A RESEARCH PROJECT ON A study on

“ Impact of tourism in Kanyakumari”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE AWARD OF

B.Sc ,Degree inHOSPITALITY & HOTEL ADMINISTRATION

Submitted by
Vaisak. V. L.
2041211044
Final year.H &HA

STATE INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT ANDCATERING

TECHNOLOGYThuvakkudi,Tiruchirapalli-620015
TAMIL NADU,INDIA
Phone:0431-2500-660, 2501 383/Fax:0431-2500 960
Visit:www.sihmct.org / F-mail:sihmct@sify.com
 A RESEARCH PROJECT ON A study on
“ Impact of tourism in Kanyakumari”

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT

FOR THE AWARD OF

B.Sc ,Degree inHOSPITALITY & HOTEL ADMINISTRATION

Submitted by
Vaisak. V.L.
204121104
Final year.H &HA
STATE INSTITUTE OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT AND CATERING
TECHNOLOGYThuvakkudi,Tiruchirapalli-620015
TAMIL NADU,INDIA
Phone:0431-2500-660, 2501 383/Fax:0431-2500 960
Visit:www.sihmct.org / F-mail:sihmct@sify.com
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
This is certify that Vaisak. V. L, final year student of three year
B.Sc., Degree in Hospitality and hotel Administration has successfully
completed his project titled
Is “Impact of tourism in Kanyakumari” during the academic
year of 2018-2021

STAFF INCHARGE GUIDE INCHARGE

(Mrs.Tapasi )

PRINCIPAL
(Mr. SRIDHAR PENUKONDA)
Submitted for the practical Examination held in_____________2021at this Institute

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

TITLE OF THE PROJECT A STUDY ON
“Impact of tourism in Kanyakumari”
I take pride in doing this research project because it is important in my
curriculum of three year B.SC, Degree in Hospitality and hotel
administration. So I have chosen this topic as I have idea to work in
tourism department.
This is very useful to my career path and also I know very well about it.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am indebted to all those who very kindly extended their help to me in

the preparation of this project. No endeavor achieves success without
the advice and cooperation of others.
I would like to mention certain people and organization
who have either directly or indirectly contributed to this project.

*First and foremost I would like to mention our principal Mr.

SHRIDHAR PENUKONDA.
*My project guides Mrs. Tapasi
*SIHMCT lecturer staffs.
*I want to thanks my all colleagues and friends who have lent their
encouragement and support to this ventures of mine.
 INDEX

S. CHAPTERS Page NO
NO
1 ABSTRACT 7

2 INTRODUCTION 8

3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 11

4 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 12

5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 16

6 TOURIST ATTRACTION IN 22
KANYAKUMARI
7 HISTORY OF KANYAKUMARI 33

8 FINDINGS 70

9 CONCLUSION 79
ABSTRACT

Tourism is important and vital for our country. Tourism involves

traveling with the specific object of studying, admiring, and
enjoying the scenery as well as cultural and historical areas.
Sustainable development of Tourism includes mainly the growth
rate of domestic and foreign tourists. Kanyakumari is a natural as
well as historical tourist place of India. Ultimately a total of 1.9
million tourists have visited Kanyakumari in 2009. In this paper, a
trial has been made to study the sustainable development of
tourism in Kanyakumari district. And also this paper highlights the
factors influencing tourism of foreign and domestic tourists and
the related trend, the share of the study area. Kanyakumari is the
southernmost tip of India provides sunshine view of Indian
Ocean. As we all knew, India is a peninsula, surrounded by Arabic
ocean, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. We can see these three
oceans in Kanyakumari. It is a second most urbanized district of
TamilNadu. Kanyakumari district has separated from Kerala on
1956 from the recommendation of the State‟s Reorganization
Commission. This district is also called as “The district of
Ponds”, “The lands end” and “Foot of India”.

IMPACT OF TOURISUM IN KANYAKUMARI

INTRODUCTION:
 Tourism is important and vital for our country. Tourism
involves traveling with the specific object of studying, admiring, and enjoying the
scenery as well as cultural and historical areas. Sustainable development of
Tourism includes mainly the growth rate of domestic and foreign

tourists.
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring,
the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the
business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism
more generally, in terms which go “beyond the common perception of tourism as
being limited to holiday activity only”, as people “travelling to and staying in
places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year
for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes”. Tourism can
be domestic (within the traveller’s own country) or international, and
international tourism has both incoming and outgoing implications on a country’s
balance of payments.
 The English-language word tourist was used in 1772and tourism in 1811. These
words derive from the word tour, which comes from Old English turian, from Old
French torner, from Latin tornare – “to turn on a lathe”, which is itself from
Ancient Greek tornos (τόρνος) – “lathe”.

Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places

outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for
leisure, business and other purposes
Kanyakumari is a natural as well as historical tourist place of India. Ultimately a
total of 1.9 million tourists have visited Kanyakumari in 2009. In this paper, a trial
has been made to study the sustainable development of tourism in Kanyakumari
district. And also this paper highlights the factors influencing tourism of foreign
and domestic tourists and the related trend, the share of the study area
Kanyakumari is popular because it is the only places on earth, where you can see
the Sun Rise and Sun Set from the ocean. It is the only place in India where one
can enjoy the unique spectacle of Sunset and Moonrise simultaneously on full
moon days.
Kanyakumari is on most travellers’ list for being the southernmost tip of India’s
mainland. About 86 km south east of Thiruvananthapuram, It is the point of
confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
Kanyakumari is home to another unique geographical phenomenon that allows
you to witness the sunrise and sunset at the same beach. The town gets its name
from the Hindu goddess Kanyakumari, who has a temple dedicated to her here.

Various myths and legends have been associated with Kanyakumari. One suggests
that Kanya Devi was a reincarnation of Goddess Parvati was to marry Lord Shiva
but he failed to show up for the wedding. It is said that a demon king, Banasura
could be killed only by a virgin girl. Kanya Devi had the power to do so. However,
if she’d be married off, she’d no longer be able to destroy the demon. Enraged,
the goddess scattered all the food prepared for the wedding. It all eventually
turned into stones. Some people believe that that the stones on shore that
resemble rice were actual grains of rice meant for the wedding feast.Kanya Devi is
worshiped as a virgin goddess.

The small town of Kanyakumari has temples and churches, statues and beaches to
entice the tourist. Just off the mainland, and perhaps the most recognizable
landmark of Kanyakumari is the Thiruvalluvar statue with the pedestal the statue
measures an exact 133 ft to represent the 133 chapters of Tirukkural, the most
important work in Tamil of literature.
It Is also famous for the Vivekanada Rock Memorial, where Swami Vivekananda
meditated and decided to carry his message of peace across the world. The
location of the city played major part in the evolution of its culture.
Objectives of the study

To study the foreign exchange earning of India from tourism for some
recant years.

To compare the domestic and foreign tourist arrivals in the study area
for recant years.

To highlight the problems and needs of tourist in their visit to

Kanyakumari district.

To provide suitable suggestion for the problems for developing

tourism.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Kanniyakumari district is the smallest district in Tamil Nadu. Even though it is the
smallest in terms of area (1672/Sq.Km), the density of population is the highest
1119/Sq.Km in Tamil Nadu next to Chennai. In literacy it stands first.
It is the only place in the entire world where one can witness both the rising and
setting of the sun.It has a coastal line of 71.5 kms stretched on the three sides.
This small district is famous on its vast green stretches of paddy fields, coconut
groves, Rubber garden and luxurious forests and the rare earth of the western sea
shore and stretched valley mountain of the Western Ghats.The District lies at the
southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, where Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and
Bay of Bengal confluence.
Congress won all the 12 seats in the Tamil Speaking area improving its strength. In
the course of time the Travancore Tamil nadu Congress became divided into two
one under the leadership of A. Nesamoni and the other under Thiru.P.Thanulinga
Nadar and once again on 29th March 1954 the parties were united and
Tr.P.Ramasamy Pillai became leader of the party. Agitations, demonstrations
Harthals public meeting and processions results police opening fire resulting in
the loss of many precious lives. The situation in Kanniyakumari District became
more turbulent and the ministry fell and hence presidents rule was promulgated
in Travancore – Cochin State.
1955 A.Nesamoni – president of the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress since 1955.

1956 State Reorganization Commission was constituted

The Commission decide to transfer to the Madras State the five Southern Taluks
of Travancore viz Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam, Vilavancode and
Shencottah.

1956 November Ist the four Taluks of Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam,

Vilavancode were grouped together to form the new district, “Kanniyakumari
District” of Tamil Nadu emerged with Nagercoil as its head quarters
1966-1976 New Revenue Survey under taken: Settlement department established
1976 Village Bifurcations
2012 Village Bifurcations the
Kanniyakumari district has a varied topography with the sea on three sides and
the mountains of the Western Ghats bordering the northern side. Except for a
small stretch of land to the east of Kanniyakumari town, almost the entire district
is sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea – the only district
in Tamilnadu state facing the Arabian Sea.
Geologically, the landmass of the district is much younger when compared to the
rest of the state – faulted as late as 2.5 million years during the Miocene, after
which numerous transgression, as well as regression of sea, had shaped the
western coast of the district.Historically, Nanjinad and Edai Nadu, which comprise
the present-day Kanniyakumari district, were ruled by various Tamil and
Malayalam dynasties: the Cheras, the Ay/Venad/Travancore dynasty, the
Pandyans, the Chozhans and the Nayaks. A few artifacts have been unearthed by
archeological excavations.[5] It was part of the princely state of Travancore during
the colonial times prior to India’s independence;[6] four of the eight tehsils of
Thiruvananthapuram district were separated from the erstwhile Travancore
Kingdom to form the new district of Kanniyakumari, and they were made the part
of Madras Presidency under recommendations from the States Reorganisation
Commission in 1956. The Presidency was later renamed Tamil Nadu and
Kanniyakumari, today, is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu state.

