Kanyakumari, Hindu Pilgrimage in India
KANYAKUMARI
FACTS & FIGURES
Location:
In Cuddalore District,
Tamil Nadu ,India
Best time to Visit: The best season to visit this place would be between October and March.
Significance: Cuddalore Port, Kattu Mannargudi, Tiruppapuliyur.
Best time to Visit: The best season to visit this place would be between October and March.
Significance: Cuddalore Port, Kattu Mannargudi, Tiruppapuliyur.
Kanyakumari located
at the southern
most land tip of
India, where the
Arabian Sea, the
Indian Ocean and
the Bay of Bengal
meet. An important
pilgrim centre.
Kannyakumari is
famous for its beach
and the spectacular
sunrises and sunsets,
especially on full
moon days. Kanyakumari
is also famous for
its vast green stretches
of paddy fields,
rich forests, coconut
groves and mineral
sands.
Two
rocks reach out
of the ocean, south-east
of the Kumari Amman
temple. One of these
is Sri Padaparai,
where the footprints
of the virgin goddess
are to be seen.
On this rock, Swami
Vivekananda is said
to have sat in deep
meditation; and
here stands the
Vivekananda Rock
Memorial, built
in 1970.Kanyakumari Fairs and Festivals
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.
Prominent Pilgrimage Attractions of Kanyakumari
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.
Kumari Amman Temple :
Kumari
Amman Temple is
dedicated to Parvati
as Devi Kanya, the
Virgin Goddess who
did penance to obtain
the hand of Lord
Shiva.
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.
How
to Reach Kanyakumari
Air :
The nearest airport
is at Trivandrum
(80 km).
Rail :
Kanyakumari is well
connected to Trivandrum,
Delhi, and Bombay
by broad-gauge railway
network.
Road :
Kanyakumari is well
connected by road
some of the distances
are too great for
comfort. Chennai
is 703 km and Madurai
242km away.
