October Haunting - The Haunting of Changi Series: The Mortuary

The mortuary is the white building on the right.

Most people who went to OCH would have asked: where is mortuary? Although they looked up and down, level by level and corner by corner in the OCH compound, they would never find it. The mortuary is not located in the main buildings but in a small timber house at the most west side of the OCH territory. There is a small road that connects to it from behind the hill. Most people wouldn't notice about it. And that is the idea. Just like we don't prominently see vehicles that deliver corpses running around the roads. With the kind permission of the security guard and our privileges from NHB, we were allowed to walk near the mortuary to take a picture. "There is nothing special there, my friends. All the fridges are now empty ones", the security guard exclaimed.

"The compound was or rather is really haunted. The spirits are especially active on Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” according to the security guard with a definite voice tone. "Usually we can only see them with their back facing us, they seldom show their front," he added. Door slamming, lady screaming in the middle of the night is already the norm for him.

On one particular incident at around 1:45 AM, a strong gust of wind blew suddenly when he was reading the paper, making his hair stand on ends. As he raised his head to take a peek at the surrounding, he saw two ladies, a Malay and the other Chinese, standing just 1 meter beside him. When asked about how he feels about his job as a night guard, he said that it was scary in the beginning but he is used to it now. Up to now, the mortuary was still well maintained. It allows accommodation up to a maximum of four corpses.

October Haunting - The Haunting of Changi Series: The Haunted Wards, Torture Chamber and the Elusive Underground Bunker

The next bit of the Old Changi series describes various areas of the hospital not covered in my previous posts. They are accounts of a group of people exploring the hospital at night and providing photos of their explorations. While they didn't really encounter any paranormal activity, they definitely could not deny the feeling of dread emanating from the area.

The Haunted Wards

Inside the OCH compound, you can see many wards with high ceilings. Notice that the wards and rooms are never closed up. This design makes air ventilation easier for the wards didn't have any air-cond but ceiling fans! Now those wards are totally left empty except some fixtures such as fans, wall-mounted switches, basins and some built-up platforms on the floor. By using a bit of imagination, one can vaguely resemble how it was like when the wards were in use. Rows of sick-beds lined up the place, wounded soldiers and ill patients suffered and mourned in pain. Doctors and nurses in white robes busy walking in and out of the wards. Many patients who could not make it had their last breath right there...

The Torture Chamber 

Perhaps this is the 2nd most scariest place in OCH after the mortuary. Out of so many wards and rooms, we found one that is remarkably different. Even for today it has a kind of emergency red-and-white plastic tape barring it off from access. It didn't seems to safe guard people from any physical danger inside the room, but may be from something else... This particular room (rather we call it a chamber) unlike the others with open wall ends on top is completely self-contained. The walls are made of thick solid concrete and unpainted. Further inside you will see some concrete built-up structure as if it was used for securing something tight on the floor. One of the horrible signs is the metal chains with one end set loose and the other end securely fixed on the wall. It seemed strong enough to tie up a tiger. And, you can see maroon colored blood stains are still left on the floor. Absolutely horrible. One would expect to see such a chamber in a prison but never in a hospital! But don't forget, this is a military hospital used by the Japanese. There are many undocumented stories saying that during the war many "important" citizens and POWs were detained at OCH. Most had never been seen again, and they were believed to be tortured to death over here.

The Underground Bunker

The tunnel that led to the alleged underground bunker.