The district Is the birthplace of Ayyavazhi. Many historical assumptions persist in

the district and state, which associate sages such as Agastya, Vyasa, Tolkappiyar,
Avvaiyar and Thiruvalluvar with the district.
Research methodology
Research Methodology

The study is based on primary and secondary data. Primary data was
collected with the Help of a questionnaire method from 120
respondents. The secondary data were collected from Books, reports,
journals and websites. Kanyakumari District TTourisKanyakumari is the
southernmost tip of India provides sunshine view of Indian Ocean. As
we all Knew, India is a peninsula, surrounded by Arabic ocean, Bay of
Bengal and Indian Ocean. We Can see these three oceans in
Kanyakumari. It is a second most urbanized district of TamilNadu.
Kanyakumari district has separated from Kerala on 1956 from the
recommendation of the State‟s Reorganization Commission. This
district is also called as “The district of Ponds”, “The lands End” and
“Foot of India”. For administrative purposes, the district comprises four
taluks, being Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam, and Vilavancode.
The administrative capital of this District is Nagercoil. In 2006, more
than 4 million tourists have visited India and spent the equivalent of 8.9
billion U.S. dollars, and this figure about 22 percent each year from
2006 to 2009. Tourism sector plays A major role in foreign Exchange
Earnings (FEE). Therefore, tourism is the most important Sector in the
country.
BEST PLACES TO STAY IN KANYAKUMARI
Accommodation options are plenty ranging from budget to mid-range hotels.
Budget hotels are clustered near the rail head and the bus stands. Mid-range
hotels can be found all over the city. East Car Street and Kovalam Road have a
good number of mid-range hotels.
Hotel Sea View is a comfortable hotel ideally located in the heart of Kanyakumari,
very near to beach and few minutes from the Kanyakumari Bus Terminus. Each
well appointed guest room has a private bathroom, television and a direct dial
telephone. Room service is available 24 hours a day.
Hotel Sea View has a fully air-conditioned restaurant with dining options of
vegetarian and Non- vegetarian.Room service is available 24 hours a day. The
hotel offers laundry service, free parking. Enjoy sunrise from hotel .We arrange
sight seeing and package tours.Our helpful staff at the travel desk will be happy to
assist you.

BEST PLACES TO EAT IN KANYAKUMARI

The best place to eat is near the Beach Road where the coast is dotted with
shacks and restaurants that serve a wide array of seafood.
There are few vegetarian restaurants too, but most people enjoy seafood
delicacies. You can get Chinese, Punjabi, Italian, south Indian, and north Indian
and Continental cuisine in Kanyakumari. Hotel Comorin Grand presents an
exquisite multicuisine restaurant offering the tastiest and most healthy dishes
from across the globe. Our Menu, with both vegetarian and non-vegetarian
dishes, has been prepared after careful research. We have the best chefs
preparing our speciality items. We also take pride in announcing that all the
ingredients used in our kitchen have been sourced indigenously and are prepared
in hygienic state-of-the-art facilities. Our Restaurant promises to offer a
comfortable, pleasant atmosphere for you and your family.
Cape Comorin Grand strives to be one of the best restaurants in Kanyakumari
offering the best dining experience ever.

BEST TIME TO VISIT KANYAKUMARI

The average minimum and maximum temperature of Kanyakumari is as given
below. The best time to visit Kanyakumari is also specified.

MONTH BEST TIME MIN.TEMP(°C) MAX. TEMP (°C)

January Best time 23 27
February Best time 17 24
March Best time 15 21
April 18 19
May 19 24
June 14 23
July 18 21
August 14 21
September 20 21
October Best time 26 29
November Best time 19 22
December Best time 20 25

Nature, with its full diversity and glory, has always been captivating to ancient
man who Always kept a symbiotic relation with nature in all his activities including
travel. Travel, at that Time was primarily motivated by the sprit of adventure and
exploration in pursuit of knowledge And experience. The Industrial Revolution
and co-instantaneous inventions equipped man with Sufficient tools to play with
nature. Since then the world has witnessed major demographic and Economic
changes. By making addition to the mode and purpose of travel, the Industrial
Revolution laid a foundation for modern tourism. Man-made attractions,
recreational facilities, Paid holidays and a greater disposable income gave and
impetus to mass tourism, making it one Of the economic success of stories of the
last for decades. Sustainable Development of Tourism The satisfaction of human
need and aspirations is the major objective of development, Sustainable
development has gained much popularity among the economist in recent times.
Now It is expected that tourism as a major economic activity can also be
developed in line with this philosophy. The term sustainability has been used with
varied connotations and meanings such As survival, enduring and lasting, to keep
in being, ecologically acceptable production etc…..The concept of sustainable
development has been places on the global agenda since the 1992 Earth Summit
at Rio. Any society setting itself the goal of sustainable development should
Develop economically and socially in such a way that it minimizes those activities
the costs of Which are borne by future generations. Deteriorating environment
and loss of natural resources Represent one of the main ways in which present
generation is creating uncompensated future Costs. Hence, the conservation of
natural resources and the environment is crucial to achieving Sustainable
development.

