A VISIT TO AZHICODE LIGHT HOUSE AND TIRUVANCHIKULAM TEMPLE

Date: 2nd September 2009


If there is something in Kerala from a traveler’s point of view a plenty it is the historic and important light houses. When I was working in Eriyad branch in Thrissur district I had made an unsuccessful trip to the light house located nearby. My transfer to Kollam district, which boasts of two light houses did not help matters as I was denied entry due to the reason that they do not allow a single person on top of the light house. So my desire to get on top of the light house remained unfulfilled for long. I was hence looking to fulfill it somehow. With this in mind I decided to try my luck once again and planned a trip along with mother and nephew to Azhicode Light house and Tiruvanchikulam temple. So on the decided day the taxi came by around 3:20 pm. Myself, mother and my nephew got into it and reached Kodungallur by 4 pm.

Here the driver took a rather long route and we found our self driving on the opposite side of the normal route. We reached the light house by 4:20 pm. When we reached the base we found the light house keeper calling from the top of the light house to remove the foot wear and come on top to pay the entry fees. It was a comparatively long climb than the ones in the buildings in Mumbai that mother was a little bit used to. How she managed to climb it I don’t know. Maybe I never will. The view from the top is breathtaking. The sea was spread as a vast canvass. The coconut trees were everywhere to be seen on the land. One could also see a mountain on the eastern side. We all stood there for sometime. I was thrilled to have finally accomplished my wish.

After getting down we headed to the house of a friend of mine near my previous branch in Eriyad. After meeting the friend we visited the Tiruvanchikulam temple . This ancient temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. We had darshan and were outside the temple by 6:05 pm. We reached home by around 7 pm. Thus I did finally fulfill my wish of climbing atop a light house.

Getting there:

Bus fare from Urakom to Kodungallur is 13 Rupees
Bus fare from Kodungallur to Eriyad is 4.50 Rupees
Tiruvanchikulam is located in the main city itself.

Things to Remember:
There is a board indicating the Light house location just after the ‘Galaxy’ junction. Timings are 3 pm to 5 pm. Open on Sundays and all Public Holidays.