 Varkala
Beach, is a very secluded beach situated at a distance of 51km from Thiruvananthapuram,
the capital of Kerala. The beach lying on the south west coast of India,
is also known as Papnasam beach and is an important Hindu center of pilgrimage.
Hundreds of Hindu devotees perform 'Vavubali', a ritual performed for
the ancestors soul to rest in peace, on the new moon day of the Malayalam
month Karkidakam. There is a belief that a dip in the holy waters of this
beach will purify your body and soul, washing out all your sins. The beach
offers its visitors a perfect beach holiday plus Ayurvedic treatments,
Yoga and meditation courses.
Varkala Beach is an ideal location for those looking
for a relaxed and quieter holiday. The beach with its brown sand, panoramic
landscape and seascapes is a tropical paradise. Today, this beach attracts
hundreds of locals, as well as tourists, all year round.
The main attraction of the beach is that it provides
lovely sunset views over the Arabian Sea. The sunset at Varkala Beach
is absolutely astounding with the sun dipping slowly down the horizon
and the sky filled with red and orange hues. The beach is surrounded by
high rocky cliffs and coconut groves. There are two main cliffs, the North
and the South. The cliffs are steep and rugged and are made of red brown
stone. Waves crash on the off-shore rocks. The blend of the cliffs,
brown sand and the sea makes the beach an outstanding sight. The stone
blocks on the beach protect from erosion and the invasion of the grounds
by water.
Swimming can be fun here. But the waves are quite
strong and usually break very close to the beach. Apart from swimming
and sunbathing, the beach offers a variety of beach activities including
volleyball, water sports such as Parasailing, Scuba diving, wind surfing
etc.
Varkala town is not on the beach side but a little away.
Besides the main beach, there are several smaller beaches further north
with black volcanic sand. The smaller beaches are serene and provide more
privacy. The beach coast is lined with souvenir shops and restaurants.
Vendors in their small stalls selling a wide variety of decorative items,
mainly conch shells and beads adds colour to the place.
There are a number of tourist attractions close to the
beach. The mineral water springs near here are known for their medicinal
properties and many people come here to drink and bath in the water from
the springs. There is the Sree Janardhana Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord
Ayyappa and Hanuman, atop a hill believed to be between 800 - 2000 years
old. Devotees visit this temple to seek divine blessings. Non-Hindus are
not permitted to enter the inner sanctum. Sivagiri Mutt founded by the
Hindu Philosopher and reformer Sree Narayana guru and his Samadhi here
attracts a large number of devotees every year during the end of December.
A Nature Centre and a 2000 year old shrine of Lord Vishnu, are the other
attractions near the beach.
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Beaches 
