Sivagiri Matt
Hilltop matt (hermitage) with tranquil environment.
Varkala
The memorial of Sree Narayana Guru
T
he Sivagiri Mutt, built in 1904, is situated at the top of the Sivagiri hill in Varkala Town.It is a pilgrimage centre where the tomb (samadhi) of Sree Narayana Guru is located. He was a spiritual guru and one of the greatest social reformers in India.
Mahatma Gandhi met Sree Narayana Guru at Sivagiri Mutt during his second visit to Kerala in 1925. Midway along the trek to the hilltop is a small home where this meeting happened. It's a humble looking museum today. Also visit the Sharada Temple dedicated to Sarada Devi the goddess of knowledge.
His tomb attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days (Sivagiri Theerthadanam), from 30 December to 1 January. During the pilgrimage season, the place is very busy and crowded. Other times its ambient is serene and calm.
Take the stairways to the hilltop. It's pleasant trek (30min) along a flight of steps. The view from the hilltop is spectacular. You can see the rolling hilly terrain with coconut palm thickets to the horizon.
Varkala Tunnel
At the foothill of Sivagiri hill is the ancient waterway canal, called the TS Canal. This connected Thiruvananthapuram with Shornur in Palakkad. You can see the canal enter into a tunnel, called Varkala Tunnel.