The southern most tip of mainland India, Kanyakumari witnesses the meeting of three oceans - Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Besides being an important pilgrimage centre of Hindus, Kanyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset. It is noteworthy that the sands of Kanyakumari beach are multicoloured which further adds to the beauty of the place. Due to its proximity to the sea, the weather of Kanyakumari remains very pleasant throughout the year.

Accommodation and connectivity:
This southern most tip of mainland India does not figure in the air map of the country. The nearest airport is at Trivandrum at a distance of 80 kms.

However, Kanyakumari is connected through broad gauge directly with Trivandrum and many other cities. Kanyakumari is well connected through a network of roads with most towns and cities of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Through road, the distance between Kanyakumari and Trivandrum is 86 kms.

A number of hotels and lodges have mushroomed in Kanyakumari over the years to capitalize on the booming tourism market. As such, all categories of tourists can be rest assured of a comfortable stay in Kanyakumari.


The Temples of Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari Temple

The Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari Temple is the most visited temple of the place. Located on the shore overlooking the ocean, the temple is dedicated to virgin goddess Kanya Devi, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati. Legend has it that Kanya Devi was to marry Lord Shiva. But Lord Shiva did not arrive at the auspicious time of marriage. As such, the marriage could not be solemnized and Goddess Kanya Devi chose to remain virgin for the rest of her life. She started to bless devotees at the place as a virgin goddess. Another interesting aspect is that the diamond nose ring of the deity sparkles so much that it is visible even from the sea.

Sri Padaparai

Sri Padaparai is one of the two rocks reaching out of the ocean. The rocks are to the southeast of Kumari Amman temple. It is said that the footprints of the virgin goddess are imprinted on this rock.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

One of the prime attractions of Kanyakumari is the Vivekananda Memorial where the great philosopher saint of India Swami Vivekananda had meditated for a long time. Maintained by the Vivekananda Kendra, the striking memorial stores many of Swamiji's memories. Under the aegis of Vivekananda Kendra, classes on yogasanas and meditation are held regularly at the place.


Gandhi Memorial

Gandhi Memorial has been built at that very place where Gandhiji's ashes were kept for the people to pay their last respect before immersion. The memorial has been built in the form of a temple in such a way that on Mahatma's birthday (October 2), the first rays of the sun kiss the place where his ashes were kept.

Excursion Delights

Some of the places to go for excursion from Kanyakumari are the Circular Fort of Vattakottai (6 kms), Udayagiri Fort (34 kms), Suchindram(13 kms) and Nagaraja Temple at Nagarkoil (20 kms). In the midst of a serene ambience, activities of a religious and spiritual nature regularly take place in Kanyakumari. Apart from the routine activities at Vivekananda Kendra, the festivals celebrated here in a grand manner are Chaitra Purnima, Navratri and annual festival of the Roman Catholic Church.