Tourist Attractions in Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari district enjoys an important place in terms of tourism potential. It
can boast of several places of religious, social, cultural, historical and
environmental significance in the district. We can divide this under two categories
as Historical and Natural places are as follows,
Historical Places:
On two rocks just off the shore, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built in 1970, and
the 133 feet (41 m) tall statue of Tamil saint–poet Thiruvalluvar, one of the
biggest statues in Asia, completed in 2000. Swami Vivekananda is said to have
meditated on this rock for three days. Also on this rock, there is a Dhyana
mandapam, an area for meditation. Ferry services are available to reach the
memorial. The Gandhi Memorial has been built on the spot where the urn
containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before immersion.
Resembling central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial was designed in
such a way that on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, second October, the first rays of
the sun

fall on the exact place where his ashes were kept. These are the primary
attractions of Kanyakumari. Suchindram has the „Thanumalayan temple‟ with a
repository of art treasures belonging to several kingdoms. Construction of the
temple extended over a period of over six hundred years. The temple is famous
for its 9th century inscriptions, musical columns, and 6-meter-tall statue of the
god Hanuman. It is studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and
rich inscriptions capture the very essence of the culture & heritage of
Kanyakumari. St.Francis Xavier Church, Kumari Amman(Virgin God) temple,
Nagaraja temple, Mondaikadu temple, Peer mohammad Dargah are some
religious place to visit and study the culture, heritage and art of people over
centuries. Vattakottai Fort (Circle fort) is an 18th-century fort overlooking the sea,
located six kilometers from Kanyakumari. The small historic fort also gives an
enchanting view of the sea around and the hills on the other side.
Padmanabhapuram Palace is a large 17th century palace of the Trivancore kings,
made almost entirely of wood. It is the only one of its kind in India. Also
peruse the collection at the palace archaeological museum housed in the first
courtyard from the entrance. It is home to a world of antiques including furniture,
coins, granite and rosewood sculptures, stone and copper plate inscriptions,
swords, rifles, spears and shields among other ancient armaments. Matthoor
thottipalam is one of the biggest aqueducts, both in height and length, in Asia. It
has built between two hills over Palayar River.

Natural Places:
Thirparappu falls, Pechiparai dam, Kalikesam are the natural places where tourist
can enjoy, relax and refresh. Sanguthurai Beach, about 8 kilometers from
Nagercoil is a palm-fringed and sandy beach. Sothavilai Beach is another good
beach, about 7 kilometers from the heart of town. Kalikesam is a good picnic spot.
One can enjoy water rushing through small mountain streams with pebbles and
ferns all around. Thengapattinam beach is a fine beach adorned with coconut
groves. It is also a magnificent estuary where the river meets the sea. Riding in a
catamaran in the river can be a pleasant experience which can be arranged
through local fishermen.And other artificial attractions like Bay watch (Theme
park), Light house, View point, Kids Park were built to entertain the tourist
Kanyakumari is famous for its location at the southernmost tip of the country
where the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean meet and for its
heritage landmarks. These include the majestic Vattakottai Fort, the Vivekananda
Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue built on a seaside rock, the 15 th century St.

Kanniyakumari is a popular tourist destination and pilgrimage centre in India.

Notable tourist spots include its unique sunrise and sunset points, the 41-metre
(133 ft) Thiruvalluvar Statue and Vivekananda Rock Memorial off the coast.
Kanniyakumari (The Virgin Princess’, referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), also known
as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanniyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu,
India. It is the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city
in mainland India, thus referred to as ‘The Land’s End’. The city is situated 90
kilometres (56 mi) south of Thiruvananthapuram city, and about 20 kilometres (12
mi) south of Nagercoil, the headquarters of Kanniyakumari district.
Kanniyakumari is a popular tourist destination and pilgrimage centre in India.
Notable tourist spots include its unique sunrise and sunset points, the 41-metre
(133 ft) Thiruvalluvar Statue and Vivekananda Rock Memorial off the coast. Lying
at the tip of peninsular India, the town is bordered on the west, south and east by
the Laccadive Sea. It has a coastal line of 71.5 kilometres (44.4 mi) stretched on
the three sides.

