Edward Elliot's Beach, simply called as Elliot's Beach and popularly known as Besant Nagar Beach or the Bessie, is a natural urban beach located in the Besant Nagar neighbourhood of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is located next to the southern tip of the Marina Beach, and was named after Edward Elliot, a chief magistrate and superintendent of police of the Madras Presidency in colonial India. It has the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Health—also known as Annai Vailankanni Church—on its shore, and the Ashtalakshmi Temple nearby. During the colonial era, Elliot's beach was fairly exclusive to white people only. Today, the beach and its Kaj Schmidt Memorial are cultural landmarks of Chennai, visited by thousands daily. Safety on and around the beach is ensured by a police outpost and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
