Sri Kanyakumari Amman Temple ,Kanyakumari,Tamilnadu

Kanya Kumari:-

Kanyakumari is the ‘Land’s End’ of the Indian subcontinent, where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Chaitrapurnima (Tamil for the April full-moon day) is the time to experience simultaneous sunset and moonrise over the ocean.

Kanyakumari has great spiritual significance for Hindus, and is dedicated to the goddess Devi Kanya, an incarnation of Parvati. Pilgrims come here to visit the temple and bathe in the sacred waters. Although wildly overdeveloped, the town and fishing beaches still manage a certain relaxed charm and there’s enough to keep you occupied for a day or so.
Devi Kanya Kumari, known as Kumari Amman i.e., the virgin goddess is one of the forms of Devi i.e the lady form of Hindu God . The God is popularly known as "Bhagavathy Amman". Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located in Kanya Kumari also Cape Comorin on the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of bengal.
She is also known by several other names, including Kanya Devi, and Devi Kumari.The Divine Mother enshrined in the Temple at Kanya Kumari and worshiped as "Bhagavati" or "Devi Kanya Kumari" is the eternal ancient symbol of a Hindu Nun. She is holding a rosary in Her prayerful spiritual ecstatic mood shedding pure spiritual bliss. Her only intention is to attain the "Supreme" by doing the repetition of God's name (mantra-japa) and be a model to the whole of Hindu Womenkind as an embodiment of eternal Divine Bliss.
It is located on the shore where the three oceans meet: the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. It is dedicated to goddess Bhagavathy Amman, an incarnation of goddess Parvati. The foundation of the temple was laid by the Pandyas. Later new additions were made by the Nayaks. The sanctum sanctorum houses a very captivating idol of the goddess. The nose-ring of the goddess shines brilliantly as if enveloped with some divine power. Tourists from across the globe come to Kanyakumari to see this beautiful temple. Goddess Bhagavathy is also known as Devi Kanya Kumari and is a symbol of a Hindu Nun. Her only desire is to keep chanting God's name. She is a model to the Hindu Women.

To the southeast of the Kanyakumari Amman Temple lies two rocks rising out of the ocean. One of the rocks has footprints of the virgin goddess. Other one is the rock where Swami Vivekananda sat in meditation and attained enlightenment. Here the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built in 1970.

There has been a temple of the Goddess at this place for over two thousand years. According to the temple's purana, a powerful demon, Banasura, was harassing the Devas. They sought Lord Siva's help. He invoked sakti & created Bhagavathi. The demon, hearing of Her beauty, coveted Her, though he knew it was ordained that a virgin would kill him. He threatened her and a battle developed and ultimately the demon was killed. The incident is depicted during the Navarathri festival at the temple.

About 183m from the coast there is a rocky island. According to tradition, the temple stood there originally. When the sea encroached, the rock became an islet, and the temple had to be removed to its present site. The rock contains the mark of a human foot. This is revered as a symbol of the "Sripadam" . It is on this rock that the Vivekananda memorial has been built.
Though the town has grown us a major tourist spot over the years, its frame as a pilgrim center dates back to the puranic era.Lord Ganesha, Surya, Bala Soundari, the processional deity of the Goddess, and Lord Ayyappa have separate shrines oon the prakarams. A well inside the second prakaram, known as Moola Ganga Theertham, Provides water for the Devi's abhishekam.

‘Bhagavathy Amman’ temple is dedicated to the ‘Virgin goddess’- one form of Sakthi. The temple is at the edge of the ocean with four huge rectangular walls surrounding it. The Pandya kings built this temple in 8th century.Later, the Chola, Vijayanagar and Nayak rulers renovated it. Also called as  "Bhagavathy Amman", Bhagavathy Amman Temple is located in Kanya Kumari (formerly Cape Comorin) on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean.

The rich history and the cultural heritage of Kanyakumari is one of mixed culture and profound heritage. The city of Kanyakumari have been around for thousands of years as it has been the city of culture, history, arts, economy and the hub of civilization for centuries. The city of Kanyakumari with its southern coast to the vast and the powerful Indian Ocean impressed the British so much, that they decided to rename it to Cape Comorin to accentuate its beauty. Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) represents all the beautiful things that India has to offer the world. Many temples, churches, religious pillars and statues are situated here. It is a place of mixed culture that is reflected in the arts, buildings and even in the food.

