Visakhapatnam - Rhapsody in Blue

Appeared in "Swagat"


Visakhapatnam ..... A Rhapsody in Blue

The seemingly endless coast, a rhapsody in blue is mesmerizing and mystical. The breathtakingly bounteous shimmering water is veritably bewitching and balmy, compelling us to soak in its calm radiance. We (my husband and I) instantly warm to the destination of our choice, Visakhapatnam, the Jewel of the Eastcoast, situated along the eastcoast of the Bay of Bengal, a city we had hitherto so often viewed from the skies, en route Chennai, but not really touched down for a visit. Incidentally it is the only natural harbour on the eastern coast of India and is dotted with a plethora of exquisite lakes and beaches as we later discover during our sojourn.

It is one of those rare breaks we decide to take, for exactly half a week, to bask in the glory of nature, to laze and lounge, to break away from the everyday humdrum and bustle of life, from the endless meetings and unceasing pressure of deadlines. We are determined to allow ourselves this luxury that we richly merit but poorly get, even at a premium! Visakhapatnam or Vizag is our choice by default – solely because of its proximity to Korba where we reside - 6 hours away – five hours by road to Raipur from where our flight to this port city is a bare 50-minutes.

Unwind, relax, get a whiff of fresh breath, take it easy – our minds are filled with only these thoughts as we embark on our trip and check in at Hotel Greenpark upon arrival at Vizag. That Visakhapatnam is a magnificent mosaic that reflects growth, prosperity, opportunity and is fast galloping towards becoming a megalapolis is evident from its towering shopping malls, high-rise constructs in progress and apparent body language of its people. The icing on the cake, however, is the amiable, warm, welcoming disposition of its residents who seem to have struck a harmonious balance between the commercial and the spiritual – a feeling we experience throughout our stay in this city.

It is well past dawn as we drive down from the hotel to the Ramakrishna Beach road to luxuriate in the warmth of Vizag and all that it has to offer by way of retreat. The road, as in the rest of Vizag, is braod, sparsely trafficked relative to several Indian cities and dotted with landmarks aplenty – the famed Submarine Museum, Visakha Museum, Aquarium, War Memorial indicated by the Victory at Sea column, statues of eminent personalities and several parks. A life-size, mellow-eyed pachyderm, with huge floppy ears, created most expertly with skin folds sculpted to perfection, bowls us our into believing he’s there in real, alive and mirthful, standing majestically and welcoming passersby.

It is not the sunniest of days and the beach area is a curious swirling mix of sun and vapour as we settle ourselves to watch nature’s watery sprawl assume a scintillating monochrome in blue as it almost meets the horizon, from the azure to the aqua, cyan, turquoise, iris, teal and finally to the Prussian and even black, as day merges to twilight and then night. Yes, we spend this entire day on the seafront, entranced by the symphony of the waves, the caressing brush of the gentle breeze upon our faces and we experience a stillness of spirit invading our body and soul.
Joggers, walkers of all ages are out there, many of them with dogs unleashed, for their morning constitutional, although it is close to lunchtime. I am happy that I can simply sit there on one of the beach benches and watch the world go by without the tyranny of the clock forcing me to action. There is this solitary crow that seems to share my desire for silence, to simply sit and stare, savour nature in its myriad hues. He utters a few weak caws, does his own little jig of circling around one of the rocks on the beach, his ebony wings floating and then he settles down on a rock close to where we are stretched. The scribe in me admonishes me and I shake myself out of my languorous attitude and wield my digital companion with reckless abandon at the natural elements.

Late into the evening, we amble towards Spuds, one of the fast food outlets overlooking the beach, to attend to our hunger pangs. As we stroll back beachwards, we realize that the tug towards the aqua region is yet going strong and the seashore is pulsating with re-energized vigor. The rejuvenated sands shimmer in the renewed glow of the floodlit roads as sea-lovers surface by droves even as the sun has sunk behind. Hawkers, particularly corncob, ice-cream and tender coconut vendors continue to peddle their wares and delicacies with greater zeal as couples, particularly the young and frenetic executives saunter in to unwind.

Digressing a little from our experience to the historical, Vizag has at different periods of time come under the sway of several dynasties including the Pallavas, Cholas and Gangas. Contrary to popular folklore that Visakhapatnam was named after Vishakha - the God of Valor and the son of Lord Shiva, more recent revelations indicate that the town was named after the Buddhist princes Visakha since Andhra Desam during the 3rd century B.C was the stronghold of Buddhism. The recent archeological findings of a few Buddhist sites lying between Bheemli and Vizag, are also pointers to this.

The next day sees us on our way to Simhachalam, the temple devoted to Lord Lakshmi Narasimha who is here bedecked in sandalwood paste, the beaches of Rushikonda and Bheemunipatnam or Bheemli for short, lying on the Beach Road at distances of 8km and 25 km from Vizag. We coast past the most popular stretches of the Ramakrishna Beach Road that snakes its way behind the beaches and is sprinkled with a cornucopia of residential buildings towering into the horizon, elegant villas, hotels, fast food outlets, shops, malls: in short the trappings of modernity is all there. This long coastline, palm-fringed in patches, boasts several other beaches that have delightfully powdery sands, dusted golden and pristine in all their glory. Many of them are broad and secluded, yet vibrant and lively in their own way, according privacy in ample measure for those wary of crowds.

