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Referred to by the British as Cape Commorin, Kanyakumari in the state of Tamil Nadu is located at the southern most tip of the peninsular Indian. The small temple dedicated to Kanyakumari, or the youthful form of the primeval energy Shakti (Mother Goddess) is located on the seashore, in the town known by the same name. Kanyakumari is the point of confluence of three oceans - the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. This well-known Hindu pilgrimage center, is famous for its beautiful sights of sunrise and sunset over the waters.

Sightseeing at Kanyakumari -

Kumari Amman
Located on the shore, the Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari Temple is dedicated to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess who did penance to obtain Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The temple and the ghat, beautifully situated overlooking the shore, draws tourist from all over the world. The diamond nose-ring of the deity is famous for its sparkling splendour.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Erected in 1970, this memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, the greatest social reformer and saint of modern India. Swamy Vivekananda had meditated on the rock where the memorial stands today at the end of 1892 before his departure for Chicago to participate in the World Religius' Conference in 1893. A meditation hall also adjoins the memorial.

Gandhi Memorial
Gandhi Memorial, built in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, this is the spot where the urn containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion. In the shape of a central Indian Hindu temples, the memorial was so designed that the first rays of the sun fall on the exact place where the pot was kept.

Best time to visit : October to March

Reaching Kanyakumari

• Air : The nearest airport is at Trivandrum (80 km). It is directly connected with Bangalore, Mumbai, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, and Chennai by regular flights.
• Rail : Kanyakumari is connected to Trivandrum, Delhi, and Mumbai by broad-gauge railway network. Tirunelvelli (80 km) is the other nearest railway junction and can be reached by road via Nagarkoil (19 km).
• Road : Kanyakumari is connected by road to Trivandrum (86 km), Nagarkoil (19 km), Tirunelvelli (91 km), Tiruchendur (89 km), Tuticorin (129 km), Rameshwaram (300 km), Courtallam (130 km), Madurai (242 km), Thekkady (358 km), Kodaikanal (362 km), Palani (370 km), Ootacamund (576 km), Cochin (309 km), and Coimbatore (478 km).

Shopping in Kanyakumari

The markets have several small shops where one can purchase local items or some handicraft items too. Souvenirs and handicraft articles made from sea shells and palm leaf are the main things to buy at Kanniyakumari. Decorative items made of wood and bamboo are also good purchase here. The Tamil Nadu Co-optex sales emporium, Indco products, Tamil Nadu crafts and Pumphuar are some of the places where you can get you choice of handicraft items, textiles and other materials.