On the shores of the city is a temple dedicated to Goddess Kanniyakumari (the

virgin Goddess), after which the town is named.[4] Kanniyakumari has been a city
since the Sangam period and has been referred to in old Malayalam literature and
in the accounts of Ptolemy and Marco Polo.
The place derives its name from the goddess Kanya Kumari, considered to be the
sister of Krishna. The goddess is believed to remove the rigidity from the mind,
and women pray for marriage at her temple. In 1656, the Dutch East India
Company conquered Portuguese Ceylon from the Portuguese East Indies, and the
name eventually corrupted to “Comorin” and was called Cape Comorin during
British rule in India. In 2016, the city and its district were renamed to
Kanniyakumari by the Government of India and the Government of Madras.
According to a Hindu legend, Kanya Devi, an avatar of Parvati, was to marry Shiva,
who failed to show up on his wedding day. Rice and other grains meant for the
wedding feast remained uncooked and unused. The uncooked grains turned into
stones as time went by. Some believe that the small stones on the shore today,
which look like rice, are indeed grains from the wedding that was never
solemnised. Kanya Devi is now considered a virgin goddess who blesses pilgrims
and tourists who flock to the town. Her temple located in Kanniyakumari is a
Shakti Peetha or a holy shrine in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism. According to
another Hindu legend, Hanuman dropped a piece of earth as he was carrying a
mountain with his life-saving herb, Mrita Sanjivani, from the Himalayas to Lanka
(Sri Lanka) during the Ramayana War. This chunk of earth is called Marunthuvazh
Malai, literally “hills where medicine lives”. This is said to be the reason for the
abundance of unique native medicinal plants in the area.[10]Marunthuvazh Malai
is located near Kottaram about 7 km (4 mi) from Kanniyakumari town on the
Kanniyakumari-Nagercoil highway. The sage Agasthya, who was an expert in
medicinal herbs, is believed to have lived around this site in ancient days.[by
whom?] It is also believed to be the reason so many medicinal herbs are found on
the hills near Kanniyakumari. There is an ashram on the middle of the hill, which
tourists visit (after a short trek from the base of the hill), both to visit the Ashram
and also to take a glimpse of the sea near Kanniyakumari a few kilometres away
As of the census of India 2001, Kanniyakumari had a population of 19,739,
comprising 9,884 males and 9,855 females, making the sex ratio (number of
females per thousand males) of the town 997. A total of 2,403 people were under
six years of age and the child sex ratio (number of females per thousand males
under six years of age) stood at 1,024. The town had an average literacy of
88.62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. There were a total of 4,236
households in the town. As of 2001, Kanniyakumari had a total of 5,929 main
workers: 11 cultivators, 78 agricultural labourers, 66 in household industries, and
5,774 other workers. There were a total of 119 marginal workers: 4 marginal
cultivators, 3 marginal agricultural labourers, 11 marginal workers in household
industries, and 101 other marginal workers.
Kanniyakumari is located at 8.08°N 77.57°E. and has an average elevation of 30
metres. The peninsular tip of Kanniyakumari is bordered on three sides by the
Laccadive Sea. It is located at the confluence of the Western Coastal Plains and
Eastern Coastal Plains.[citation needed]

Kanniyakumari is at the southern tip and is the southernmost point of the

contiguous Indian Subcontinent. It thus finds itself being a part of the common
Hindustani phrase used to describe the length of India “Kashmir se
Kanniyakumari”; before the partition, the phrase in undivided India was “Khyber
se Kanniyakumari”. However, the southernmost point of Republic of India is at
Indira Point on Great Nicobar Island, at 6°45’10″N and 93°49’36″E. The nearest
city is Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (85 km (53 mi) away), nearest airport is
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, and the nearest town is Nagercoil, the
administrative headquarters of Kanniyakumari District (22 km (14 mi) away).
The Thiruvalluvar Statue has a height of 29 metres (95 feet) and stands upon an
11.5-metre (38 ft) rock that represents the 38 chapters of “virtue” in the
Thirukkural. The statue standing on the rock represents “wealth” and “pleasures”,
signifying that wealth and love be earned and enjoyed on the foundation of solid
virtue.[18] The combined height of the statue and pedestal is 133 ft (40.5 m),
denoting the 133 chapters in the Thirukkural. It has a total weight of 7000 tons.
The statue is reminiscent of a dancing pose of Nataraja. It was sculpted by the
Indian sculptor V. Ganapati Sthapati, who also created the Iraivan Temple. Its
opening ceremony was on 1 January 2000. The monument was hit by the Indian
Ocean tsunami on 26 December 2004.but stood unaffected. The statue is
designed to survive earthquakes of high magnitude.[citation needed] During
maintenance work, as well as during rough sea, entry is restricted for tourists.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
The Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a popular tourist monument in Vavathurai,
Kanniyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500
kilometres (310 mi) east of the mainland of Vavathurai. It was built in 1970 in
honour of Swami Vivekananda who is said to have attained enlightenment on the
rock.[citation needed] According to local legends, it was on this rock that Goddess
Kumari performed austerity. A meditation hall (Dhyana Mandapam) is also
attached to the memorial for visitors to meditate. The design of the mandapa
incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It houses a
statue of Vivekananda.[22] The rocks are surrounded by

the Laccadive Sea. The memorial consists of two main structures, the
Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam.
Gandhi Memorial Mandapam

The Gandhi Memorial Mandapam has been built on the spot where the urn
containing the Mahatma's ashes was kept for public viewing before
immersion. Resembling central Indian Hindu temples in form, the memorial
was designed in a way that on Gandhi's birthday, 2 October, the first rays of
the sun fall on the exact place where his ashes were kept.
Tsunami monument kanyakumari
 Near Kanniyakumari’s southern shore stands a monument to the memory of
those who died in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, an underwater
megathrust earthquake that claimed around 280,000 lives[citation needed] in
many countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Thailand, Maldives, and
Indonesia.

Bhagavathy Amman Temple

Bhagavathy Amman Temple is a 3000-year-old temple dedicated to Goddess
Kumari Amman located at Kanniyakumari. Kumari Amman is one of the forms of
Devi, popularly known as “Kumari Bhagavathy Amman”. Kumari Bhagavathy
Amman temple is the first Durga temple created by Lord Parasurama and one of
the 108 Shakthi Peethas. This temple is situated at the shore of the Laccadive Sea.
The Kumari temple has been mentioned in Ramayana, Mahabharata and
Purananooru.

Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument

 Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument was raised and dedicated to a freedom
fighter and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, President of Indian National
Congress, Mr Kamarajar. He is also popularly known as Black Gandhi among the
masses. Like the Gandhi Mantapa, this place is where Kamarajar’s ashes were
kept for the public to pay homage before immersion into the sea.
The ferries transporting tourists from the mainland to the islands can be seen
with one returning to the mainland and the other one about to stop at the
Tiruvalluvar statue after carrying over tourists from Vivekananda Rock.
The state-owned Poompuhar Shipping Corporation runs ferry services between
the town and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue, situated
on rocky islets off the coast. The operation of the ferry service began in 1984. Two
ferries were used to ferry the tourists until June 2013, after which a new ferry was
added to the service on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Swamy
Vivekananda. Kanniyakumari and nearby Nagercoil are directly connected by rail
with almost all metropolitan cities in India.The nearest airport is
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, 90 km (56 mi) from Kanniyakumari
Town and 70 km (43 mi) from Nagercoil. Kanniyakumari is 744 km (462 mi) from
Chennai.

HISTORY OF KANYAKUMARI:
Successors of Bala Marthanda Varma
Rama Varma Karthigai Thirunal 1758-1798
Bala Rama Varma – 1798-1810
Rani Gowri Lakshmi Bai – 1811-1815
Rani Gowri Parvathi Bai – 1815-1829
Rama Varma Swati Thirunal – 1829-1847
Marthanda Varma Uttaram Thirunal 1847-1860
Rama Varma Ayilam Thirunal – 1860-1880
Rama Varma Visakam Thirunal – 1880-1885
Sri Mulam Thirunal 1885-1924
Regent Sethu Lakshmi Bai – 1924-1932
Rama Varma Sri Chithirai Thirunal – 1932 upto the end of the monarchy 1st Se
p1949
The important feature of the foreign policy of these rulers was that they
maintained cordial relationship with the British.
Till 1956 the Kanniyakumari district was a part of the erstwhile Travancore. The
period between 1945 and 1956 bears much significance as far as the modern
history of Kanniyakumari District is concerned.
1945 Travancore State Congress passed a resolution in favour of the formation of
a United Kerala State by merging the states of Travancore. The Tamil Language
which was recognized as one of the State official languages of the Travancore was
derecognized and Malayalam remained as the only official language in the State.
This was felt as an insult to Tamils
1946 All Travancore Tamil Congress emerged on the 30 th June 1946. Marshal
Nesamony had led the movement for the merger of the present kanniyakumari
district with Tamil Nadu successfully.
1947 Travancore State became a part of Indian Union
1948 Travancore Tamilnadu congress pressed their demands for the merger of
the area with the then Madras State and Sardhar Vallabhai Patel Deputy Prime
Minister of Indian Union assured the Tamils of Travancore the demand would be
considered while the scheme for the reorganization of the states on the linguistic
basis was taken up.
1949 Demonstration against the union of the two states Travancore and Cochin
but inspite of severe opposition the union of Travancore and Cochin States was
affected on the Ist of June 1949.
1951 General Election – Coalition with state congress in the legislature and in
1952 the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress withdrew its support to the state
congress due to a rift and subsequently the Ministry Fell
1954 Fresh Election – the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress won all the 12 seats in
the Tamil Speaking area improving its strength. In the course of time the
Travancore Tamil nadu Congress became divided into two one under the
leadership of A. Nesamoni and the other under Thiru.P.Thanulinga Nadar and
once again on 29th March 1954 the parties were united and Tr.P.Ramasamy Pillai
became leader of the party. Agitations, demonstrations Harthals public meeting
and processions results police opening fire resulting in the loss of many precious
lives. The situation in Kanniyakumari District became more turbulent and the
ministry fell and hence presidents rule was promulgated in Travancore – Cochin
State.
1955 A.Nesamoni – president of the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress since 1955.
1956 State Reorganization Commission was constituted
The Commission decide to transfer to the Madras State the five Southern Taluks
of Travancore viz Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam, Vilavancode and
Shencottah.

