The Tranquility of Tranquebar
We have all heard the trending “Try New Things” mantra. You could try new things every day, every week or if you are lazy like me then every year. It is said that trying new things or experiences rewires the brain and gives a new perspective. It was exactly what I needed after a particularly tough year. So I packed my bags and headed off on my first ever solo trip to Tranquebar/Tharangambadi, a town in the Nagapattinam district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Unlike its neighbour Pondicherry, Tranquebar is not a conventional tourist spot. It is steeped in a rich history that can be seen as glimpses in the architecture and the structure of what is now a fisherman’s town.
Tranquebar used to be a flourishing trade center for the Danish.
In 1618 admiral, Ove Giedde landed here with his fleet and immediately fell in love with the beauty of the place. After an agreement of annual tribute to the Raja of Tanjore, the Dansborg fort was built here to facilitate political, social, trade and cultural contacts between India and Denmark.
The Danish Colony was not the only reason why Tranquebar was renowned for its place in history. It is also believed to be the home of the first-ever Protestant Church in India, built by Rev. Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg in 1701. A small colony from where the religious teachings spread to entire India.
Being one of the hidden treasures without much social media coverage, very few tourists come to visit here. You won’t even find a souvenir shop here. I did search for them. Without the haggling shopkeepers, I went around looking for shells on the beach that I could take home as a memory.
The whole town starting from the town gate would only be about 1 Km in radius. Making it easy to go on a historical walk, to explore the buildings and talk to the local people.
“Tranquebar” was the name given by the first Danish settlers. It was previously called Tharangambadi, the place of singing waves and they weren’t wrong. Every afternoon, I would sit in one of those Jute armchairs, listening to the sound of the waves which would dissipate all my stress and lull me into a peaceful sleep.
I stayed at The Bungalow on the Beach (it was literally on the Beach), which was a renovated old bungalow with the Dansborg Fort on one side and a 14th Century Pandya Temple on the other side.
The Bungalow itself was situated on the Ozone Beach. The beach was so named as Tranquebar is believed to have the thickest Ozone layer in India. Some say it helps prolong the life of those who visit the beach. It could be true, but it sure isn’t a Philosopher’s Stone or a Fountain of Youth.
While the view provided a feast for the eyes, the stomach wasn’t ignored. The cook at The Bungalow made some of the best seafood I had tasted in a long time. I would fill my stomach to 110% and then retire to my favorite armchair armed with a book.
The view of the Fort next to the beach, with the waves crashing on the strewn boulders, the smell of the sea and the breeze in my hair, combined with the sound of the waves, the tasty food, and a comforting book made the trip a complete tranquil experience for the mind and the senses.
