Port O Peace!

Many years ago, I did an extremely dangerous towing from Cochin to Mormugao, Goa. The exuberance of youth allowed us to disregard the risk. Another aspect of this voyage, was my discovery of Karwar.

Karwar, a tiny port, then, in North Karnataka looked beautiful from the sea & the waters off the coast turned azure and crystal clear. The coast, with its green cover, looked breathtakingly lovely.

I visited Karwar, a few times later, and watched as the small port was turned into India's largest Naval Base ( INS Kadamba ), called Sea Bird. Sea Bird houses, India's largest & most sophisticated warships. It also houses a rather rustic looking house, on a hillock, overlooking the sea. Exactly about 150 years ago, Rabindranath Tagore, visited the place and lived at here, for a while.

Tagore is said to have said:

"The sea beach of Karwar is certainly a fit place in which to realize that the beauty of Nature is not a mirage of the imagination, but reflects the joy of the Infinite and thus draws us to lose ourselves in it. Where the universe is expressing itself in the magic of its laws it may not be strange if we miss its infinitude; but where the heart gets into immediate touch with immensity in the beauty of the meanest of things, is any room left for argument"

Karwar, also had some of the friendliest folk, who would offer you a meal after an invite to their simple homes.The place also had some of the most beautiful beaches and while the waters are calm and very swimmable what haunts you are the presence of deadly sea snakes. I have a visceral fear of snakes and this effectively kept me out of the water.The blue waters around Karwar, are also, home to the jelly fish, in vast numbers. The harmless looking jelly fish, can be extremely harmful if they come into contact with your skin.The famous Sherlock Holmes adventure," The Lions Mane" is said to feature the innocent jelly fish as its villain!

The place has its place in history, with the Arabs, the Portugese & English all passing through the port, which the Arabs called Baithkol, or peaceful port or bay.They got it Right, because that is what, Karwar is, a place of peace.