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Thursday, October 15, 2015

Muttom Beach, Kanyakumari

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).