature unique black stone carvings depicting Bengali folk tales, their details gradually softening as tropical lichens dissolve the stone surfaces.
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Hill Palace of Narayanpur
Perched on an isolated hilltop in Chhattisgarh, this hunting lodge has remained abandoned since its ruler died without heirs in the 1950s. The palace combines traditional chhattri with surprisingly modern concrete elements, creating an architectural curiosity far from tourist routes.
Years of regional insurgency ensured the palace remained untouched, with even looters avoiding the remote location that can only be reached by a steep, overgrown forest path.
Kala Bagh Palace
Standing near a disused manganese mine in central India, Kala Bagh Palace was built by a mining magnate whose sudden bankruptcy left the structure partially completed and immediately abandoned. Its black stone exterior, sourced from the adjacent mine, creates a uniquely somber appearance, unlike the typically colorful palaces.
The half-finished structure offers a fascinating glimpse into historical construction techniques, with abandoned scaffolding still in place around never-completed towers.
Garh Palace
Hidden in a forested valley of Madhya Pradesh, sections of Garh Palace have remained abandoned since a political assassination in the 1930s led to the royal family’s exile. The palace’s stepped architecture follows the natural contours of a hillside, with 27 successive levels connected by ceremonial staircases now crumbling into the surrounding forest.
Though historically significant, the site’s remote location and ownership disputes have prevented preservation efforts, leaving it in picturesque decay.
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Final Fragments of Forgotten Glory
These truly abandoned palaces represent more than architectural curiosities—they are unintentional time capsules preserving moments when history suddenly changed direction. Their empty halls embody the dramatic transitions India experienced through colonization, independence, and the abolition of princely privileges.
Unlike their restored counterparts, which serve as hotels or museums, these genuinely abandoned structures offer a more authentic glimpse into India’s complex past as nature slowly reclaims what humans once built.
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