Legend:-

There is the following legend about goddess Kanyakumari. Once Banasura, the demon king achieved supremacy over the demigods and started punishing them cruelly. The demigods performed a yajna pleading to annihilate the evil Banasura. In answer to their prayers goddess Durga appeared here in the form of a beautiful virgin girl and began her penance. Meanwhile Lord Shiva (at nearby Suchindram—11 kms from Kanyakumari) fell in love with her and arrangements for their marriage were made to be conducted on the midnight on a particular day.

Kanyakumari TempleThe divine sage Narada realized that their marriage would destroy the chances of Banusura being killed because he had a boon that he could only be killed by a virgin girl. To reduce the chances of the marriage taking place, Lord Shiva was requested to present Himself on the appointed day of his marriage with rare gifts such as coconuts with no eyes, mangoes without seeds, betel without veins, and other similar hard-to-get items. Lord Siva managed to get all of these. The preparations for the marriage were afoot. The time of midnight was fixed as auspicious time for the marriage. Lord Siva started from Suchindram with all pomp and splendor. When Lord Shiva was on his way to Kanyakumari from Suchindram, at Valukkamparai (5 kms south of Suchindram), sage Narada playing a trick assumed the form of a cock and cocked falsely, heralding the break of dawn. Thinking that the auspicious time for the marriage was past, Lord Shiva returned disappointed.


Kanyakumari Devi:-

Goddess DurgaMeanwhile, goddess Kanyakumari, dressed for the occasion in all her bridal glory, was awaiting the arrival of Lord Siva from Suchindram. The approach of the auspicious hour kept her in great eagerness. The hour fixed for the wedding was nearing its end and yet Her Lord did not arrive. When it was dawn, she gave up hope. In a rage, she cursed the food articles brought for the meals during marriage to be turned into sea-shells and sand. Even today the sea beach at Kanyakumari is filled with shells and sand particle of varied colours.

Asuras are known for their becoming captivated by beauty. Banasura was no exception. When he heard of the beautiful Kanyakumari, he came to see her for himself and was totally captivated by her beauty and begged her to marry him. She said that she had vowed to marry only the one who could defeat her in battle. The demon was delighted to hear this since he was sure that he could overcome her easily. He drew his sword and rushed at her but she took on her terrible form as Kali, holding a trident and slew him easily. The demigods were thus restored to their positions. But the goddess was determined to remain a virgin forever and continued with her penance.

Histroy of Kanyakumari:-

Kanyakumari has been a great centre for art and religion for centuries. It was also an area of great trade and commerce. It was ruled by the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Nayaks. The architectural beauty of the temples in the area are the works of these rulers. Later Kanyakumari became part of the Venad kingdom with its capital at Padmanabhapuram. The king of Venad, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, established Travancore by extending his domain further north up to Azhva, during his reign from 1729 to 1758. By this, the present Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore. In 1741, Maharaja Marthanda Varma defeated the Dutch East India Company at the famous Battle of Colachel.
Kanyakumari was under the rule of the Paravar Kings till the downfall of Pandyas, and later by kings of Travancore under the overall suzerainty of the British until 1947, when India became independent. Travancore joined the independent Indian Union in 1947. The reign of the Travancore royals came to an end.
Under Travancore rule, the town, and the modern administrative district that bears its name, Kanyakumari District, progressed both socially and economically. Still a significant part of population study and speak Malayalam as their mother-tongue. The culture followed by Kanyakumari people is mixed and has more influence from Travancore.
In 1949, Kanyakumari became part of the reconstituted Travancore-Cochin State. Around this time, a popular agitation for the amalgamation of Kanyakumari District with Tamil Nadu by the Tamil-speaking people of the district intensified, under the leadership of Marshal Nesamony
Kumari Thanthai Marshal Nesamony was instrumental in the merger of Kanyakumari district with Tamil Nadu in 1956 during the linguistic reorganisation of states. Kanyakumari was integrated with Tamil Nadu (then known as Madras State) as per the language-based reorganisation of States.
Christianity arrived in South India around AD 52 through St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. However, European missionaries, who arrived in the 16th century, propagated Christianity in the area. St. Francis Xavier (April 7, 1506 to December 2, 1552) was the pioneer in preaching Christianity in the present day Kanyakumari district.
Islam is believed to have entered the southern part of India through Kanyakumari during the early part of the eighth century AD through traders and missionaries who came through sea-routes. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also contributed to the architectural wealth and literary heritage of the region.

