Andhra Adventures XII: Ramakrishna aka RK Beach, Visakhapatnam

Ramakrishna beach, more popularly known as RK beach in Visakhapatnam is located in the heart of city’s coastline.  If you stand in the middle, on the right you can see the Dolphin’s Nose and on the left you can see the INS Kursura parked just by the sea. Beach gets its name from the Ramakrishna Ashram that is located across the road from the beach and I assume may have one of the first public buildings there to lend the beach its name. From the Hotel Novotel Varun Beach, where we were staying, the view of the beach from each of the rooms is awesome and what you see above is a shot from hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

One evening we just strolled past the beach after visiting the Naval Museum and Submarine museum, and it was a pleasure to see the various art installations on the beach. I have not seen this anywhere else in India. There were mermaids and maidens at the base of the lampposts. There is a park that has sculptures that imitate the Buddhist sculptures reminding the visitors that Buddhism flourished in this place in the past, and there is a monastery not too far from the this beach.

There are modern sculptures depicting kids, traditional ones depicting fishermen with their boats and cultural ones depicting conch shells. There are small temples or statues providing a bit of divinity. I would not say they are the best art installations you would see, but nonetheless add color to the beachside and break the monotony.

Many small parks are maintained between the road and the beach, where you can sit and admire the beach from a safe distance and I think it is a great place for both the too young and the too old. VUDA, the local authority that maintains most of these parks is doing a great job at maintaining these parks.

From the nature’s perspective beaches in and around Visakhapatnam are rocky and not too safe for swimming or even venturing into. There can be rocks with a sudden cliff and the sea is also not too gentle. Seen from a distance, rocks create beautiful landscapes. There is even a memorial on top of a rock that is like signature rock outcropping of this beach.

In the evening, the beach comes alive when people come there for their evening walk, to have a small snack by the beach or to just breathe some fresh air. The curio shops, especially those of seashell items came up. Pushcarts or kiosks with chaats and snacks came up, as did the games counters. We met an old man who had painted himself as Gandhi Ji with a donation box in front. This is something that is seen quite often in Europe but not much in India. As tourists, the movement of ships on the horizon itself is a pleasure to watch.

How I wish more beaches and public places were developed and maintained in the same spirit.

Andhra Adventures X: INS Kursura Submarine Museum

INS Kursura, the out of service submarine that fought in the war of 1971, stands elegantly like a giant whale in black on the famous RK beach of Visakhapatnam. From a height it appears like a fish out of water. It is now one of its kind museum in Asia, and only second in the world where you can go inside the submarine and for sometime feel the lives of those who live in them under the water as they work towards securing our lives on land. It was built by the Russians and first came to Visakhapatnam in 1970. After being in service for 31 years it was decommissioned and now it is serving the tourism industry, while educating the general public about how the submarines work, look like and more importantly how naval personnel live inside that cramped space beneath water.

This is one those rare museums in India that have ample documentation, maintained displays and a guided tour inside the submarine. Huge boards outside educate you on the basic principles on which submarines work, like how they are pushed down the sea, how they can remain there for up to 60 days and how they are pulled out. The mental and physical strength required to be a submariner can only be imagined, as they have to live with limited water inside the giant machine with no windows to even look out and cramped place shared by all on board. It also tells you about history of Indian submarines and the history and vital statistics of this particular ‘Foxtrot’ machine that you would see. There is also a pictorial depiction of the construction of this museum, how the ground was laid and how the submarine was stationed here. Around the museum are displayed various important components of the Submarine like a Torpedo, an Indicator buoy, huge batteries, oil cooler, valves, air coolers etc. A neat board explains the functions of each of these for the technically inclined.

You are taken inside the submarine in a group along with a guide who tells you in detail about the workings of the submarine. You get to see the actual Torpedoes and how they are fired. Inside, it appears you are inside a machine with some very small cabins for sleeping, toilets and kitchen for the crew. There are so many controls that you wonder how do they even remember what to use when and for what. Models display how these limited spaces were used. There is a board with the names of all the personnel who worked from this submarine, a proud display along with awards and diving gear. There is a very cute display of steaming Idlis in the kitchen and dining room that looks too formal for that small space. At the fag end is the escape route though a small ladder, in case there is no other way left.

The visit can leave you overwhelmed and you feel a lot of gratitude for the submariners. It is a beauty to admire in its well-maintained surroundings, by the sea. As the waves hit the shore they seem to be yearning to take this fish like creature inside with them.

If you are going to Vizag for any reason, you must take out time to visit INS Kursura.