Roughly 14 km on the Beach Road before Rishikonda, we are intrigued by a conical, red-blue pinnacled structure facing the beach. We decide to explore and make a short stopover at HARMONY Healing Centre, essentially a meditation centre set in lush surrounds. The centre is conceived as “Sun Centre“ with the power of the numerical potency “7”, a centre meant for regaining harmony within one‘s own system encompassing body, mind and soul and thereby experience peace and tranquillity. Based on a 2000-year-old concept and healing system believed to have existing in ancient India and in Greece, truly as suggestive of its name, we find a profound sense of tranquility and peace within its precincts.

As if charged with new vigour, we wend our way to Bheemunipatnam, skimming through Rishikonda and its splendid resort structures, literally on the sea. We observe that construction work is on towards the pitching of a film studio and water sports facility in the region.

Amidst the blue waters and tall coconut palms, Bheemli, we realize, is no sleepy town as perceived by several visitors to this hamlet that derives its name from Bhima, the valiant, food-loving Pandava brother of the epic Mahabharat. According to legend, Bhima is believed to have slayed the demon Bakasura at Bheemli and then commemorated his victory by installing a shrine of Goddess Lakshmi atop the hill. India’s second oldest municipality, Bheemli’s colonial past is evident in the remains of a once thriving Dutch settlement in the form of old churches, a clock tower and the lighthouse, much of it set in the midst of lush green, nestling among them little and large houses, huts and villas with ruddy rooftops.

As we settle under one of the many thatched sunshades that lie across the length of Bheemli, we watch its fishing population engaged in its routine. The fishermen, some of them patiently await a pull on their lines; yet others are busy, weaving their nets in shape. Then there are the lucky ones who triumphantly draw in their line, give a smug smile, collect their “rich” haul and head homewards with the prize catch intact. The coastal road is a rich motley of color with life size idols of characters from Krishna Leela, The Bible, Buddha’s sermons, to name a few.

As we drink in the simple but profound beauty of Bheemli with its beach and inhabitants, the sun is sinking low in the sky. Yet the waves continue their task, relentless, crashing and breaking, resigning their force to the shore. The illusionary azure blue sea assumes the tints of the Prussian and even black as it slowly but surely darkens as dusk draws closer.

With the fragrance of Bheemli lingering strongly in our very breath, we return to Vizag making a slight detour to wind our way up to Kailasagiri, a hilltop park that offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the port and the city at large. A floral clock crafted from a brilliant melange of colors greets visitors to the hilltop. A white marble statue of Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, towering to a height of 40m, dominate the landscape of this park that prides itself for having cable car rides and other technology driven games and several fast food outlets, the entire attraction covering an area of about 350 acres. There is water everywhere, gushing from the statues, symbolizing the flowing Ganges. The Titanic Viewpoint is a major crowd puller here, offering a grand vista of the environs of Vizag.

Before repairing for the day, we partake of a light dinner at Greenpark itself. Talking of which, the gastronomic odyssey during our stay in Vizag and even other regions of Andhra teach me a thing or two: not all Andhra curries are spicy hot as they have come to be known and that the humble sambar, a necessary accompaniment of idli, dosa, uthappam and vada is at its aromatic and authentic best in some of the hotels, restaurants, even the smaller cafes of Tamil Nadu.

On the penultimate day of our stay at Vizag, we decide to undertake a trip to Araku Valley, 120 km from Vizag, passing through Anantagiri and Tyda en route. We are told that the best way to experience Araku would be to take the 7 O’clock morning train from Vizag, criss-crossing peaks and valleys and chugging through, approximately fifty tunnels and make the return via road. However, our unplanned visit forces us to make the round trip by road. The route is no less enchanting, except that we miss out snaking in and out of tunnels. We stop to soak in the ambience of the coffee plantations at Anantagiri, the highest altitude place in Andhra Pradesh, before proceeding to Araku. All along the route we chance upon several dozens of devotees dressed in yellow-saffron robes, walking bare-feet, apparently to offer their obeisance to the village deity, a manifestation of Shiva. Covered in a faint veil of blue-green mist, the lush environs of Araku come alive with the tribals performing the Dimsa dance, unique to their clan and culture. Here at the Tribal museum, a riot of colours, earthy freshness and delicacy of touch defines Andhra craftsmanship, exhibited as permanent displays and items on sale. Closeby are several cottages and restaurants offering authentic Andhra cuisine besides the usual South and North Indian fares, both with an overtone of the Southern flavour.

We are stunned into speechlessness as we gape at Nature's engineering skills and timelessness at Borra, the limestone caves of over a million years old, 90 km north of Vizag, supposedly discovered by British geologist William King in 1807. Primitive in beauty and awe-inspiring, the cavern is home to intricate stalagmite and stalactite formations and at the highest point of which is a Shiv Ling, worshipped by the tribals of the region. Legend has it that Borra is the abode of Bodo Dev, the High God of the tribals and Shivratri, in particular, is celebrated here in great splendour. Watered by the Gosthani River, Borro encompasses within its surrounds several lush valleys, dense forests and crystal clear streams and waterfalls, each magical in its own way, adding a sense of aura to Borra itself.

As we bid adieu to Borra and the host of sights in an around Vizag, a deep sense of peace settles over us and I begin to fully comprehend now, the significance of colours and their implication - that they go beyond the apparent, tangible. Vizag is all blue for me, not simply for its seascape but for the complete calm and spiritual feel it compellingly bestows upon you, unsought!

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