Varkala
Varkala
Udaya Marthandapuram | |
|---|---|
Town | |
Varkala Beach | |
| Nickname: Pearl of Arabian Sea | |
| Coordinates: 8°44′36″N 76°41′49″E / 8.7432986°N 76.6968401°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Kerala |
| District | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Talukas | Varkala Taluk |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Varkala Municipality |
| • Chairman | K.M.LAJI |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.87 km2 (5.74 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 3 |
| Elevation | 58 m (190 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 40,048 |
| • Rank | 3 |
| • Density | 2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Varkalakkaran, Varkalaite |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Malayalam, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 695141 |
| Telephone code | 0470 |
| Vehicle registration | KL-81 |
| Nearest City Airport |
|
| Niyamasabha constituency | Varkala |
| Website | www |
Varkala is a major coastal municipality and a northern suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. In legends and myths related to Kerala, texts like the Kerala Mahatmyam describe the Varkala region as one of the sacred places of Kerala.
Varkala is the only region in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Indian Ocean . These Cenozoic sedimentary formation cliffs are a unique geological feature on the otherwise flat Kerala coast and are known among geologists as the Varkala Formation. The cliffs have been declared a national geological monument by the Geological Survey of India for their protection, maintenance, promotion, and the enhancement of geotourism. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs. In 2015, the Ministry of Mines, the Government of India, and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) declared Varkala Cliffs a geo-heritage site.
Varkala is also known for the 2,000-year-old Janardana Swami Temple, which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine in India and is often referred to as Dakshin Kashi (Benares of the South).