Kanyakumari Temple architecture-

The Kanyakumari Temple architecture is a marvel in itself. Built in Dravidian style of temple architecture this temple is known for intricate carvings that adorn both the stone temple walls and the black stone temple pillars. The temple has a small cupola that is surrounding by couple of smaller couple. The main entrance of the temple faces east. This door is opened only five times during the Hindu calender year. The main entry point of the temple is the northern gate. There are other shrines dedicated to Vijaysundari and Balasundari the playmates of the Goddess. There are 11 theertheams associated with this temple. The confluence of the seas and the southern tip of the subcontinent is still revered has been revered for centuries. The sanctum sanctorum is distinguished by the three separate corridors and the main Navaratri Mandapam. There is also a huge Kodistambham or flagpost that is a feature of this temple. The Blackstone image of Kumari Amman adorn with an enchanting garland is the highlight of the Amman koil. Especially it is belived that the noses ring that could be visible from furlongs away, so much so that many ships crashed to the shore. This idol is said to be installed by Parmasura and is made of blue stone. The shrines of Vinayagar and Thaigasundary are also housed within the temple.

After a walk around the outer corridor and crossing the Navaratri Mandapam, the pathway leads to the second corridor encircling the shrine. At the entrance here, after worshipping Kala Bhairava and crossing the well (known as Patal Ganga Teerth), the devotees reach the Dhwajastambha (fllagmast). From here one can have a clear view of the Devi before going in front of the sanctum sanctorum.

After worshipping the Goddess, pilgrims enter the inner corridor, where they can have the darshan of Indra Vinayak. There is also a small shrine dedicated to Tyaga Sundari.

It's Name:-

Kannyakumari has been named after the Goddess Kannyakumari Amman who is the popular deity of the area. Legend has it that the Goddess Parvati in one of her incarnations as Devi Kanniya did penance on one of the rocks of this land's end to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva.

Temple Timings:-
   
 The temple is opened from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.   
    
Festivals:-

Worship services are carried out here, throughout the day, in a manner similar to that in Keralite temples. It must be remembered that Kanyakaumari was a part of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.

The Vaisakha festival is celebrated in the tamil month of Vaikasi where an image of the goddess is taken around town in procession on various mounts. The car festival, the Aaraatu (when the eastern door to the shrine is opened) and the float festival here are of significance.

The eastern door is opened also on new moon days in the months of Thai, Aadi (Capricorn and Cancer), during Navaratri and in the month of Kaartikai.

The Kalabham (sandal) festival in the month of Aadi is also of importance here, when the image is covered with sandal paste, and on the 13th day, ie. the last Friday of the month, vast crowds throng the temple as the image is covered with vast quantities of flowers brought in from several villages in the vicinity.

An image of the deity is held in worship at the Navaratri mandapam throughout the duration of Navaratri, and processions mark the festive celebrations on each of the nine nights.

The destruction of Baanasuran is enacted on Vijaya Dasami, the concluding day of the Navaratri festival, where an image of the deity is taken in procession on a horse mount to a nearby village - Mahadanapuram.

Temples around Kanyakumari:-

Shripada Mandapam:-

This square hall consists of (1) Garbha Graham i.e., (Sanctum Sanctorum) (2) the Inner Prakaram (3) the Outer Prakaram and (4) the Outer Platform all around. Both the Mandapams are so designed that the vision of Swamiji in the statue would be seen direct towards the Shripadam.

Thirparappu Temple:-

Thirparappu Temple is situated near the Thirparappu Waterfall in kanyakumari district in Tamilnadu, India. This temple is lushes with greenery. One can go there while travelling to the Thirparappu Waterfall to feel the peace and the calmness.

