Lighthouses of India: Kerala and Karnataka

This page lists lighthouses of the southwestern coast of India in the states of Kerala and Karnataka. This coast is known historically as the Malabar Coast. For many centuries it was visited by Arab and sometimes Chinese traders, and it was the first Indian coast encountered by European explorers. In general, the coastline is low and sandy, but the land rises quickly behind the beaches to the mountains called the Western Ghats. Kozhikode (Calicut), Cochin, Kannur (Cannanore), and Mangalore are some of the better known of its many ports. If you travel to this area, any photos you might take of lighthouses would be very welcome. By tradition, many of the lighthouses on this coast are opened to visitors for a short time during the late afternoon every day; inquire locally concerning the times. Lighthouses and aids to navigation in India are administered by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL), an agency of the Ministry of Shipping. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112. General Sources DGLL - Madras District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Chennai (Madras). This office administers the lighthouses of southern Kerala, from Vizhinjam through Alleppey. DGLL - Cochin District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Cochin. This office administers the lighthouses of central and northern Kerala, from Manakkodam through Kasaragod, plus the lighthouses of Lakshadweep. DGLL - Mumbai District Lighthouses Lighthouse information from the DGLL district office in Mumbai. This office administers the lighthouses of Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra. Lighthouses of Kerala Photos by John Alex. Lighthouses in India Photos available from Wikimedia. Indian Lighthouses Historic postcard images posted by Michel Forand. Leuchttürme Asiens auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Alleppey Light, Alleppey, December 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Rakesh Barua

Lighthouses of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram District Lighthouses

*** Vizhinjam (Vilinjam, Kovalam) 1972. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 15 s. 36 m (118 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. A photo is at right, Seema Krishnakumar has a photo, Deep Goswami has a closeup, a 2009 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Foundations of a 9th century fort were discovered near the lighthouse in late 2005. Lighthouse Beach, stretching to the north toward Kovalam, is a popular tourist attraction, and as a result this lighthouse is one of the most visited lighthouses of India. In September 2012, officials announced plans to develop the station further as a tourist attraction. Located on a rocky promontory about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Vizhinjam and 13 km (8 mi) south of Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum), the capital of Kerala. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-121; Admiralty F0718; NGA 27492. *** Anjengo (Anchuthengu, Varkala) 1987. Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 36 m (118 ft) round concrete tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. A blogger has a slide show of photos, Wikimedia has a photo, a 2009 distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. Anjengo (Anjuthengu) is the site of a British East India Company fort dating to 1684. Located beside the coastal road about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Anchuthengu (formerly Anjengo) and about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Thiruvananthapuram. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-073; Admiralty F0715; NGA 27502. Kollam District Lighthouses *** Kollam (Quilan, Thankasseri, Tangasseri) 1902. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 44 m (144 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white spiral bands; 2nd order Fresnel lens. A closeup photo is available, Sasheer Raj has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Thankasseri (or Tangasseri), on the north side of the city of Kollam, was an early outpost of the Portuguese, later taken by the Dutch and then by the British. The lighthouse, a beautiful relic of the British Empire, stands on a point of land near the ruins of Portuguese and Dutch forts. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-019; Admiralty F0712; NGA 27504.

Kovalam Light, Vizhinjam, June 2009 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Zoomed In

*** Kovilthottam (2)

1962 (station established 1953). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) square masonry tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. D.M. Brennan has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Kovilthottam is a small port near Chavara, about 15 km (9 mi) north of Kollam. Accessible by road. Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-096; Admiralty F0710; NGA 27512.

Alappuzha District Lighthouses

*** Alleppey (Alappuzha)

1862. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 15 s. 28 m (92 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Rakesh Barua's photo is above, John Alex also has a good photo, a good 2007 photo and another photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse has a rare teak spiral stairway. It was painted all white for many years; the red bands were added in 2000. The 150th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in 2012. Located just of the beach in Alleppey (now usually called Alappuzha). Site open, tower open in late afternoon daily. ARLHS IND-071; Admiralty F0706; NGA 27516.

