The ‘Sivagiri Mutt‘ is a ‘Ashram’ founded by the great Hindu reformer and philosopher, Sree Naravana Guru.Even decades after the Guru breathed his last here in 1928 AD, his ‘Samadhi’ continues to be thronged by thousands every year. The Mutt is also the headquarter of the ‘Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham’, a religious organisation established by the Guru to propagate his concept of ‘One Caste, One Religion, One God’. The Sarada Temple and Sivagiri Mutt set in picturesque hill of Sivagiri near Varkala have now become a place of pilgrimage with great fanfare.Colourful processions, debates and seminars, public meetings, cultural shows, community feasts, group wedding, rituals all mark the celebrations in Sivagiri hills.Sree Narayana Guru was one of the greatest social reformers of India and a contemporary of Mahatma Gandhi. His call for equality among people found a great following.His teachings have had a profound effect on the caste-ridden society of Kerala and helped the state achieve great social progress when compared to the ther states of India. Founded many ashrams, the most important being at Sivagiri near Kollam.There is a secluded beach close by with the interesting name of Papanasham beach. As the name suggests, devotees and believers believe that the water has the power of redeeming one’s sins and so a dip in the water is a must. Many come to immerse ashes of the departed too. There is a temple here of Lord Janardhana Swamy believed to be atleast 2000 years old. Devotees throng here to take blessings. The cliff on the edge of the water is formed out of laterite. There are many mineral water springs here which makes it an ideal location for nature treatments. There is an inland waterways system that connects Kollam in the North to Thiruvananthapuram in the South. This waterway passes through two tunnels in the hills. The ‘Sivagiri Pilgrimage’ is conducted between December 30 and January 1.
Location info:
Address: varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district, kerala, India
District: Thiruvananthapuram district
Nearest City: Trivandrum, Kovalam, Cochin.
Best time to visit: 30th december to january 1st.
Climate/Weather:
The Climate is Tropical and Humid. The Weather Temparature ranges from Summer(Humid): Mar – May: 25°c-33°c / Summer Max: 35°c. and Monsoon(Cloudy): Jun-mid – Sep: 21°c-27°c / Winter Min: 15°c. Winter(Pleasant): Sep – Feb: 22°c-28°c.
History:
Interesting things to do:
You can take part in ‘Sivagiri Pilgrimage’ is conducted between December 30 and January 1.
Interesting things to Visit:
Papanasam Beach:Varkala beach is the best spot along Kerala coast for watching sunset. The sight of the sun sinking into the sea would stimulate your poetic sense.Anjengo Fort, Varkala:Near to varkala is the site of the Dutch East India Company’s main garrison, Anjengo Fort. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the fort protected their powerful position in the state.Janardhana Temple:The Janardhana Temple is said to be 2000 years old and has a Vishnu shrine. It is said that the original temple was engulfed and destroyed by tidal waves. Years later, a Pandyan king came to the site to do penance to Brahma for a sin he committed. The Lord pardoned the king and in return, asked the king to build another temple at the same site. The story goes that in a dream he was informed of the location of the original idol that was lying deep in the sea. With help of fishermen, the king reclaimed the idol and reinstalled it in the temple.Kappil Lake:At the outskirts of Varkala town, the lake gives way to the scenic world of the Kerala backwaters.Varkala Tunnel:This 924 ft tunnel was built in the19th century and it took nearly 14years to be completed. A prominent tourist attraction in Varkala, the tunnel is a must-visit site on your tour to Varkala. Ananda Valleeswaram Temple:The Ananda Valleeswaram Temple of Kollam attracts people on almost all days. There are several Churches and Mosques around Kollam. The Pullichira Church was established in 1700 A.D. Mahatma Gandhi beach & park at Kochupilamoodu, Thirumullavaram beach and Ashramam picnic village, are some of the important spots of local sight seeing.
Mobile range info:
How to reach?
Nearest Railway Station:Varkala Railway Rtation
Nearest Airport:Trivendrum International Airport.
Road Transport:Varkala is 53 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram and 37 kilometers from Kollam, there are regular buses to/from both cities, which stop at Temple Junction. The journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Varkala is about 75 minutes away on the bus and is a pleasant convenient place to pass time. Taxis also are available from Thiruvananthapuram direct to Varkala, Lots of the vehicles take the main highway, the National Highway 47. And from Temple Junction are available taxis or auto-rickshaws, which ride to the Varkala beach on only five minutes.
