DREAM DESTINATION- KANYAKUMARI

The southern most end of the mainland of Indian subcontinent, Kanyakumari is an indispensable part of any South India tour. This small town is situated at the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian ocean, in the southernmost part of India. It is 705 kms from State Capital, Chennai.

 Kanyakumari is popular because it is the only places on earth, where you can see the Sun Rise and Sun Set from the ocean. It is the only place in India where one can enjoy the unique spectacle of Sunset and Moonrise simultaneously on full moon days. It is even more special and spectacular on Chitra Paurnami [full moon that occurs in Apr-May] when one can view both the sun and the moon facing each other on the same horizon, a rare sight of unique grandeur, which seems to happen by prior arrangement.

 The best time to visit Kanyakumari is from October to February as you can enjoy all the sightseeing sites and the water activities. Moreover, it is this time the Cape festival takes place.

Built at the edge of sea,Kanyakumari Temple also known as the Kumari Amman Temple,is dedicated to the goddess Devi Kumari Amman. The significance of this temple lies in the fact that it is a Shakti Peetha and legend has it that pieces of Goddess Durga’s body fell here during the great Shiva Tandav dance. The temple is of great religious importance and thousands throng the temple complex to pay their respects and seek the blessings of the goddess.  The temple houses an opulent black statue of the deity. The temple is one of the major Hindu temples across India and is mentioned in almost all the ancient Hindu scriptures.The temple’s architecture is also unique.

One of the iconic monuments in Kanyakumari, the Vivekananda Rock Memorial is one of the finest pieces of human endeavor at architecture in Southern India. Built in 1970 by the Ramkrishna Mission, it is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda. It is built on a small island off the shore of Kanyakumari. The small rock island can be reached by a ferry and consists of two main structures. The Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam are the two main complexes of the memorial and is frequented by thousands of tourists.

A temple town, Suchindrum is located 11 kilometers from the city of Kanyakumari. The temples here are built in the distinctive Dravidian style and are adorned with massive gopurams which are a common characteristic of all the Dravidian temples. The highest gopuram is 134 feet high and the inside of the temples sport various exquisite rock cut pillars and gateways. Being an ancient temple town it is frequented by a huge number of pilgrims each year.

Thiruvalluvar Statue is one of the biggest in Asia and was unveiled on the 1st of January 2000. The massive 133 feet tall statue is of the Saint Poet Thiruvalluvar, who was considered to be one of the greatest Tamil poets in India and gave tamil literature the 'Word that never fails'. The pedestal of the statue is artistically designed and is decorated with 10 elephants that signify the various directions.

The Padamanabhapuram Palace is a sight to behold. Located on the foothills of the Velli Hills, the palace is spread across 4 kilometres. The palace is built of granite and offes the most stunning views against the backdrop of towering hills and lush foliage. It was the residence of the Travancore Rulers and was constructed around 1601 AD. The fort complex contains several important buildings like the King’s council Chamber, Thai Kottaram or the Mother’s palace and the Natakasala or the house of performances etc. The fort also has a small museum that contains various artifacts from the older times and various weapons like swords and daggers, paintings, Chinese jars and a plethora of wooden furniture.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Kanyakumari is a popular tourist hotspot constructed in the year 1956. After his assassination in 1948, his ashes were immersed in Triveni Sangam (confluence of the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal) in Kanyakumari. However, before the process of immersion, the urn containing his ashes was kept here for the public to pay their homage. The mandapam of the memorial is built in oriya style of architecture and designed in such a way that on his birthday, 2 October, the rays of the sun, through a hole on the roof, falls exactly on the place where the ashes was kept in 1948.