Thirucharanathumalai:-

Thirucharanathumalai is a hillock located in Chitharal village 55 km from Kanyakumari. On the top of the hill under a path that seems naturally hanging there in a temple with mandapam, corridor and balipeetam with a madappalli (kitchen). There are 3 sanctums housing Mahavira, Parswanatha and Padmavathi Devi. The idol of Bagavathi was installed instead of Padmavathi Devi by Sri Moolam Thirunal, king of Travancore in 1913.

Thiruppathisaram:-

Thiruppathisaram is a village in the Kanyakumari District. The place derives its name from a 5000 years old temple dedicated to Thiruvazhimarban (Thirukuralappan) (Lord in whose heart Thiru - Goddess Padmavati abodes) Lord Vishnu. Thiruppathisaram is part of the 108 Divya Desams and Malai Nattu Thiruppatigal. Sri Nammalvars'(Vaishnavite saint poet ) mother was born in this village, and it is presumed that she had given birth to the great saint poet in this village.

The idol of the chief deity is 9 feet tall and made of a special element called Katusarkara Yogam (Mustard and Jaggery paste) and no Abhishekam (ritual bathing) is performed to it. Dasavathara (Ten incarnations of Vishnu) paintings adorn the Indra Kalyana Mandapam of this temple. The deity had a crown made of Gold and adorned with diamonds and other precious stones. This was stolen and the thief cut it into multiple pieces. The authorities caught the thief and the booty was recovered, but to this day, it is lying in the same state.

Kumari Amman Temple :-

This temple is dedicated to goddess Parvati well known as Devi Kanya, who had done a penance to obtain Lord Shiva’s hand.

Nagaraja Temple :-

Nagaraja temple is situated at Nagarcoil at the distance of 19 kilometers away from Kanyakumari. The sanctum is present in the form of a plain thatched shed which is constructed with the help of mud walls. This temple represents the king of Serpents. It is believed that the King of Kalakkad was blessed to get cure of the leprosy when he performed in the temple. After this, the king decided to construct the temple in Kerala style. He was Bhuthalavira Sri Vira Udaya Marthandavarma, who was ruling this region of Kalakkad from the period of 1516 to 1535. It is also believed that the snake bite within the reach of a kilometer from the temple is not poisonous. The shrine also has some Jain sculptures.

Tirunelveli :-

The temples of Shree Kanthimathi Ambal and Swami Nelliappar are situated at a  distance of 83 kilometers away from Kanyakumari. These temples are constructed in the seventh century. There are some musical pillars in the mandapa of this temple. However, it is said that there were two temples situated adjacent to each other dedicated to Lord Nelliappar and Goddess Kanthimathi. They are connected by Mandapa which was constructed in 1647.

Sankaranainarkoli :-

Sankaranainarkoli has three holy places located and are dedicated to Lord Goddess Gomathi Amma, to Lord Sankaralinga and to Lord Sankaranainarkoli who is combination of Vishnu and Shiva. The temple was constructed in the 11th century and was later expanded for its betterment. The Gopura is erected of nine storeys and is around 38 m high. The people here are highly spiritual and have deep faith in Sankaranainarkoli. It is well known for miracles performed by the Goddess specially in curing many disorders and illness.

Tiruchendur (85 km):-

In Tiruchendur the beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Subramanya is located. This temple is located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal and one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. This temple draws various devotees from all over India.

Alvar Tirunagari :-

Vishnavaite temples have one of the temples in the Kanyakkumari District situated in Alvar Tirunagari which is amongst the nine sung by Namalvar. There lies in tree under which the saint used to attain the enlightment and still mark its presence in the temple. This temple is dedicated to Lord Adinatha. The temple is decorated with the Nadaswaram musical instrument which is made up of stone and is played during the festivals.

Kumarakovil :-

Kumarakovali is situated at a distance of 34 kilometer away from the Kanyakumari located at the base of Velimalai hills in Kalkulam Taluk. This temple is dedicated to the Lord Muruga Temple is constructed on the hills about 200 feet height in the green vegetation that includes paddy, coconut trees and plantain. The temple is very famous for architectural beauty. Goddess Valli and her spouse Lord Subramanyam are worshipped in this temple. The big lake beside this temple is now used for boating.

