Thiruvananthapuram: Shanghumugham
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As of 2025
Krishnachand K, January 16, 2025: The Times of India
From: Krishnachand K, January 16, 2025: The Times of India
Shanghumugham beach during full moon nights used to shimmer in a golden halo, and for years it was a favourite spot for beachcombers in quest of tranquillity. But over the last decade, a fuming Arabian Sea has been gnawing away the beach, first, it cracked the coastal road and then the walkway and promenade, where families used to spend their weekends.
Beaches act like a city's extended bodies, and envisioning a Thiruvananthapuram sans Shanghumugham beach is like having a Mumbai without Chowpatty or Chennai without Marina beach. The sensuous mermaid reclining into the beach sand, the stone mandapams where cultural festivities were organized in the past, and the annual bathing procession of Sree Padmanabhaswamy’s idol, led by the Travancore king to the Shanghumugham beach remain etched in the collective memory of Thiruvananthapuram residents. Situated in the southern tip of Kerala, the beach is a source of life and livelihood for the fishing community. “Even the tsunami did not cause any damage to this beach. But the way the beach is getting eroded every year, it looks like nothing is going to remain permanent,” says Shanghumugham Ajith, a middle-aged fisherman staring at the rising tidal waves.
Ajith’s family, once proud residents of their ancestral home by the shore, now huddle in a makeshift shelter further inland. Rising sea levels, aggravated by climate change and unchecked human interventions, have destroyed homes, livelihoods, and even the vibrant micro-culture that defined this coastal enclave. For Maria Sebastian, a 62-year-old fisherwoman at Valiyathura near Shanghumugham, the erosion has devas- tated her livelihood. “My home was washed away completely, and it is an irreparable loss. My fate will be to stay in relief camps for the remaining part of my life,” she says.
The latest report by the National Centre for Coastal Research submitted in Parliament last year reveals that 1.3 lakh square metres of Shanghumugham beach, and around 5.8 lakh square metres of Kovalam beach have been usurped by the sea. “Majority of beaches in Thiruvananthapuram are vulnerable. The neighbhouring Pozhiyoor beach was impacted due to the groyne and seawall construction in Kollemcode in Tamil Nadu and Thengapattinam harbour. Vizhinjam, Shanghumugham and Anjuthengu beaches were affected due to human interventions and construction activities in the sea,” K V Thomas, former scientist, and group head, Centre for Earth Sciences Studies, said.
The biggest livelihood impact due to sea erosion—after fishing— is the tourism sector and there has been a drop in the arrival of foreign tourists to Kovalam beach. Bengaluru resident Jyothish Kumar M said he had been looking forward to spending time at Shanghumugham beach, but was disappointed seeing the condition of the beach. “The beach will hopefully come back soon,” he hopes. Erosion has been most severe at Shanghumugham and nearby Valiyathura, Poonthura beaches, with Cyclone Ockhi in 2017 intensifying the problem. The storm caused extensive damage, and the affected areas have yet to recover their original coastal profiles. The state govt has now built a wall on the beach to protect the road from the encroaching sea waves. The irrigation department, which is responsible for the protection of the shoreland, has failed to develop a permanent scientific solution to protect the beach from erosion. “A detailed project report for the offshore breakwater proposal has been sent to the World Bank to obtain funds for the project and we are waiting for approval,’’ the official said.
