Who would expect to see a Beach in the heart of a busy city like Trivandrum? Not too far from Trivandrum International Airport, Shangumukham or Shangumugham is a cozy spiritual destination for all. Shanghumugham beach is considered as the ‘Arattukadavu’ of Sri Ananthapadmanabhan - the presiding deity of the city. Moreover, there is a temple dedicated to Goddess Devi. This beach is also the prime location for Ganesh Nimarjan at the time of Vinayaka Chathurthi.
Keeping all the spiritual significance aside, Shangumugham beach is a cozy place to spend some quality time with your loved ones. With the beach covering the majority portion, there is a small shore for people to hold picnics. Luckily for me, the place is close to my residence and I often visit the beach with my friends. Every time we get there, we always find something memorable to cherish for rest of our life.
Apart from the beach, the main attraction of this place is the 30 m long structure of a Mermaid, known as the "Matsyakanyaka"(which is Mermaid in Malayalam). When we got there, we saw a huge crowd in front of the structure, taking pictures and standing bedazzled by the way the structure is constructed.
It wasn't until half past five when the crowd began turning up in huge numbers to witness the sunset. Unlike most of the places where I've seen the sunset, Shangumugham had a packed crowd on a perfect Sunday evening. Even though the place was packed, we were able to get a glimpse of the beautiful sunset.
Now that we have got an indoor stadium near the beach, we now plan on spending our weekends playing badminton on the court and watching the spectacular sunset after we finish playing. Also, for all those who try hard to find their inner peace, Shangumugham is a perfect place to visit. In addition to the beach, the temple and church hold the spiritual significance.
Having said that, Shangumugham is a perfect place to visit if you find it hard to travel far seeking an excellent beach to spend some quality time. Even though the place itself is not remote, it still remains one of the finest tourist spots and no doubt it will still remain one.
Quick facts
1. How to reach – Frequent buses to the beach are available.
2. Nearest town – Veli
3. Nearest railway station – Trivandrum, 8 kilometers away
4. Nearest Airport – Trivandrum, 2 kilometers away
5. Places to stay – Ideal for one day trip, but if you plan to visit in the long run, the rooms can be easily found in Trivandrum, which is just 8 km from the beach.
6. Best time to visit – There is no specific time for visiting, you can visit anytime.
7. Things to do – Sculpture of the famous "Matsyakanyaka" is just 100 meters from
8. Is it Child-friendly - Yes
Contributed by - Sooraj Ram
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