Welcome to Malpe

 

Welcome to Malpe đź’“

By – Shailaja Mcom.

    Karnataka is home to some amazing places to visit. It is one South Indian state that has something on offer for all kinds of travelers. Its beaches are as alluring as its forests; its hill stations are as enchanting as its festivals. While places like Hampi, Mysore, Coorg, Gokarna, and Bangalore have always been tourist-pullers, there are some places that are comparatively less explored by people outside the coastal belt.

One such popular place is Malpe located around 6-8 kilometers west of Udupi. To begin with, Malpe is a natural port. Maple is an enchanting beach town, which apart from the beach, has a few more lovely sights on offer to the tourists. Apart from its fascinating natural, scenic values, the place has been recognized a centre of commercial activities for a long time. It is one of the busiest and important places of Coastal Karnataka. The fact that Malpe is a beach and a natural port has substantially enhanced its commercial potentialities. In addition, Malpe has its religious and historical significance too!

The town of Malpe is essentially associated with fishing and allied professions with a great number of Mogaveera settlements (the fishermen community). Tile manufacturing (now on the wane) and coconut industry are other thriving activities here. Tulu, Konkani, Urdu and Kannada are the main languages in currency here, although it is common to find smattering of Malayalam and Tamil too as fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka find their livelihood in the waters of the Arabian Sea. A visit to Malpe and the visitor will be dumbfounded with the avalanche of boats on shore and in sea in Malpe.

The major industry in Malpe is fisheries. A considerable number of the population is engaged in fishing and related industries. It is estimated that there are about 1500 country boats alone in Udupi district with nearly thirty thousand fishermen engaged in country boat fishing. The masts, flags and the graffiti on boats give the whole atmosphere a kaleidoscopic touch. The fishermen have their own ritual and offering such as the samudra pooja, in order to appease gods for the safety of fishermen.

The Udupi District Co-Operative Fish Marketing Federation has a pivotal role in providing organizational back up to the activities of fishing in Udupi, especially Malpe. The Federation has ice-plants at Mangalore and Malpe Fishing Harbor. In these plants ice is produced and sold to fishermen at reasonable rates. 

On the other hand the Malpe Fishing Harbor is in dire need of accelerated expansion. Lack of space to anchor fishing boats is a perennial problem. While there is space for anchoring six hundred boats in the harbor, there are around one thousand five hundred boats eating up space and cramming the whole environment. 

Malpe is not limited just to fishing and seafood. It is a seat of religious significance. The Vadabhandeshwara Balaram Temple holds religious, historical and religious significance. The temple is dedicated to Krishna’s brother Balarama. The temple which is located in Uddinahithlu in Malpe is believed to be centuries old. At a distance of ten kilometers from the Udupi (Indrali) Railway Station the temple is also known as Anantheshwara Temple. It is also believed that the idol of Lord Balarama was installed by philosopher Sri Madhwacharya, who built the iconic Sri Krishna Temple at Udupi. The seashore near Vadabhandeshwara temple is said to be the place where Madhwacharaya had a vision of Lord Krishna. A shrine Lord Subrahmanya is also built here considering its religious significance. The Mahalaya Amavasye is a special day for Hindus who throng in thousands to this place on that auspicious day, take bath in the sea and offer prayers to God.

The beach is the prime attraction of Malpe. It is the favorite hangout spot of people cutting across all ages. Malpe Beach is one of the finest beaches in Karnataka. The endless stretches of golden sand, graciously swaying palm trees and clear blue water enhances the beauty of the beach. It has also several activities like horse riding, boating, angling, wave riding and water sports. The beach is characterized by silvery white sand and rocky islands, some of which still remain largely unexplored terrains. It is a great place for swimming and fishing. The authorities of the Department of Tourism have taken adequate steps to maintain the pristine beauty of the place and hence lots of families tend to visit the beach, especially on weekends. In addition, quite expectedly, it is a place that is known for its seafood. Recently it earned the credit of being the first beach in India with 24x7 Wi-Fi facilities.


