Dumas Beach is renowned for its unique black sand and widespread reputation as a haunted site (Photo: Gujarat Tourism)
Dumas Beach, 21 km southwest of Surat, India’s diamond and textile hub, is renowned for its unique black sand and widespread reputation as a haunted site, largely due to its history as a Hindu cremation ground. Locals avoid the beach at night due to stories of whispered warnings and sightings of white apparitions, making it a chilling yet popular tourist spot.
The sand gets its colour from mineral content and sediment, a geological matter. But the version that has travelled further and lasted longer. Back in the days, when the caste system was very much prevalent in India, the members of the scheduled casts were not allowed to cremate their dead according to Hindu rituals. Despite not being a part of traditions, these communities had to bury their dead.
The open graveyards around Dumas Beach are one of the sites where these graves are in abundance. It is believed that because these dead didn’t find salvation by cremation, their spirits haunt this area. That story has been in circulation long enough that many people in Surat treat it as settled history rather than folklore. Whether a fact or pure fiction, it gave the place a character that stuck.
Also Read: Surat: Ancient Glory, the Royal Sparkle
Visitors have heard whispers, laughter, crying and other unexplainable noises, especially at night. Even some tourists say they have even witnessed ghosts moving about. There are also cases of disappearance where travellers who have ventured into the beach at night have not come back. Locals have also experienced unsettling events. For instance, visitors have reported capturing unexplained orbs and spherical light anomalies in the pictures taken at night at the beach. This is common in several haunted locations and it’s believed this phenomena occurs due to paranormal entities or spiritual energies. Also, dogs seem to evince eerie behaviour such as barking unnecessarily, howling all of a sudden or appearing unnerved without any reason. As is already known, animals have a heightened sense in detecting paranormal presence, so this might be the reason. Additionally, footsteps suddenly appear on the sand but suddenly vanish without a trace. It is also reported that some people have gone missing from the Dumas beach. In fact, one was found dead with his tongue popping out and there are no explanations for this. Locals say the restless spirits lure night walkers into the sea away from the populated spots of the beach.
What followed from that character are the accounts. People say they heard voices when no one was around. Others say they saw figures near the water at night. There are reports, repeated over many years, of tourists going missing on or near the beach after dark. No official record documents these disappearances in any verifiable way, but the accounts keep coming, from visitors and from people who grew up in the area.
Also Read:Polo Forest: Where Gujarat’s wilderness meets forgotten heritage
The beach has since been picked up by the haunted tourism circuit. It appears on lists alongside Bhangarh Fort, another so-called haunted place in Rajasthan.
Dumas functions as two different places depending on the hour. During the day, it is a working beach with traffic and commerce. After dark, it is, by general agreement, somewhere people prefer not to be.
Apart from its beach, Dumas offers several other attractions for visitors. One notable site is the Dariya Ganesh Temple, situated right next to the main beach. The lively promenade is lined with various shops selling Indian snacks such as Bhajiya, including the famous “Lashkari Tomato Bhajiya,” Pav Bhaji, and sweet corn roasted on charcoal. Travellers can also enjoy Indian Chinese cuisine from the numerous food stalls. Additionally, there are several restaurants in Dumas that serve delicious Punjabi food and a variety of vegetarian Indian dishes, catering to different tastes and preferences.