Information About Kanyakumari,Excursions,Tirunelveli,Sankaranainarkoil,Nagaraja Temple At Nagercoil,Alvar Tirunagri,Kumarakovil,Subramanya Temple In Tiruchendur,Fair & Festival,Cape Festival,Place to stay in Kanyakumari

General Information about Kanya Kumari

Excursions of Kanyakumari

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.

Alvar Tirunagari
One of the celebrated Vaishnavaite temples in the district of Kannyakumari is in Alvar Tirunagari, one of the nine sung of by Namalvar. The saint attained enlightenment under a tree, which still stands in the temple. The Lord is Adinatha. The temple has a Nadaswaram musical instrument made of stone. It is played during the temple festival.

Kumarakovil

Kumarakovil is at the foot of the Velimalai hills in Kalkulam Taluk (also spelt as Taluka), about 34-km from Kannyakumari. The Lord Muruga Temple is built on the hillock about 200 feet height in a lush green field of Paddy, Plantain and Coconut trees. The temple is noted for architectural beauty. Goddess Valli, the spouse of Lord Subramanya is also enshrined in the temple by the side of the Lord. In the right side of the temple there is one big lake, suitable for boating.

Subramanya Temple in Tiruchendur
The temple of Lord Subramanya in Tiruchendur, also in the same district, is one of the "Arupadai Veedus", or specially sanctified residences, of the Lord. It is situated by the sea. Traditionally, it commemorates the Lord's victory over Surapadma, a demon. The Gopura, of nine storeys, is 42m high and was constructed in the 17th century. It was renovated in 1983.

Fairs and Festivals 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 festiv

al is celebrated on a large scale for three days at Kanyakumari. The festival is marked by a series of cultural programs.

Places to stay in Kanyakumari
Varied accommodation options varying from luxurious to economic hotels, lodges, Devasthanam cottages are available for tourists in Kanyakumari.