A description of Malpe cannot be complete without a mention of the St. Mary’s Island. It is one of the most gorgeous places to visit in South India. It is located off the coast of Malpe and is an ideal locale for enjoying mesmerizing sunsets and quality beach-time. The island is also known as the Coconut Island and Thonsepar; it is a cluster of four islands in the Arabian Sea, namely the Daria Bahadurgad, Kari Illada Kallu, St. Mary’s Island and Daria Gadara Kallu. The island also has geological significance as its columnar basaltic lava is believed to have been formed by sub-aerial, sub-volcanic activity, as indicated by scientific studies. The crystallized basalt rock formations added to the aura of the place. It is believed that the island was first explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 on his journey from Portugal and he named it as O Padrao de Santa Maria (as a dedication to Saint Mary) before proceeding to the Kappad Beach in Kozhikode, Kerala. The islands form one of the 26 Geological Monuments of India declared by the Geological Survey of India in 2001. The monument is also considered an important site for "Geo Tourism".

Let us now proceed to another island. The Daria Bahadurgad Island is one of the famous islands in Malpe. The island is less than 250 yards and is wide about just 1.6 square kilometers. Although small, the rocky island has many scenic locations and it was once regarded a safe anchorage for vessels. The Daria Bahadurgad fort is also located in this island. Basavappa Naik of Bidanur constructed the fort many decades ago.

The sea-walkway is a recent addition to the credentials of Malpe. The sea-walkway, claimed to be the first in Karnataka, inaugurated in 2017, added another landmark in to the repertoire of Malpe as a tourist destination. The nearest sea-walkway in South India is the one found at Beypore Beach at Kozhikode in Kerala. The sea-walkway has been constructed aesthetically on the breakwater at the entrance of the Malpe Fisheries Harbor. Walking on the sea-walkway, visitors can feel that they are walking on the sea! There is water on either side and in front lies the vast Arabian Sea. The tourists can also get a distant view of St. Mary’s Island and the Bahadurgad Island. In addition, tourists will be able to watch fishing boats going to catch fish during day and the evening.

The sea-walkway is 450 meter long and 2.4 meter wide. There are granite seats on either side of the walkway where people can experience blissful moments watching the sea, the birds and fish. For tourist safety, railings have been provided on either side of the walkway. The ambience of the place has been enhanced with the ornamental lamps that have been installed at vantage points. It’s a treat to the eyes in the evening!

What adds to the indigenous beauty of the walkway is the sculpture of Purushotham Adve. Sculpted in sand and cement, the statue depicts a fisherman’s family. The statue shows a fisherman carrying an oar, a fisherwoman with a basket on her head and their child following them with a bag. The fisherman is facing the west, suggesting that he is going to catch fish, while the wife is facing west suggesting that she is going to the city to sell the catch and their son with his satchel is accompanying them to the school.

Another important term associated with our study of Malpe is TEBMA. Incorporated in 1984, Tebma Ship Building Company is engaged in the design and construction of vessels catering to the offshore segment. Tebma has already delivered various types of vessels such as tugs, dredgers, floating cranes, LPG Carriers and survey launchers to various domestic and international clients. Tebma has world class infrastructure for building vessels at Malpe. Tebma has constructed and delivered over 150 vessels in the last twenty years to various clients. Tebma has certainly redefined and set new benchmark in ship building in the entire South Asia.

With so many things on offer, surely, Malpe is one of the must-visit tourist places of Coastal Karnataka. One sincerely hopes that in the days to come the Department of Tourism will take adequate measures towards providing sufficient space for anchorage of boats, safety of tourists, a control on the prices and tariffs imposed on tourists for services offered, cleanliness of the beach, protection of the geological monuments and also widening of the road from Karavali to Malpe for smooth passage of traffic.

So, dear reader, once again, welcome to Malpe!

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