City Info
Kanyakumari - How to get there:
By Airways:
The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram which is 80 km from the city. The airport is well connected with national and International flights.
By Railways:
Kanyakumari is well connected by train services with all the major places in India. Superfast trains connect the southern most railhead of India with northern cities like Jammu and Delhi.
By Roadways:
Kanyakumari is connected by regular bus services with Chennai, Pondicherry, Bangalore, Trichy, Madurai, Mandapam (Rameshwaram), Nagercoil, Tuticorin, Tiruchendur, Tiruvelveli, Trivandrum, etc. Town bus service, tourist taxis and auto rickshaws are also available.
About Kanyakumari
At the southern tip of India, where The Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal meet, lies Kanyakumari (also spelt as Kanniyakumari), an important pilgrim center. Kanyakumari is also famous for its spectacular sunrises and sunsets, especially on full moon days.
History
Kanyakumari was once referred to as the Alexandria of the east. It has been a great centre for the arts, culture, civilization, and pilgrimage for years. It was also a famous centre for commerce and trade. Legend has it that Kanya Devi, an avatar of Goddess Parvati, was to wed Lord Shiva, the destroyer in the Hindu trinity. But he did not turn up at the auspicious time and the wedding never took place. The rice and cereals meant for the marriage remained uncooked. Even today, one can buy stones there that look exactly like rice and cereals. Local folks believe that they are the leftovers of the legendary marriage that could not be solemnized. As for the princess Kanya Devi, she became a virgin goddess blessing pilgrims and tourists alike.
Tourist Attractions
The Kumari Amman /Kanyakumari Temple
The Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari Temple, located on the shore, is dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance to obtain Lord Shivas hand in marriage. The temple and the adjoining ghat, picturesquely situated overlooking the shore, attract tourists from all over the world. The diamond nose-ring of the deity is famous for its sparkling splendor said to be visible even from the sea. Two rocks reach out of the ocean, southeast of the Kumari Amman temple.
Gandhi Mandapam
It was 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 Gandhijis birthday (2nd October), the suns rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept.
Suchindram Temple
It is 13 kms. from Kanniyakumari, and has a temple dedicated to a deity who is the representation of the combined forces of Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. 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.
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 meditated on the rock where the memorial stands today. A meditation hall is also attached with the memorial. 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.
Vattakottai
Vattakottai (literally, circular fort) is an 18th-century fort overlooking the sea, located six km from Kanyakumari. The Udayagiri Fort (34 km), built by King Marthanda Varma (AD 1729-1758), has a foundry for casting guns.
Other tourist places include Mathur Hanging Trough, Sitharal Jain monuments, Thirunandhikarai cave temple, Thirparappu falls, Udayagiri fort, Muttom, Vattakottai, Olakai aruvi, Pechiparai Reservoir, St. Xavier church, all within 30 km from Nagercoil.
Tiruchendur (85 km) is the site of a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya. The temple located here on the shore of the Bay of Bengal is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. The location of the temple draws a perennial stream of devotees. The temple overlooking the singing sea is an inspiring sight.
The Courtallam Falls (137 km) is perched at a height of 167 m. Its water is believed to contain medicinal properties.
Beach
At Kanyakumari, the sea is rough. A variety of shells are on sale on the Kanyakumari beach. The beach is a beautiful sight with multi-coloured sand, but it does not really offer one the opportunity to sunbathe on soft golden sands, or to frolic in the waves either. The seashore is rocky and dangerous, and there is a manmade wall running along it. People are warned to stay off the rocks. There is a lighthouse from where one can get a panoramic view .
Sangam
Sangam is the meeting point of the three major bodies of water, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is a bathing ghat, with steps leading into the water and a sort of lagoon formed between land by a series of rocks. People bathe and jump around, getting lightly battered by the remains of waves, which are washing over the rocks.
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