* Manakkodam (Manaccur) 1979. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 34 m (112 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof painted red. John Alex has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse originally had red bands, but fishermen complained it could be confused with the Cochin Light, so the color patterns of the Alleppey Light and this tower were exchanged in 2000. The lighthouse marks the entrance of a new harbor created by cutting an inlet through a barrier beach to a backwater lagoon. Located inside the inlet, about 12 km (7.5 mi) northwest of Shertalai. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-099; Admiralty F0705; NGA 27520. Ernakulam District Lighthouses Ernakulam Channel Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); quick-flashing white light. 17 m (56 ft) square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located in the entrance to Cochin harbor, 500 m (0.31 mi) west of the rear light (next entry). This range guides vessels entering Cochin harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0703; NGA 27540. Ernakulam Channel Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white light, 2 s on 2 s off. 27 m (89 ft) tapered square skeletal tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Sabu Mampallil Kottayam has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The tower also carries the rear light of an outbound range (another white light, 2 s on, 2 s off) at a focal plane of 12 m (39 ft). Located in the harbor entrance, about 1.25 km (3/4 mi) west of the city's waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0703.1; NGA 27548. * Cochin (Kochi, Vypin) (4) 1979 (station established 1839). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 46 m (151 ft) 8-ribbed, double-shell concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Dr. Ajay Balachandran's photo is at right, John Alex has a photo, Sasheer Raj has a 2008 photo, Prashobh Balakrishnan has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The British built the port of Cochin in the 1830s. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1920, and then in 1936 the light was moved to a 25 m (82 ft) steel skeletal tower. All these lights proved inadequate as landfall lights for the port, leading to the construction of the present lighthouse. Located on Vypin Island north of the harbor entrance; the island is accessible by ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-083; Admiralty F0698; NGA 27528.

Cochin Light, Cochin, September 2012 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Dr Ajay Balachandran

Thrissur District Lighthouses

* Azhikode (Periyar River)

1982. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern roof painted red. Wikimedia has Dr. Ajay Balachandran's photo, John Alex has contributed a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse replaced a small light at the mouth of the Periyar River. Located 8 km (5 mi) west of Kodungallur and 2 km (1.2 mi) north of the river entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-075; Admiralty F0694.5; NGA 27560.

* Chetwai

1986. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. John Alex has a good photo, a view taken from the gallery is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has a design common to many modern Indian light towers. Located just off the beach south of Chavakkad. Site open, tower probably open in late afternoons. ARLHS IND-082; Admiralty F0693; NGA 27564.

Manappuram District Lighthouse

* Ponnani (3) 1983 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) 12-sided concrete tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. John Alex has contributed a photo, S. Dhruvaraj has another good photo, a distant 2009 view is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original light, on a mast, was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1948. Located on the outskirts of Ponnani, just south of the Bharathpuzha river entrance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-108; Admiralty F0692; NGA 27632. Kozhikode District Lighthouses * Beypore (Chaliyar River) 1977. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 30 m (98 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A view from the river is available, John Alex has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located behind the beach and south of the Chaliyar River entrance at Chaliyam, 5 km (3 mi) south of Beypore and about 15 km (9 mi) south of Kozhikode (Calicut). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-076; Admiralty F0689; NGA 27636. * Kozhikode (Calicut) 1907 (station established 1847). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. John Alex's photo is at right, Sasheer Raj also has a 2008 photo, Wikimedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Calicut, now called Kozhikode, is the place where Vasco da Gama landed in India in 1498, inaugurating India's contact with western Europe. Interestingly, the original lighthouse was taller at 33 m (108 ft). Located on Beach Road near the foot of Customs Road in Kozhikode. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-097; Admiralty F0686; NGA 27640. * Kadalur Point (Thikkoti, Sacrifice Rock) 1909. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 5 s. 35 m (115 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with one black horizontal band; lantern dome painted red. A 2008 photo and a 2009 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks dangerous offshore shoals and a rocky reef called Velliyamkallu or Sacrifice Rock. The 100th anniversary of the lighthouse was celebrated in 2009. In September 2012, officials announced plans to develop the station as a tourist attraction. Located on a low promontory 6 km (3.8 mi) northwest of Quilandi near the village of Thikkoti. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-013; Admiralty F0682; NGA 27652.

