Aerial view of Vivekananda Memorial Rock

For most tourists who come to Kanniyakumari, it is a place of worship. The ancient Kanniyakumari Amman Temple, right on the beach, houses an idol of the virgin goddess Devi Kanniyakumari made of blue stone. The temple is dedicated to the young maiden incarnation of Goddess Parvati. It is believed that Lord Shiva stood her up on their wedding day because of a plot by the other gods who wanted her to kill a demon as prophesied. She did kill the demon, but vowed to remain a virgin throughout her life. Another interesting fact is that the statue of the goddess inside the temple has a ruby studded nose ring which is believed to sparkle so radiantly that ships in the past have mistaken it to be the signalling of a lighthouse and have consequently been wrecked by crashing into rocks. Apparently, it is for this reason that the southern (sea facing) gate remains shut except for five festival days in a year.

Back on the shore, an important part for every Kanniyakumari tour, is a visit to the Gandhi Memorial. Also known as Gandhi Mandapam, it gives you an insight into the historical and cultural richness of India. Gandhi Memorial, which draws inspiration from Odisha architecture, holds special significance for being constructed in Kanniyakumari in 1956, to commemorate the immersion of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes that were stored in an urn before being immersed into the sea. Another striking feature of Gandhi Mandapam is the ceiling of the building which is known to have an opening that allows the sun’s rays to fall directly at the spot where the urn was kept. On the southern shore of Kanniyakumari stands the Tsunami Memorial Park, a monument that honors the lives lost during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. Then there is the 18th-century circular fort Vattakottai overlooking the Bay of Bengal on the one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. Located 8 km/15 min northeast of Kanniyakumari, this 18th-century granite structure was built under the supervision of Eustachius De Lannoy, a naval commander in the Dutch East India Company. Another beauty, not to be missed is the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Asia’s largest wooden palace, nestled inside a fortress, ringed in by the Western Ghats built around 1601 drawing inspiration from Keralan architecture. It was the residence of the Travancore rulers and the palace complex also houses a museum with artefacts belonging to the royal family.

Kanniyakumari is dotted with many beautiful beaches like Sothavilai Beach, Sanguthurai Beach, and Kanniyakumari Beach where one can take a dip into the azuring waves during the day and take a relaxing stroll in the evening best experienced during the months, November to March. You can also visit Thekkuruchi, Muttom Beach, and Thengapattinam Beach (an old maritime town with a 1,000-year-old mosque).

Away from the coast, to experience a beautiful waterscape you can plan day trips to Courtallam Falls (3 hours away) which is best known for healing powers believed to cure tonsillitis, blood pressure, cough, cold and other diseases, and Thirparappu Falls (1.5 hours away) although a man made one its tranquil water is where you can enjoy a boat ride surrounded by indigenous fauna making it a nature lovers paradise.