Location: 8.08 degrees north latitude, 77.54 degrees east longitudeElevation: sea level.
Kanyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin, is the city at the very southern tip of the Indian subcontinent. Kanyakumari is spiritually important to Hindus and is dedicated to the goddess Devi Kanya. Kanyakumari is also the confluence point for the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal.
There are two rocky islands that sit offshore to the south of Kanyakumari. The island on the left is dedicated to Swami Vivekanandra who came to the island to meditate in 1892. The Swami became one of India's most important religious crusaders. The island on the right and the huge statue that sits on it are dedicated to Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar. The below picture certainly doesn't do the scale of the memorial and statue justice, as hopefully you will see when we get closer.
The Thiruvalluvar statue is considered India's "Statue of Liberty" and was the work of more than 5000 sculptors. It rises to a height of 133 feet which honors the poet's 133 chapter work Thirukural. The statue was just completed in 2000, but was actually undergoing a surface refinishing or something when we were there so the island was actually closed to visitors. We had to be content with our views from afar.Obviously, travel to the Vivekanandra Memorial island required a ferry boat ride. Now. . .I know what you're thinking, because I had the exact same thought: don't ferry boat rides in faraway places usually end in disaster and with significant loss of life?
Fortunately, the travel gods/goddesses smiled upon us this day and we arrived on the island (and got back to the mainland) without incident. Although some people had a real adventure trying to get off the boat at the island. The sea was, at times, really heaving the ferry to and fro. Lurches of 5 or 6 feet up, down, right, and left were commonplace for the 5 minutes or so it took to unlaod everyone. I am pleased to report that everyone disembarked without ending up in the sea and/or being crushed between the boat the the dock, which I actually thought had a better than even chance of happening.Views of Kanyakumari from the island:
You may be able to just make out one of the huge wind farms that sit just offshore outside the city proper: those litle things on the right edge of the photo.
The Vivekananda Memorial
Inside the memorial (again no photos allowed) there is a footprint embedded in the rock that is said to be that of the goddess Devi Kanya, and is why Swami Vivekananda chose this place for his deep meditation.
Also on this rock next to the memorial, there is a smaller Dhyana mandapam or structure set aside for meditation.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
The following are mostly the only, and therefore also the best, views we had of the Thiruvalluvar memorial statue. These photos don't really do it's size justice: it was immense. Hopefully the combination of the previous photos of the Vivekanadra Memorial with the very first photo of the two islands together will give you some sense of scale.
The confluence point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean. That point. . .right there!
Kumari Amman Temple
According to legend Devi Kanya single-handedly conquered demons and secured freedom for the world. This is the exterior of the temple, with the familiar mutli-tiered gopuram (entry gate) dedicated to her. This temple was: no photos, no shoes, and no shirts (at least for the men)! When in Rome (or in this case Kanyakumari). . .
The entrance gateway shown is really just the entrance. The actual temple complex behind it covers a huge amount of area, with a myriad of smaller temples and spaces carved out inside for worshiping and honoring Parvati, Shiva, and Hanuman (the Indian monkey god) just to name a few. I do wish there were photos that could go along with this inadequate description. . .A whirlwind tour of another very small part of this country; this time Kanyakumari, but again well worth the effort.
I have stood at Land's End of the Indian subcontinent.
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