Haunted Moonset

Shash Chatterjee

This is a favourite picture of mine, mostly because of the muted but fantastic colors of the sky that only the almighty can provide.

This is Dona Paula Bay, in Goa, India in the wee hours of the morning, just before sunrise, as the moon prepares to set. At the confluence of two of Goa's rivers, where they meet the Arabian Sea, Dona Paula is one of Goa's most serene beaches to visit.

Dona Paula Beach is haunted, at least according to local legend. The romantic story of Dona Paula de Menezes and her lover has long been attached to the beach. Dona Paula was the daughter of a viceroy in colonial days; she was refused permission to marry a local Goan fisherman so she threw herself from a nearby cliff. According to local myth, you may occasionally catch a glimpse of her on moonlit nights walking in the waves with just a pearl necklace on.

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