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Location: 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city and 37 km south of Kollam.
Attractions: Beach, mineral watersprings, the Sivagiri Mutt and a 2000 year old Vishnu temple
Varkala, a quiet town, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several places of tourist interests- a beautiful beach, a 2000 year old Vishnu temple and the 'Sivagiri Mutt'. At the serene Varkala beach is a quiet sea resort rich in mineral water springs.A dip in the holy water at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins. Hence the name 'Papanasam beach'. A two thousand year old shrine, the Janardhanaswamy Temple, stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach, a short distance away. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu reformer and Philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also close by. The Samadhi (the final resting place) of the Guru here attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days - 30th December to 1st January. Sree Narayana Guru is one of the greatest social reformers kerala has ever seen. He propagated the ideology, "one caste, one religion and one god", in a society torn by the taboos of caste system. Varkala offers excellent accommodation facilities for the tourist and is fast becoming a popular health resort with many Ayurvedic massage centres.
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