Calicut Light, Calicut, September 2008 photo copyright John Alex; used by permission

Mahé District (Puducherry) Lighthouse
Note: Wedged between the Kozhikode and Kannur Districts of Kerala is the small town of Mayyazhi or Mahé. France built a fort here in 1724, and the town remained a French colony until after India became independent. In 1954, French India was incorporated into the Indian union as the Union Territory of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry). Lighthouses of the Puducherry and Karaikal Districts of the territory are described on the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry page.

* Mahé (Mayyazhi)

Date unknown (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical white stone or concrete tower with gallery. Kris Kandath has a photo, Faizal Faseejas seems to have the same photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light here was described for many years as a "white mast on a stone base." Located at the base of the breakwater on the south side of the entrance to the Mayyazhi (Mahé) River. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0678; NGA 27660.

Kannur District Lighthouses

* Tellicherry (Thalassery) Date unknown (station established 1835). Inactive as of 2009; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); three white flashes every 9 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern dome painted red. A March 2009 Notices to Mariners reports this light to be "temporarily extinguished," and an April 2009 photo shows the lighthouse abandoned and in poor condition. Eric Lord has an excellent 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse stands within a fort built in 1708 by the British East India Company. Lights were shown from the fort beginning in 1835, but it's not clear when this lighthouse was built. Ken Trethewey lists Tellicherry as having a lighthouse in 1835, but Findlay's 1879 list mentions only a light shown from the fort's flagpole. Located in Thalassery, as Tellicherry is now called. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-116; Admiralty F0674; NGA 27664. * Cannanore (Kannur) (3) 1976 (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); white flash every 10 s. 23 m (75 ft) round concrete tower with gallery and a small lantern, painted red with one white horizontal band. Sanand Karunakaran's photo is at right, Mohamed Salim has a good closeup photo, Sasheer Raj has a December 2007 photo, Wikimedia has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The first Cannanore lighthouses were at Fort St. Angelo, an early 16th century Portuguese fort. Lanterns were shown from the fort walls as early as 1843. A permanent light was mounted on a pedestal on the walls of the fort in 1903 and moved to a steel mast in 1939. The modern lighthouse is not at the fort, however. Located on a rocky promontory about 2 km (1.25 mi) northwest of the fort and of Kannur harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-079; Admiralty F0672; NGA 27668. * Azhikkal (Azhikal) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); two white flashes every 8 s. Approx. 24 m (79 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower, lower half skeletal and upper half enclosed, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Joseph Baiju has a view from the beach, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the south side of the entrance to the Valapattanam River estuary at Azhikkal. Site presumably open, tower closed. Admiralty F0671; NGA 27672. Mount Dilli (Kotte Kunnu, Ezhimala) 1979. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) triangular cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white red and white horizontal bands. Wikimedia has a closeup photo, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse is built on a very prominent headland called Kotte Kunnu or Mount Dilli. It's surprising there was no lighthouse built earlier at this location, where the British lighthouse engineer Alan Stevenson had recommended one in 1926. The lighthouse was formerly a tourist attraction, but the area was acquired by the federal government for construction of a naval academy and is now closed. The Indian Naval Academy opened in January 2009. Located on the headland at Ezhimala on the west side of the harbor of Azhikkal. Site and tower closed. ARLHS IND-102; Admiralty F0669.5; NGA 27676.

