Bekal is a small place located on the shores of the Arabian Sea in the Pallikare village in Kasargod district of Kerala State. Situated 15 Km away from the Kasargod town the fort is a major tourist attraction. The Bekal Fort is the largest and best preserved of its kind in Kerala. There is a temple at the entrance of the Fort dedicated to Lord Anjaneya.
There are some very interesting places in and around Bekal.Chandragiri Fort, built in the 17th century is in Kasargod district of Kerala. It is a large squarish fort by the side of the river Payaswini.The fort has an eventful history behind it. In earlier days, the river was considered to be the border of two powerful kingdoms - Kolathunadu and Thulunadu. Chandragiri Fort offers a breathtaking view of the river and the Arabian Sea.
Madhur temple was originally a Mahalingeshwara(Madanantheshwara - Shiva) temple and as the lore goes, an old lady named Madaru from a so called backward caste discovered an "Udbhava Murthy" (a statue that was not made by a human), a Shivalingam. Mahaganapathy devotion came later in the temple when this Elephant faced God appeared to some children as a drawing in a south-side wall of the temple. Afterwards the temple came to be known as Madhur Mahaganapathy Temple.Tipu Sultan is supposed to have visited the temple to drink water, during one of his fights in the area. A cut from his sword is still visible in the building that is built around the temple well.
Ranipuram is another attraction located 85 km from Kasargod town. Ranipuram is a beautiful mountain terrain known for its trekking trails. It is located 750m above sea level on the Western Ghats in Kasargod district. Covered with evergreen Shola woods, monsoon forests and grasslands, this beautiful land is known was earlier known as Madathumala and its extensive forests merge into those of Karnataka. Wild elephants can be seen wandering on the mountain tops here.
