Adjacent to the Vivekananda memorial stands a 133ft statue of Thiruvalluvar, the honored Tamil poet, who 2000 years ago created Tirukkural, acclaimed as the cultural bible of the Tamils due to its non-sectarian and universal outlook.

I begin from kanyakumari. The southern most tip of indian sub continent.Off the coast, the waters of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal swill and merge into the Indian Ocean. The beaches are clean and the waters a clear, frothing blue. Kanyakumari is often set up as a geographical antonym to Kashmir, to suggest the span and variety of the sub continent. For the visitor the experience would be opposite and the pleasure equal.

Besides the waters and the coast, Kanyakumari is essentially a temple town. The most prominent temple, the Kumari Amman, is dedicated to the goddess Parvathi as a virgin. It is said to mark the spot where the goddess won the Lord Shiva over with her penance. Its location has given rise to the legend that the goddess protects the country by guarding the southern door to India.

The famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial is built in several architectural styles off the coast on rocks that protrude from the ocean. Built in 1970, it marks the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated and evolved his philosophy. Close to the memorial is Sripada Parai where the footprints of the virgin goddess are supposed to have fallen. Ferry services to the rocks are frequent.

The Gandhi Memorial was built over the spot where the urn containing his ashes was kept for public viewing before a part was immersed in the waters around.

The Government Museum has a collection of sundry objects like old coins, whalebones, tribal objects, bronze sculptures, and woodcarvings.

City Getaways: The District Headquarter Nagercoil, is named after a temple here that is dedicated to the Lord of Snakes or Nagaraja. St. Xavier’s Church at Nagercoil dates back to the 15th century. It holds a 10-day festival every year from the 24th of November. Close to Nagercoil are the Olakkay Aruvi waterfalls, which make a good spot for a picnic.

13 km from Kanyakumari is Suchindram. Its temple is dedicated to a deity that is a combination of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, i.e. the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. It has richly carved gopuram (tower), musical pillars and works of art from various periods.

The Lord Subramanya temple at Kumarakovil (34km) is situated in the midst of lush greenery on a hillock. It is noted for its architecture and the lake near it is big enough to boat in.

The Mondaikaddu Bhagvathy Amman Temple (41 km) is a small 7th century BC temple that attracts a regular flow of pilgrims from around the area. The Amman in the shape of a five-headed anthill is 12ft. high and still growing.

Thengapattinam Beach (54 km.) is an ancient maritime town that used to service trade with the Middle East. There is a 1200 year old mosque, the beach is clean and uncrowded, and the water perfect for swimming.

Padmanabhapuram (45 km.) has an old fort, which encloses the palace of the Travancore kings, and the Ramaswamy temple that carved panels of scenes from the Ramayan.

Pechipparai Dam (56 km) offers a waterside spot for picnics and boating facilities.

Udayagiri Fort (34 km) was built in the 18th century by King Marathanda and contains the tomb of his trusted general, a Dutchman General De Lennoy.

The 18th Century Circular Fort at Vattakottai, 6km from Kanyakumari, is ideal for a swim in the sea because the waters are tranquil here.

Climate: The temperatures are more or less constant through the year. The rains hit in the beginning of June though. But whichever month you visit be sure to include a full moon night in your stay. The sun sets and the moon rises at the horizon almost simultaneously, in breathtaking synchrony. The Chitra Poornima festival celebrates the full moon in April and the RC Church holds its Holy Annual Festival in the fourth week of December.

Getting There: The closest airport is not in Chennai but in the capital of the neighbouring state of Kerala, in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum). All domestic airlines service Trivandrum. From there it is 87 km by road to Kanyakumari. You could rent a car or catch one of the many buses that ply between the two cities. Kanyakumari is connected to Trivandrum, Chennai, and Tirunalveli by trains, which are clean and usually punctual.

Though Kanyakumari is well connected by road some of the distances are too great for comfort. Chennai is 703 km and Madurai 242km away. Trivandrum is relatively much closer. The roads are good and the buses are comfortable and fast like in the rest of the state.

Accommodation: In this frequently visited tourist town, every second building is a hotel of sorts. From clean rooms with basic amenities to guesthouses with fabulous beach views – you have it all here in Kanyakumari. The dining experience is not too great –thali meals (pre-plated) are available besides the usual dosas and idlis.

Tourist Offices: The tourist office is located at the Main Road and you can change money at any of the money exchange bureaus or banks on the Main Road.

Shopping: Handcrafted trinkets, seashell art, palm leaf drawings are available all over. Shopkeepers will try to palm off beads as authentic coral so be wary. All prices are negotiable so bargain hard! The Vivekanadapuram Centre runs Yoga classes.

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