Yesterday I was taking the car out to visit my native village. I was supposed to bring my parents to my home for the weekend. Right at that moment, my wife asked me to take our son to the beach on my way back. So, my son got into the car with his beach implements like plastic buckets, shovels, etc.
I reached my parents home by 5:20PM, it is about 35Kms from my home. As we were prepared to start back, it occurred to me that the original beach I considered to go was far and 5 Kms off the main road and it might be dark by the time we reach there. But I knew that the local village beach is barely 2Kms away. The odd thing is I have never visited this beach as long as my memory serves. Then my mom reminded me that I had last been there when I was two for taking bath in the sea on Mahalaya Amavasae, that's a local tradition. Considering yesterday was Mahalaya Amavasae, that makes it exactly 35 years ago.
My parents home is located at the far end of village across NH-17, which means we rarely venture into the village on the other side. Our nearest market/shops are in the next town on the national highway. Once we decided to visit the local beach, dad called my aunt for the direction, which I thought was odd. Then my mom tells me they too haven't visited the local beach since my last trip! On the way my mom was excited to see the old primary school, she passed out of it 55 years back. As the beach got closer she was mightly surprised to see lots of new houses. In fact she was surpised to see even the tar road all the way, she only remembers narrow trails. I said
Mom, things do change, especially over 35 years!
You know how beaches are, lots of people, lots of cars, parking problems, etc, etc. As I entered the beach area, I stopped for moment wondering where to park. Since there were no sign posts, I picked a vacant spot and parked it. And then got everybody out of the car and off we went towards the water.
I didn't have any camera except for the one on my mobile phone, therefore the snaps are average. But look at this beach, the crowd, and the parking lot.
Notice how clean the beach appears. This is the other side.
My son busy at work, or is it play?
Anyway, this is the output.
The sunset was bliss.
We Indian are not beach crazy people. May be Goa is an exception, but otherwise we don't get excited about beaches. I am not saying beaches are not fun, but for an average Indian beaches are passe. If you look at beaches in USA, they are jam packed on summer weekends. The residents of beach towns curse their decision to settle down near the beach. People from 50 miles radius decent upon the beach every weekend and you can't get parking for miles. My boss who used to live in one of the beach town used to say that if he takes out his car on summer weekends, he had to park half mile away and then walk to his apartment. This is absolutely not the case in India, except may be near cities.
But people in cities away from beaches do have interest in beaches and are often ready to travel long distances to play on the beach. But they usually go to crowded beach resorts in well known places. My first visit to Goa was in 2004 and I was not too impressed with the Goan beaches, the water was dirty and beaches were crowded. This is mainly due to the amount of tourists I suppose.
I am used to very clean beaches and water simply because I always visit unknown beaches around my native district. Somehow I never visited the beach in my native village.
Why spend your hard earned money at expensive beach resorts if you can have more fun in deserted/clean unknown beaches. Therefore it is advisable to check out lesser known beaches. Ok, you may not be able to stay in a beach resort, but you could stay any hotel within 10 Kms from the beach and then drive down to the beach. You would feel like you own the beach since you won't see anybody else there.