This is the place where those oft-repeated clich's about God's Own Country come true. Greenery so lush it almost hurts the eye. A sea complacent in its power. Thick swathes of rivers. A fort of laterite stone that holds within it so much romance, you catch your breath. People who are friendly, hospitable and wonder of wonders, actually do not stare you to death as their counterparts do in other parts of the same state.
You remember Bekal Fort, don't you That's the spot so soulfully captured in a monsoon blue-grey wash by Mani Ratnam in the film Bombay, the ultimate trysting place where the hero Arvind Swamy used to meet the burqa-clad heroine, Manisha Koirala. The 300-year-old circular structure of red laterite, tinged black by the battering elements, stands on a 35-acre headland, 130 ft above sea level, the wind-lashed icy ocean ceaselessly mounting a barrage far below. Controlled by powers as varied as the Vijayanagar kings, Tipu Sultan and the British, now the fort seems controlled by the elements. Ramparts, peep-holes, beautifully built-up steps leading to a cove, all make for the ideal spot to picnic, to navel-gaze, to chill out, to shoot a movie, to read a book. Oh, and to catch a brilliantly dramatic crimson-and-gold setting of the sun, a truly unforgettable experience... I did warn you about those clich's!
Bekal Fort is the cherry atop the pastry. All around lie miles and miles of palm groves, a long stretch of beachfront, pristine sands unspoilt by people, plastic and bottles. Long may it remain so.