The forgotten port

Bheemili

On our way to the Bhimunipatnam or Bheemili the Bay of Bengal was at the right side of the wide road, I have never had an experience of watching such exquisitely beautiful colour of the sea, the place where the sun rise from the sea can be witnessed, and my eyes were glued to the picturesque beauty of nature. The explicit generosity of the nature could be witnessed everywhere. I was spellbound.
The driver gave an introduction of the Bheemili, in his word- the place existed even in the days of the Mahabharata, as the name of the beach was after Bheema. During the agyatabaas of the Pandavaas or during the period of staying in disguise Bheema killed Bakasura or the demon in disguise of a heron, at the Bheemili. The point of entry of the river Gosthani (Gov means the cow and sthani means the mammary glands) into the Bay of Bengal. Bheemili is about 25-kms away from Vizag.

The temple,that served as the landmark: Narsimha temple

Bheemili with its quiet sea shore was one of the best suited ports to pursue the sea trading. Studies revealed that even 2000 years ago the sailors of this part of India were aware of the nature of the monsoon winds and did pursue their trading applying their expertise on this subject. The Narasimha temple of Bheemili port had been a prominent land mark for the sailors. The port of the past of Bheemili has ruined into the sea.In ancient time of sea trading, India was the prime exporter of spices, Cotton, sugar, rice, wheat, ivory made articles and lots of other items to different countries including Rome. Indian traders brought Silver and Gold coins in exchange and that resulted a bankruptcy in the ancient Rome,due to the heavy outflow of their currencies (i.e.Silver and Gold).Thotlakonda, a prominent tourist spot for its Buddhist monastic ruins and a few kilometres away from this place where Roman coins were unearthed on excavations proved that the traders pursued their business far away.
The Dutch arrived at the Bheemili in 1624 to pursue sea trading. After they secured permission for the sea trading from the Qutb Shahi Kings of Golkonda, Hyderabad, and during the period of trading from the Bheemili they started minting copper coins. Bheemili was given away to the Britishers in 1825. The Dutch and the British used the Bheemili port for their sea trade, even passenger voyage were operated to Madras (Chennai) and Calcutta (Kolkata) from the Bheemili port. Roman coins, even during the British rule in India, were also unearthed in many places of the South India on excavations. The Britishers stopped all its operations after the Second World War.

the grave

The Dutch cemetery stands as a reminder to the History of Dutch settlement in India. The Dutch and British burial with the curving on many graves shows marvellous craftsmanship, like a piece of magnificent art work. Federick Kesslerus died on 8-th October 1661,his grave is considered to be the earliest known Christian grave , the inscriptions so clearly visible with the reason of the death were also artistically engraved .It was seen on the grave of William A.H.Young (of Liverpool) chief officer of a ship died at the age of 23-years, who was killed by falling into the ship`s hold on 22-nd November 1831.The message of the heart felt pain of the family members to depart from the deceased ones has been inscripted on the grave. Their invisible presence around, could be felt in these expressions of love. The burial speaks the colonial glories, the legacies of the past.

view of the Bay of Bengal

I kept staring at the sea, from where, the voyage of Indian traders once left for unknown destinations, foreign sailors came and established their colony. The port ,with a history of Indian sea trade, and trading in the colonial era, now abandoned and standing as a reminder of past days. The tranquillity of the environment is still freshly occupied in my memory.