Shankumugham in Thiruvananthapuram

From tourist villages to wildlife zoos and from ancient temples to historic museums, the city of Thiruvananthapuram is dotted with numerous exotic locations that are ideal picnic spots for the local holidaymakers and overseas travellers. These picnic spots in Thiruvananthapuram offer everybody in the city great options for hanging out with family or friends throughout the day indulging into different types of amusing and interesting activities. Scenic natural locations and striking man-made attractions make picnicking in Thiruvananthapuram a genuine memorable experience. The most popular of these picnic spots in Thiruvananthapuram indispensably include the pictorial beaches in and around the city, which embody unspoiled natural beauty of the landscaped coastal region. The Shankumugham Beach is one of these popular beaches in Thiruvananthapuram, which is a favourite among all the visitors in the town located within 8 kilometres from the heart of the city.

Attractions at Shankumugham Beach

Reachable conveniently from the famous Kovalam Beach of Thiruvananthapuram, the Shankumugham Beach is a popular tourist site in the city located nearby other major attractions such as the Akkulam Tourist Village and the Veli Tourist Village. It, thus, serves as a very interesting site for picnicking, sightseeing and water sports activities.

The unspoiled charm of the beach appeals to all sightseers, the glistening shoreline extending wide and adding quietude to the entire surrounding. The Shankumugham Beach has everything that makes a visit to the beach a pleasant and memorable one. Evenings at the beach are most enjoyable, the beach being home to a great place for hanging out throughout the day and even during the evenings – the Star Fish Restaurant.

This onshore restaurant has separate food joints for various types of cuisines, an outdoor theatre and a spacious car parking zone. Jalakanyaka – a massive statue of a mermaid, created by the famous Indian sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman, is a special attraction placed on the Shankumugham Beach for the picnickers and sightseers. The Indian Coffee House, facing the sea, is the best place to watch a sunset at the beach.

Other Places of Interest at Shankumugham

The skating school, which provides training to the skating enthusiasts as well as the adjoining indoor sports centre, which houses facilities for playing table tennis and badminton, is worth exploring. For the sightseers at Shankumugham Beach, especially for the children here the Jawaharlal Nehru Park of Traffic Signs for Children is an interesting place to learn the basics of traffic rule in a playful way. Small children can also enjoy cycling during their visit at the park. The nearest attraction from the Shankumugham Beach is the Veli Tourist Village, which is another striking venue for enjoying picnics in Thiruvananthapuram.

Religious Rites at Shankumugham Beach

The Shankumugham Beach is dedicated to the Hindu god Sri Ananthapadmanabhan, the deity worshipped all across Thiruvananthapuram. Bali Tharpanam is a ritual at the beach performed by most of the Hindus in the city as a part of the local religious practice.

During the celebrations of Vinayaka Chathurthi the beach is used for the immersion of the Hindu idol. The Arattu day is celebrated in the city of Thiruvananthapuram with a ceremonial procession of the images of the Hindu gods Narasimha, Krishna and Padmanabhaswamy to the Shankumugham Beach, which faces the Laccadive Sea.

Sri Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the ex-ruler of Travancore, stays in front of the procession holding his royal sword and accompanied by the trained sentinels, royal people, temple staff, high officials and armed police. The procession returns with the images after the ritual of holy bath is over. These celebrations at the beach give the visitors and sightseers in the town a unique opportunity to witness something special on their trip to Thiruvananthapuram.