Time and tide

From the verandah of the Bungalow on the Beach in Tranquebar, I alternately focus my eyes on the partly-destroyed Masillamani Nathar temple and the remains of the fort wall, where waves from the Bay of Bengal hit. As I turn my head, I see the 17th-century Dansborg Fort; further away, there is the ruins of the Governor’s Bungalow and the post office building built by the Danes. Wherever I look, I see ruins. Built by the British in 1845, this erstwhile collector’s bungalow has recently been restored by the Neemrana Group, the Delhi-based heritage hotel experts. Because of its proximity to the sea, it has been renamed Bungalow on the Beach. To restore an ancient building and turn it into a living monument, one has to take a passionate journey into the soul of the place, which Neemrana has successfully done here. You see the same pillars and wooden ceilings that existed hundreds of years ago. Barring a couple of electronic items (sorry, no TV), everything in your room is antique. When you pull out a drawer, you see blue ink stained deep into the wood. The mirror fitted in the bathroom may have some scratches on it, but it evokes the beauty of age. The huge door may make a sound when you open it, but it opens onto another time. The tall wooden cot may shake when you lie on it, but it can give you an unsurpassed view of the Bay of Bengal through the windows. Tranquebar (or Tharangampadi) was a Danish settlement between 1620 and 1845. The Danish East India Company was formed mainly to export pepper from Tranquebar to Denmark. But the company couldn’t dominate the trade in the region the way the British, Dutch or the Portuguese did, so the Danes transferred their settlement to the British East India Company in 1845. As per the agreement, all public buildings and properties, barring a couple of churches, were handed over to the British. But though the English had won over the Danes, they couldn’t win the heart of Tranquebar. Everything in Tranquebar has a Danish touch, and the Dansborg Fort, a beautiful square brick building with bastions in each corner, stands in proudest testimony to the town’s heritage. You often run into Danes in Tranquebar, all in search of their history. ‘‘When I came here in 1989, the situation was bad,’’ says Karin Knudsen, a native of Denmark. ‘‘Most of the buildings our great-grandfathers built were facing decay. With the help of the Association of Tranquebar, we renovated many old churches and buildings, including the famous Dansborg Fort.’’Knudsen still comes to this seashore town once or twice a year, spending months renovating the old buildings. ‘‘It’s my duty to keep my country’s history alive. Also to discover our roots here,’’ she says. Knudsen particularly hopes that the Tamil Nadu government can do something about the Governor’s Bungalow. Built by the Danes in 1785, this spectacular building served as the official residence of Danish governors. ‘‘It has been abandoned for a long time. If something isn’t done soon, we will see the fall of this historic building. It’s the duty of the government to protect such buildings,’’ she says. As I enter the Governor’s Bungalow, a huge brick from the roof-wall falls close to my shoulder as a welcome note. I look up at the roof and realise that the whole thing may fall on my head at any moment. The place smells suspiciously like a public lavatory. I walk into the room, keeping my feet firmly on the piles of broken roof-tiles. Trees grow from the moss-covered pillars. ‘‘It’s still not beyond restoration. But the government should act immediately,’’ says Knudsen. From the Governor’s Bungalow, I come back to Bungalow on the Beach for lunch. The menu is a mix of French and Danish. As a starter, I try the Potage Au Epinards — spinach soup with onion, garlic, buttermilk, flour, bay leaves, fine herbs, fresh cream and seasoning; even as I taste it, Dorai, the chief cook, is at hand, explaining how to make it.Up next is Cocktail De Crevette — made of boiled prawns, cucumber, tomato, mayonnaise, tomato sauce and whisky — followed by a long Poisson a la Sauce Tomate et Fromage, a fish dish with tomato sauce and cheese. And finally the Mousse au Citron, made of eggs, lemons and fresh cream, to end what has really been a most delectable meal. (The Cocktail De Crevette in particular is to die for.)The sun sets, leaving me alone in the verandah. I sit, drink, eat and enjoy. The sea breeze is strong; it can sweep your glass away in seconds. ‘‘When the wind is so heavy, it can even sweep away the roof-tiles,’’ says Suresh Charoth, manager of Bungalow on the Beach. At midnight, I am still awake. The moonlight falls on the waves, giving it a blackish-yellow tinge. At Bungalow on the Beach, you can never escape the moods of the sea. When I finally do go to bed, it’s in one of the many nautically titled rooms, named after the ships that sailed from Denmark to Tranquebar between 1620 and 1708. Mine is Prince Christian, the name of the fifth ship, which came to Tranquebar in 1671. With the sound of the sea so close, the comfort of the rooms, and just being in Prince Christian, I feel like I’m floating.In the morning, Suresh shows me the rooms on the ground floor. The huge wooden ceiling is made of rosewood and teak. I notice some letters similar to Malayalam and Tamil on the wood; it was, I am told, apparently brought in from Kerala. During breakfast — omelette, baguettes, chocolate croissants, Danish wheat bread and fruit jam — I meet two Danish architects, Lena Ohlsen and Martin Holm Mogensen. Sent by the National Museum of Denmark, they have been assigned to restore the coffins at the nearby Nygade Churchyard. Although it is a day off for them, they agree to take me to the cemetery. The cemetery has coffins of many different shapes and sizes. ‘‘The director of the Museum has asked us to renovate only five, but we have finished almost 16. It’s a great achievement and we are proud of it,’’ say Lena and Martin. ‘‘Most Danes are very religious, but we are not. It’s a wonderful job which you can do only when you are passionate about history. And it’s always a great feeling to keep something alive for the next generation.’’The pair is doing a great job, but there is a problem. The Museum authorities have called them back. ‘‘We have to go back because of lack of funds. We hope someone will complete the work.’’ It’s time for me to leave as well. At Bungalow on the Beach, a small board on the table reads: ‘‘Please do not offer tips directly. The front office maintains a centralised register for tips, so that everybody who works to make you stay comfortable shares the benefit, including those behind the scene.’’