11-15-2004, 03:06 PM
Must-see tourist spots close to a temple town
By Ganesh Prabhu
UDUPI, NOV. 14. The Malpe beach and St. Mary's Island, near the temple town of Udupi, have a special place in tourists' itinerary.
Following efforts by the Malpe Development Committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, that takes up the development of the beach and the island, the two tourist spots are seeing rapid changes for the better.
Jetty
A small jetty was built in October 2003 at the Malpe port.
Tourists can enjoy a boat ride to the island from the small jetty.
Even the Malpe fisheries harbour at the port will be of interest to the tourists.
The fishing boats in various sizes with colourful flags fluttering atop them make for a pleasant scene .
Legend
The beach finds a place in legend. The belief is that a ship carrying "goopichandan'' from Dwaraka to Udupi was caught in a storm off Malpe.
Madhwacharya, exponent of the Dwaita philosophy, was meditating on the shore at that time.
On hearing the cries of the sailors, he waved a cloth at the ship.
The storm subsided and the ship reached the shore safely.
The captain of the ship urged the saint to accept any valuable item in the vessel as gift. The saint took only the "goopichandan'' in which the idol of Krishna was buried.
He installed the idol at Udupi.
In keeping with the legend, the committee has proposed to install a 50-foot idol of Krishna on the Bhadargad Island. Geological monument
St. Mary's Island is 8 km north of Malpe.
The island was formed out of the lava that erupted from the sea millions of years ago. It is thus famous for its basalt rock formation. The Geological Survey of India declared it a national geological monument on November 16, 1979.
<b>The Portuguese traveller Vasco-da-Gama landed on the island in 1498 and called it El Pardon de Santa Maria. </b>The island, with coconut leaves swaying to the gentle and sometimes rough wind from the sea, is known for its picturesque beauty.
C. Nagaraj, Assistant Director of Tourism, told The Hindu that a double road would be built from Vadabhandeshwara Temple to the beach at a cost of Rs. 64 lakhs with financial assistance from the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation.
A jetty is expected to come up at the St. Mary's Island.
Two boats are ferrying tourists between the island and Malpe. Another boat would be commissioned soon.
A fish canteen has been built near the Malpe jetty to provide local seafood to the tourists. Fresh fish caught at the port are used in the delicacies.
Tourists can visit the island from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Rs. 60 a head.
However, the lighting works at the beach promoted by the Union Tourism Ministry has run into trouble as the lights and the dancing fountains are in disrepair.
By Ganesh Prabhu
UDUPI, NOV. 14. The Malpe beach and St. Mary's Island, near the temple town of Udupi, have a special place in tourists' itinerary.
Following efforts by the Malpe Development Committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, that takes up the development of the beach and the island, the two tourist spots are seeing rapid changes for the better.
Jetty
A small jetty was built in October 2003 at the Malpe port.
Tourists can enjoy a boat ride to the island from the small jetty.
Even the Malpe fisheries harbour at the port will be of interest to the tourists.
The fishing boats in various sizes with colourful flags fluttering atop them make for a pleasant scene .
Legend
The beach finds a place in legend. The belief is that a ship carrying "goopichandan'' from Dwaraka to Udupi was caught in a storm off Malpe.
Madhwacharya, exponent of the Dwaita philosophy, was meditating on the shore at that time.
On hearing the cries of the sailors, he waved a cloth at the ship.
The storm subsided and the ship reached the shore safely.
The captain of the ship urged the saint to accept any valuable item in the vessel as gift. The saint took only the "goopichandan'' in which the idol of Krishna was buried.
He installed the idol at Udupi.
In keeping with the legend, the committee has proposed to install a 50-foot idol of Krishna on the Bhadargad Island. Geological monument
St. Mary's Island is 8 km north of Malpe.
The island was formed out of the lava that erupted from the sea millions of years ago. It is thus famous for its basalt rock formation. The Geological Survey of India declared it a national geological monument on November 16, 1979.
<b>The Portuguese traveller Vasco-da-Gama landed on the island in 1498 and called it El Pardon de Santa Maria. </b>The island, with coconut leaves swaying to the gentle and sometimes rough wind from the sea, is known for its picturesque beauty.
C. Nagaraj, Assistant Director of Tourism, told The Hindu that a double road would be built from Vadabhandeshwara Temple to the beach at a cost of Rs. 64 lakhs with financial assistance from the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation.
A jetty is expected to come up at the St. Mary's Island.
Two boats are ferrying tourists between the island and Malpe. Another boat would be commissioned soon.
A fish canteen has been built near the Malpe jetty to provide local seafood to the tourists. Fresh fish caught at the port are used in the delicacies.
Tourists can visit the island from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Rs. 60 a head.
However, the lighting works at the beach promoted by the Union Tourism Ministry has run into trouble as the lights and the dancing fountains are in disrepair.