Kanyakumari
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Kanyakumari [pronunciation] is a town and a cape at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula. It is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. During British rule, it was known as Cape Comorin. The closest major city is Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
History
Kanyakumari was once referred to as the Alexandria of the east. It has been a great centre for the arts, culture, civilization, and pilgrimage for years. It was also a famous centre for commerce and trade.The area abounds with many unique herbs and plants believed to have originated due to a small piece of the medical hill 'Siranjeevi' falling on this place as Lord Hanuman was carrying the hill to Sri Lanka. In addition, Kanyakumari district has many practitioners of various branches of ancient India's health systems from siddha, ayurvedha, varma kalai etc.
It is believed that Christianity arrived in this area in AD 52 through St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. Similarly, Islam is believed to have entered the southern part of India through Kanyakumari during the early part of the eighth century AD through the sea route with traders and missionaries. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also contributed to the architectural wealth and literary heritage of this place.
Kanyakumari was also under the control of the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Nayaks who were great rulers of south India. The architectural beauty of the temples is the work of these rulers. During the British Raj, Kanyakumari was bestowed the dry title of Cape Camorin, necessitated perhaps by the Englishmen's inability to pronounce local names. Legend has it that Kanya Devi, an avatar of Goddess Parvati, was to wed Lord Shiva, the destroyer in the Hindu trinity. But he did not turn up at the auspicious time and the wedding never took place. The rice and cereals meant for the marriage remained uncooked. Even today, one can buy stones there that look exactly like rice and cereals. Local folks believe that they are the leftovers of the legendary marriage that could not be solemnized. As for the princess Kanya Devi, she became a virgin goddess blessing pilgrims and tourists alike.
Geography
Kanyakumari lies at the meeting point of three bodies of water: the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It is situated in 8° 4′ 41″ N, 77° 32′ 28″ E, and is the terminating point of the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. On the north and the east, it is bounded by the Tirunelveli District. On the west and northwest it is bounded by Kerala. It is suggested that there once existed a continent called Kumari Kandam to the south of Kanyakumari, often compared with Lemuria.- [More>>]
Sites
The Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari Temple, located on the shore, is a Shakti Peethas dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance to obtain Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The temple and the adjoining ghat, picturesquely situated overlooking the shore, attract tourists from all over the world. The diamond nose-ring of the deity is famous for its sparkling splendor said to be visible even from the sea. Two rocks reach out of the ocean, southeast of the Kumari Amman temple. One of these is Sri Padaparai, where the footprints of the virgin goddess are said to be imprinted on this rock, Swami Vivekananda is said to have sat in deep meditation and here also stands the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial built in 1970. There is a dhyana mandapam where one can sit in a serene atmosphere and meditate. Ferry services are available to reach the memorial. The striking Gandhi Memorial has been built on the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. Resembling central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial was so designed that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (October 2), the first rays of the sun fall on the exact place where the ashes of the father of the nation were kept. This is one of the best places to visit in India. [More>>]Places near by
Vattakottai (literally, circular fort) is an 18th-century fort overlooking the sea, located six km from Kanyakumari. The Udayagiri Fort (34 km), built by King Marthanda Varma (AD 1729-1758), has a foundry for casting guns. The king's trusted European general De Lennoy's grave is located within this fort.The Panchappathi, five primary sacred places of Ayyavazhi religion were all situated within 10 km circle from Kanyakumari. It also includes the Swamithoppe Ayya Vaikundar Temple situated 10 km north-west of Kanyakumari, which is one of the famous temples in Tamilnadu. Though not so massive structurally, it is well known for its non-idolatory system of worship. Situated 13 km from Kanyakumari, Suchindram bears the imprint of various kingdoms. The Sthanumalayan temple here is a repository of art treasures belonging to those kingdoms. The temple is famous for its musical columns and its impressive 6 m tall statue of the monkey god, Hanuman. The main deity in the form of a shivlinga represents Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, the trinity of the Hindu pantheon. Ancient inscriptions dating back to the ninth century are found in this place. The Nagaraja Temple at Nagercoil (20 km) is a magnificent temple with Nagaraja as the main deity. There are also shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and Vishnu. The entrance to this temple is reminiscent of the Chinese architecture of a Buddhist Vihar. Nagercoil is 19 km from Kanyakumari on the way to Padmanabhapuram. Padmanabhapuram Palace (45 km) is a large mansion of the Travancore Kings. It is known for its fascinating natural splendor. Other tourist places include Mathur Hanging Trough, Sitharal Jain monuments, Thirunandhikarai cave temple, Thirparappu falls, Udayagiri fort, Muttom, Vattakottai, Olakai aruvi, Pechiparai Reservoir, St. Xavier church, all within 30 km from Nagercoil. Tiruchendur (85 km) is the site of a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya. The temple located here on the shore of the Bay of Bengal is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. The location of the temple draws a perennial stream of devotees. The temple overlooking the singing sea is an inspiring sight. The Courtallam Falls (137 km) is perched at a height of 167 m. Its water is believed to contain medicinal properties. [More>>]Significance
In 2000, the government of Tamil Nadu installed a [large stone statue] of the Tamil saint Tiruvalluvar on a second rock next to it. The Statue, which was sculpted by a team headed by Mr. Ganapathi Sthapathi, is 133 ft (41 m) high signifying the 133 chapters of Thirukural.The Vivekananda Memorial at Kanyakumari is also one of the important tourist spots and attracts many Hindus. According to local Christians, the place which is now called Vivekananda rock was once actually a small rock with a cross on it for the worship of local Christian fishermen while they were at sea. But according to the Hindus who built the Vivekananda Memorial, it is the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated for some time before attending the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893. The place issue once generated severe communal and religious clashes. Today, a Vivekananda memorial stands on a rock half a kilometer into the sea, as well as a temple built around a rock bearing the footprint of Kanya Devi at the point where she performed her penance.
Kanyakumari beach is also the place where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were thrown into the sea. There is a memorial to him there, the Gandhi Mandapam.
External Links
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4557303211664157648&q=kanyakumari The 2004 tsunami hits Kanyakumari at the Tiruvalluvar statue
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