Varkala is the rare Kerala beach with a cliff — a wall of red laterite with cafés strung along the top and the sea below. But its sweep of sand has a name older than the cafés: Papanasam, “the destroyer of sins”. Beneath the postcard views lies a place of pilgrimage that gives Varkala a second, quieter life.
Papanasam — the sin-washing waters
By long belief, a dip in the waters of Papanasam beach washes away one’s sins and purifies body and soul. Pilgrims come to bathe here and to perform last rites for departed relatives on the sand — so the same beach where travellers watch the sun drop into the Arabian Sea is, a few steps away, a sacred shore. It is worth knowing which is which, and treating the ritual areas with respect.
The temple on the cliff
Above the beach stands the Janardanaswamy temple, a Vaishnava shrine said to be around 2,000 years old and often called Dakshin Kashi — the Benares of the South — for its role in ancestral rites. Its clifftop setting, overlooking the sea, ties the sacred and the scenic together in a way few places manage.
Sivagiri and Sree Narayana Guru
A short way inland is Sivagiri, the mutt founded by Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928), one of Kerala’s greatest social reformers, who preached “one caste, one religion, one god” to a society scarred by caste. His samadhi here draws huge numbers of pilgrims during the Sivagiri pilgrimage days, held each year from 30 December to 1 January. Together, the beach, the temple and the mutt make Varkala as much a place of pilgrimage as of leisure.
- Varkala is easily reached by train — Varkala Sivagiri station is a short ride from the cliff and beach.
- Papanasam is used for ritual bathing and last rites as well as swimming; be mindful and respectful near ceremonies.
- The Janardanaswamy temple has a traditional dress code; Sivagiri is busiest around the pilgrimage days (30 Dec–1 Jan).
Frequently asked questions
What does Papanasam mean?
Papanasam means “destroyer of sins”. By tradition, bathing in the waters of Varkala’s Papanasam beach is believed to wash away sins and purify body and soul, which is why pilgrims also perform ancestral rites here.
How old is the Janardanaswamy temple at Varkala?
The Janardanaswamy temple on the Varkala cliff is traditionally said to be around 2,000 years old. It is an important Vaishnava shrine, often called Dakshin Kashi — the Benares of the South.
What is Sivagiri in Varkala?
Sivagiri is the mutt founded by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928), whose samadhi is here. It draws large numbers of pilgrims during the Sivagiri pilgrimage, held each year from 30 December to 1 January.