Varkala Beach
Location : 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city and 37 km south
of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram district, south Kerala.
Attractions: Beach, mineral watersprings, the Sivagiri Mutt and a
2000 year old Vishnu temple
Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram
district. It has several places of tourist interests like a beautiful beach,
a 2000 year old Vishnu temple and the ashramam- 'Sivagiri Mutt' a little
distance from the beach.At the serene Varkala beach is a quiet sea resort
rich in mineral water springs.
A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of
impurities and the soul of all sins. Hence the name 'Papanasam beach'.A
two thousand year old shrine the Janardhanaswamy Temple, stands on the cliffs
overlooking the beach,a short distance away.
The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and Philosopher Sree
Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also close by.
The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands
of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days - 30th December
to 1st January.
Sree Narayana Guru propagated the ideology:"one caste, one religion
and one god",in a society torn by the taboos of caste system.Varkala
offers excellent accommodation facilities for the tourist and is fast becoming
a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centres.
Getting there:
Nearest railway station : Varkala.
Nearest airport : Thiruvananthapuram international airport, nearly
57 km away.
Varkala Beach, Kerala Beaches Reservation
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