Muttom Beach, Kanyakumari
Muttom
sports a beautiful and tidy beach. Huge rocks standing at either sides of the
beach give the beach a pristine look. Since the beach is usually less crowded,
it makes an excellent spot for tourists to enjoy its beauty. There is also a
children's park and a Christian retreat centre called the 'Rock Bible centre'
just in view of the beach. Muttom has a lighthouse due to which its
presence is recorded in the international shipping chart. This lighthouse
was constructed by British during colonial Time. The lighthouse, though near
the sea, is situated 110 ft. (34 m) above sea level. The skeleton was
built when India was part of the British Empire until 1947.
There
are hardly any such beaches in the coasts of Tamilnadu with such huge rocks. Waves
rising high and splashing on the huge rocks are a sight to watch. Sitting there
on a rock with feet on the water, the sight of the waves and the sound of the
ocean is pleasing to the senses. The steep rocky shores of Muttom Beach are
guarded with stainless steel fences. There are huts and benches at Muttom
Beach, for visitors to sit and watch the sun set and the sea. The beach is one
of the rare beaches with huge rocks on which the waves break constantly.
The rich
turquoise waves of the sea at this spot are quite breathtaking. However, the
sea here is quite rough so swimming is not advisable. The picturesque dwellings
on the rocks add to the scenic beauty of the surroundings. The terrain of this
village and its surroundings is hilly and from a height one can see an idyllic
view of the place. One can watch both the sunrise and sunset from here. A
Portuguese architecture based Catholic Church known as All Saints Church,
stands in the middle of the village. Many movies have been shot in this place
in Tamil, Malayalam and in Hindi. Some famous ones are Kadalorak Kavithaikal,
Alaigal Oiyvathillai, Kadal Pookal (Bharathi Raja), Pakal Nilavu Etc.
History
According
to research work, King Raja Raja Chola conquered Muttom during 1003AD and
re-named as Mummudi Chola Nallur. The above fact is mentioned in the stone
carvings available in the temple of Thirunanthikarai. One of the tragic
incidents in the history of Muttom was the Tsunami of 2004, which
took the lives of nearly 45 people.
Activities
Muttom
Beach is a lovely spot for a picnic. Just pack a meal and enjoy the lovely
surroundings. Don’t miss the sunset here – the tangerine wash of the setting
sun against the horizon will leave you awestruck. All Saints Church, a lovely
Catholic church in the Portuguese style of architecture, is a must visit if you
are here. Do check out the old lighthouse that was constructed by the British.
It is over 100 years old. If you’d like to enjoy the beauty of the sea
and the magnificent sight of the waves thundering onto the rocks, you can sit
in the small open huts that have been constructed on the rock tops. There are
benches too where you can park yourself and sit back and enjoy the panoramic
view.
Connectivity
Muttom
is located at about 17 Kms from Nagercoil, 10 Kms from Eraniel, 12 Kms from Colachel,
8 Kms from Mandaikadu, 22 Kms from Suchindrum, 15 Kms from Thuckalay, 32 Kms
from Kanyakumari and 73 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram.
By Road:
Buses
serving this village:
·
From Nagercoil - 5C, 14A,
14C, 14DV,14EV, 5F,
· From Thuckalay and Monday
Market (alias Thingalchanthai or Thingal Nagar) - 47, 47C, 12G
·
From Kadiapattanam - 14A,
14C, 14F, 5C, 46C, 47C,9K, 302, 302C, SSS
·
From James Nager - 14DV
·
From Kanyakumari - SSS
·
From Marthandam - 46C
·
From Ramanthurai – 9K
·
From Colachel - 5C, SSS,
9K, 5F, 14F
By Train:
Nearest
Railway Stations are located at Eraniel 12 Kms) and Nagercoil (19 Kms).
By Air:
Nearest
Airport is located at Thiruvananthapuram (74 Kms).