There are rumors saying that OCH has an underground bunker under the hill that connects to the barracks nearby. We found some suspicious spots that very few people know about. The first spot is the main lift at OCH inside has a button for going underground. But the lift now is immobilized. The second and third spots are the hastily sealed up mound by simply dumping plenty of concrete at the ground floor staircase, and the exit door at the other end of the building got tightly nailed shut respectively. This clue suggested us to believe firmer that such an underground bunker exists. Throughout the 70 years of history from pre-war British occupation to post-war Japanese occupation, it would be beyond our imagination on what secret treasures may have hidden down there. Having those main entrances to the underground bunker completely sealed up on the ground floor and the fact that we were not able to break in (and we never wanted to do that), we had to look for a secret passage if there is any. A bold idea though it turned out as a failure is to try search for the secret passage from top-down. Right on the top of the building there is a small open look-out space. From there we found a chimney which we suspected is connected to the underground bunker. People who were in underground did need some air vent for breathing. Ok, true enough, this was what supported our believed. However, like a long tunnel, the chimney was so narrow that can barely allow one person climbing in and out. By using some special equipment we descended our camera deep down to the tunnel and captured some photos. We were counting the depth as the camera went down: 1 meter, 2 meter, 3, 4, 5 ... The tunnel was long and deep even our strongest halogen light could not reach the bottom. It looked as if it were leading to hell. After 20 meters or so, we had found bats resting on the wall of the tunnel for one moment, but they were gone for the next. What does this suggest? The tunnel was not dead-ended and down there may live a kingdom of bats! A thought of it made us shivered. So for our safety, we called off this exploration, and we do strongly advise people PLEASE DON'T TRY IT. If you can ever get in, there will be more likely to have another police report of man missing in OCH than you can safely walk out in one whole piece.

October Haunting - The Haunting of Changi Series: Changi Hospital

Built in 1930's, together with an A/E opposite the road and several blocks of commando barracks Changi prison nearby, the Old Changi Hospital (OCH) is situated at Netheravon Road in Changi villages.  It has quite a long and rich history for being the former hospital of today's modern Changi General Hospital in Simei and Toa Payoh Hospital equipped with world-class facilities.

With its classical design, one can see that OCH is a typical replica of buildings built by British Colonial architects in the early 20's.  Surprisingly OCH was not meant to be a hospital when it was first built (same for the A/E).  The British was planning to have a heavily guarded military location in the east of Singapore.  The site was strategically selected for it is high on top of a hill overlooking the sea surrounding most of the east side and the south side of the island.  For about 10 years before the war, this classical 7-storey high building compound was used as military command quarters and barracks.

During the assault of the Japanese aggression from Malaya in February 1942, Changi was targeted as one of the first attack points.  In a day or two, it was occupied by the Japanese army moving from Puala Ubin.  Soon after that OCH was converted to a military hospital where all the wounded soldiers and civilians were attended to.   After the Japanese Occupation ended, it was converted back to its original self, as a public hospital and later with a Military ward on the third level.

From February 1997 onwards, OCH was closed for its hospital operations were replaced by the new Changi General Hospital.  It got isolated and left vacant there since then.  According to some insider sources, the abandoned OCH will remain as it is but it will be re-open for the 'public' soon during 2005 for the Army Camp or for the Officer Cadet School (OCS) Trainees.

However, stories about the building being haunted started in the early 40's.  The Hospital itself had 70+ years of rich history when it survived from the dreadful World War II that took place from 1942 to 1945, witnessing the fall of Singapore and the brutal tortures towards the prisoners of war (POW) that happened there.  Therefore, seeing spirits of all races and of different nationals wandering around in the compound would be a common sight.

Old Changi Hospital is one of the most notoriously haunted places in the world.  During World War II, Japanese forces invaded Singapore and the beaches of Changi were soaked in the blood beheaded civilians and prisoners of war.  The Japanese military took the original Changi buildings and made it their headquarters.  There were many rumors of horrific torture chambers and the bloody executions of POWs.  After the war, the Japanese themselves became the executed and paid for their war crimes with their own blood in the same Changi area.

In the 1950's the former military barracks were turned into a public hospital.  A perpetual portal for life and death, the premises was proclaimed haunted by the public throughout the years.  Witnesses claimed to see ghosts, Japanese soldiers and even pontianaks -- a Malay vampire.  Some locals even believed that suffering through a serious injury was better than going to the haunted Changi hospital for medical attention.

In 1994, the original Changi Hospital moved its location.  The buildings have been abandoned ever since 1997, only to be vandalized by those who dare enter.  It's been reported that some explorers never come back out.  But for Singapore thrill-seekers, the attraction to Old Changi Hospital is always there.

Spirits of different races and nationalities have been reported wandering around the premises.

If you are thinking of visiting the hospital in the hope of bumping into a spirit of any nature, go with 2 or 3 friends.  If you go beyond that, you will never see it as they are all hiding behind the window pane or the back of the door WATCHING you.   But of course, you can go there alone, however you will never find yourself ALONE.

