Mangaluru is a city closely connected to water. It is sandwiched between the Gurupur River to the north and the Nethravathi River to the south, while the mighty Arabian Sea stretches along its western edge. Although these three bodies of water have shaped Mangaluru’s landscape and commerce for centuries, what most visitors experience is its busy streets. A boat ride on the Nethravathi and Gurupur rivers offers an entirely different perspective. That is what made my ride aboard the Abbakka Queen Cruise so memorable.
Starting from the Bokkapatna jetty on the banks of the Gurupur River, the Abbakka Queen Cruise travels downstream toward the confluence, where the Gurupur and Nethravathi meet before their waters flow into the Arabian Sea. From there, the cruise heads upstream along the Nethravathi toward the Ullal bridges before turning around and following the river downstream toward the confluence and the river mouth.
Along the way, the journey takes you down memory lane. Traditional manjis rest along the shores, while remnants of once-thriving factories still announce their presence through their imposing chimneys. They contrast sharply with modern fishing vessels and high-rises slowly filling the skyline, while coconut trees continue to line much of the riverbank.
In between these glimpses of old and emerging Mangaluru, nature takes center stage. Flocks of birds gather around shallow waters and sandbars, while patches of dense vegetation provide a surprisingly tranquil contrast to the city nearby. The journey reaches its most memorable moment where the Nethravathi meets the Arabian Sea. Viewed from the middle of the river mouth, with land framing the open sea on either side, a magnificent sunset provides a fitting finale to the cruise.
This is a photo journey through that cruise.
Aboard the Abbakka Queen
Our journey began aboard the Abbakka Queen Cruise, a double-decker river cruise boat moored at the Bokkapatna jetty in Mangaluru. Its covered upper deck provides panoramic views of the river and its banks.
The boat’s name honors Queen Abbakka Chowta (also known as Rani Abbakka Devi), the 16th-century warrior queen of Ullal known for resisting Portuguese colonial forces along this coast, a fitting name for a cruise that sails these same historic waters. Despite repeated Portuguese attacks, she continued her resistance for decades and is remembered today as one of India’s earliest freedom fighters who fought to prevent European colonial expansion.
As seen in the image, the Gurupur River, with its coconut-tree-lined shoreline, offered an early glimpse of the natural landscape surrounding the city.
A Scenic View with Colorful Fishing Boats and Mangaluru City
As the cruise moved along the Gurupur River, a cluster of colorful fishing boats came into view, moored along the Nethravathi River shoreline. Behind them, the skyline of Mangaluru rose in the distance, a modern high-rise mingling seamlessly with the coconut trees.
This scene showcases the two sides of Mangaluru, a rapidly developing modern city and the established fishing traditions along the river.
Nature Along the Estuary
Amid the boats and the busy harbor, the Nethravathi–Gurupur estuary has a wilder and greener side too. The abundance of food in the estuary attracts both resident and migratory birds. Its sandbars, mangrove-lined islands, and marshes offer habitats to different species of birds, including wading birds like herons and egrets that forage on small fish and other aquatic animals. Migratory birds like terns and kingfishers use the estuary as a stopover, and sometimes as a place to breed.
An Island with a Mangrove Tree
As the cruise slowly moved forward, a small, low-lying sandbar island appeared in the middle of the Gurupur River. As seen in the image, it is home to a single mangrove tree (Avicennia officinalis), a species commonly found along the estuaries of Mangaluru. Its roots spread toward the water’s edge, holding the sandbar in place.
Along the far bank, a continuous line of coconut trees was dotted with small houses and a few fishing boats, offering a glimpse of everyday life along the estuary.
Egrets and Herons Feeding at Sunset
The bird-life thrives along this stretch of the river because of the shallow water and exposed sandy areas that provide feeding grounds for birds searching for fish and other small aquatic animals. The birds standing and feeding around the sandbars likely include little egrets, great egrets, and Indian pond herons, species commonly seen along southwestern India’s estuaries.
Traditional Manjis Along the Bengre Waterfront
As the cruise continued along the Gurupur River past the natural landscape of Bengre, another side of the waterfront came into view. Several large wooden boats with weathered hulls rested along the riverbank. Known locally in Tulu as manjis, these traditional dhow-like cargo vessels are reminders of Mangaluru’s long maritime and boatbuilding traditions. Although their appearance belongs to an earlier era of coastal trade, many manjis are still operational today.
