Ghosts, Jinns & Forgotten Souls: The Delhi You’ve Never Met | Eric Chopra | EP 29
Sat Jan 10 2026
In this deeply engaging episode of Let’s Chat with GB, host Gaurav Bhagat sits down with Eric Chopra — author, historian, podcaster, and the mind behind the acclaimed book Ghosted — for a conversation that blends history, memory, mythology, and storytelling.Eric takes us through his unconventional journey into history, from a non-academic childhood to becoming a storyteller who views the past with nuance, empathy, and imagination. Together, they explore how history is not just a collection of dates, but a living repository of stories — some celebrated, some forgotten, and some haunting.🎙️ Host: Gaurav Bhagat🎧 Guest: Eric Chopra00:00 Intro: Ghosted, history & haunting Delhi02:18 How Eric’s love for history began (studying “backwards”)04:53 Growing up in an Air Force family: moving cities & identity08:02 Does history repeat itself? Politics, patterns & context11:35 Why Eric wrote Ghosted: heritage walks + horror obsession17:01 Why Mehrauli feels mystical (saints, “Purani Dilli” & geography)21:27 Qutub Minar, the 1981 stampede & the “haunted backyard”22:16 The Iron Pillar wish story + why it was cordoned off23:43 Legend: How Delhi got its name from the Iron Pillar25:36 Ashoka pillars, Firoz Shah Tughlaq & moving monuments to Delhi28:57 Firoz Shah Kotla’s “Latal Baba” & Jinn darbar lore32:01 Jinn vs ghosts: classifications & why they “choose” behavior34:13 British/1857 ghosts, Northern Ridge tales & headless phantom myths36:13 Jamali-Kamali: why it’s a secret gem + picnic-era nostalgia37:22 Who was Kamali? lover / student / mystery & queer history lens43:34 Khooni Darwaza: what happened in 1857 (Zafar’s sons)48:21 Dara Shikoh head story—myth vs records51:13 After-effects: heaviness, lucid dreams & “residual” history55:49 Malcha Mahal: the “Queen of Oudh” story & tragedy1:02:43 Rapid fire: influencers, biopics, empires & live-streamed history1:10:41 Ghalib quote: “Delhi is the soul”1:12:16 What Itihaasology does: walks, journal, musicals & podcast1:16:50 Ghosted walk launch at Jamali-Kamali + upcoming reruns1:18:40 Possession, belief & respecting people’s experiences1:22:33 Goodies + closing moments
More
In this deeply engaging episode of Let’s Chat with GB, host Gaurav Bhagat sits down with Eric Chopra — author, historian, podcaster, and the mind behind the acclaimed book Ghosted — for a conversation that blends history, memory, mythology, and storytelling.Eric takes us through his unconventional journey into history, from a non-academic childhood to becoming a storyteller who views the past with nuance, empathy, and imagination. Together, they explore how history is not just a collection of dates, but a living repository of stories — some celebrated, some forgotten, and some haunting.🎙️ Host: Gaurav Bhagat🎧 Guest: Eric Chopra00:00 Intro: Ghosted, history & haunting Delhi02:18 How Eric’s love for history began (studying “backwards”)04:53 Growing up in an Air Force family: moving cities & identity08:02 Does history repeat itself? Politics, patterns & context11:35 Why Eric wrote Ghosted: heritage walks + horror obsession17:01 Why Mehrauli feels mystical (saints, “Purani Dilli” & geography)21:27 Qutub Minar, the 1981 stampede & the “haunted backyard”22:16 The Iron Pillar wish story + why it was cordoned off23:43 Legend: How Delhi got its name from the Iron Pillar25:36 Ashoka pillars, Firoz Shah Tughlaq & moving monuments to Delhi28:57 Firoz Shah Kotla’s “Latal Baba” & Jinn darbar lore32:01 Jinn vs ghosts: classifications & why they “choose” behavior34:13 British/1857 ghosts, Northern Ridge tales & headless phantom myths36:13 Jamali-Kamali: why it’s a secret gem + picnic-era nostalgia37:22 Who was Kamali? lover / student / mystery & queer history lens43:34 Khooni Darwaza: what happened in 1857 (Zafar’s sons)48:21 Dara Shikoh head story—myth vs records51:13 After-effects: heaviness, lucid dreams & “residual” history55:49 Malcha Mahal: the “Queen of Oudh” story & tragedy1:02:43 Rapid fire: influencers, biopics, empires & live-streamed history1:10:41 Ghalib quote: “Delhi is the soul”1:12:16 What Itihaasology does: walks, journal, musicals & podcast1:16:50 Ghosted walk launch at Jamali-Kamali + upcoming reruns1:18:40 Possession, belief & respecting people’s experiences1:22:33 Goodies + closing moments