Manappad, Thoothukudi
Manappad is
a coastal village in far south India, 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Tuticorin and 18 km (11 mi) south of Thiruchendur. St.
Francis came to Manappad in 1542, when he began missionary activity on the Fishery coast. He lived in a
grotto cavern on the seaward face of a cliff and held mass at a chapel of the Captain's Cross,
built from a ship's mast after a storm in 1540. Holy Cross Church, built close
to the sea in 1581, has a relic fragment believed to be from the True
Cross of Jerusalem. From 1
to 14 September, every year, the cross is publicly displayed for thousands who
attend the festival season.
Manappad
is a place of unmatched natural beauty. You can take leisurely strolls down the
pristine stretch of beach or bask in the bliss of solitude here. If you wish to
add a dose of adventure to your otherwise serene experience at Manappad, you
could go surfing. Manappad happens to be one of the best surfing spots in the
country. It has a unique coastline that was formed by multiple layers of lava
accumulated over a vast period of time. This gives Manappad the rare
distinction of witnessing the best wave formations all through the year.
Places of
Interest
Holy Cross Church:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Holy Ghost Church (Holy Spirit Church):
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Manappad Point:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Manappad Beach:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Manappad Light House:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
St. James Church:
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Xavier Cave (Xavier Grotto):
For
brief details, please refer below link;
Cinema shoot
The
movie Neethaane En Ponvasantham had a climax shoot out from the shores and the
coverage exposed the place to many Tamil people. The place is a remarkable
location which suited the story ad screenplay of the movie in an excellent
projection.
Major
part of Maniratnam's Kadal movie has been shot in Manappad. Singam
II, has some parts pictured at this church premises.
Facts
Best
Time to visit: October to March
Activities:
Water sports, heritage trail, etc.
Shopping:
Shop for products made out of the leaves of the Palmyra
trees at the Manappad Palm Leaf Weavers Co-operative Society.
Connectivity
Manappad
lies along the State Highway (SH 49), popularly known as the East Coast Road
(ECR) in Tamil Nadu. It is situated about 58 kilometers from Tuticorin, also
known as Thoothukudi and 18 km (11 miles) south of Thiruchendur. There are direct flights from Chennai to Tuticorin,
twice in a day. There are trains departing and arriving from Chennai and
Bangalore to the Tuticorin Railway Station; one of the oldest railway stations
in the country.