Tranquil Tharangambadi

With its singing waves, this sleepy seaside town thrives in its Danish legacy on the coast of the Bay, writes Deepa Natarajan Lobo

When we hit the road from Tiruchirapalli to visit this former colonial Danish settlement, little did we expect the treat that lay in store for us. True to its name, Tranquebar is a place submerged in tranquillity. Also known as Tharangambadi (meaning place of the singing waves) in the local dialect, the Anglicised name of the sleepy seaside town came about thanks to the Dutch who settled here in the early 17th century and left their indelible mark on it.

To date, the place attracts a large number of Europeans who come here mainly to relax on the sparkling blue waters of the Coromandel Coast away from the hustle and bustle of its other crowded counterparts like Poompuhar and Puducherry.

Situated in the Nagapattinam district of India, Tranquebar was one of the towns destroyed by the tsunami in 2004. However, the beauty and elegance of the sleepy fishing village was restored thanks to the persistence of the locals and the quick restoration services provided by international agencies, Danish NGOs and authorities, and the Indian National Trust For Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

With just a handful of sightseeing attractions, you could walk through the entire place in a jiffy. Yet a closer second look and thought will take you through the rich pages of history that this exotic piece of coastal land has played home to.

The story goes that India caught the eye of the Danish East India Company, created in 1616 AD under King Christian IV, for its rich production of pepper and cardamom. So in 1620 AD, the Danish ships docked at the gentle waves of this sleepy fishing village on the Coromandel Coast and changed it forever. This was the time when the majestic Fort Dansborg, which towers over Tranquebar Beach, was built.

Today, the rustic brown fort looks like a brave warrior standing tall with pride on the sandy coast. And why not? After all, it was the walls of this fort that braved the destructive waves of the tsunami head-on in an attempt to protect the rich heritage town that lay beyond it. The fort also houses the Danish Museum and the extended pathway before it. This was built after the tsunami and is a relaxing spot for many tourists and locals.

A large part of the Tranquebar Beach, suspended between the wandering waves on one side and the poised backwaters on the other boasts of one of the best sunsets. While you can dip your feet in the choppy waves of the evening tide, you could also relax next to the calm backwaters where fishermen try their luck with a catch or two as the sun goes down.

While we decided to do a bit of both, what pained us was the sight of many gigantic dead tortoises that were washed ashore, bringing us back from our reverie to the harsh reality of the rampant environmental degradation that’s taking place.

Some of the other sightseeing attractions here are the New Jerusalem Church, Masilamani Nathar Temple, Zion Church, Danish Bungalow (which is closed most of the time) and the Old Danish Cemetery, which served as the burial grounds for many esteemed Danish officials.

Although it’s a surprise why tourists have shied away from this place so far, we sure weren’t complaining because the place is still clean and retains an old-world charm thanks to the lesser number of people who come here. So if you are planning a weekend getaway down South, you now have a new place on your list.

Getting there

Tranquebar doesn’t have an airport or railway station. The nearest airport to it is the Pondicherry Airport and the nearest railway station is Mayiladuthurai. From these places, one can hit the road and reach Tranquebar either via bus or car. From Chennai, it’s around 7-8 hours and from Puducherry it is four hours.

Places to visit

Fort Dansborg, Tranquebar Beach, New Jerusalem Church, and Masilamani Nathar Temple.

Best time

The coastal area is humid throughout the year experiencing soaring temperatures in summer and heavy rainfall during monsoon. So the best time to visit Tranquebar would be in the winter months of November to March.