Indian-Origin Siblings Swallowed By Dracula’s Castle?

At sundown, brother and sister Robin and Tami Varma slid into red velvet-trimmed black coffins.

Tami Varma is helped out of a horse-drawn carriage by guide near the northern facade of the Bran Castle, in Brasov county, Romania, 31 October, 2016. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

As the sun set over Dracula's castle in Transylvania, brother and sister Robin and Tami Varma slid into red velvet-trimmed black coffins, trying them for size before dining with gold-plated cutlery - not silver, of course, which hurts vampires.

Exterior view of Bran Castle’s northern facade, portrayed by Gothic novel writer Bram Stoker as the home of count Dracula, in Brasov county, Romania, October 31, 2016. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

Siblings Tami Varma, 31, who owns an event-management firm in Canada's Ottawa and brother Robin Varma, 30, who is working on his PhD in political philosophy, on Monday became the first overnight guests for some 70 years to stay at the medieval Bran fortress, the model for the "Dracula's castle" of Bram Stoker's Victorian-era novel.

Tami and Robin Varma are greeted by Dacre Stoker, great-grand nephew of Dracula Gothic novel writer Bram Stoker, inside the courtyard of Bran Castle, in Brasov county, Romania. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

This might be more comfortable than my mattress at home. Although I don’t know how we’ll sleep tonight.

Tami Varma, shared winner of night stay at Dracula’s Castle

Tami Varma retouches her make-up next to a portrait of Vlad the Impaler, medieval prince of Wallachia, before posing for media representatives in one of the rooms of Bran Castle, in Brasov county, Romania. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

I actually might close the lid on my coffin.

Robin Varma, shared winner of night stay at Dracula’s Castle

Tami and Robin Varma lie in red velvet-trimmed coffins while posing for media representatives in one of the rooms of Bran Castle, in Brasov county, Romania. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

After World War Two, Romania’s communist regime expelled the owners, the Habsburg royal family. The castle was returned to Habsburg descendants in 2006.

Exterior view of Bran Castle’s northern facade, portrayed by Gothic novel writer Bram Stoker as the home of count Dracula, in Brasov county, Romania, October 31, 2016. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

The Varmas won a contest run by vacation rental marketplace Airbnb, which listed Bran Castle for Halloween and received 88,000 entries in 10 languages. They arrived in a horse-drawn carriage and were welcomed by Dacre Stoker, the author’s great-grandnephew. The Varmas’ grandfather, Devendra, a world authority in Gothic literature, walked the grounds in 1976.

Dacre Stoker, great-grand nephew of Dracula Gothic novel writer Bram Stoker regaling visitors Tami and Robin Varma inside the courtyard of Bran Castle, in Brasov county, Romania. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

Tami Varma is helped out of a horse-drawn carriage by guide near the northern facade of the Bran Castle. (Photo Courtesy: Reuters)

He said that on his way out he had heard these footsteps behind him and he said he could feel the evil in the air and in the walls. And here we are, the sun has just gone down and the witching hour has begun.

Tami Varma, winner of the holiday stay at Dracula’s castle

Situated in the wooded foothills of the Carpathian mountains, Bran is now a museum and major tourist attraction.

"Halloween is certainly the number one event of the year for us," said castle manager Alex Priscu. Bran had 632,000 paying visitors last year.

Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam