Muthalapozhi: The birth of a new tourist spot

One of the best ways to get over post travel blues, according to a seasoned traveller is to explore your own neighbourhood. And that's exactly what we did when we headed out to Perumathura, which is about 23kms from Thiruvananthapuram on a Sunday evening. Perumathura has a long history. The legendary King Cheraman Perumal is supposed to have stayed at Perumathura before he undertook his voyage to Mecca in the 8th Century AD. We wanted a not so crowded place – away from the city to relax and watch the sun go down. And it was then that my sister said she knew the exact place that fits to the narration. 'A new bridge has been opened connecting Perumathura to Thazhampalli', she said, 'let us see if there are any changes to the place.' And along we cruised down the Veli – Perumathura Road at a leisurely pace. Since this is a coastal road, the sea will tempt you to stop and walk in at various points during the drive. If you give in to temptation you will not have enough time to enjoy the simple pleasure of walking out on a sea bridge or going for a boat ride through the lake. So, do not stop till you reach the newly opened Perumathura – Thazhampally bridge. We were in for a surprise when we reached there. There was a huge traffic jam on the way to the new bridge. On reaching the bridge we found that a lot of others were also as curious as we were. There were cars of all sizes and makes parked on both sides of the bridge. We decided to cross to the other side and find a place to park. There were families – big and small crowding on the sandbar on either side of the bridge. There were many who were taking selfies with the sea and the lake in the backdrop. There were many who were relaxing on the beach taking in the sunset. And there were people on boats out on sunset cruises. Since it was too crowded, we decide to walk a little way down the road. The sights and sounds of a fishing village turning in for the day made us wonder if we were in another space and time. There were mothers calling out to the kids who were playing in front of the houses, there were people who were saying their evening prayers and then there were people who were mending their nets before they went out much before dawn in search of a new catch. Further down the road, on the other side of the ocean, you see the lake meandering down before it flows into the sea. We were told that there are regular passenger boats from across the river to Thazhampalli. By then the sun was dipping in the west. We walked across the road and watched the sun go down. The magic of the waves, the lullaby of the wind – it relaxed us. The Perumathura – Thazhampalli road was thrown open to the public during the first week of this September. And it is fast becoming one of the most popular places to watch the sunset from after the more popular Shankumugham and Kovalam beaches. There are no basic amenities here as of now. And if you are thinking of a picnic, you had better pack your basket. The clamour for more tourism options is gathering storm. Till those are developed, I would suggest you plan your trip to reach there by 4pm and take some time to explore the boating options. Or like we did, walk down the road and explore on your own.