Although their weathered wooden hulls give them an old appearance, the manjis appear to be operational. The intact cabins, masts and equipment, as well as the activity around the vessels, suggest that they are still in use.
As seen in the image, these dhow-like vessels have deep wooden hulls, raised bows, cabins, and tall masts with rigging. Modern manjis are motorized and are generally classified as Mechanized Sailing Vessels (MSVs). Vessels of this type typically carry around 200 tonnes of cargo.
Situated on a narrow, peninsula-like strip of land between the Gurupur estuary and the Arabian Sea, Thota Bengre is home to a fishing community engaged in traditional fishing and wooden boat building.
Historically, manjis played an important role in Mangaluru’s coastal trade. The Old Mangalore Port, locally known as Bunder or Dakke, has a much longer history as a trading port and was used to transport passengers and goods to the Lakshadweep islands and the Middle East. Mangaluru’s maritime connections with West Asia go back centuries, when Arab merchants traded silk and spices through the port.
While the opening of New Mangalore Port at Panambur in 1974 was a major boost to the economy of the region, it shifted much of Mangaluru’s maritime traffic away from the Old Port, thereby diminishing the use of manjis. However, the traditional trade did not disappear altogether. Manjis and other mechanized sailing vessels continue to operate from the Old Port, carrying cargo to regional ports and the Lakshadweep islands. Their cargo includes construction materials, food items, and even vehicles.
A closer view of one of these manjis reveals the characteristic wooden hull, raised bow, mast, and equipment that distinguish these traditional cargo vessels. Click on the image for an enlarged view.
The letters MSV painted before the vessel’s name indicate that it is a Mechanized Sailing Vessel. It represents the modern form of the traditional manji with sails, retaining much of its characteristic design but fitted with an engine.
Despite the weathered appearance of its wooden hull, the vessel appears to be operational. Equipment, containers, and other supplies are visible aboard, while the small boat alongside and activity around the vessel further suggest that it remains in use.
The land behind the vessel is lined with coconut trees, with the dome and minaret of a mosque visible in the distance.
A Panoramic View of the Gurupur Estuary
As the cruise approached the confluence of the Gurupur and Nethravathi rivers, a broad panoramic view opened up behind us. The Bengre side of the Gurupur stretches along the left, with its low-lying sandbars and mangroves, and numerous birds gathered along the bank, some feeding and others flying across the water. In the distance, the three traditional manjis seen earlier can still be recognized along the Bengre waterfront.
Across the river on the Mangaluru city side, the scene changes dramatically. A large fleet of colorful fishing boats lines the busy waterfront, while the buildings of Mangaluru rise farther in the background. Seen together in a single view, the quiet sandbars and greenery of Bengre on one side and the working harbor and city on the other capture the essence of the place—nature, wildlife, and commerce blending seamlessly in the estuary.
The Historic Nethravathi Railway Bridge
As the cruise left the confluence and headed upstream along the Nethravathi River, another reminder of Mangaluru’s past came into view, the historic railway bridge spanning the river. Built more than a century ago, the bridge remains an important landmark in the city’s transportation history.
Built under the Madras Presidency (one of the three Presidencies of India under colonial rule), the Nethravathi Railway Bridge is one of the oldest active railway bridges in India. Opened in July 1907, it is a historical cast-iron/steel truss bridge, made up of 16 spans of 150 feet each, totaling about 830 meters (2,762 feet) in length.
Behind this old railway bridge are two parallel road bridges carrying NH 66 across the Nethravathi. The juxtaposition of the century-old railway structure with the newer highway bridges is yet another example of how old Mangaluru continues to function alongside the rapidly developing modern city.
Before the construction of the first road bridge, ferries were the main means of transportation between Ullal and Mangalore, carrying commuters, students, and merchants across the Nethravathi River. The walkway of the railway bridge also served pedestrian traffic between the two banks, especially helping workers on the southern bank reach factories on the other side, until the first road bridge was completed in 1965 and opened to vehicular traffic.
The railway bridge also contributed significantly to the region’s economic development, connecting Mangaluru with the rest of India and enabling the transport of goods — most notably the famous Mangalore tiles, along with cashew nuts and other local products.
A Glimpse of Old Mangaluru
As the boat cruises through quieter stretches of the river, you can catch a glimpse of the Mangaluru of yesteryear — traditional riverside neighborhoods and once-thriving local industries. Both are fading away, gradually replaced by high-rises and modern industries like aquaculture.
