Kanyakumari Sightseeing: A Trip to Southernmost Point of Peninsular India

Kanyakumari is layered with an interesting history and rich indigenous culture. The place is situated in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and well known as the southernmost point of Peninsular India. This rearmost part of India is frequented by history buffs, nature lovers, and believers of almighty.

Kanyakumari is the land of devotion, architectural excellence, and amazing natural beauty. My days here were spent visiting the places that have several backstories and religious tales linked to them. Other than visiting the sightseeing places in Kanyakumari, I spent time looking at the breathtaking views of sunrise and sunset. At the break of dawn and dusk, I stood at the beach clicking photos of the yellow and orange coloured horizon. Some view it was!

For me, Kanyakumari stands out as one of the best holiday destinations in South India, for I experienced tranquillity here. My Kanyakumari sightseeing tour took me to some of the most famous tourist spots. Here are the 10 places that I visited on my local sightseeing tour of Kanyakumari: -

1. Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built to honour Swami Vivekananda. It is said that Swami Ji sat and meditated here to attain enlightenment before he participated in the World Religious Conference in Chicago. This memorial was built in 1970 on one of the two rocks projecting out of the ocean and since then it has been a famous sightseeing place of Kanyakumari. People come here to meditate and admire its style of construction. I took a ferry ride to reach here which was an exciting experience in itself. I sat here for a few hours and the serenity I experienced was truly enriching.

2. Thirauvalluvar Statue

Standing adjacent to the Rock Memorial, this 133 feet tall statue was built to revere the famous Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluar. Its height denotes 133 chapters of the Tirukkular, a classic Tamil language consisting of 133 couplets. The statue is divided into the pedestal and sculpture. The pedestal is 38 feet high while the sculpture towers at 95 feet tall. My short ferry ride from Kanyakumari port to this sightseeing place made it quite a fun-filled experience. The sight of the crystal clear water on the way was incredible!

3. Thanumalyan Temple

The abode of the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, this temple is the masterpiece of South Indian architecture. What makes this temple stand out among all the temples of South India is the presence of 4 musical pillars carved out of a single stone. These pillars are situated in the Alankara Mandapam area and fill the place with musical notes when struck with thumb or any such object. This sightseeing place in Kanyakumari also houses colossal and one-of-a-kind statues of Hanuman and Nandi, the other key attractions of this temple.

4. Gandhi Mandapam

Gandhi Mandapam was built to pay homage to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This memorial is the reflection of Orissa’s architectural style and is built on the spot where the urn of ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept. The key highlight of this place is sun rays falling on the exact spot where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were placed, a spectacle that is prominent only on the 2^nd of October. When I visited this local sightseeing place in Kanyakumari, seeing the pictures of Gandhiji and hearing about the contributions he made towards freeing the nation from the British Raj, my feeling of respect and reverence for him strengthened.

5. Kumari Amman Temple

Kumari Amman Temple is one of the most important places to worship in India for the fact that the temple is dedicated to Goddess Kanyakumari, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati. This temple was built 3000 years ago to venerate the contribution that Goddess Kumari made towards killing the demons. One of the 108 Shakti Peeths, this place is desired to be visited at least once by the devotees of Goddess Parvati. Key attractions of this place are the idols of Goddess Kumari wearing a dazzling nose ring and the natural beauty surrounding this temple.

6. Vattakottai Fort

This fort is, perhaps, one of the best sightseeing places near Kanyakumari. It was built to protect the coastline during the Travancore Kingdom. Built in the 18th century by Venad Kings of Travancore, it later underwent modification. The task of its modification was given to an ex-Dutch naval officer- Eustachius De Lennoy who later, in the 18th century, became the commander of the Travancore army. Besides its interesting history, I enjoyed the view of the Bay of Bengal on one side and the Western Ghats on the other. It was picturesque and amazing!

7. Thirparappu Falls

Kanyakumari is known for archaic architecture and thick vegetation. I came across immense natural beauty while on my Kanyakumari sightseeing tour. Around Kanyakumari, one sightseeing place that I particularly enjoyed was the Thirparappu falls. It is a manmade waterfall located around 55 kms away from Kanyakumari and houses thick green foliage and native fauna. When I visited this waterfall, I stood relaxed in the pond at the base of the waterfall and saw water falling from a height of 50 feet; it made for a stunning view.

8. Kanyakumari Beach

In Kanyakumari, it is a famous sightseeing place as a lot of people gather here every day to witness the beauty on the horizon during sunrise and sunset. A lot of travellers also come here to see the confluence of Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. After taking a tour of Vivekananda Rock memorial, Thirauvalluvar Statute, and Gandhi Mandapam, I visited this beach to rest and relax. I took an evening walk on the colourful sand of this beach and clicked numerous pictures of the sky shaded in red, yellow and orange at the time of sunset.

My Kanyakumari sightseeing trip involved many places to visit that are best known for their architecture and scenic beauty. I am glad that I opted for a Kanyakumari sightseeing package which made my vacation a memorable one and would recommend the same to you if Kanyakumari is on your travel bucket list.