My trip to Oman starts with a ghost story and a haunted fort. It is a hot afternoon and I am standing at the foot of a formidable fort, which was built over 700 years ago. The blue sky is cloudless and the sun is rather merciless today. But am in a mood to listen to some haunted tales and folklore related to black magic in Oman. And this when my guide Saleh tells me , “This fort was built by a ghost in just one night.“ I look at him rather incredulously as the amazing story teller that he is stands upon a small mound and begins to narrate. I am at the imposing citadel which is the 13th century Bahla Fort, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites which is around 200 kms from Muscat. According to the story, Bahla Fort Oman was threatened by an attack from a neighbouring kingdom and the ruler reached out to a djinn or a spirit to help them. A formidable fort was built apparently overnight and the opponents beat a hasty retreat after just looking at it.
But the story does not end there. Bahla is surrounded by an aura of occult and magic. Every stone here tells a story. As I huff and puff my way up the fortress which is surrounded by a wall that is 12 kms long, I hear from Saleh that Bahla Fort has several legends of genies and ghosts haunting it. One of the legends relating to black magic in Oman is rather ominous. Apparently there was a man who was stoned to death here thousands of years ago by the locals for practising witchcraft. However people even today believe that his spirit haunts the town as well. Saleh tells us that locals believe that his spirit may be wandering around the narrow alleys of the town, the desolated walls and the old crumbling ruins. He says that even the walls may have an eerie feel to them. But I am told that trees are bewitched and people here believe that if you touch a mere branch , you may just vanish into thin air.