| Edward Elliot's Beach | |
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 Interactive map of Edward Elliot's Beach | |
| Type | Sandy beach |
| Location | Besant Nagar,Chennai,India |
| Coordinates | 12°59′58″N80°16′21″E / 12.999529°N 80.272411°E /12.999529; 80.272411 |
| Etymology | Edward Elliot |
| Operated by | Corporation of Chennai |
Edward Elliot's Beach, simply called asElliot's Beach and popularly known asBesant Nagar Beach or theBessie, is a natural urban beach located in theBesant Nagar neighbourhood ofChennai,Tamil Nadu, India. It is located next to the southern tip of theMarina Beach,[1] and was named afterEdward Elliot, achief magistrate andsuperintendent of police of theMadras Presidency incolonial India.[2] It has the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health—also known as Annai Vailankanni Church—on its shore, and theAshtalakshmi Temple nearby.[3]
During the colonial era, Elliot's beach was fairly exclusive towhite people only. Today, the beach and itsKaj Schmidt Memorial are cultural landmarks of Chennai, visited by thousands daily. Safety on and around the beach is ensured by a police outpost andall-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
A prominent landmark on this beach is theKarl Schmidt Memorial. The memorial is named after theDutch 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.
TheAshtalakshmi Temple, located near the southern end of the beach, was built in 1976 inmodern style of architecture.[5]
There is a police outpost on the beach, which is policed byall-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]
