There is a sense of serenity, an enigma with a burst of abrasive masculinity about lighthouses. They stand tall embracing the cold winds from the sea, strutting their stuff, serving tirelessly, and announcing in their own magnanimous ways of impending dangers to the emboldened seafarers.
They basically serve as a beacon for navigation purposes, suggesting caution to the mariners against dangerous coastline, reefs, rocks and aiding in safe passageway for the ships into the harbor.
One such lighthouse is situated at the hilltop in a small coastal town, Betul, located in South Goa. It is a one-hour drive from Margao city – the commercial hub. Betul is a quaint fishing town known for its remote beach adjoining the river, Sal.
THE JOURNEY
To reach the Lighthouse, one needs to park their vehicle near the Holy Cross Chapel and climb up the adjoining hill. The short trek of about 15 minutes is quite endearing, especially during the monsoons. Along the way, you navigate through tiny rivulets which make their way down the hill. Towards the left are the flushing green meadows while the right side is locked by the hills. The lighthouse only appears in sight, once you climb a sizeable portion of the hill.
THE TREKKING
After a 15-minute hike (depending on your personal definition of trek), one comes face to face with the towering structure, housed inside the ministry of shipping premises, which maintains the lighthouse.”
THE DESTINATION
One needs to pay a small fee to get an entry into the towers. The Lighthouse is only open from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm for public. The caretaker provides you with a general set of instructions on Do’s and Don’t’s which preferably is best to be adhered to, chief among them being – not to amble too close to the railings.
At the base of the lighthouse, the narrow spiral staircase leads you to the top deck. Once at the top, the cool gushing winds hit you with gusto, which literally knocks you off.
Once you manage to find your feet, the stunning landscape ceases to amaze. You can witness a 360-degree view overlooking the Salcette plains. The spectacular mountains of the western ghats seem to rise gallantly from the East. Towards the West, one can visually follow the prominent pathway of river Sal meandering towards the Arabian Sea. Your eyes are feasted by the bird’s eye view of the delta formed by the river at its meeting point. The greenery of the surrounding fills the canvas as far as your eyes can see. The fishing boats adorn the Betul coastline ready for their escapades into the seas.
By the time you marvel the art of nature and capture it in the camera lenses, time flies by rapidly. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to catch a glimpse of the sun setting into the Arabian Sea. The caretaker sends out a caution signal that your time is up.
By the time you clamber down the lighthouse and take the short trek back, the elegant natural beauty fills you with positive vibes and provides a refreshing outlook towards nature and your inner being.
Alas, earlier used extensively, these beacon of hope towers have found themselves redundant in the wake of much cheaper, more sophisticated, and effective electronic navigational systems. Most of the lighthouses now lie in a dilapidated state and barely maintained.
Lucky for us, the one at Betul stands out, literally, as it is well maintained and a classic place to explore.
