MAGICAL AND MYSTIFYING LIGHTHOUSE BEACH OF VIZHINJAM, Kerala

The plane dipped and so my heart for a moment. It brought me back inside the plane. Nita, the hostess announced the descent to Tiruvananthapuram, Kerala. I peeped outside the window to witness “God’s own country”-a green carpet with hills and seashore at a distance. A true tropical landscape.
I was invited by a pharma company to conduct a workshop on marketing to their regional team. I accepted the invitation instantly, being a traveling freak, always ready to search for hidden and exotic places. And I knew there are some hidden and exotic places around Tiruvanthapuram. With a clear objective of exploration, I had arrived three days in advance to our scheduled workshop. On my request, no staying arrangements were made as I just wanted to freak out to some unknown place. Consequently, me and Mr Anantha Nair, the company’s head in Kerala proceeded to airport’s coffee shop to discuss what to do for the next 3 days. Mr. Nair talked about nearby places, resorts and Kerala cuisine within a radius of 60 kms. No doubt Kovalam has one of the finest beaches of the world, I prefer secluded beaches with some sort of mystic surroundings.
Then Mr. Anantha Nair dropped a name which I could not pronounce.
“Vizhinjam”!
The word is not pronounced the way I’m spelling it and I don’t think anybody can pronounce it! No way if you don't speak Malayalam. The way Anantha described the hill, the sea, the beach and a light house on a hillock intrigued me immensely.
“Let’s go”, I said emphatically. I knew it has to be something exotic. Though there are few hotels in Vizhinjam and top hotels at nearby Kovalam, I insisted on a place based on the description of what Anantha had said.

We soon left passing the great city of Tirunanathapuram, the capital of Kerala, stopping in between to pay my respects at the most sacred and richest temple of the world THE ANANTHA PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE and headed towards Kovalam. The journey to Vizhinjam was of 16 kms.

I looked at the passing landscape. As a nature lover and a traveler , Kerala has always fascinated me. It’s an enchanting mosaic of coconut groves and paddy fields, wide beaches and labyrinthine backwaters, verdant hills and awesome rain forests.

Soon we were at Vizhinjam, a seaside large village. And I could sense it instantly, something mystic! Mr. Anantha Nair took me to a place called Hotel Rockholm. The hotel was crowning a rock overlooking the Arabian sea with a magnificent view. I could hear the sound of waves hitting the rock below the terrace of the hotel. The hotel was simple and sufficient without any luxuries synonymous to nearby (3 Kms) 5star beach resorts at Kovlam.

The pictures are from above down are 1/ terrace restaurant.2/ semi private beach of Hotel Rockholm.3/ Vizhinjam at dusk-some of the photos are courtesy Trip Advisor. Thanks

After checking in my room which had a balcony facing the sea, we went for a stroll on Vizhijam beach called as “Light House Beach”. The Hotel Rockholm had its own semi private beach. The cool breeze took away whatever travel tiredness I had. There were restaurants close to the beach. We settled for “Cafe Spice Garden”. Had delicious Kerala snacks Aval Uppuma, Gothambu (Wheat flour) Dosa washing it down with a strong coffee.

Later in the afternoon, we visited the Marine Aquarium which houses colorful and attractive fishes like Clown fish, moon wrasse, squirrel fish, lion fish, butterfly fish, giant turtles, trigger fish etc and aggressive ones like surgeon fish, deadly piranhas, sharks etc. The aquarium has also a unique display of pearl images of Christ, Virgin Mary, Hindu Gods and Goddesses and other images. The unique feature of the Aquarium is the image pearl production, so people can buy pearls with images of Christ, idols of gods and goddess and Virgin Mary.
The another attraction we visited was the Rock Cut Cave, a historic spot which was left unnoticed for a long time. The granite cave here encloses a one celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi. There were rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple. Vizhinjam is also known for many Ayurvedic treatment centers.
While returning from our mini village tour I could see the port and its vastness. It was a charming sight of hundreds of fishing boats crowding the Vizhinjam fishing harbor.
I went back to my room while Anantha went back to Tirvanathapuram promising me to return in the evening. Sitting in my balcony I looked at the sea, its sound hitting the rock below and beyond sea far away in the horizon. I was lost in my own world.

The dusk and then night, engulfing the surrounding environs. I climbed down below on the terrace overlooking the darkness. Anantha was waiting for me. We picked up a table close to railings of the terrace restaurant. There were hardly any people except a foreign couple. An old waiter brought us whiskey, water and Banana chip and quietly went away. A bit odd, I said to myself. I looked around. Every thing was mystic but not creepy. Suddenly a strong beam of light sweeping across the trees adjoining the terrace passed over the ground and over us. I jumped! “What was that?’, I almost shouted at Anantha. “Oh, that. There is a lighthouse on the top of the hill”, said Anantha smiling. I could see his white teeth under dimly lit terrace restaurant. Soon we were lost in our own world; silent, watching the beauty of the night on a vast sea, its sound, waves hitting the rock below and the eerie broken by beam of light passing on the terrace ground. Awesome! Memorable! I looked at the sea. Tiny candles at a far distance on the dark sea beyond a full moon now as a bright ball.

The fishing boats, perhaps anchored in the sea, I believed!.

Mr. Anantha Nair left after dinner whereas, I stayed on, lost and mesmerized by the night game played by “The God’s own country”-Kerala.