Old Riverside Neighborhood
This scene offers a quiet contrast to the nearby bustling neighborhood lined with fishing boats, remnants of old Mangaluru that still survive beside the emerging modern city.
An aging double-decker passenger boat grounded near an old-style neighborhood, with a large traditional tiled house surrounded by dense trees on the shore.
The rusted and weathered passenger boat, with its faded roof, has seen better days. Visible nearby are a smaller wooden canoe and a larger covered boat, both tied along the shore.
A Relic of Mangaluru’s Tile Industry
The solitary brick chimney rising above dense tropical greenery on the banks of the Nethravathi River is a remnant of one of the many tile factories that once lined this stretch of the estuary.
Mangaluru has long been associated with “Mangalore tiles,” the distinctive red clay roofing tiles first produced by the factory established by the Basel Mission in 1865 at Jeppu, a Mangaluru suburb, using clay available along the banks of the Nethravathi. Mangalore tiles then became one of the region’s major export goods.
In the foreground, a line of blue-and-white buoys marks what appears to be an aquaculture enclosure in the water, adding another layer of the estuary’s working life alongside its industrial past. This is an indication of the new economy replacing the old.
Grand Finale
As the cruise wound down, the Abbakka Queen made her way toward the point where the Nethravathi–Gurupur estuary finally gives way to the Arabian Sea. The timing could not have been better — the sky began to glow just as the boat approached the river’s mouth, setting the stage for a sunset that felt like it had been saved for last.
Golden Sunset over Silhouettes of Factories
As seen in the image, the setting sun casts a shimmering path across the calm water, blending the natural beauty of the river with the region’s industrial character in a single frame. The old factory buildings and their tall chimneys forming a distinctive silhouette along the Mangaluru riverfront, a reminder of an important chapter in the city’s industrial past.
As mentioned, Mangaluru was once well known for industries such as the manufacture of its distinctive “Mangalore tiles,” red roofing tiles made from local clay, and the processing of cashew nuts obtained from the abundant cashew trees grown throughout the region. Many factories developed close to the city’s rivers and port, taking advantage of convenient access to waterborne transportation and trade.
Today, the surviving factory buildings and chimneys provide glimpses of that older industrial Mangaluru. Seen against the setting sun, their silhouettes create a striking contrast with the modern city that is rapidly emerging elsewhere along the river.
A Magnificent Sunset over the Arabian Sea
Timed perfectly by the cruise, this image captures the setting sun from the middle of the Nethravathi River mouth, where the Nethravathi–Gurupur estuary meets the Arabian Sea near Mangaluru. The journey comes full circle, from the bustling fishing harbor and historic bridges to this calm meeting with the sea.
Notice the clear demarcation between the river and the sea, visible in the difference in the color and texture of the water. On the sea side, the surface is noticeably wavier, whereas the water on the river side is relatively calm. In this picture, however, the waters on both sides are much calmer than usual. This is not always the case. The river mouth can become considerably rougher and more turbulent, particularly during the monsoon season. At such times, crossing the river mouth can be difficult, and cruise boats generally do not venture beyond it.
Visible on the left is a small fishing shelter, while on the right, a sandy spit extends into the river mouth, framing the transition from the Nethravathi to the open Arabian Sea.
As the sun gradually goes down, it appears as a soft, reddish-orange orb on the horizon, its light reflecting in a long, shimmering path across the calm water. The reflection is more pronounced on the river side. A few birds drift across the sky, almost as if they are waiting for the sun to disappear below the horizon.
The Last Word
The Abbakka Queen Cruise on the Nethravathi–Gurupur estuary turned out to be much more than a scenic boat ride. It took me through the history of a city still finding its balance between its past and its future. The rivers revealed layers of Mangaluru rarely seen from land: a fishing harbor still very much alive, traditional manjis quietly recalling centuries of maritime trade, a century-old railway bridge that once carried both trains and pedestrians, and the lone brick chimney of a tile factory that helped put Mangaluru on the map.
What fascinated me most was how old and new Mangaluru seem to coexist along the riverbanks. Amid all this history, egrets and herons went about their evening feeding, unaware of the passage of time and the changes taking place around them. By the time the sun dipped into the Arabian Sea at the mouth of the Nethravathi–Gurupur estuary, it seemed a fitting end to a journey that had taken me, quite literally, from the heart of old Mangaluru to the edge of the sea.
For me, it was this combination of history, nature, everyday life, and a magnificent sunset that made the Abbakka Queen Cruise a truly memorable way to experience Mangaluru.
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