Edward Elliot's Beach, simply called as Elliot's Beach and popularly known as Besant Nagar Beach or the Bessie, is a natural urban beach located in the Besant Nagar neighbourhood of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located next to the southern tip of the Marina Beach,[1] and was named after Edward Elliot, a chief magistrate and superintendent of police of the Madras Presidency in colonial India.[2] It has the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health—also known as Annai Vailankanni Church—on its shore, and the Ashtalakshmi Temple nearby.[3]
During the colonial era, Elliot's beach was fairly exclusive to white people only. Today, the beach and its Kaj Schmidt Memorial are cultural landmarks of Chennai, visited by thousands daily. Safety on and around the beach is ensured by a police outpost and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
Karl Schmidt memorial
Schmidt Memorial in daylightSchmidt Memorial in the eveningThe Ashtalakshmi temple at the beach
A prominent landmark on this beach is the Karl Schmidt Memorial. The memorial is named after the Dutch sailor who lost his life trying to save a girl from drowning.[4]
Elliot's Beach is one of the cleanest and safest beaches in the city of Chennai. It is located towards the south of Marina Beach.
Besant Nagar Beach Road
The Ashtalakshmi Temple, located near the southern end of the beach, was built in 1976 in modern style of architecture.[5]
Elliots beach at night
Safety
There is a police outpost on the beach, which is policed by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). In 2010, there were 11 drowning cases reported off the beach.[6] In August 2012, the government sanctioned two more all-terrain vehicles for patrolling the beach.[7]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Edward Elliot's Beach.
^Frederick, Prince (28 October 2012). "Marina vs Bessie". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
^V., Sriram. "Of Mrs. Napier and Mr. Elliot". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 March 2017.
^"Elliot's Beach". Local109.in. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
^Mohan, Vishnu (5 October 2020). "Scorching hot during summer and unbelievably crowded, the modern city of Chennai dipped in traditions from its Madras days never fails to surprise a traveller". Outlook Traveller. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
^திருக்கோயில்கள் வழிகாட்டி: சென்னை மாவட்டம் (in Tamil) (1st ed.). Chennai: Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. July 2014. pp. 30–33.
^siva jasz, A. (5 January 2011). "10 all-terrain vehicles on city beaches before Kaanum Pongal". The Times of India. Chennai. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
^"Jaya sanctions 9 all-terrain vehicles for policing beaches". Business Line. Chennai: The Hindu. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
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