Mermaid in a Beach?

This seems vague for the common traveller to believe in but this is what we were about to see in Shangumugham beach in Kerala. I was on a holiday to Kerala, our own God’s own country in the year 2012-13 during Jan 2013 and we were returning from Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari.I have heard a lot about this beach and was eager to see the beach and the surroundings on a  placid evening in Thiruvananthapuram. As we reached the place we were welcomed by the roar of the aircraft taking off from the nearby Thiruvananthapuram airport. 

We gradually moved towards the beach searching for the mermaid to see and there it was at the entrance of the beach. The humongous 35 m long sculpture is a major attraction in this beach. This sculpture was made by the famous sculpture artist from Kerala, Kanayi Kunhiraman.This is also famously called as ‘Matsya Kanyaka’ or ‘Jalakanyaka’.

Mermaid at Shangumugham Beach

A close view of the 'Jalakanyaka'

Next to the mermaid is another sculpture of a man lying down and relaxing in a beach with his one leg over the other. When we see the posture we will have a small smile coming in our face. We smiled a bit differently after seeing a crow sitting on one of the legs of the relaxing man.

Sculpture of a man relaxing in the beach

After the funny faceoff, we moved towards the beach to get set for the sunset to be seen. This beach is famous for the vast stretch of white sand across the shore. Evenings in this serene atmosphere, relaxes the tourist when they come over here and spend some time.We thought of just relaxing in the beach and wait for the sunset for some time. In the meantime there was music being played in the beach by an old man along with a keyboard. It seemed to us that he was a hapless person but with a soothing and an enchanting touching voice. Not remembering his name, but he made the atmosphere with his voice very emotional with some good old Malayalam songs. After hearing to the songs we entered the seashore to enjoy the waves splashing to the shores and hitting our barren legs. 

Soon we were embracing the setting sun and the nature was at its full glory giving all of us an impression as rightly said by Thomas Campbell
'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore, And coming events cast their shadows before'.

My wife and Son seeing the Sunset at Shangumugham beach

As the sunset started we all glued towards the sun and the vast ocean where it meets the end of the planet earth.We stood our ground as the colour started changing from  yellow to orange and then to pink and finally the round ball of fire just vanishes to the vast end of the planet earth.

Sunset at Shangumugham beach

As the sunsets,the ocean currents also becomes as if its relaxed and we can hear less noise of the ocean currents along the Shangumugham shores.The seawaves also becomes calm and soothing and we can feel by the end of the sunset as if the shores were waiting for the sunset to become calm and soothing.After the magnificient sight we thought of having an icecream and then roam around the beach for some time.The time was now around 6.30pm and our driver was calling us since we need to reach the hotel by 7.00pm.We left the beach and just in time reached the hotel.All way long just the sunset was roaming through my images in mind.Such was the impact of the Shangmugham beach sunset.Truly mesmerising.

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