Referred
to by the British as Cape Commorin,
Kanyakumari in the state of Tamil Nadu
is located at the southern most tip of the peninsular Indian. The small
temple dedicated to Kanyakumari, or the youthful form of the primeval energy
Shakti (Mother Goddess) is located on the seashore, in the town known by the
same name. Kanyakumari is the point of confluence of three oceans - the Bay
of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. This well-known Hindu
pilgrimage center, is famous for its beautiful sights of sunrise and sunset
over the waters.
Kumari Amman
Located on the shore, the Kumari Amman or the
Kanyakumari Temple is
dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance
to obtain Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The temple and the ghat,
beautifully situated overlooking the shore, draws tourist from all over the
world. The diamond nose-ring of the deity is famous for its sparkling
splendour.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Erected in 1970, this memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, the
greatest social reformer and saint of modern India. Swamy Vivekananda had
meditated on the rock where the memorial stands today at the end of 1892
before his departure for Chicago to participate in the World Religius'
Conference in 1893. A meditation hall also adjoins the memorial.
Gandhi Memorial
Gandhi Memorial, built in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, this is the spot
where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing
before immersion. In the shape of a central Indian Hindu temples, the
memorial was so designed that the first rays of the sun fall on the exact
place where the pot was kept.
Best time to visit : October to March
Reaching Kanyakumari
Air : The nearest airport is at Trivandrum (80 km). It is directly
connected with Bangalore, Mumbai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, and Chennai by regular
flights.
Rail : Kanyakumari is connected to Trivandrum, Delhi, and Mumbai by
broad-gauge railway network. Tirunelvelli (80 km) is the other nearest
railway junction and can be reached by road via Nagarkoil (19 km).
Road : Kanyakumari is connected by road to Trivandrum (86 km),
Nagarkoil (19 km), Tirunelvelli (91 km), Tiruchendur (89 km), Tuticorin (129
km), Rameshwaram (300 km), Courtallam (130 km), Madurai (242 km), Thekkady
(358 km), Kodaikanal (362 km), Palani (370 km), Ootacamund (576 km), Cochin
(309 km), and Coimbatore (478 km).
STD/ISD Codes
If dialing from India ------ 04652 (number)
If dialing from abroad ------++91-4652 (number)
Shopping in Kanyakumari
The markets have several small shops where one can purchase local items or
some handicraft items too. Souvenirs and handicraft articles made from sea
shells and palm leaf are the main things to buy at Kanniyakumari. Decorative
items made of wood and bamboo are also good purchase here. The Tamil Nadu
Co-optex sales emporium, Indco products, Tamil Nadu crafts and Pumphuar are
some of the places where you can get you choice of handicraft items,
textiles and other materials.
Kanyakumari Attractions
