It was a movie called Bombay (IMDb link) that popularized Bekal fort as a tourist destination (among Indians) back in the ’90s. The movie presented vivid images of a rain-drenched, mossy fort being constantly hit upon by waves. The movie was a hit, and so was Bakel fort. People from far and wide flocked to Kanhangad to catch a glimpse of this amazing structure. I wanted to go there too. 4 years later, I got my chance. A gang of friends and I hopped on board a passenger train from Mangalore and got off at the Kanhangad station. We then walked thru the beach (careful to dodge little hills of human excreta all along the beach – I remember this clearly. I do have a photographic memory for shitty stuff) and entered the fort thru a side entrance (Much like how a raiding army would’ve sneaked in. Yeah, we saved some money on the entrance fees too for sure). The inside of the fort was barren, but we enjoyed being near the waves. I have gone there many times since, and I’ve seen the place changing with every visit. The crowds have gotten bigger, the city (if we could call it that) has grown, there are many more eateries, and the fort has more stalls inside and outside. The place is very much worth a visit, especially during Oct – Dec. Leaving you with some snaps from my latest trip.
