THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: One of the most picturesque beaches in India, Kovalam has enjoyed royalty status in the tourism sector. According to legend, the place gets the name, too, from ‘royal’ links.
“Kovalam’s roots lie in ‘kon’ and ‘alam’, which mean king and sea, respectively, in primitive Malayalam,” explains veteran historian and writer Prof. M G Sashibhooshan.
“The word alam can be traced to ‘Uppalam’, which means a sea of salt. Hence, it is believed that the place used to be a salt-generating field of the kings of yore.”Sashibhooshan adds that Kovalam holds a crucial place in the region’s history. “It lies close to Vizhinjam, which used to be an important trade port was said to be the capital of the Ay dynasty in the eighth century,” he notes.
“Kovalam is geographically unique. Unlike other beaches, the sea juts inwards, and the shoreline is in the shape of a crescent moon.” Kovalam also houses the Halcyon Castle, which used to be a family retreat built for the royal family during the reign of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bai. Today, it’s run by a five-star hotelier group.
“The queen’s husband, Rama Varma Thampuran, was an ace builder. He curated the private holiday palace for the family,” says Sashibhooshan. “Another rich architectural structure in Kovalam is the India Tourism Development Corporation guest house. Notably, every window in these buildings offers a complete view of the sea. It’s a wonderful experience to observe the colour of the seawater changing — royal blue and emerald green — based on seasons.”