New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- It's a familiar sight in the Indian hinterland-be it the lush green pockets of Kerala, the coastal belts of Konkan or the vast plains of Bihar and Punjab.

You drive past rows of modest village homes and suddenly, you see it: A massive, three-storey, brightly painted concrete palace. It has intricate grillwork, a massive gate and a terrace large enough to play cricket on.

But if you look closer, the windows are dark. The gate is rusted shut. The only occupant is a bored chowkidar (watchman) or perhaps an elderly uncle who uses just one room on the ground floor.

This is the Ghost Mansion.

It is built by a successful son working in Mumbai, Dubai or Bengaluru. He poured Rs.60 lakh into its construction. He flew down ...