Papanasam Beach, Thiruvananthapuram

Papanasam beach is a perfect place to watch the sunset or relax gazing at the horizon. The area is covered with coconut palms and small restaurants that mushroom during the season. This beach is bordered by high cliffs. Right below this cliff is the 500 -metre stretch beach.

Compared to other prominent beaches, Varkala is fortunate in that it is less crowded, has fewer number of shops and beach sellers and still lesser amount of commercialization. Here one could swim, play cricket, volley ball and even manage to practise yoga.And If you are that lucky, you get a rare chance to sight a naughty dolphin.

Papanasam is important for the Hindus. They come to drain the mortal remains of their dead relatives. Consigning the mortal remains of the dead relatives in the waters of a pilgrim centre is a sacred act by the Hindus, a way for redemption from sins. This Hindu ritual also known as ‘vavu bali’ is performed on the beach on the new moon day of the month of Karkkidakam’ (Malayalam Era).

Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several places of tourist interests like a beautiful beach, a 2000-year-old Vishnu Temple and the Ashramam – Sivagiri Mutt a little distance from the beach.

The Papanasam beach (also called as Varkala beach), which is ten kilometers away from Varkala, is renowned for the natural spring. It is considered to have medicinal and curative properties. A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins; hence the name ‘Papanasam beach’.

A two thousand year old shrine the Janardhanaswamy Temple stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach, a short distance away. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 – 1928) is also close by. The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days – 30th December to 1st January. Sree Narayana Guru propagated the ideology: “one caste, one religion and one god”, in a society torn by the taboos of caste system.

Varkala offers excellent accommodation facilities for tourists and is fast becoming a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centres.

Town:: 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city in Thiruvananthapuram district and 37 km south of Kollam, south Kerala.
Airport:: Nearest airport: Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, about 57 km away
Railway Station:: Nearest railway station: Varkala, about 3 km away
District:: Thiruvananthapuram
Longitude:: 8.733030
Latitude:: 76.708436