Nearest Visiting places:
Agasthyakoodam:Lying at an altitude of 1,890 m, Agasthyakoodam is the highest peak in southern Kerala. It forms part of Western Ghats and the Agasthyavanam forest, The hill is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. For Buddhists, it is the abode of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara; for Hindus it is the abode of sage Agastya, a disciple of Lord Shiva.The hills are rich in medicinal plants, herbs and many species of birds and wild animals. Trekking to the top takes two days and is only permitted between December and April.Neyyar Dam:It is a wonderful dam located near the ranges of Western Ghats, and is a well-liked tourist spot. This dam is also an ideal spot for the picnic and for spending some quality moments with friends and family. Your tour to Trivandrum will become one of the most memorable events in your life as you will come across some of the most interesting and awe-inspiring places that you hardly would have witnessed before.Paripally Gajamela:Paripally, 48 km north of Trivandrum is noted for its Gajamela or Elephant pageant. Over 50 elephants are taken out on a ritual procession on the tenth day of the festival in the month of February-March.Ponmudi:An idyllic hill resort with narrow, winding pathways and cool, green, wooded environs, Ponmudi is located 913 met~s above sea level. Along with a variety of beautiful mountain flowers, exotic butterflies, small rivulets, springs and the deer park nearby, this hill station also has excellent trekking trails. Food: KTDC restaurant.Kanyakumari:This is the land`s end of India and is only 87 km from Trivandrum. This is also known as Cape Comorin. This beautiful spot is located in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu state. This place has got international recognition because of Vivekananda who started his journey from this place.Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad:Located on the way to the Ponmudi Hill Station and the Courtallam waterfalls, this ancient palace dates back to the 13th century. Here you can see a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu building with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard and museums of folklore and numismatics set up by the Department of Archaeology.Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave Temple:There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture ofVinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess ParvathiSree Chithra Art Gallery:Located near the Napier Museum, this art gallery displays select paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich and exquisite works from the Raiput, Mughal andTanjore schools of art in India. The collection also includes paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Ball.Chacha Nehru Children`s Museum:Children of all age groups will enjoy the vast collection of nearly 2000 dolls, stamps and masks displayed here. Observatory: Located at the highest point in the city, near the Museum complex 60 metres above sea level, one can have a bird`s eye view of the city from here.Anivikkara Dam (16km – 1/2 hour):This picturesque picnic spot is on the banks of the Karamana River. Near the Durga Temple here is a stream full offish that fearlessly come close to the shore to be fed by the visitors.Santa Cruz Basilica Church :This Roman Catholic church is situated near the St. Francis church and is worth a visit. It is a specimen of Portuguese architecture built in 1503. ‘Frescoes’ and mural paintings decorate the ceiling and interior parts of the church. The gothic architecture and the lofty spires gives it a unique grandeur Bolghatty Island : Bolghatty palace built by the Dutch in 1744. Later it became the seat of the British Resident of Cochin. Today it is a hotel run by K.T.D.C. The grounds have a small golf course & several vantage points for lovely views of the harbour & the sea.Willington Island :Connected to the mainland by road-cum-railway Venduruthy Bridge, Willington Island is named after the former Viceroy of India, Lord Willington. It is a manmade Island created from the materials dredged while deepening Cochin Port. Willington Island sites some of the district’s best hotels, Trading and industrial offices. Besides the airport, ship building yard, wharf, the Southern Naval Command Head Quarters, the customs house and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the government of IndiaChinese Fishing Nets :A legacy of the trading connections between China and India many centuries ago. The long rows of Chinese Nets silhouetted against the sunset present a spectacular sight of Cochin’s waterfront. These are large nets which hang from bamboo or teak posts, still to be in use by the local fisher folk of Fort Cochin.Vyppin light house :The biggest Island, situated between the sea and the backwaters of Cochin. It is 24 km long and 2 1/2 km wide. There is a light house at Ochanthuruthu which is open to tourists from 3 pm to 5 pm. The Island can be reached only by water transport provided by boat services and Junkar. There are bus services on the Island.Pallippuram Fort :Pallippuram fort was built by the Portuguese in 1503. It is one of the oldest existing European monuments in India. The Dutch captured the fort in 1661 and sold it to the State of Travancore in 1789. This fort is situated in the northern extremity of the Vyppin Island at Pallippuram. The catholic church at Pallippuram is an important pilgrim centre of the Christians. The Pareekshit Thampuran Museum :Its archeological museum adjacent to the Shiva temple in Durbar Hall Road,Ernakulam. This museum features collections of the 19th century paintings , Pre-historic monuments , Old coins in a numismatic gallery, Scriptures in stone & Plaster of Paris, Copies of mural paintings etc & the collection from the Cochin royal family. In the earlier days the museum was the Durbar Hall of Cochin Rajas where guests were welcomed, and where official ceremonies and meetings were held. Now under the State Archaeological Department.
Nearest Petrol Pump:
Indian Oil Petrol Pump Varkala Edava Kappil Road Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.Indian Oil Petrol Pump Sivagiri Road Varkala, Kerala.
Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:
Varkala Homestay (La Exotica) Helipad, Varkala Beach, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2608866.Hindustan Beach Retreat Papanasam Beach Janardhanapuram, Varkala Trivandrum, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2604254.SP GRAND DAYS Hotel Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695014 Tel: 0471 2333344.
Things to carry:
Tips & Suggestions:
Help Line/Phone Number:
Police Station:Police Station Varkala Police Station Kerala Tel: 0470 2602333Kallambalam Police Station NH 47, Thiruvananthapuram KeralaKollam East Police Station Kollam, Kerala Tel: 0474 2742072
Nearest Hospital: Stavyah Lifecare Stavyah Lifecare Services Pvt. Ltd Near Varkala Court, Varkala Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695141 Tel: 0470 2607766.Divya Prabha Eye Hospital Kumarapuram, Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 695011 Tel: 0471 2442050.AJU’S DENTAL CARE CENTRE Trivandrum Bypass Rd Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695024 Tel: 0471 2476304.
