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Kanyakumari
At the southern most tip of India, where the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet, lies
Kanniyakumari Cape Comorin), an important pilgrim centre.
It got it's name from the deity of the place, Goddess Kanya Kumari; the virgin.
Kanniyakumari is famous for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets, especially on full moon
day. It is at its best during Chitra Pournami(full moon day in April) when the sun and moon are face to face at the same horizon.
The beach itself is a beautiful sight with multi-coloured sand. There is a lighthouse from where one can get a panoramic
view. The government museum offers a good collection of sculptural art crafts of Tamil
Nadu. The memorial to Swami Vivekananda, on a rocky promontory just over 400 meters
off shore.
Kanyakumari Temple The
temple overlooks the shoreline. It is dedicated to Parvati as Devi Kanya,
the Virgin Goddess who did penance to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva. The deity, Devi
Kanyakumari
is' the
protector of India's shores' has an exceptionally brilliant diamond on her nose
ring which is supposed to shine out to sea. The temple opens from 0430 to
1130 and from 1730 to 2030. Non-Hindus are not allowed into the sanctuary.
Gandhi Mandapam Not far from the Kumari Amman Temple is the Gandhi Mandapam, constructed at the spot where the urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept for public view before a portion of its contents was immersed in the three seas. It resembles an Oriyan temple and was designed so that on Gandhiji's birthday (2nd October), the sun's rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept.
Vivekananda Memorial  It is about 500 meters away from mainland. This
memorial stands on
one of two rocks separated by about 70 meters. It was built in
1970. This memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, the greatest social reformer.
Swamy Vivekananda was supposed to have meditated on the rock where the memorial stands today. A meditation hall is also attached with the memorial. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple
architecture from all over India. It houses a statue of Vivekananda.
The divine foot print 'Pada Parai' of Devi is also seen here. Ferry service is available to reach the memorial.
It opens from
Wednesday to Monday.
Tuesday is holiday. It opens from 0700 to 1100
and from 1400 to 1700. Read
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Thiruvalluvar Statue
Located at the southern most tip of the Indian Peninsula where
the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet, is Kanyakumari,
the place famous for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Here out in the sea,
about 400m from the shore, on the minor rock adjoining the Vivekananda rock
memorial lies a Statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar, the author who gave us
quintessential words of wisdom through his philosophical work 'Thirukkural', a
treatise in Tamil on the Indian way of life. The statue, standing amid the
dancing blue waves, creates a lasting impression as it rises high over the rock.
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Suchindram Temple Just 13 kms. from Kanniyakumari, Suchindram has a temple dedicated to a deity who is the representation of the combined forces of Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is one of the few temples in the country where the Trinities are worshipped. The temple has a beautiful gopuram, musical pillars and an excellent statue of the Hanuman, apart from a valuable collection of art from different periods.
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