1956 November Ist the four Taluks of Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam,

Vilavancode were grouped together to form the new district, “Kanniyakumari
District” of Tamil Nadu emerged with Nagercoil as its head quarters
In the rapidly changing global economic scenario, tourism is considered to be one
of the largest and fast growing industries. The occupation of tourism is providing
very useful
and fruitful avenues especially to those people who are engaged in tourism
activities
because through this smokeless industry, they are not only enhancing their
standard of living
but also generating income and employment opportunities. In the contemporary
era of
globalization and industrialization, the whole world has shrunk into a global
village. The
tourism has played a very decisive role to transform the world into a globalized
economy
where all nations can exchange free trade and culture and share their interest of
mutual
benefits based on tourism industry. India is one of the major destinations of the
foreign
tourists particularly the state of Tamil Nadu which has a rich cultural heritage
among the
Indian states. All over the world, the tourists are visiting it due to its climatic,
scenic beauty
and ecological resources.
The primary urge of a gregarious tourist does not come from nature or historical
sites, but
from a possible interaction between persons. Nature may provide a suitable
backdrop, but
not more than that. Usually he prefers company and hankers for sports and other
entertainment facilities.
Thus, the continuous nature of journey of a commercial traveler may not be
observed in the
case of a business magnet attending a convention held abroad or within the
country.
Similarly, the nature of tourism of an educationist attending a seminar would be
different
from that of an exchange student. Besides, as usually it is said, all forms of travel
are
educational in nature. Hence, education may be regarded as a generalized
motive, if not the
primary motive for all forms of travel.
1966-1976 New Revenue Survey under taken: Settlement department established
1976 Village Bifurcations
2012 Village Bifurcations
The Date of human civilization in this district reaches 4000 years ago. The
existence of prehistoric culture in Kanniyakumari District is evident from the
discovery of Neolithic Celt which may roughly be dated to 1500 to 1000 B.C.
A handmade coarse earthen jar and other relics were found near Thoothur Village
in Kanniyakumari District. The shape, fabric and the decorations indicate that they
are probably of the megalithic or early historic period.

From the legends and traditions existing in these regions, it has to be believed,
beyond doubt, that a great city flourished in these regions during the megalithic
or early historic period and that it might have been similar to the one which
existed in Mohanjadaro and Harappa. Since, the relics of this period remained in
the sea bed, it has to be believed that this civilization was wiped out due to sea
erosion

The Phoenicians were the first among the foreigners to mention about the
present Kanniyakumari District area. In the account of Eratosthenes who visited
India in about 276 B.C. Kanniyakumari is mentioned. In this Komari is mentioned
as a harbor and the land upto komari is said to be the part of Pandian Kingdom. A
concise chronology of the district is presented.
Kanniyakumari district is the smallest district in Tamil Nadu. Even though it is the
smallest in terms of area (1672/Sq.Km), the density of population is the highest
1119/Sq.Km in Tamil Nadu next to Chennai. In literacy it stands first. It is the only
place in the entire world where one can witness both the rising and setting of the
sun.
It has a coastal line of 71.5 kms stretched on the three sides. This small district is
famous on its vast green stretches of paddy fields, coconut groves, Rubber garden
and luxurious forests and the rare earth of the western sea shore and stretched
valley mountain of the Western Ghats.
The District lies at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula, where Indian
Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal confluence.

Kanyakumari, which was called Cape Comorin during the British rule of
India, is a small coastal town in Tamil Nadu, near the Kerala border. It's
renowned for being the southernmost point of India and the meeting point
of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal.
The town has spiritual significance as the abode of the virgin Goddess
Kanya Kumari, who is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the divine Mother
Goddess. Kanyakumari is the place where the goddess is believed to have
done penance in order to get Lord Shiva to marry her, which means the
town is a popular destination for pilgrims and devotees. People come from
all over to bathe in the holy saltwater and make an offering at the temple,
but there are many more things to do when visiting Kanyakumari. Read on
to discover memorials, palaces, and natural wonders that are worth a side
trip during your trip to this South Indian town.

Tiruparappu Waterfalls
Thirupparapu waterfalls is the most attractive and most tourist visited places in
Kanyakumari Tourism. This beautiful cascading waterfalls in Kanyakumari located
70 kms from Kanyakumari local sightseeing Places on the way to Trivandrum.
Height of Thirparappu waterfalls in Kanyakumari is 300 ft., even then the height of
the waterfalls is not too high, but the view and fun in this waterfalls in on its peak.
The Tamilnadu Tourism department has maintain the falls very well. The
wateerfalls in divided with steel rods as 2 sections, one for Men and other one is
for women. There is also a small park maintained by the authority where kids can
enjoy their time. Kodayar’s water falls in this waterfalls before falling here it
crosses a river bed in that boating service is also available.
Near to this waterfalls there a Shiva temple of about 2000 years old. The mahadev
temple is built by Rajaraja Chola in the 6th Century. There is a Swimming pool also
contracted near the temple for the kids along with parents. Being the falls is
located near small village the roads are not that good.
Best time to Visit Thirupparapu waterfalls in Kanyakumari
Being waterfalls it is always enjoyable if visited during showing season. In
Kanyakumari the raining season is divided throughout the year. So about 7 month
a year this waterfalls have water. In the month of May, June, July, Sep, Oct, Nov &
Feb water will be there in the falls.Thirupparapu waterfalls ticket counter opens
at 7.00 Am and close at 5.00 pm. For Adults Rs. 50 per person and for kids Rs. 10
per kid is chargeable. Thirupparapu waterfalls very beautiful, elegant and famous
in Kanyakumari District. Thirparappu falls is also called as “Kumari Kutralam”.
Thirparappu is 42 km from Nagercoil, 55 km from Trivandrum and 5 km from
Kulasekaram.
The men and women have separate areas for bathing. There is an entrance fee.
This is a man – made waterfall. This waterfall originates from the river Kodayar as
it falls at Thirparappu from the height of about 50 feet and forms a pool at the
base. The waterfall is 300 ft in length. The river bed above is rocky. The waterfall
is active and flows with force for around seven months in a year. There is a weir
constructed for supplying water to the paddy fields.

