Back وركلا (ثيروفانانثابورام) ARZ Варкала Byelorussian বারকল Bengali/Bangla বারকল BPY Varkala CEB Varkala German Varkala Spanish Varkala Finnish ורקלה HE वर्कला Hindi

Varkala

Varkala
Udaya Marthandapuram[1]
Town
Varkala Beach
Nickname: 
Pearl of Arabian Sea[1] Goa of Kerala
Varkala is located in Kerala
Varkala
Varkala
Varkala is located in India
Varkala
Varkala
Coordinates: 8°44′36″N 76°41′49″E / 8.7432986°N 76.6968401°E / 8.7432986; 76.6968401
CountryIndia
StateKerala
District Thiruvananthapuram
TalukasVarkala Taluk
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • BodyVarkala Municipality
 • ChairmanK.M.LAJI
Area
 • Total
14.87 km2 (5.74 sq mi)
 • Rank3
Elevation
58 m (190 ft)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total
40,048
 • Rank3
 • Density2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Varkalakkaran, Varkalaite
Languages
 • OfficialMalayalam, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
695141
Telephone code0470
Vehicle registrationKL-81
Nearest City Airport
Niyamasabha constituencyVarkala
Websitewww.varkalamunicipality.in

Varkala is a major coastal municipality and a northern suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. In legends and myths related to Kerala, texts like the Kerala Mahatmyam describe the Varkala region as one of the sacred places of Kerala.

Varkala is the only region in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea.[3] These Cenozoic sedimentary formation cliffs are a unique geological feature on the otherwise flat Kerala coast, and are known among geologists as Varkala Formation. The cliffs have been declared a national geological monument by the Geological Survey of India for their protection, maintenance, promotion, and the enhancement of geotourism. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs. In 2015, the Ministry of Mines, the Government of India, and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) declared Varkala Cliffs a geo-heritage site.[4][5]

Varkala is also known for the 2,000-year-old Janardana Swami Temple, which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine in India and is often referred to as Dakshin Kashi (Benares of the South).[6]

  1. ^ a b "Varkala History, Thiruvananthapuram, kerala, india, History of Varkala". www.varkkala.com.
  2. ^ "Census of India: Search Details".
  3. ^ http://www.varkala.info Archived 7 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine | Details of Varkala
  4. ^ "Declaration of Geo-Heritage Sites". Press Information Bureau. 11 March 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  5. ^ Mahadevan, G. (7 July 2012). "Varkala cliff to be nation's first geopark". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Varkala". Kerala Tourism. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012.

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