One place to visit on my bucket list is Tranquebar. I bet you don’t know where that is. Or have even heard of it? And that’s most probably because Tranquebar is one of Tamil Nadu’s best-kept secrets. It’s a tiny beach town on the southeast Coromandel Coast that was once a Danish trading post. About 280 kilometers from Chennai and 116 from Pondicherry if you are traveling by the old East Coast Road. I was attracted by the name. Some names have a picturesque feeling to them. And Tranquebar hinted at the romance and mystery of adventure and discovery. The Lonely Planet had little on it. But Google had plenty. It informed me that Tranquebar is today known as Tharangambadi, which I wonder how many people except the Tamilians living there know. Tharangambadi means ‘Land of the Singing Waves’. Which was dreamy enough for me to search further.
I learned that the Danes like the Portuguese did in Goa, the French did in Pondicherry, the British did in Bombay, and the Dutch did to some extent in Cochin, took this sleepy fishing hamlet and turned it into a fortified colonial town surrounded by high walls inside which were European-styled mansions, forts, churches, and buildings. It was the only town ruled by them in India for over 200 years until the British took over in 1845. Much of the Danish charm, legacy, and footprint still remains, I understand, though Tranquebar was almost wiped out by the 2004 Tsunami. It’s not a tourist hotspot because it’s largely undiscovered. But history buffs and laidback travelers wanting to explore offbeat beach destinations have learned about Tranquebar. And enterprising hoteliers have turned some of the old Danish properties into heritage hotels.
I won’t explore Tranquebar with a history book in my hand. I would wander around. The town is small. A weekend should do. I would go in early June. Sit beside fishing trawlers on the beach (one of the most ozone-rich beaches in the world), listen to the singing waves, and witness rain clouds riding over the old Danish-era Dansborg Fort that dominates Tranquebar’s skyline. Where the early Christian missionaries first landed in South India, leaving behind a picturesque New Jerusalem Church (built in 1718) and an older Zion Church. Walk beneath the archway of the historical City Gate. Along King Street and Queen Street, see the Tsunami Memorial, the Maritime Museum, the 1884 post office, and the colonial Governor House. Pray at the 700-year-old Masilla Nathar Temple. Disturb the ghosts in the decrepit Danish cemetery. Search for old bakeries where Danish Delights are still the best-selling pastries. Who’s coming with me?
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have been featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him in the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward in a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work.
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