“The Virgin Princess,” Kanyakumari, is a town about 90 kilometers south of the capital city of Trivandrum- located at the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent. Known as ‘The Land’s End’, it is the southernmost town in mainland India. A popular tourist destination in India, it is famous for its unique ocean sunrise, sunset and moonrise, Thiruvalluvar Statue, and Vivekananda Rock Memorial off the coast, temple dedicated to Goddess Kumari, Gandhi Mandapam, Our Lady of Ransom Church, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument, Baywatch, and Tsunami Monument. Kanyakumari baywatch houses India’s first wax museum and a water theme amusement park. Kanyakumari lies at the very tip of peninsular India, near the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal. For centuries, it has served as a religious and artistic center. A ferry takes one to the Vivekananda rock memorial, located a few hundred meters from the shore. Dedicated to Swami Vivekananda in 1970, this memorial was built. Sunrise and sunset are both visible at Vivekananda Rock. Due to being almost completely surrounded by water, Kanyakumari is especially popular for this sight. It is possible to see the moonrise and sunset simultaneously on warm full-moon evenings here.
Additionally, Kanyakumari is most notable for the temple dedicated to Goddess Kumari, who prayed to Lord Shiva to be his wife. Despite its small size when compared to South Indian temples, it is absolutely worth a visit. It is indeed an awesome sight to see Thiruvalluvar Statue. Tiruvalluvar, a Tamil poet and philosopher who wrote the Thirukkural, is depicted in this 133-foot-tall sculpture. The Gandhi Mandapam is also noteworthy. The place was so charming that it drew even Mahatma Gandhi, who has a place here dedicated to him called Gandhi Mandapam. As locals tell it, one can see ‘Sangam’ (the confluence of the three oceans) at this location. After he died, his ashes were brought to this location. There is a small stone located where the ashes were kept in Gandhi Mantapa, and it is believed that a small hole in the roof allows the sun’s rays to reach the stone only on the 2nd of October, Gandhi’s birthday.
Another attraction is Our Lady of Ransom Church, where tourists flock. This 100-year-old church dedicated to Mother Mary is situated on the Bay of Bengal. A gigantic towering spire and stained glass windowpanes add to the church’s overall grandeur. Its Central Tower is another attraction which it is a 153 feet high tower crowned with a cross of pure gold. There is an interesting correlation between the dimensions of the church structures and the number of beads in the rosary. Palace Padmanabhapuram, the former residence of Travancore’s rulers, is an especially fine example of palatial architecture- made entirely using wood. It lies between Tamil Nadu and Kerala state, about an hour’s drive from Kanyakumari but it is actually maintained by the Kerala government.
A monument dedicated to the memory of Mr Kamarajar, a freedom fighter, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, and president of the Indian National Congress, has been raised and dedicated to him. The masses also call him Black Gandhi. At this site, as at Gandhi Mantapa, Kamarajar’s ashes are kept for public veneration before immersion into the sea. Kanyakumari’s Tsunami Monument commemorates the tragic events of the tsunami that struck the town in 2004 -located along the south shore. Together, the monument is constructed from numerous coloured items including a wave, a flame, and human hands.
History:
There have been references to Kanyakumari in Malayalam literature, Marco Polo’s travel accounts, and Ptolemy’s accounts since the Sangam period. Historically, this region was ruled by Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas, and Nayaks.
Getting there :
Nearest railway station: Trivandrum Central , about 79 kms
Nearest airport: Trivandrum International Airport, about 90 km