Suchindrum:-

Suchindrum is a small village about 12 km. from Kanyakumari and about seven kilometres from Nagercoil. This holy place is located on the bank of the river Pazhayar, adjoining fertile fields and coconut groves and the temple is dedicated to Sri Sthanumalayan. The word denotes Siva, Vishnu and Brahma as. Sthanu represents Siva, Mal represents Vishnu while Ayan represents Brahma i.e. Siva, Vishnu and Brahma in “One Form”.

Suchindrum means the place where Indra attained ‘Suchi’ i.e., purification. The Sthalapurana has it that Indra suffered a curse from sage Gowthama, when he stealthily cast amorous glances at Ahalya the wife of Gowthama. Not able to suffer the mortification brought about by the curse. Indra had to seek immediate redemption. He came to ‘Gnana Aranya’ as this place was then called and offered worship to Lord Shiva. Relieving Indra of his curse, Lord Shiva granted him of his wish that the place where he attained purification should henceforth be called ‘Suchindrum’.

Another story goes to say that the Trimurthys i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, cajoled by their divine consorts came down to the earth to test the chastity of Anusuya, wife of sage Athri at Gnana Aranya. The Gods for this misadventure had to suffer a surse form the Rishipatni and to undergo the purification process, before they could be restored to their former glory.

It is said that Thanumalaya Swamy temple is the only shrine dedicated to the Trinity in India. The present structure of the temple is the work of a number of persons spread over a number of centuries. It is a complex of many beautiful structures constructed at various times and is one of the best specimens and a store house of the Dravidian style of art and architecture.

Guganathaswamy Temple:-

This is a 1000 year old temple and is said to have been built by the King Raja Raja Chola. The architectural style of the Cholas is quiet apparent in this temple. It is located near Railway Station. There are 16 inscriptions found in this temple that date back to the years 1038 A.D., 1044 A.D., 1045 .A.D.

Kalikesam:-

Kalikesam, is a scenic picnic spot in the Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, India which is famous for its thick forest and rubber plantations. The Kali temple situated here attracts many pilgrims. There is a rocky river with crystal clear water. It is a nice place for people who love peace and nature.

Mondaicaud Bhagavathi Temple:-

Mondaicaud Bhagavathi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Parvati (known as Bhagavathi). It is located near Colachel in the western coast of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. This is one among the most renowned and important Hindu temples in the district. This temple on the sea shore is a sought after pilgrim centre for both people of Tamilnadu and Kerala. Due to some unknown reasons people from Kollam district in Kerala frequent this temple. The Kodai festival at Mondaicaudu is a major celebration in the region and as in Sabarimala people flock here, especially women.

Visiting Hours :-
 From 04.00 AM to 11.45 AM and 05.00 P.M to 08.00 PM

Bathing Ghat:-

Being the meeting point of three water bodies, the beach holds a significant place in the Hindu religion. With the belief that a bathe in the holy water of this Sangam will wash off the sins of devotees, a large number of worshippers takes a dip at this ghat.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial:-

The place has been associated with great men like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi in whose names memorials have been here. They are very beautiful and add to the attraction of this place. The beautiful Gandhi Memorial completed in 1956, is situated as a memorial to the Father of the Nation. An urn of Mahatma Gandhi was kept here for public to pay homage before immersion.Text Box: Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari twice in 1925 and 1937. Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari in January 1937. In 1948 his ashes were immersed in the sea waters in Kanyakumari. In commemoration of this event a beautiful monument has been constructed here. Its central shape is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma at the time of the sun at Mid day on 2nd October would fall on the peedam through a hole in the roof. The memorial was transferred to the administrative control of the Public (Information and Public Relations) Department from Public Works Department of Government of Tamil Nadu in the year 1978.Visting Hours -7 AM To 7 PM . Entrance Free.


Vivekananda Rock Memorial:-

The memorial was built in 1970 by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee to commemorate the visit of Swami Vivekananda here in December 1892, for deep meditation and enlightenment. The memorial designed by Sthapati Sri S.K. Achari and consecrated by Srimad Swami Vireshwarananda, President of Ramakrishna mission was formally inaugurated by Sri. V.V. Giri, the then President of India in September 1970.


