My Most Beautiful Spot on Earth!

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
                                                                                                - Lao Tzu

 

   As much as I wouldnt like this post to sound like a tour promotion of some sort!!.. I cant but help gushing praise and wax eloquent on this piece of earth not only because its impossible not to fall in love with it, but also, it is part of my home! The few pictures that my stubborn internet connection allows me to upload here are but an indication of the different hues that God creates in this little jewel of a spot.

   

   Situated in my home town of Paravur in Kollam district of Kerala, the Kapil beach is found nestled along a marine drive on the way to Varkala town which is a tourist haven 15 mins away...but unlike Varkala, Kapil beach is unexplored as a tourist commercial oppurtunity(which is good in a way that it preserves its natural beauty)...and in this idyllic place, we find ourselves filled with a yearning to linger, where time stands still and beauty overwhelms. 


  Lagoon ahoy!: What makes this spot really unique is that kapil beach is part of a strip of land that stretches into the Arabian sea thus forming a lagoon, entrapping a crystal clear lake (Paravur lake) on one side of the strip and the beach on the other side! 

  During low tide, as kids, we would splash about while our worried parents surveyed us with hawk eyes making sure we were safe.. and during some seasons of high tide, the sea and lake actually come together and "shake hands" as we would say as kids...but truly is also a remarkable experience standing in between as you see the sea and lake swirl around you!

 In this view of the Paravur lake, you can see the beach on the left corner and the lake on the right, the bridge you see in the distance leads to Varkala:

 Another view of the Paravur lake:

  Natures fury: However, the spot is not exactly safe as the tides at the Kapil beach are very powerful and even the most sea hardy fishermen do not swim here especially during high tide, this may be one of the reasons, the Kapil beach is not exploited for tourism like Varkala beach which is relatively calmer with shallow beaches and a its limestone cliff. The marine drive is lined by huge boulders as a measure by the goverment to stop the furious waves washing into the road which is important to the connectivity of Paravur, but every time i re-visit, i get this ominous feeling like the sea is slowly intruding by a few feet, and she doesnt seem to be receding, so who knows, if generations to come will share the same memories i do...

In this picture, you can see the boulders lining the strip separating the lake and the sea:

The view from the side of the lake, you can see the land in between and then the sea in the background:



Memories: Besides being a beautiful visual landscape, the beach holds special place of heart for me (and obviously all Paravur residents) as it would be the first beach i've ever stepped foot on, and hold many childhood memories as going to the Kapil beach was one of our main agendas during the school vacations growing up and still is whenever we visit home! Its places like this that inspire one to say "home is where the heart is"

Me in Contemplation after a jog along the beach: