Bekal

Situated on the shore of the Pallikara village, Bekal is small town on the eastern seashore of Kerala. Located 16 km away from the Kasargod Town, Bekal is an important town of Kasargod district. During the Perumal age, the town was a part of Mahodayapuram. After the decline of Mahodayapuram Perumals by the 12th century, North Kerala including Bekal came under the administrative control of Kolathunadu. During the reign of Kolathiries, Bekal flourished as an important port town of Thulunadu.

In 1565, the Battle of Thalikkottai resulted in the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire. Several feudatory chieftains including the Keladi Nayakas became politically strong after the end of Vijayanagara Empire. Soon, the Nayakas realised the political and economic importance of the region and conquered it. During this time, Bekal served as a centre in establishing the domination of Nayakas in Malabar.

According to a local Kannada writer, Bekal Rama Nayak, Bekal is derived from the word Baliakulam, which means Big Palace.  In ancient time, every palace was protected by a fort and hence Bekal fort was also constructed. In 1763, this fort was captured by Hyder Ali, who passed it to Tipu Sultan. Later in 1799, Bekal came under the administrative control of English East India Company. During this time, Bekal became the headquarters of the Bekal Taluk of South Canara District, which was administered by Bombay Presidency.

In 1862, South Canara became a part of the Madras Presidency and Bekal Taluk was replaced by Kasargod Taluk. The oldest ritualistic temple art form of India, Theyyam, is predominant in the region. Every year from October through May, grand display of this ritual art is held at several places in the region. Kalaripayattu, the martial art form and Yakshagana, a musical theatre, are also an integral part of the culture of Bekal.

Major attraction in the town is Bekal Fort, which is one of the best preserved forts in Kerala. Underneath the Bekal Fort is the Bekal Beach, which is characterised by golden sand and palm trees. Furthermore, Valiyaparamba, which is around 19 km away from the destination, is famous as the beautiful stretch of backwater in Kerala.

The airport nearest to Bekal is Mangalore International Airport, which is located around 50 km away from the town. Kasargod and Kanhangad are the nearest railheads that can be used for reaching the destination by train. The town is also connected to Kasargod and Kanhangad by regular bus service operated by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation. Best time to visit Bekal is from October through March, when weather is favourable for outing and sightseeing.