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| Kanyakumari |
| KANYAKUMARI
Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin is a town which forms the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula and in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is a magnificent place of natural beauty, which was one of the great centers for learning, art, and culture and was also an important place for trade and commerce during the ancient times.
Lying on the confluence point of three oceans- Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, this enchanting city today is a vital Hindu pilgrim center and is also renowned for its exotic sunrises and sunsets over the horizon. Being adjacent to the sea, the town enjoys a maritime climate all the year round. The summers, however, are sweltering and the temperatures may soar to as high as 34.8°C. The ideal time to visit Kanyakumari would thus be during the winter months, from October to March and cottons would be ideal as far as clothing is concerned.
How to reach Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari is a very popular tourist destination and is hence well connected to other part of the country.
By Air
The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram which is 80 km away and has both the domestic and international terminals. You may take a taxi or a bus to Kanyakumari from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari.
By Rail
Kanyakumari is well connected by rail services with all the major cities in India as super-fast trains connect Kanyakumari with the northern rail junctions and intercity trains are running from almost all the southern cities.
By Road
The city has a good road network which connects it to the major cities and towns in South India like Chennai, Bangalore, Madurai, Pondicherry, Trivandrum etc.
How to travel around Kanyakumari
Tourist taxis and auto-rickshaws are available for traveling locally in Kanyakumari.
Places to stay in Kanyakumari
Accommodation is not a problem in Kanyakumari as there are many star rated hotels, which provide good services to their guests as well as few high-end luxury hotels too. However, since Kanyakumari is quite popular with Indian tourists, it is better to get reservation before reaching there. Good services and facilities are provided by these hotels. For those traveling on a tighter budget, there are a very large number of budget and economy hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. These hotels and guest houses will give you value for your money since they have all the basic facilities and services for reasonable tariffs.
Places of Interest in and around Kanyakumari
The city receives a very large number of both domestic as well as international tourists, who travel to Kanyakumari to witness the nature's splendor and historical monuments of the place and many temples in and around the city.
Some of the more popular monuments, temples and forts to visit in Kanyakumari are
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
This beautiful Memorial completed in 1956, is dedicated to the Father of the Nation. An urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept here for public to pay homage before immersion in the sea waters in Kanyakumari in 1948 and this memorial is in commemoration of this event. The monument is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma and is designed in such a way that on 2nd October, on his birthday, the sun’s rays fall directly on the spot where his ashes were kept.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
Thiruvalluvar is the immortal poet of Tamil Nadu and the memorial statue of Thiruvalluvar is in Kanyakumari. The pedestal of the statue is of 38 feet height and the statue is over 95 feet tall, making the entire sculpture 133 feet in length. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa known as Alankara Mandapam with 38 feet height and surrounding the Alankara Mandapa stand 10 elephant statues signifying 8 directions with earth and space down. The 38 feet tall pedestal represents the 38 chapters in the Book of Aram in Thirukural, written by the revered poet Thiruvalluvar, and the 95 feet tall statue of poet Thiruvalluvar, on the pedestal, represents the total chapters in Porul (70 chapters) and Inbam (25 Chapters). This makes the statue symbolically, and artistically significant. In order to enable the tourists to worship the holy feet of Thiruvalluvar 140 steps are constructed inside the Mandapa.
Kamarajar Manimandapam
This is a monument which is dedicated, to Late. Sri. Kamarajar, a freedom fighter, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the President of Indian National Congress. During congress regime he was popularly known king maker and as Black Gandhi among the masses. The place where his ashes were kept here for public to pay homage before immersion into the sea, is the site where the monument was constructed.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
It is essentially a sacred monument, built by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee to commemorate the visit of Swami Vivekananda to “Shripada Parai” during 24th, 25th and 26th December 1892, for deep meditation and enlightenment. From very ancient times, the rock has been regarded as sacred place and in Puranic tradition, it has been known as “Shripada Parai: meaning the rock that has been blessed by the touch of Shripada- feet of the Goddess. A projection on the rock, similar in form to a human fort has traditionally, been revered as a symbol of Shripadam and according to legend, it was on this rock that Goddess Kanyakumari did Tapas.
Government Museum
The Government Museum, situated on the Beach Road offers a good collection of sculptured artifacts and crafts of South Indian Temples.
Gunanatha Swamy Temple
This is a 1000 year old temple, located near Railway Station, and is said to have been built by the King Raja Raja Chola. There are 16 inscriptions found in this temple that date back to the years 1038 A.D., 1044 A.D., 1045 .A.D, which is the period of the Chola rule.
Kumari- Hall of History
It is located to the south of Kanyakumari Railway Station and exhibits the pictures of historical wonders and also rare photographs of Kamarajar, Gandhi and other freedom fighters.
Suchindrum
Suchindrum is a small village about 12 km. from Kanyakumari, where the Thanumalayan temple is located. This temple has a repository of art treasures belonging to several kingdoms and is also famous for its ninth-century inscriptions, musical columns, and 6-meter-tall statue of the monkey god Hanuman. The main deity at Thanumalayan temple is in the form of a Shiva- linga, represents Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, the trinity of the Hindu pantheon.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
This palace is actually a large mansion belonging to the Travancore Kings and is known for its fascinating natural splendor.
Vattakottai
Located 6 km from Kanyakumari, Vattakottai is a circular fort, situated on the beach, which has come to be a popular picnic spot.
Udayagiri Fort
This fort is located 34 km from Kanyakumari, was built by King Marthanda Varma (1729-1758 A.D) and has a foundry for casting guns. Within the fort is also located the grave of the King’s trusted European General, De Lennoy.
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