The memorial as a whole has two main structures Vivekananda Mandapam and Sripada Mandapam, on two rocks standing adjacent to each other separated by about 70 metres. The smaller rock known as 'Sripada Parai' has been revered as a sacred place even from very ancient times. Legend says that Goddess Kanya Kumari meditated on this rock and there is actually a projection on the rock similar in form to a human foot believed to be the 'Sripadam' or the feet of the Goddess. It is the focal point of the memorial. It is now enclosed in a square shrine or Sripada Madapam. This shrine consists of the sanctum sanctorum, an inner compartment as well as outer compartment. There is an outer platform all around.

Vivekananda Mandapam with a dimension of 534' x 426', Vivekananda Memorialconsists of a Meditation Hall ( Dhyana Mandapam) with six adjacent rooms where visitors can meditate peacefully and an Assembly hall (Sabha Mandapam) with two rooms and a corridor. A statue of Swami Vivekananda in a standing posture, has also been installed in the Assembly hall, with its vision directed towards the 'Sripadam'. The sacred Hindu Symbol 'aum' or 'om' is written above the main entrance of the memorial, in Tamil. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. Wide entrance steps lead to the main entrance. The cost of construction of the memorial came up to 1 crore 35 lakhs. The rock on which the memorial stands measures about 164 mtrs. x 130 mtrs. at the water level and has a spacious level top at an altitude of 17 mtrs.

Swami Vivekanada (1863-1902),  the spiritual genius renounced the world and traveled widely as a wandering monk after the death of his guru Sri Ramakrishna. He came to Kanyakumari in 1892, swam in the ocean up to the 'Sripada' rock, and spent the whole night there meditating. It is believed that he received enlightenment here which transformed him into one of the most charismatic spiritual leaders of this century. The next year in 1893, he attended the Parliament of Religions, a major event in the modern history of Hinduism, held in Chicago, and spread the Vedantha philosophy and religion in the West. He founded the Ramakrishna math and mission in 1897.



Thiruvalluvar Statue:-

Thiruvalluvar is the immortal poet of Tamil Nadu and has given to the world Thirukkural. The memorial statue of Thiruvalluvar is in Kanyakumari. The pedestal of the statue is of 38 feet height and the statue over it is 95 feet tall with a grand total of 133 feet for the entire sculpture. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa known as Alankara Mandapam with 38 feet height. Surrounding the Alankara Mandapa stand 10 elephant statues signifying 8 directions with earth and space down. The father of Sri. Rama, the hero of Ramayana was called Dasaratha as he was able to charioteer in ten directions. To help the tourists to worship the holy feet of Thiruvalluvar 140 steps are constructed inside the Mandapa. The pedestal with a height of 38 feet represents the 38 chapters in the Book of Aram in Thirukural and the statue of 95 feet on the pedestal represents the total chapters in Porul (70 chapters) and Inbam (25 Chapters). Thus the statue symbolically, and artistically signifies that the theme of Porul and Inbam are based on Aram. Visting Hours -8 AM To 4 PM .

Guganathaswamy Temple:-

This is a 1000 year old temple and is said to have been built by the King Raja Raja Chola. The architectural style of the Cholas is quiet apparent in this temple. It is located near Railway Station. There are 16 inscriptions found in this temple that date back to the years 1038 A.D., 1044 A.D., 1045 .A.D.

Visiting hours:- 
From 06.00 to 11.15 A.M and 05.00 P.M to 08.45 P.M.

Tips:-
- Men need to wear a dhoti and go shirtless inside the shrine. Dhotis can be borrowed from the temple entrance.
- Women are required to wear fully covered clothes and take a headscarf.
- Camera or any form of photography is not allowed in the temple precincts.
- Non-Hindus are barred from entering the temple.
- A dip at the temple-bathing ghat is believed to be auspicious

How to Reach:-

By Air:-
The nearest airport is at Thiruvananthapuram (80-km), well connected with national and International flights. Taxis and buses are available for Kanyakumari.

By Rail:-
Kanyakumari is well connected by train services with all the places in India. Express trains connect kanyakumari with northern cities like Jammu and Delhi and other cities of India.

By Road:-
Kanyakumari is connected by regular bus services with Chennai, Pondicherry, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Nagercoil, Mandapam (Rameshwaram) etc. Local bus services, tourist taxis and auto rickshaws are available.