October Haunting - The Haunting of Changi Series - Old Changi Beach

Changi Beach served as a popular killing ground for the Japanese during the Sook Ching massacre of The Second World War. Thousands of Chinese were tortured and killed during this Operation as they were suspected of being anti-Japanese. Strange crying and screaming are reported by people. The heads of the Chinese dead bodies are sometimes seen flying everywhere and headless bodies walk around the beach. The scariest thing is that the ghosts leave blood stains. During nights people observe dug holes that appear as if they were used for burying bodies.

Changi Beach Houses: These houses are for rent. Mostly families wanting a break by the sea will rent them. However, a few unluckly ones would return home with a scar. Most people reported a feeling of being stared at. Few unluckly ones were slapped by unknown forces while bathing. Few had heard scary noises at night like the crying of a lady. Witnesses said that the door of the old houses creaked while opening and closing without stopping. Some cases even involved sightings of ghosts, and more unfortunately, possessions. The mysteries remained unsolved til today.

Despite being such a tiny country, Singapore has reported more than its share of paranormal activity. Changi beach, in the east of the island nation, was used as a killing ground by the Japanese during the Sook Ching massacre of the Second World War, during which thousands of Chinese were tortured and murdered. Witnesses have reported mysterious crying and screaming and headless bodies walking along the beach. On top of this, the Old Changi Hospital and Changi Beach House are said to be two of the most haunted buildings in Asia.

Changi is an estate that is located at the easternmost end of Singapore.  The estate has interesting landmarks including Changi Village, Changi Prison and Changi International Airport with Changi Point at the heart of the Changi area. Changi's name is derived from the Chengai, a tall tree (Blanocarpus heimii) that used to grow in the district. It serves as a popular beach and picnicking area for locals.

66 Chinese male civilians were killed by Japanese hojo kempei (auxiliary military police) firing squads at the water's edge at Changi Beach on 20 February, 1942. They were among tens of thousands who lost their lives during the Japanese Sook Ching operation to purge suspected anti-Japanese elements within Singapore's Chinese population between 18 February to 4 March 1942.

Tanah Merah Besar Beach, a few hundred metres south (now part of the Changi Airport runway), was one of the most heavily used killing grounds where well over a thousand Chinese men and youths lost their lives.

October Haunting - The Screaming Bridge

Screaming Bridge on Maud-Hughes Road between Princeton and Millikin roads in Liberty Township is alleged to have been the site of several deadly and mysterious tales, too numerous to recount here. The bridge spans a railroad mainline that has had several names since the 1870s -- the Short Line, Big Four, New York Central, Penn Central, Conrail and, after June 1, 1999, the Norfolk Southern. No one knows when it was first called the screaming bridge. The unofficial name may have become popular because it sounded like someone screaming when a vehicle passed over the original span, which had grooves in its floor. Others contend the screams are those of people who have died on or near the bridge. The historical basis for the name goes back to a railroad accident in which two men were scalded to death when a locomotive exploded between West Chester and Gano. Strangely, that accident was in West Chester Township (formerly Union Township). The screaming bridge is in Liberty Township. There is no explanation for the discrepancy. Some visitors to the bridge -- especially when the area was less populated -- said they saw ghostly figures beside the road and glowing red balls of light off the roadway.

Another undocumented explanation of the lights is that they are on the caboose of a phantom train. After the 1909 explosion, members of train crews passing the area and residents along the tracks reported seeing the ghost of one or more dead trainmen walking beside the railroad. They appeared to be warning of the dangers lurking on the line.

The 1909 accident killed two engineers and injured three other railroad workers on a northbound Big Four freight Sunday morning, Oct. 24, 1909. One of the dead engineers was off duty, hitching a ride back home to Middletown. While traveling about 40 miles an hour, a steam locomotive exploded. The tender had been loaded with plenty of water before it left Ivorydale in Cincinnati. Unknown to the crew, after a run of only about 11 to 12 miles, a leak had drained much of the water, causing the explosion. The 1909 accident wasn't the only railroad fatality along that stretch of track. June 7, 1976 -- at the Princeton Road overpass in Liberty Township -- a Penn Central employee, a resident of West Chester, was killed when two rails protruding from a southbound work train penetrated the cab of a northbound Penn Central diesel locomotive.

