To be with Binoculars in Honnavar!

My binoculars brought Honnavar closer to me, very close.

Sharavati River and Kandla Forest: While going on the boat, through the binoculars I saw the living world inside the Kandla forest. Birds sitting on the trees, boats moving in the water, and a big steamer coming from far away.

The Magic of the Sea: When I looked from Eco Beach, the best moment of my life was seeing a dolphin jump out of the water in the distance! The fishermen, their nets, the waves of the sea - everything felt like it was right in front of my eyes.

Hills and Hillocks: When I looked through the binoculars from the hilltop of Apsarakonda, the whole of Honnavar looked like a painting. The place where the Sharavati river meets the sea, the green Kandla forest.

The Night Sky: At night, sitting at Tonka Beach, I saw the moon and stars through the binoculars. I could even see the craters on the moon! I had not expected this.

My Favorite: When my friends were playing at our Tonka Beach, I watched them from a distance through the binoculars. They waved at me, and I saw them from here itself - even though we were far, it felt like we were close.

Honnavar cannot be captured on a phone, it has to be experienced through binoculars. All these moments will remain in my memory for a lifetime.

Apeksha R. Tandel 

That's My Coast through Binoculars Honnavar!

 

My home is near the coast of Honnavar. Every morning before the sunrise the coast wakes up. You can hear it - the waves talking, the boats starting, the birds calling. The fishermen don't need an alarm. The sea calls them.

I have a small spot near Kasarkod beach where I sit daily. I take my 10x42 binocular with me. Not to see far but to feel close.

Yesterday I saw an old man teaching his grandson how to throw a net. With my binocular, I could see his hands - wrinkled, strong, full of stories. He threw the net and it opened like a flower on the water.

On the other side at Honnavar Sante (festival), women sell the morning catch. Their voices are louder than the waves. If you look through a binocular from far you can see the silver shine of the fish before you even reach the market.

In the evening, the coast changes color. The Sharavati river becomes orange, the Arabian sea turns gold. Couples walk, kids play in sand, and crabs run to hide.

The coast is not just beach and water. It's people, work, family, and memories.

My great-grandmother lived here all her life. She used to say, "Look at the sea daily, it will teach you patience." Most likely, she would have been very happy if she had a binocular to see the returning boats clearly from her veranda.

That's my coast. Honnavar. Simple, salty, and full of life. It simply doesn't sleep.

Apeksha R. Tandel