Land's End... and Beyond. Review on Kanyakumari

When you think of travelling to the end of India what place comes to your mind? You guessed it right – Kanyakumari. People who have been there describe it as beautiful and enchanting. They are absolutely right. In the little that I have seen of India, Kanyakumari is by far one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. It is perhaps the only place in the world where you can see the confluence of three great water bodies from a single point of view.

I always wanted to visit Kanyakumari, to see what it is like to be at the end of the Indian sub-continent. Travelling south, close to 3200kms from my home in Delhi that too in the Indian Railways is no mean feat. You can imagine what I must have felt like when I got off the Kerala Express at Trivandrum after a marathon 54 hour journey in an air-conditioned coach. My head was spinning, especially because when I left Delhi I was wearing woollens and when I got off the train at Trivandrum I was sweating. Coming from a place known for its climate variations I wondered how people live in such a hot and humid place. But it took me little time to realize that people adapt to the place where they live. So after spending a day at Trivandrum we set off for Kanyakumari early next morning.

Kanyakumari is well connected to the major towns of the region. Trivandrum and Tirunelveli are two important towns of the region, both within about 100kms from there. The NH-47 connects Kanyakumari to Trivandrum although it passes through Nagercoil and serves heavily populated areas. An alternate route is the Kovalam road, where you can get to see scenic beauty of the region.

Kanyakumari not only has references in our mythology but also in our history. There is a reference of a mythical land beyond Kanyakumari and scientific evidence too has been found about it.

*Places of Interest

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Suchindram Temple

While approaching Kanyakumari you can make a stop at the Suchindram temple, which lies on the outskirts of the town. As is seen in the video, it may look like a big temple but the temple complex is not as big as you will find in some other famous temples of the south. Warning – photography is not allowed inside the temple so better keep that digicam in your bag!

Tsunami Memorial

The tsunami of 2004 did have an impact on the Kanyakumari coast and when I went there last winters I saw people doing rebuilding work around the eastern coast. It was evident that people in that part of the town were aware of the consequences of another tsunami attack. They have also built a Tsunami Memorial in the memory of the people who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Vivekanand Rock Memorial

The good thing about Kanyakumari is that you can visit almost all places of interest within the town on foot as all important places are within a short walking distance of each other. Go down the beach road and while you browse through the shops of the local bazaar you will reach the place from where you can take a ferry ride to the Vivekanand Rock Memorial.

Another word of caution – don’t try to swim to the memorial. You may be an ace swimmer and the memorial may be a short distance away but the sea is overpowering. Even the 10 minute ferry ride can give you the thrill of an adventure beyond your best imaginations!

The memorial is magnificent. As you will see in the video, it is built on a single rock and houses a memorial for Swami Vivekananda as well as a small temple. However it is very windy there. I literally had to sit back and hold on to the rocks to support myself. Never have I faced such strong winds in my life. The place is immaculately clean. The locals do their level best to keep the memorial premises spic and span all through the year.

Statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar

Another short ferry ride away is the Statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar. This 133 feet tall statue, carved out of rock was unveiled in 2002. As you go up to the foot of the statue you can find the carvings of the teachings of Saint Thiruvalluvar inscribed across all the walls of the premises.

These two landmarks are the most prominent tourist destinations of Kanyakumari and as they lie in the middle of the sea, they can make you feel that you’re standing beyond the end of mainland India.

The temple of Kanya Devi can be seen from almost anywhere in the town. Around it is the local market where you can buy artefacts and stones are really cheap prices. The sea breeze from all over keeps the climate pleasant even though rain may occur anytime of the day.

The Gandhi Memorial is located on the beach road and it housed the ashes of Gandhiji before immersion. It is said that every year on Oct 2, the sun’s rays fall on the exact place where the ashes of Gandhiji were displayed before immersion.

How to reach

Kanyakumari is connected to most of the cities by the Indian Railways network, with direct trains to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Jammu, Chennai and many others. Additionally, buses are available to go to Trivandrum, Nagercoil, Tirunelvelli, Rameswaram and other nearby towns. The nearest airport is located in Trivandrum.

There are plenty of budget hotels available although not all of them will provide you with a good view of the sea. The best in my opinion is Hotel Tamil Nadu, located just off the beach road and can be booked via the Tamil Nadu Tourism website.

What to eat

Not much choice here. If you’re game for delicious dosas and idlis then go have fun. But if you’re looking for north Indian, Chinese, etc cuisines then I suggest you go somewhere else.

When to go

Anytime of the year is good although you must avoid the monsoon season, for obvious reasons.

While I loved my stay in Kanyakumari, I had only one regret – I could not watch the famous sunrise and sunset due to cloudy conditions. That final shot you see in the video is of a sunset indeed but it was the sun setting behind clouds and not behind the horizon. But it gives me one reason to visit Kanyakumari again. And I know I will do that definitely.