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WAVES BECKON At Kayalpattinam

From the heart of Thoothukudi, it takes less than 40 minutes to get a magnificent view of the ocean of froth. Once I criss-cross the narrow streets of Kayalpattinam town, the tar road lined by sandy pavements quite surprisingly widens and culminates at the sea. A big arch welcomes you and gives a feeling of a place well-kept. And then the panoramic picture of the ocean unveils and the sight of rising and falling waves beckons you. The district administration has built recreational facilities over a sprawling 10,000 square metres. So I step on the neatly laid walking tracks past the stylishly trimmed lawns that hold granite benches, cemented umbrella-shaped shelters, colourful swings and slides. You can not miss the three fountains and the small green mounds artificially created on which perch terracotta birds. Overall, it lends a nice ambience, an effort that apparently took a decade to materialise.

The time is late afternoon and perhaps people have not woken up from their post-heavy lunch Sunday siesta. So it is all quiet on the beach.

I walk barefoot along the coastline and choose a quiet spot where I can hear nothing but the music of the sea water forming into big white foamy waves. And then, falling and breaking into small white sparkling waves to lash the shore gently. As the water recedes it leaves a sketch on the wet sand bed, which almost resembles an ECG graph! The dance of the waves against a fading sun is mesmerising. The breeze gets a bit stronger. The sky, the water, the beach, everything looks so clear. There is hardly a scope for beach combing here except the occasional shell tugging at the toe when the waves recede. A dozen-odd brightly painted boats stand still on the waters. The sun is about to set and the beach starts getting its visitors. Noisy children head straight for the waters and splash around. Young couples holding hands search for that spot of privacy. Time to go, I tell myself and return to the park.

The park is lit with mercury lamps. I sit for a while and brush up my history talking to the seniors around. The ancient city finds several references in travel works as a flourishing commercial port.

This important trade zone was apparently frequented by Greek, Roman and Arab traders before the advent of Muslim missionaries from Mecca and Madina in 633 A.D.

The legend goes that on the shadows of Mount Mukhadham near Cairo, existed a town called Qirafathul Kubra. In 824 A.D., 200-odd descendants of the first caliph of Islam, Abubacker Siddique, left the Egyptian shores, under the leadership of Mohamed Kalji, in a ship made of wood and hit the shores of Kayal, which was then ruled by Pandya king Abhirama Raja Adhiraja Raja Jayaveera Rajukaar.

It is said that those who arrived were given land by the King to settle and carry on their trading.

Interestingly, Kayalpattinam is also known for its burial grounds from where centuries old Chinese porcelains, swords and arms and Arabic coins were excavated by the State Archaeological Department.

The antiquity of the place is further established in the recordings of Kayalpattinam as the capital of second Tamil Sangam, called Kapadapuram, 5,000 years ago.

It was also known as Alaiwaiport while Greeks named it Periplus port.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru also mentions in “Discovery of India”, Madurai was the capital of Pandiyan Kingdom while Kayal was its port. The port was also called Sonoharpattinam. It was closed in 1937.

The town of Kayalpattinam is dotted with tombstones and mosques, the first of which is said to be built in 633 A.D. by Arab businessmen. Kayalpattinam was known by several names during different periods like Vaguthai, Pavithira Manikka Pattinam and ThenKayal.

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