Kannur Light, Kannur, October 2006 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Sanand Karunakaran

Kasaragod District Lighthouse

* Kasaragod

1984. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 30 m (98 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Wikimedia has a 2012 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just behind the beach at Kasaragod, the northernmost city of Kerala. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-090; Admiralty F0668.5; NGA 27680.

Lighthouses of Karnataka

Dakshina Kannada District (Mangalore Area) Lighthouses

* Aga (Bolar, Mangalore Harbour) (2) 1903 (station established 1843). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 3 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. Mangalore Today has a good photo (halfway down the page), and Google has a satellite view. Located on the grounds of the Mangalore College of Fisheries adjacent to Mangalore's traditional harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-100; Admiralty F0668; NGA 27684. * Mangalore 1870. Inactive. 15 m (49 ft) masonry tower with a square lantern structure, mounted on a square base. A 1-story stone keeper's house is in use as a public library. Mangalore Today has a photo, Godwin Castelino has a photo, Wikimedia has a good photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but trees obscure the tower in Google's satellite view. We need more information on the history of this interesting tower. It is said to have been built in the 18th century, and some say by Sultan Haidar Ali; if so, it dates from around 1780. Findlay's 1879 light list gives 1870 as the establishment of a modern light. There exist historic images from around 1900 that show a conventional lantern room atop the tower. (No such images seem to be online presently.) Located in Tagore Park, atop Light House Hill above the business district of Mangalore. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-171. New Mangalore Harbor Range Front Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); quick-flashing white light. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical white concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront of Mangalore's modern harbor, about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of the traditional harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty F0666; NGA 27688. New Mangalore Harbor Range Middle 2009 (?). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 4 s. 24 m (79 ft) square concrete tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands and topped by a square skeletal signal tower. A 2012 photo and a 2010 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of national highway 17 at Mangalore New Port. Site probably closed, but the tower is easily seen from the road. Admiralty F0666.05. New Mangalore Harbor Range Rear Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white light occulting once every 10 s. Approx. 27 m (89 ft) square concrete tower, painted with red and white horizontal bands and topped by a square skeletal signal tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located about 200 m (220 yd) east of the middle light. Site probably closed, but the tower is easily seen from the road. Admiralty F0666.1; NGA 27692.

Suratkal Light, Suratkal, April 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by abhisawa

* Suratkal (Suratkal Point)

1972. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white flash every 10 s. 36 m (118 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. 2-story keeper's house adjacent or attached to the lighthouse. A photo is above right, another good photo is available, Wikimedia has a photo, P. Bachodi has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse functions as the landfall light for Mangalore; it stands by a very popular beach. Located off the beach about 8 km (5 mi) north of Suratkal and 18 km (11 mi) north of Mangalore. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-114; Admiralty F0660; NGA 27700.

Udupi District Lighthouses

** Kaup (Kap, Udupi, Udipi) 1901. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 27 m (89 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands; lantern dome painted red. Arun Barboza's photo is at right, a sunset photo shows Kaup Beach with the lighthouse in the distance, Vikas Moodbidri has a closeup, Anita Bora has a second closeup, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is easily the best known lighthouse of Karnataka. Located on a low but rocky promontory interrupting a lengthy beach about 16 km (10 mi) south of Udupi. Site open, tower open but we do not know the schedule. ARLHS IND-091; Admiralty F0658; NGA 27704. Malpe (Lighthouse Island) (2) Date unknown (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 3 s. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two 1-story keeper's houses. No closeup photo available, but there's a distant view from the mainland and Google has a satellite view. There is also a very distant view of the island in which the tower can just be seen. The original lighthouse, a simple cast iron lantern, had a focal plane height of 19.5 m (64 ft); the University of Southern California Library has a historic photo dated 1926. Located atop an island southwest of the entrance to the harbor of Malpe. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS IND-098; Admiralty F0655; NGA 27708. * Kundapura (Coondapoor) (2) 2009. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 32 m (105 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A photo is available (1/5 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. The light was formerly on a 40 m (131 ft) "mast" (probably a communications tower). Located on the beachfront about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) south of the estuary entrance at Kundapura. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0652; NGA 27712. * Tippu Sultan Gudda (2) 2008. Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted with black and white or red and white horizontal bands (the light lists do not specify). No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse honors Tipu (or Tippu) Sultan, the ruler of Mysore during the late 18th century. The earlier lighthouse was only 9 m (30 ft) tall. Located on the beachfront about 4 km (2.5 mi) north of the estuary entrance at Kundapura. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0651; NGA 27716.

