Tranquil Tranquebar (or Tharangambadi)

Day in and day out, Tranquebar – the serene town of scenic beauty and historic importance attracts many domestic and international tourists..

While stepping into tranquil Tranquebar to enjoy the ambiance of the glorious bygone Danish era, one can witness the majestic Dansborg Fort built in 1620 AD – the seat of power where the Danish ruled their territory in India.

The memorial of Bartholameus Ziegenbalg is another attraction. Ziegenbalg was a German missionary who landed in Tranquebar during 1706 and rendered yeoman service to the development of Tamil language and set up the first ever Tamil printing press in India, along with spreading the message of Christianity.

Other interesting places for history buffs as well as curious visitors are the New Jerusalem church built in 1718 AD and the gateway of Tranquebar – the splendid arch constructed in 1792 AD.

And now the remains..

Another monument ravaged by natural forces is the Masilamani Nathar temple built in 1305 AD by King Maravarman Kulasekara Pandian. The temple, one of the oldest monuments to survive in this place has been swallowed by the sea and what remains today is only the skeleton out of the three tiers. The only part visible now is the inner most mandapam and below is the time lapse of this temple.

The Tsunami effect:

Photo credits: R.Prasana Venkatesh