The Kingly whisper...
"Haunted!! Let's go there", my daughter exclaimed.
We were browsing through the must see list on that lazy morning, while on vacation to Goa this summer.
That's how we set off to see Three King chapel, and oh God, what a trip it turned out to be.
We hired a car and hit the highway from Colva, the beautiful beach in South Goa, where we were staying. Goan terrain is just like Kerala with tree canopies and golden coast line. Son was navigating and I was driving, when soon we reached a narrow bylane, where we had to turn. There was a small sign board pointing to the house of haunted stories. We enquired the route to the curious pedestrians, who seemed bit baffled that we were really heading to the horror spot.
The wide road gave way to narrow lanes as we negotiated the curves uphill. Tall trees, an occasional house and the wild mountain did give an eerie feel. The curves seemed almost unending when finally the map showed one km more and then marked as having arrived at the destination.
We were on the top of the hill but nothing was really visible. The tall trees and shrubs were literally covering the huge chapel behind. The main gate was locked and there wasn't anyone in the vicinity. We wondered for a minute whether to turn back, but kids were too determined to give up. There was a small open track besides the gate and we started trekking up.
Slowly the huge chapel and it's courtyard began to appear. We steadily kept climbing and reached the yard in front and walked to the edge of the fence. The view down was breathtaking. Such a picturesque panorama, it was to be seen to be believed. The hills, the plains, the train tracks and the distant sea, made the view so scenic.
Overlooking the vivid scenary stood the chapel, the house of many horror stories.
Legend goes that there were three wicked and greedy Kings. One of them invited the other two for a dinner in the chapel and mixed poison into their food and thus killed them both. Soon the news spread and a big crowd mobbed the chapel and forced the wicked King also to drink the poison. They were all buried there too.
Since then, it's told, people have heard weird sounds coming from inside on odd hours. There were stories galore and finally it was labelled as haunted and closed for ever. Except for one day a year, when it opens for the festival, the chapel remains closed.
We didn't hear or feel anything strange, yet thought it wouldn't be wise to stay long in the deserted place. We negotiated our way down the hill track crossing the tombs and trees. We felt bold and strong, having visited a haunted hill, something which one would rarely get to do.
That night while driving us to the airport, the driver on reaching the turn pointed to the dark hill up and told there was a haunted chapel, and it was too risky to visit. We looked at each other quietly, thanking our lucky stars.
The enchanting Goa trip would perhaps have been never complete, without the horror encounter!
"Haunted!! Let's go there", my daughter exclaimed.
We were browsing through the must see list on that lazy morning, while on vacation to Goa this summer.
That's how we set off to see Three King chapel, and oh God, what a trip it turned out to be.
We hired a car and hit the highway from Colva, the beautiful beach in South Goa, where we were staying. Goan terrain is just like Kerala with tree canopies and golden coast line. Son was navigating and I was driving, when soon we reached a narrow bylane, where we had to turn. There was a small sign board pointing to the house of haunted stories. We enquired the route to the curious pedestrians, who seemed bit baffled that we were really heading to the horror spot.
The wide road gave way to narrow lanes as we negotiated the curves uphill. Tall trees, an occasional house and the wild mountain did give an eerie feel. The curves seemed almost unending when finally the map showed one km more and then marked as having arrived at the destination.
We were on the top of the hill but nothing was really visible. The tall trees and shrubs were literally covering the huge chapel behind. The main gate was locked and there wasn't anyone in the vicinity. We wondered for a minute whether to turn back, but kids were too determined to give up. There was a small open track besides the gate and we started trekking up.
Slowly the huge chapel and it's courtyard began to appear. We steadily kept climbing and reached the yard in front and walked to the edge of the fence. The view down was breathtaking. Such a picturesque panorama, it was to be seen to be believed. The hills, the plains, the train tracks and the distant sea, made the view so scenic.
Overlooking the vivid scenary stood the chapel, the house of many horror stories.
Legend goes that there were three wicked and greedy Kings. One of them invited the other two for a dinner in the chapel and mixed poison into their food and thus killed them both. Soon the news spread and a big crowd mobbed the chapel and forced the wicked King also to drink the poison. They were all buried there too.
Since then, it's told, people have heard weird sounds coming from inside on odd hours. There were stories galore and finally it was labelled as haunted and closed for ever. Except for one day a year, when it opens for the festival, the chapel remains closed.
We didn't hear or feel anything strange, yet thought it wouldn't be wise to stay long in the deserted place. We negotiated our way down the hill track crossing the tombs and trees. We felt bold and strong, having visited a haunted hill, something which one would rarely get to do.
That night while driving us to the airport, the driver on reaching the turn pointed to the dark hill up and told there was a haunted chapel, and it was too risky to visit. We looked at each other quietly, thanking our lucky stars.
The enchanting Goa trip would perhaps have been never complete, without the horror encounter!
