Kanyakumari

INTRO
Kanyakumari is a located at the soutrernmost tip of India. The town is also called Cape Comorin. Although Kanyakumari is quite small - its population is less than 20,000 people, it is a popular tourist destination - due to its beautiful nature, awesome beaches and interesting history and culture. The oldest landmark in Kanyakumari is the temple of Goddess Kumari who prayed to Lord Shiva to be accepted for his wife. Kanyakumari is one of the very few places in the world where sunset and sunrise could be witnessed at the same beach - due to the geography.

City Profile
City: Kanyakumari
Country: India
Area: 25, 89 km2
Population: 19,678
Districts: 4
Governor: Swarma
Language: Tamil, Malayalam
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LOCATION
Kanyakumari is situated at the meeting point of three bodies of water - the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal. The town has an average elevation of 0 meters - it lies exactly at sea level. It is suggested that once a continent called Kumari Kandam existed to the south of Kanyakumari, often compared to Lemuria.

TIME TO VISIT
As Kanyakumari is located near the sea, it benefits from a very pleasant and mild tropical climate. Weatherwise, any time of the year is good to visit the town. However, the best season for a trip to Kanyakumari is between October and March. Temperatures can reach up to 33-34 °C in the summer, and fall down to 19-20 °C during the winter period. There is no particular tourist season, so travellers do not have to worry about lack of accommodation - generally, it is easy to book a room any time.

POPULATION
Kanyakumari is a town with less than 20,000 inhabitants. The town has a literacy rate of 79,0% which is a lot higher that the national average of 59,5%. 11% of the population of the town are under 6 years of age. The main languages spoken by the residents of Kanyakumari are Malayalam and Tamil, English is quite widely understood especially in tourist places. Christians are forming more than 45% of the population of the town, Hinduism and Islam are also represented.

DISTRICTS

Waterfront - Kanyakumari benefits from awesome beaches. There are a few very pleasant promenades that are idea for a relaxing stroll after an exhausting day. In the waterfront area there are lots of small shops and stalls from which one could buy almost anything from an mp3-player for $2 to local souvenirs and delicious food. Some of the biggest temples, including the one of Goddess Kumari, are located near the beaches of the town.
Residential areas - Kanyakumari is quite small and there is very small-scale urbanisation to be witnessed. Locals live in 1 or 2-storey houses, most of which are built of adobe. The streets are not very clean and sometimes one could sense quite unpleasant smells.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS

Baywatch - a water theme amusement park at the sunset point. That is the right place to go if you are travelling with your kids - as they will enjoy it very much. The park houses India's first wax museum.
Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument - it was raised and dedicated to Mr. Kamarjarar - a freedom fighter and Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Among the masses, he is popular as Black Gandhi. Here is where Kamarjarar's ashes were kept for public to pay tribute before immersion to sea.
Vivekananda Rock - laying just 100 meters from the shore, it is a sacred monument located on two islands. An interesting item there is Holy Foot, a foot-shaped carving that is believed to be a foot print of Goddess Kumari that stood on this rock performing Tapasya (meditation). A regular ferry service exists connects the rocks to the mainland. From Vivekananda Rock one could see both the sunrise and the sunset. http://rockmemorial.paritosh.name/
Tsunami Monument - commemorated tragic events of the 2004 tsunami that took the lives of many Kanyakumari citizens. Laying near the south shore of the town, it is made of uniquely colored items such as wave, human hands and flame bound together.
Thiruvalluvar Statue - it is dedicated to probably the greatest Tamil philosopher, poet and saint - Thiruvalluvar. The statue is 133 feet long - corresponding to 133 chapters in the greatest epic written by him - Thirukkural. Tourists can climb up to the top of the statue - views are breathtaking from there.

AIRPORT

Thiruvananthapuram Airport is the nearest international airport to Kanyakumari. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) - the capital of the neighboring state of Kerala. The facility serves direct flights from the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Air-India is the major carrier. It takes about two hours to get from Kanyakumari to the airport - by train, bus or taxi. Taking a cab is the most convenient option, and charges are quire cheap - around Rs 10 per km. The trip to the airport should cost around Rs 1000 (approximately $22). http://www.aai.aero/allAirports/thiru_general.jsp

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Public buses - public buses in Kanyakumari are very few as the town is quite small and almost everything is within a walking distance. Tickets are payable to the driver. Do not count on schedule - there hardly ever is one.
Taxi - cabs are pretty old, but a taxi ride is still the best way to get around Kanyakumari. Price of the ride most of the time is subject to bargaining. Basic charge per km is Rs 9-10.
Auto Rickshaws - a cheap and funny way to get around. Before you start a journey always agree on fare.

HISTORY
Back in the old days, Kanyakumari was a great centre for art and religion. It was also famous for its trade and commerce. The town was under the rule of the Kings of Travancore under the suzerainty of the British until 1947 when Travancore joined the Indian Union. After the obvious end of the royal reign, in 1949 Kanyakumari became part of the reconstituted Travancore-Cochin State. In 1956 Kanyakumari was integrated with Tamil Nadu - as per language reorganization of the States of India.

CITY LINKS

Kanyakumari web site - http://www.kanyakumari.org.in/
Kanyakumari travel guide - http://wikitravel.org/en/Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari online - http://www.kanyakumarionline.com/

UNIVERSITY LINKS

Anna University - http://www.indiavarta.com/education/annauniversity/SFCollege.asp?sfzone=zone10