Sunday, December 16, 2012

Chothavilai Beach - isolated

Destination based travel is not my intention but many a time our travel happens around a point of destination, perhaps it’s the way the world chose to lead so and for me, a long distance travel couldn't be solely intended. During my year old visit to Kanyakumari, the southern tip on Indian peninsula, I explored a place isolated from rest of the world view or only few more experienced; a pristine beach with foot imprints clearly visible across the wet and dry sand shore.

Green palms
Passing the Manakudy – a fishing hamlet on the west coast of Kanyakumari, a narrow road leads alongside the sea and elevated from sea level, the roar of waves were clearly resonate and sounds terrific each time it raise and fall. I hear from a passerby, that waves in Kanyakumari are usually rage and after tsunami its tendency has been disposition. Even the usual sight has been terrific; I couldn't image a giant wave like tsunami cut through the hamlet, with array of houses facing the sea and I also wonder what a life it could be to wake up and sleep expose to stunning sea. That sometime sing lullaby and identically cause shivering while sang through murderous rage – Kolaveri.

The Chothavilai Beach is about 12km from the sacred town – Kanyakumari, and it connects only through an iron bridge near the mouth of river Pazhayar, across Manakudy. The road after the hamlet takes us to the early stage of ECR (east coast road) near Chennai, passing the casuarinas and green palm trees; the beach resembles one of the private beaches off ECR. The beach seem to taken into promotion in latter years and there were few shelters and concrete umbrellas beautifying the beach front and esp. the Japanese style of roofs shelters were impressive. But lack of maintenance left few of the statues to damage.

Chothavilai Beach
There were only half a dozen people left ashore including a couple and their kid, the sea looked quiet vast except solo waves crush the shore every few seasons. The beach holds a pretty arch, carved with number of sea species and shells, and a watch tower to check sunrise and set. Since evening, we had a glimpse of sunset and first time on the Arabian side, the sight of sunset on sea was fantastic. Even after sunset, there was much light across the sky and as we move toward the town, the sky showcases different kinds of hues and shades, fascinated while it changes its scene from one another.

Japanese style of shelters tiled hut bench
Pretty roof shelters across the beach

15 comments:

ashok said...

a beautiful place this is!

Ramakrishnan said...

Nice post and lovely pics on this little known beach & hamlet.

TexWisGirl said...

oh, those beach shelters are beautiful! how wonderful!

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Oh my goodness this place looks AMAZING!!!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

How gorgeous.... Love secluded beaches like that. George and I visited a beach this week in North Carolina.... Awesome!!!!

Those shelters are beautiful...
Betsy

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Destination based travel is not my intention - that alone says it all about the person you are Jeevan!

God bless you!

And may you be able to travel the world, over and over...

About this post - remarkable as ever!

Renu said...

what a beautiful place!.even otherwise also I liked kanyakumari a lot..

George said...

We enjoy finding out of the way places on our travels. We just got back from a vacation at a fairly isolated beach. It was very nice to be able to walk along the beach and have it to ourselves.

Krishna/കൃഷ്ണ said...

nice write-up and photos

thanks jeevan

Rahul Bhatia said...

A quiet and beautiful place, Jeevan:)

Eden said...

What a lovely place! the first photo reminds me of my hometown in the Phils.

Devilish Angel said...

Seems good place to visit...

eden said...

Thanks for the visit, Jeevan!

Rajesh said...

Beautiful beach. I am glad it is still not spoiled.

Destination Infinity said...

I wish we had such shelters on Beaches in Chennai. Nice looking beach, nevertheless.

Destination Infinity