Kaup Light, December 2007 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Arun Barboza

Uttara Kannada District Lighthouses

** Bhatkal (3) 1959 (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 14 m (46 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. DGLL's photo shows the lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands, but Suruchi Dumpawar's October 2007 photo shows it all white. Samaan Barmavar's 2008 photo is at right, another photo shows visitors on the gallery, and Google has a satellite view. The original stone post light was replaced by a masonry tower in 1936. Located on a promontory on the west side of the entrance to the Bhatkal River at Bhatkal. Site open, tower open but we do not know the schedule. ARLHS IND-077; Admiralty F0648; NGA 27724. ** Honavar (Honnavar) (3) 2009 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); white flash every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. The top of the tower is surrounded by an octagonal observation room. A photo and a more distant view are available, and Bing has a satellite view. NGA lists a light on a mast at Honavar, but a 2005 photo shows a square skeletal tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. The lighthouse is built on the grounds of a large hospital. Located on a hill above the Sharavathi estuary, which forms the harbor of Honavar, near the north end of the bridge over the estuary. Site open, and it seems likely that the tower's observation room is open, but we have no confirmation of this. Admiralty F0644; NGA 27732. * [Kumta Point (Cumta) (3?)] Date unknown (station established 1855). Inactive since 2008. 3.5 m (10 ft) lantern, described by NGA as a "round white hut." No photo available, but the light is probably centered in a Google satellite view. The original light was on a 20 m (66 ft) tower about 800 m (1/2 mi) east southeast. This was replaced in 1888 by an "iron tubular mast" (the present light?) at the present location. It is possible that the original tower survives and is seen in another Google satellite view; a tourist site mentions a "dilapidated old lighthouse" in this area. Clearly, we need more information about this station. Located atop a bluff at Kumta, about 20 km (12.5 mi) north of Honnavar. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty F0642; ex-NGA 27740. Tadri (2?) Date unknown (station established 1891). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 8 m (26 ft) hexagonal stone tower, painted with black and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a good satellite view. The original light was on a mast. We need information on the current status of the station. The Admiralty removed this light from its list in 2008, but the location was on a list of sites scheduled to receive new lighthouses. In 2009 the Indian Navy reported the light restored, but the description was unchanged. Located atop a promontory on the northwest side of the entrance to the harbor of Tadri. Site status unknown, although the light appears to be accessible by a dirt road. Admiralty F0638; NGA 27744.

Bhatkal Light, September 2008 Panoramio photo copyright Samaan Barmavar; used by permission

Kukra Island

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 66 m (217 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. Tower of unknown height, painted with black and white horizontal bands. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on an island in the entrance to the bay of Belekeri. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0637; NGA 27748.

Oyster Rocks

1864. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with one white horizontal band; lantern painted white with a red dome. 2nd order Fresnel lens. A 2007 closeup is available, Kaushik Saikia has a distant view at dusk, and Google has a satellite view. The Oyster Rocks are the westernmost of several reefs and islets protecting the harbor of Karwar, which has the only naturally protected anchorage between Bombay and Cochin. The Indian Navy has a major base at Karwar. Located about 8 km (5 mi) west southwest of the Karwar waterfront. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS IND-105; Admiralty F0634; NGA 27756.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry | West: Lakshadweep | North: Goa and Maharashtra

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Posted January 30, 2006. Checked and revised December 21, 2012. Lighthouses: 36. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.