Vizag Vignettes

The salty tang in the air, the combination of moisture and fine sand clouding my glasses, the sea, the beach, the Dolphin’s Nose in the distance. Beach Road. For those who have called Visakhapatnam (or Vizag, courtesy of the British) home for any length of time, the beach road evokes many poignant memories. All the hours spent there in the company of family, friends, or even oneself, come rushing in.

Well, I went for a walk along the beach road this evening. There was a nice breeze blowing, and it was a weekday so it wasn't that crazy. There was actually place for me to walk without having to call out “Excuse me!” every few metres. There were a few fishing boats in the middle distance, probably heading home with the evening catch.

The vendors were out in full force, most notably those selling the ubiquitous muri mixture — puffed rice, tomatoes, onions, bits of mango, salt, chilli powder and lime juice. Heaven in a paper cone. The roasted corn cobs, bajjis and noodles also had their fair share. And there were a lot more ice cream bandis than I remembered.

The flower boys with their baskets of jasmine on bicycles were trying to coax couples to buy “flowers for the lady’s hair”. The balloon guys were trying to attract attention with their rubber squeak symphony.





The submarine museum and the Victory at Sea monument were undergoing either renovation or repair work, I couldn't really tell. There was a handicrafts exhibition on at the Viswapriya Function Hall, as usual.

I walked. I listened to my favourite music. I took a few photos with my phone. I walked. I ignored the stares of a few stray oglers. I looked out at the sea. I absorbed all the sights and sounds and smells of this vibrant place. I walked. I was home.

The sun had almost set by the time I started walking back. The lights twinkled on at the harbour, and the lighthouse came to life. The street lights switched on a few seconds later, suffusing everything with a yellow glow. The ships on the horizon became spots of light on the midnight blue ocean.

The wind came in from the sea, and a few drops of rain fell, dispersing the evening mist a little. It was breathtaking. The sand blew on to the road in greater quantities. I tried to catch sight of the moon, but there was a cloud cover, so I couldn't.


I felt a lot of things during this walk. Nostalgia, hope, happiness, belonging, some more things. I remembered the long walks with my best friend, when we lost track of time and distance, and talking about anything and everything. I missed all my friends, and the great times we had playing in the surf and hogging on all the street food, trying to catch the tiny translucent crabs that came out at low tide. Half-forgotten things came to the forefront of my mind.

It was also good cardio. I walked a total of 6 kilometres in an hour, after more than a month of binge eating and being sedentary. I loved it. And now my legs are screaming out in pain, but I tell them, “It was worth it. And we’re going again tomorrow.”