PilgrimstaysThe haunting charms of the Three Kings Chapel, Cansaulim Perched atop the Cuelim hill in the Goan town of Cansaulim, the Three Kings Chapel stands in quiet solitude, a silent witness to the march of time. Modest in dimensions and decor, this Portuguese era chapel attracts almost as many visitors as its more lavishly decked up cousins in other parts of Goa. What makes the Three Kings Chapel act as an irresistible magnet is its reputation for being haunted. Largely unverified, and quite possibly the figments of a fertile imagination, the urban legends have nevertheless firmly placed the chapel on the tourist map of Goa. Cansaulim is a picturesque village with a lovely beach, roughly midway on the road from Margao to Vasco. Besides the beach, Cansaulim is best known for the Chapel which attracts a decent number of visitors, eager to check first-hand the legends associated with it. The best way to get to Cansaulim is by car, with local buses being the next best option. As the climb up the hill can be quite arduous, it makes sense to use an electric bike which can be rented in the village. It is highly unlikely for one to run into ghosts, yet what makes the uphill climb worthwhile is the magnificent view of the Arabian Sea that the chapel affords. You also get a panoramic view of South Goa and depending on the time of year, get to admire lush green paddy fields that take up much of the countryside. The inside of the chapel is serene and a gilded altar of exquisite craftsmanship sits well with its Portuguese heritage. At sundown, however, an eerie calm descends upon the chapel. The church grounds close at 6 pm, and this is when the rumoured spirits begin their business. Originally built to honour the Three Kings who visited the Christ child at Bethlehem, the spirits however are said to be those of three local kings who once ruled the area. Squabbles amongst themselves led to the deaths of all three in unpleasant circumstances. One of the kings is said to have poisoned the other two and was himself compelled to partake of the poison when his subjects turned upon him in anger and revulsion. As with all tales of the paranormal, there have been no actual sightings except for hand-me-down accounts of ghastly sounds that rock the chapel infrequently. While seeking the supernatural at the Chapel might turn out to be an exercise in futility, it is the pursuit of the natural that would prove more rewarding. Attempt the climb up the Cuelim hill only if you enjoy the calm and unhurried atmosphere that the Three Kings Chapel most certainly has. Round off your outing with a visit to Cansaulim’s beautiful beach for your day to be remarkably complete.
Besides the beach, Cansaulim is best known for the Chapel which attracts a decent number of visitors, eager to check first-hand the legends associated with it
Originally built to honour the Three Kings who visited the Christ child at Bethlehem, the spirits however are said to be those of three local kings who once ruled the area
Modest in dimensions and decor, this Portuguese era chapel attracts almost as many visitors as its more lavishly decked up cousins in other parts of Goa
What makes the Three Kings Chapel act as an irresistible magnet is its reputation for being haunted
The view from the Three Kings Chapel hilltop — over the Cansaulim coast, the coconut groves, the Arabian Sea on the horizon, and the curved South Goa coastline — is one of the finest views in Goa. The chapel sits at the edge of the promontory, with the land falling away sharply on three sides. The Epiphany feast on this hill, with this view, is one of the most beautiful feast-day experiences in South India.
The small whitewashed colonial chapel — modest, simple, with the characteristics of 16th-century Portuguese church architecture in Goa — sits at the summit of the hill. Its simplicity contrasts with the drama of the setting. The interior is modest; the exterior view is extraordinary.
The legend of the three kings who died on this hill — rival local rulers who came to the Portuguese and died in disputed circumstances — adds a layer of local history and moral complexity to the Epiphany feast. The three Magi who came to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem were wise men who returned home another way. The three kings who came to the Portuguese did not return at all.
The climb to the Three Kings Chapel on January 6 — the Feast of the Epiphany, when the hill is crowded with pilgrims making the ascent — is one of the most visually memorable pilgrimage moments in Goa. The procession of pilgrims climbing the steep path to the hilltop chapel, with the sea visible below, is an image of pilgrimage as physical journey toward a summit.
The Cansaulim area represents South Goa's coastline at its most beautiful: long beaches, coconut palms, relatively undeveloped landscape compared to North Goa. The view from the Three Kings hill captures this landscape in its entirety. The pilgrimage ascent to the chapel is also an ascent to one of the finest viewpoints in Goa.
The Magi followed a star from the east to Bethlehem. They found a child in a manger and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They were warned in a dream not to return by the same route, so they went home another way. The journey to Christ changes the route home. You cannot return the same way after you have knelt before him. The Three Kings hill in Goa is a place where people still climb toward a star — the Epiphany star, the feast of the appearing of Christ to the Gentiles — and come back down another way.
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Read in full on Bible Gateway →Perched atop the Cuelim hill in the Goan town of Cansaulim, the Three Kings Chapel stands in quiet solitude, a silent witness to the march of time. Modest in dimensions and decor, this Portuguese-era chapel attracts almost as many visitors as its more lavishly decked-up cousins in other parts of Goa.
What makes the Three Kings Chapel act as an irresistible magnet is its reputation for being haunted. Largely unverified, and quite possibly the figments of a fertile imagination, the urban legends have nevertheless firmly placed the chapel on the tourist map of Goa.
Cansaulim is a picturesque village with a lovely beach, roughly midway on the road from Margao to Vasco. Besides the beach, Cansaulim is best known for the chapel, which attracts a decent number of visitors eager to check first-hand the legends associated with it. The best way to get to Cansaulim is by car, with local buses being the next best option. As the climb up the hill can be quite arduous, it makes sense to use an electric bike, which can be rented in the village.
It is highly unlikely for one to run into ghosts, yet what makes the uphill climb worthwhile is the magnificent view of the Arabian Sea that the chapel affords. You also get a panoramic view of South Goa and, depending on the time of year, get to admire lush green paddy fields that take up much of the countryside. The inside of the chapel is serene, and a gilded altar of exquisite craftsmanship sits well with its Portuguese heritage.
At sundown, however, an eerie calm descends upon the chapel. The church grounds close at 6 p.m., and this is when the rumoured spirits begin their business. Originally built to honour the Three Kings who visited the Christ child at Bethlehem, the spirits are however said to be those of three local kings who once ruled the area. Squabbles amongst themselves led to the deaths of all three in unpleasant circumstances. One of the kings is said to have poisoned the other two, and was himself compelled to partake of the poison when his subjects turned upon him in anger and revulsion.
As with all tales of the paranormal, there have been no actual sightings except for hand-me-down accounts of ghastly sounds that rock the chapel infrequently.
While seeking the supernatural at the chapel might turn out to be an exercise in futility, it is the pursuit of the natural that would prove more rewarding. Attempt the climb up the Cuelim hill only if you enjoy the calm and unhurried atmosphere that the Three Kings Chapel most certainly has. Round off your outing with a visit to Cansaulim’s beautiful beach for your day to be remarkably complete.
