Four white pillars known as Char Khambe on the road in St. Cruz in Goa are said to be haunted. Strange things seems to happen to cars passing them, and some even go as far as claiming they are cursed.
On the Old Santa Cruz-Panjim road, now known as Vasantrao Dempo Marg, stands four white pillars known as Char Khambe, forlorn and forgotten among the paddy fields of St Cruz. These seemingly innocuous structures, shrouded in mystery and a palpable sense of dread, have earned a notorious reputation as one of the most haunted sites in Goa.
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The four pillars of whitewashed minaret style obelisks were built in 1896 to commemorate a Portuguese prince to the Goa colony. The prince was the son of the duke of Porto, Afonso de Bragança. It also marked a line into the city from where you were not allowed to go bare chested, and where all the kashti clothed farmers changed into something else.
The Cursed Pillars
The history behind Char Khambe is murky, with various accounts attempting to explain the haunting. Some suggest that the pillars mark the site of a tragic event or an unmarked burial ground, giving rise to restless spirits.
Others believe that the pillars themselves are cursed, perhaps due to rituals or dark practices that imbued the area with a lasting malevolent energy.
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One of the most common and unsettling phenomena reported at Char Khambe is the sudden and mysterious breakdown of vehicles, particularly motorcycles. Many bikers have found themselves stranded near the pillars, their engines inexplicably stalling and refusing to restart. The darkness and isolation only heighten the sense of vulnerability, as attempts to fix the vehicles often prove futile until daylight breaks. This recurring issue has led to the widespread belief that the area is under a malevolent influence, deterring those who might otherwise travel this route at night.
It is also worth noting that there are several reports about cars ramming into the pillars as well. Something cursed going on here, or what’s going to happen when pillars are placed on the road.
Ghostly Figures around the Pillars
Adding to the ominous atmosphere are the frequent reports of apparitions and ghostly figures appearing around the pillars. Witnesses describe seeing shadowy forms that seem to materialize out of nowhere, only to vanish just as quickly as well as strange cries in the night can be heard.
On full moon nights, the sightings become more vivid and numerous, with some claiming to see full-bodied apparitions dressed in antiquated attire, wandering silently between the pillars.
There are also stories about seeing a woman in a white saree asking passing cars for a lift, as many of the other haunted road stories in India tells about.
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References:
Four silent sentinels of St Cruz | Goa News – Times of India