One of Fort’s iconic buildings on the site of the old Dutch gunpowder storage
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Shining beacon of light
This is Fort’s second lighthouse. The first one at Galle Pointe (Flag Rock Bastion), imported all the way from Scotland, burned to the ground in the middle of the night in 1936. It was quickly replaced by this one from fireproof brick and steel. They chose to change the location and built it here at Utrecht Bastion on top of the old Dutch gunpowder storage (kruithuis). It still guides ships into the bay, the light is visible up to fifteen miles at sea.
Each morning, we walk the dogs on the ramparts and look over to Rumassala, believed to be a part of the Himalayas dropped by Hanuman, the monkey god. My sister Jayanthi enjoys swimming off Sea Beach.
Lady’s beach
The best bit about the lighthouse is the sandy ‘Lady’s beach’ below, overlooking the Rumassala headland, a sacred piece of land, that is believed to be a part of the Himalayas dropped by Hanuman, the monkey god. The beach is hugely popular among locals who come here early morning or later afternoon for a swim.