Bungalow on the beach - A chapter from the pages of history

For a while now my heart was set on visiting Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) - land of the singing waves, a historic town granted to the Danes by the Rajah of Tanjore for an annual tribute in the year 1620. My fascination with it was for a simple reason, it is the only place in south India (not including the island of Nicobar which is now off limits) which was once under the reign of the Danes. Although now it is only a tiny blip on the east coast of the country, it was once a bustling port used primarily to export Pepper – India’s black gold, which had captivated the bland palate across Europe. Interestingly, it is also here that the journey of Protestantism began with the efforts a German Missionary, Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg, who translated the bible into Tamil and set up a printing press that churned out 300 Tamil Books.

But, it is not just the history that drew me to this town. Bungalow on the beach, needless to say smack on the beach, was the erstwhile residence of the marines of the Danish Naval fleet. Set between the 17th century Dansborg Fort and the 14th century Masimalainathar temple, it is a typical European styled building with wide arches, high ceilings, tall columns, large windows and sprawling gardens with a view of the tempestuous Bay of Bengal Sea. However, in 1845 the Danes had to relinquish their authority here and hand it over to the expanding British administration. Now owned by a local Tamil Family settled abroad, it was restored by the Neemrana group to its current glory and turned into a Non-hotel hotel in the year 2007.

Having retained all of the facets of the earlier architecture, they have recreated a colonial charm in their rooms by adding four-post beds, hard wood flooring and antique chest drawers alongside plantation chairs; though of similar sizes no two rooms are alike. To add a touch of the Danish heritage, the eight rooms are named after the Danish ships that docked at the port of Tharangambadi during its Danish past. Six of the eight rooms are on the first floor, a few with a clear view of the fort, the temple and the sea and a few facing the garden by the gate. All these six rooms are connected by a single corridor with partitions put up for each room to give that privacy. The other two rooms are on the ground floor with a restricted view of the sea spilling right onto the sprawling garden dotted with cheery bougainvillea trees and the inviting pool.

A small room at the back has been turned into the restaurant which I personally felt was a little dinghy and preferred to dine in the verandah by the garden. The food is exceptional though the menu is limited and they do not serve alcohol, but you can always bring along your choice of poison! A small gate on the side leads to the fort, the temple and the beach which is at times lined with colorful boats within a walking distance of a few hundred meters.

Tharangamabadi’s sedate existence is what makes it an off-beat destination which can be soaked in by a handful few and there is no better place to do this than at the tranquil Bungalow on the beach. It is, in my opinion, a perfect stop to breath, unwind and feel rejuvenated amidst the culturally inclined temple trail in Tamil Nadu.

Tharangambadi is an ideal overnight stop between Puducherry and Tanjore.