October Haunting - Haunted Bhangarh Fort : The Ghost Town of Rajasthan

Garden at Bhangarh Premises

Bhangarh is a deserted town with some 10000 dwellings established in 1613 by Madho Singh, younger brother of great Mughal general, Man Singh of Amber. Bhangarh was abandoned soon after being built and supposedly after it was cursed by a magician. Bhangarh fort offers an intact view of the medieval past. Apparently, the Bhangarh town had been desolated by an old mughal invasion, and is just reverting back to being habited again.


 

A Passage through ruined Dwellings

Bhangarh ghosts: Myths, Curse, Devastation and horror stories:

Madho Singh built the town of Bhangarh with the approval of an ascetic Baba Balanath, who meditated there, though Baba Balanath predicted “look my dear chap! The moment the shadow of your palace touches me you are undone. The city shall be no more!” In ignorance Ajab Singh, the grandson of Madho Singh raised the palace to such a height that the shadow reached the forbidden place. Hence the devastation of entire town of Bhangarh happened.

Temple with backdrop of chhatri inside Bhangarh ruins

 The another and stronger myth goes as follow: A tantric battle engaged between the gorgeous queen Ratnavati and the wicked sorcerer Singhia Sevra, who was attracted by the queen’s beauty. Desperately, he tried to trap her in his magical ploy, and failed every time, as the queen herself was a master in the tantric art.The last battle took place on the day when the queen losing eventually her temper, transformed a glass bottle containing the massaging oil into a big rock and hurled it towards the hill-top and the rock started rolling towards the wicked tantric. Sensing his looming death, Tantric concentrated all his powers and spatted his dying curse:  “I die! But you too, you Ratnavati shall not live here anymore. Neither you, nor your kin and these walls of the city, none shall see the morning sun!” In that night, all the treasure of the Bhangarh was transferred to the new site of Ajabgarh and the next morning everything was leveled to the ground after a severe commotion. And as per the ancient tales, Ratnavati died in the very next year during a battle between Bhangarh and Ajabgarh. Singhia Sevra (Wicked tantric) chhatri can be seen on the top of the hill.

 
Chhatri on the hill top on the side of Bhangarh fort
Bhangarh premises are enclosed by a partially ruined wall. Other than dwellings, ruins of Bhangarh also include gardens, havelis, banyan trees and temples of Lord Someshwar, gopinath, mangla devi and Keshava rai. But the enigmatic attraction is a secluded chhatri on the hill top which catches attention of all the travelers. In entirety, the random placement of all these sites within Bhangarh premises may look freighting and mysterious at the same time.


Ajabgarh Fort near Bhangarh

 Other Forts near Bhangarh: There are some other forts near Bhangarh those were also built in the same era and share the related history. Ajabgarh is a picturesque garrison fort between Bhangarh and Pratapgarh, with a lovely reservoir nearby. Ajabgarh fort was built by Ajab Singh Rajawat, The grandson of Madho Singh. Ajabgarh fort is in good condition, and offers an incredible panoramic view of the eponymous walled town and the well –preserved, but less visited temple of Shri Raghunath ji and old chhatris, all nearby. Pratapgarh is a remarkable fort situated on hill top which dominates the region. Pratapgarh and its vicinity are famous for its natural surrounding and scenic countryside. Pratapgarh town has two temples and a mosque.

ASI Sign Board at Bhangarh

Bhangarh is an ancient town of archeological importance. During recent excavations different types of tools used by early man have been recovered from the pre-historical site of Bhangarh. The old town of Bhangarh, as the ruins show was surrounded on three sides by elevated hills where wild undergrowth is seen today. There were natural springs and waterfalls there and one such is found near the temple of lord Someshwar. The Archeological survey of India (ASI) has put up a sign board at Bhangarh stating (among others): “Entering the borders of Bhangarh before sunrise and after sunset is strictly prohibited.” Lot of tourists who visit this Bhangarh affirms that there is a strange feeling in the atmosphere of Bhangarh, which causes symptoms of anxiety and restlessness.

DISCLAIMER

The following ghost stories and images in my 'October Haunting' series have been taken from various websites around the web. I, in no way, claim to be the author; I simply like to spread spooky stories and images to my friends and family who happen to read my blog!

Thank you kindly!