Neyyar River and Varkala Beach

By Hiranmayi Turaga

The Neyyar river holds a special place in Kerala’s history. Shri Narayana Guru, who built the first temple for the state’s untouchable caste—at the time not allowed to enter the vicinity of temples—got the idol to worship by diving into the river and bringing out a rock, to place in the temple for worship as the holy God Shiva. The temple is still by the banks of the river. The river and its surroundings look synchronized in color, all in the shade of green, as though they symbolize the unity and equality Narayana Guru fought for. This photo collection also includes a picture of the backwaters of Varkala beach. It is impressive how backwaters got its own ecosystem.