Kanyakumari - India Vacation Packages

The Southern most Land tip of India
Kanyakumari (also spelt as Kanniyakumari) district is bounded by Tirunelveli district in the north and northeast, by Kerala state in the northwest and confluence of Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean in the west and south. The coastline is almost regular except for some points of land projecting into the sea at Cape Comorin. Kanyakumari is the district headquarters of the district of the same name.

Kannyakumari has been named after the Goddess Kannyakumari Amman who is the popular deity of the area. Legend has it that the Goddess Parvati in one of her incarnations as Devi Kanniya did penance on one of the rocks of this land's end to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva.

The History of Kanyakumari
Kanniyakumari district, once known as "The Granary of Travancore" lies at the southwestern part of Indian peninsula. It was in Travancore for a long time and then merged with Tamil Nadu in 1956 under the State Linguistic Reorganisation Act.

Unique Travel Attractions of Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari Beach
The Kanyakumari beach is a beautiful sight with multi-coloured sand. The beach here 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, and when if someone ventures out of bounds, he or she is quickly and severely reprimanded by a watchful policeman. There is a lighthouse from where one can get a panoramic view.

The sea is fairly rough, so it is entertaining to watch it beat itself against the rocks and then subside, before it gathers itself up for another attack. With long stretches of sands of many hues, the beach offers a welcome change. A variety of shells are on sale on the Kanyakumari beach.

Temple Of Goddess Bhagavathi :
Few temples in India are more picturesquely located than that of Goddess Bhagavathi in Kannyakumari. It stands near where three oceans meet: the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

In its early form the temple seems to have been built by the first Pandyas. The Nayaks expanded it later. There are three Prakaras. The image of the Goddess in the sanctum is marvellous in its serenity and beneficence. She carries a necklace in Her right hand. The eastern gate, facing the Bay of Bengal is opened only five times a year.

Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial
On the evening of December 25, 1892, Swami Vivekananda who had come to Kannyakumari on pilgrimage swam to the rock and spent the whole night there in deep meditation. He then resolved to decide himself to the service of the Motherland and to spread the message of Vedanta. Next year he attended the Parliament of Religions in Chicago, an event of seminal importance in the modern history of Hinduism. To commemorate his visit to the rock a superb memorial has been erected. It attracts thousands of visitors.

The Temple At Suchindram
Tradition connects the Kannyakumari temple with that in Suchindram (13-km from Kanyakumari). This is a fine, large fane, with a beautiful tank. It is one of the few temples in the country where the Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Isvara, are worshipped. The Linga, named "Sthanumalaya", is in three parts; the top represents Lord Shiva, the middle Lord Vishnu, and the base Lord Brahma. "Sthanu" is a name of Shiva, "Mal" of Vishnu, and "Ayan" of Brahma.

Gandhi Mandapam
Not far from the Kumari Amman Temple is the Gandhi Mandapam, 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 Gandhiji's birthday (2nd October), the sun's rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept.

Travel Attractions of Kanyakumari

Thengapattinam Beach
Thengapattinam, situated on the west coast, is a place of historical importance. It is 35-km from Nagercoil and 54-km from Kannyakumari. As coconut trees are abundant in this place, the place might have derived this name.

This village had, in ancient times, trade relations with foreign countries like Arabia. There was direct Cargo boat service between Thengapattinam and other foreign maritime towns.

Padamanabhapuram
The capital of Travancore until 1333, Padmanabhapuram is known for its fort which encloses, among other buildings, a palace and a temple. The palace has some important art relics while the Ramaswami temple has exquisitely carved panels depicting scenes from the Ramayana. Padmanabhapuram is 45km from Kanyakumari.

Kalakkadu and Mundanthurai
Kalakadu wildlife sanctuary is situated in an area of 223-sq-km in the Tirunelveli district, including the foothills of the Western Ghats and the adjoining area. 47km from Tirunelveli, the Kalakadu wildlife sanctuary is very popular with botanists and ornithologists as it has a great variety of fauna and bird life.

Situated 42-km from Tirunelveli, the Mundanthurai wildlife sanctuary boasts of dry deciduous to tropical wet evergreen forest patches of pure reeds. The sanctuary covers an area of 567-sq-kms. There is nothing to differentiate this sanctuary from that of Kalakadu, except the absence of Elephant and the Gaur.

Tirunelveli
The temple of Swami Nelliappar and Sri Kanthimathi Ambal in Tirunelveli (83-km from Kanyakumari) dates back at least to the seventh century. Sambandar has sung it, and Ninrasir Neumaran, the Pandya, is said to have commissioned the making of musical pillars in a Mandapa in this temple. Originally, there were two temples side by side, dedicated to Lord Nelliappar and Goddess Kanthimathi. They were linked by a Mandapa, the "chain" Mandapa, built in 1647. The oldest inscription belongs to the middle of the tenth century.

Sankaranainarkoil
Sankaranainarkoil has three shrines dedicated to Lord Sankaralinga, to Goddess Gomathi Amman and, between these two, to Lord Sankaranarayana, a combination of Shiva and Vishnu. The temple was built in the eleventh century and was expanded later. The Gopura is of nine storeys and is 38m high. The temple is famous for the miracles the Goddess performs in curing illness.

Nagaraja Temple at Nagercoil
19-km from Kannyakumari is Nagercoil, which contains the celebrated Nagaraja temple. The sanctum is a simple thatched shed, with mud walls. It enshrines the King of Serpents. Tradition states that a King of Kalakkad was cured of leprosy when he performed penance in the temple. He then rebuilt it in the Kerala style. He might have been Bhuthalavira Sri Vira Udaya Marthandavarma, who ruled Venad, with Kalakkad as his capital, from 1516 to 1535. It is believed that snakebite is not fatal within a kilometre of the temple. The fane has some Jain sculptures.

Festive Moods of Kanyakumari

Cape Festival
Kanyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin is located at the southern most tip of India, where the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea meet. A dip in the ocean here is considered holy, but the sea is rough here and not fit for bathing. This is the only place in India, where the sunset and moonrise can be viewed simultaneously on a full moon day.

The Vivekananda memorial set amidst the sea is a place known to give mental emancipation. The Cape festival is celebrated on a large scale for three days at Kanyakumari. The festival is marked by a series of cultural programs.

Festivals in Kanyakumari
Several festivals are celebrated in Kanyakumari. The Chaitra Purnima Festival (the April full-moon day, celebrated in the first week of May), Navratri (last week of October), and the Holy Annual Festival of the Roman Catholic Church (fourth week of December) are the notable festivals celebrated in Kanyakumari.

Shopping in Kanyakumari
Souvenirs and handicraft articles made from seashells and palm leaf articles are the main items to buy at Kannyakumari. Trinkets and packets of coloured sea sand for children can also be bought here. There are several shops selling these articles.