Kilakarai Lighthouse

About

Kilakkarai Lighthouse is located at Kilakkarai, Tamil Nadu. The lighthouse started functioning on 2 October 1979. There was no lighthouse at this location prior to the installation of the present structure. A flag mast was present at this location previously to assist fishermen. The light source was modified on 30 April 2003. It was commissioned in 1979, is a 30 m‑high hexagonal concrete tower painted in white and red bands, guiding vessels through the Gulf of Mannar’s hazardous shoals. Initially using a paraffin‑vapor burner, its light was electrified in 2003 and upgraded in 2009 to a rotating metal‑halide beacon mounted at 35 m above sea level, visible for 16 nautical miles. Powered by the coastal grid with diesel backup and designed for easy maintenance via dual galleries, it remains a vital navigational aid for local fishing and merchant traffic.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.