Amidst
the sea there are two rocks known as ‘twin rocks’ both
contributing to the rich Indian heritage with the monuments of swamy
Vivekananda and Saint Thiruvalluvar. |
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| Transport and Communication :- | |||||
| Air
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Nearest airport – Thiruvananthapuram international International
airport - 88 Kms. |
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| Around Kanyakumari :- | |||||
Gandhi Memorial : This striking memorial has been built on the spot where the urn containing Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. In 1948 his ashes were immersed in the sea waters in Kanyakumari. In commemoration of this event a beautiful monument has been constructed here. It resembles an Orissan temple and was designed so that on Gandhiji’s birthday (2nd October), the suns rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept. Its central shape is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari twice in 1925 and 1937. |
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Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial : Swamay Vivekananda
came to kanyakumari on 24.2.1892 before his departure for Chicago
to participate in the World Religious Conference in 1893. He sat
on meditation on this rock for two days and became a powerful spiritual
leader and philosopher. Vivekananda Rock Memorial has been built
in 1970 and is a blend of various architectural styles of India.Swami
Vivekananda’s memorial is built in a small island like rock
200 meters from the shore. A very great building and other halls
are constructed in this rock. Actually it is a turn rock where this
memorial stands. There is a meditation hall where people who wants
to meditate in a calm and composed atmosphere can perform their
meditation inside it. Boat facilities are available for the tourists
to visit this beautiful memorial spot. |
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Kumari Amman Temple : The 3000 year old Kumari Amman
temple at this place is dedicated to Virgin Goddess Kanyakumari,
who stands in eternal vigil protecting the country, is surrounded
by a stone wall and stands on the edge of the ocean.Mythological
stories depict that Goddess parvati under the disguise of Devi Kanniya
did a penance in one of the rocks in this area to reach the hand
of Lord Shiva.Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located near where three
oceans meet : the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian
Sea. The entrance to the temple is through the northern gate, while
the eastern gate always remains closed except on some festival days,
when deity is taken out for the ceremonial bath. The deity is facing
the east.
The Diamond
nose-ring of this deity is famous for its sparkling splendor which
is supposed to be visible even from the sea.It is believed that
the nose ring of Devi Kanyakumari set with rubies are so bright
and that could be seen from far at night.Two festivals take place
in Kanya Kumari every year. One takes place in May/june, when the
deity is taken in procession along the streets of the town. The
other festival takes place in September/October, the Navratri. The
last day of the Navratri, the statue of the goddess is brought on
a horse to Mahadanapuram, a nearby town. |
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Thiruvalluvar Statue: Thiruvalluvar Statue is one
of the major landmarks of Kanyakumari. The Tamilnadu Government
has installed a statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar who gave us quintessential
words of wisdom known as Thirukkural. The stone statue is 133 feet
high including the pedestal. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam
is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa known as Alankara Mandapam
with 38 feet height. Surrounding the Alankara Mandapa stand 10 elephant
statues signifying 8 directions, with earth and space down. The
father of Sri. Rama, the hero of Ramayana was called Dasaratha as
he was able to charioteer in ten directions. |
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Suchindram
: Suchindrum means the place where Indra attained
‘Suchi’ i.e., purification. Suchindrum is a small village
about 13 km. from Kanyakumari and about 7 kilometres from Nagercoil.
The Sthanumalaya temple at Suchindrum, is venerated by both the
Vaishnavites and Saivites. The deity is a single lingam known as
Sthanumalaya, representing the triple aspects of Shiva, Vishnu and
Brahma. This holy place is located on the bank of the river Pazhayar,
adjoining fertile fields and coconut groves.The art and architecture
is of such arresting excellence that this ancient temple stands
as one of the foremost and richest among the South Indian Shrines.
Even from a distance the tower of the temple, framed by the coconut
trees and the sky as a backdrop, makes a fascinating picture. The
Gopuram is a marvel of construction, standing majestically 134 feet
high. It is well proportioned and gradually tapers upwards.Suchindram
is also a place where a major naval engagement took plce between
the Dutch and the locals here. |
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Padmanabhapuram : The Padmanabhapuram Palace is
one of the most magnificent monuments of Tamilnadu. It is situated
in Kanyakumari district, 15 km from Nagercoil and 55 km South-West
of Thiruvananthapuram. The Padmanabhapuram palace was the seat of
power of the rulers of Travancore. The palace is known for its planning
and military architecture and remained the center of power till
1790, when the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram. The main
attractions of the Padmanabhapuram Palace are its sheer aesthetic
beauty, murals, innovative designs and time tested wooden carvings.The
Council Chamber of the Padmanabhapuram palace is an example of excellence
in wood and inspires awe. The floor, which is made up of a mixture
of burnt coconut shells, laterite, lime and sand shines to this
day. Martanda Verma built the King's quarters in 1744 A.D. It is
also known as "Upparika malika". The courtyard, which
leads to this building served as a parade ground for recruiting
soldiers for the army. There are about 50 murals, depicting Lord
Vishnu with his consorts and Lord Krishna with the Gopis, adorn
the walls of the prayer hall. There are several paintings, depicting
incidents in the life of Martanda Verma, displayed on the corridor
leading to the guesthouse. Navarathra Mandapam, an imposing granite
structure, is probably the most beautiful part of the Padmanabhapuram
palace. |
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Nagercoil : Nagercoil derived its name from a famous
old Jain temple called Naga Raja Temple (temple of the serpent king)
which still exists in the central part of the town. Originally a
Jain temple, it is now an important temple for the local Hindus
and is also a tourist attraction.Foreign colonial powers, most notably
the Dutch, tried colonizing the areas around Nagercoil and Colachel
during the 18th century, but were subdued. The Dutch East India
Company(also known as Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC),
with a keen eye on the spices of Travancore, tried to establish
a trading post at the then important port town of Colachel, near
Nagercoil. |
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Tiruchendur:
Tiruchendur is a small town in Tuticorin District, India, 45 km
away from Tuticorin , 53 km from Tirunelveli and 116Km from kanyakumari.
It is well-connected with Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin
by road. Tiruchendur is a popular pilgrim centre. Tiruchendur is
the Aarupadai veedu shrines of Murugan, enshrining Senthilandavar.
It has been venerated by the Tamil Sangam Period work Tirumurugatruppadai
and by 83 Tiruppugazh hymns of Arunagirinathar. It is one of the
most visited shrines in Tamilnadu.The temple here is built on a
rock close to the seashore - on the shore of the Bay of Bengal,
which is a special significance. This is perhaps due to Lord Muruga's
divine mission to vanquish the demon Surapadman and his mighty army
who encamped in the mid ocean fortress off Veeramahendrapuram near
Tiruchendur.The temple overlooking the singing sea is an inspiring
sight. |
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Kanyakumari
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Is located at the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent.The Land
that is located in the tip of the country, where the three seas
get united is none other than cape comerin or Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari
district, once known as "The Granary of Travancore" lies
at the southwestern part of Indian peninsula. It was in Travancore
for a long time and then merged with Tamil Nadu in 1956 under the
State Linguistic Reorganisation Act. It is one of the important
pilgrim centres of India. This is the only place in India where
one can enjoy the unique experience of watching the sunset and moonrise
simultaneously on a full moon evening. A fine beach landscape with
sands of different colours is another interesting aspect of Kanyakumari.
This place has been a great centre for art, culture, civilization
and pilgrimage for years. It was also a famous centre for commerce
and trade. During the early part of the 8th century A.D, Islam entered
the southern part of India through the sea route with traders and
Missionaries.
