Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India
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Vivekananda Rock, Kanyakumari
India is probably one of those privileged lands which have high mountains on one side and oceans and sea shores on the others. India is also one of those rare countries that have their shores shared between not one, not two, but three great seas – The Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. And there is probably only one place in the whole world where one can witness the ‘confluence’ of three great seas; and that place is Kanyakumari. This unique geographical phenomenon has made this little town in the southernmost tip of mainland India one of the significant destinations in any religious or pleasure trips that one seeks to undertake in this country where the fame of Kanyakumari has in the past attracted great saints like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi. There is beauty in every part of this little town and one has to be there to witness it. Moreover, Kanyakumari is one of the few places in the world where one can witness both the sunset and sunrise at the same beach due to the geography.
The oldest and the most ancient landmark in this town is the temple of Goddess Kumari who prayed to Lord Shiva to be accepted as wife by him. The name of this place has taken after the name of the Goddess. During the British Raj, it was also known as ‘Cape Comorin’, is probably a British spoilt version of ‘Kumari’, which mean virgin. The town is so small that an enthusiastic tourist may actually walk the entire length and breadth of the town and not shed a drop of sweat. Anyway, buses are available and the fares are rock bottom. The auto rickshaws fares are also very reasonable. In short, travelling in and around Kanyakumari is not expensive.
Approached through a surreal landscape of wind farms, Kanyakumari is the ‘Land’s End’ of the Indian subcontinent, where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Chaitrapurnima (Tamil for the April full-moon day) is the time to experience simultaneous sunset and moonrise over the ocean.
Kanyakumari has great spiritual significance for Hindus, and is dedicated to the goddess Devi Kanya, an incarnation of Parvati. Pilgrims come here to visit the temple and bathe in the sacred waters. Although wildly overdeveloped, the town and fishing beaches still manage a certain relaxed charm and there’s enough to keep you occupied for a day or so.
Orientation & Information
The main temple is right on the point of Kanyakumari and leading north from it is a small bazaar lined with restaurants, stalls and souvenir shops. The approximate stay is from 2 to 4 days depending on how much time you can give for sight seeing.
Kanyakumari
Vivekanada Rock Memorial
Gandhi Memorial
Kanyakumari
For more information on the following topics, please see our Kanyakumari travel guide below:
- Getting there
- Sights & Sounds
- Accommodation
- Shopping
- Useful Information
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Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu A complete guide to the southern-most tip of India – Kanyakumari, where the sunset and sunrise can be witnessed at the same beach.
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