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.
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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.