On river side between the waterfalls and the weir, there is a Siva Temple called as
“Mahadevar Temple”. It is the third out of twelve Shivalaya’s. This temple is built
around the 9th Century by Raja Raja Chola and has many inscriptions dating back
to 9th century.
Activies in Tiruparappu Waterfalls
This is an excellent picnic spot for the taste of all people. One can enjoy either
taking bath in the waterfalls or enjoy the scenic beauty or take beautiful photos or
you can even explore the beautiful place.
For children there is a park near the falls to play and have unlimited fun. Also
there is a swimming pool. Boating is also available on the top of the falls. There is
a 2000 year old Mahadevar Temple near the falls. The water falls from the height
of 100 ft. And bathing in the falls is a great experience.

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE

Padmanabhapuram Palace, also known as Kalkulam Palace, is

a Travancore era palace located in Padmanabhapuram in the Kanyakumari
district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The palace is owned, controlled
and maintained by the government of the neighbouring state of Kerala.
Padmanabhapuram is the former capital city of the erstwhile Hindu
kingdom of Travancore. It is around 20 km from Nagercoil, 39 km
from Kanyakumari town and 52 km from Thiruvananthapuram in
Kerala.[1] The palace is complex inside with an old granite fortress around
four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills,
which forms a part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby
Another palace known as Kuttalam Palace is situated in Kuttalam in Tenkasi
district, Tamil Nadu which is also under the ownership of Kerala government. It is
situated in the Tenkasi District, Tamil Nadu (before state reorganisation,
Kanyakumari District, Chenkottah Taluk, Tenkasi Taluk including the areas of
Kuttalam are in the control of Travancore Kingdom in Kerala). It is owned,
controlled and maintained by the Kerala Government.

MATHOOR AQUEDUCT:

Mathoor Aqueduct is an aqueduct in Kalkulam taluk of Kanniyakumari district of

Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is built over the Pahrali River and takes its name
from Mathoor, a hamlet near the aqueduct, which is about 3 km from Thiruvattar
town and about 60 km from Kanniyakumari.
The Mathoor Hanging Trough Is the tallest as well as the longest trough bridge in
Asia, having a height of 115 feet and a length of one kilometre. Constructed in
1966, this bridge has become a place of tourist importance and hundreds of
tourists visit this place.

Mathoor Aqueduct was constructed in 1966 as a drought relief measure

over the river Pahrali[1] to carry water for irrigation from an elevated level
of one hill to another. The irrigation water feeds the taluks
of Vilavancode and Kalkulam.
The aqueduct is built across the Parali river, a small river that originates in the
Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu hills of the Western Ghats. Mathoor Aqueduct itself
carries water of the Pattanamkal canal for irrigation over the Parali, from one hill
to another, for a distance of close to 1 km. This aqueduct is needed because of
the undulating land terrain of the area, which is also adjacent to the hills of the
Western Ghats.

Mathoor Aqueduct is a concrete structure supported by 28 huge pillars, the

maximum height of the pillars reaching 115 ft. The trough structure is 7 ft in
height, with a width of 7.5 ft. The trough is partly covered with concrete slabs,
allowing people to walk on the bridge and to see the water going through the
trough. Some of the pillars are set in rocks of the Pahrali river, though some of the
pillars are set in hills on either side.The bridge has been constructed at Mathoor
across the river Parazhiyar at a cost of Rs. 12.90/- lakhs[2]

There is road access to one end of the aqueduct and to the foot of the aqueduct
(the level where the Pahrali flows) on the opposite side. There is a huge flight of
stairs, made more recently, that allows one to climb from the level of the Pahrali
river to the trough.

Irrigation water flows through the trough for a large part of the year, except in
the summer (from February to May).
In recent times, Mathoor Aqueduct has become a popular tourist attraction in
Kanyakumari district. The tourism department and the local Panchyat office have
improved facilities for visiting tourists.

From the centre of the aqueduct, one can see a vast expanse of greenery, with
rolling hills of the Western Ghats in the background, and the meandering Pahrali
river flowing below.
Mathoor Aqueduct is about 60 km from the popular tourist town of Kanyakumari
and about 60 km from the city of Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala state.

Chitharal Rock Jain Temple ( Malaikovil)

 The Chitharal Jain Monuments and Bhagavati Temple, also known as
Chitharal Malai Kovil (literally “Temple on the Hill”), Chitaral Cave Temple or
Bhagwathi Temple, are located near Chitharal village in Kanyakumari district,
Tamil Nadu, India. They consist of stone beds with inscriptions, and two
monuments – one rock cut Jain temple with outer wall reliefs and one Hindu
goddess temple next to it that is a combination of rock-cut and stone that was
added during the reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna Pandya. The monuments are
from the 9th century CE.
The Chitharal Jain Monuments and Bhagavati Temple are situated near the
southern tip of peninsular India, about 55 kilometers northwest of Kanyakumari
(Highway 66) and about 4 kilometers northeast of Kuzhittura town (Highway 90).
They are on the Thiruchanattu Malai (Thiruchanattu hillocks) locally known as
Chokkanthoongi Hills. The monuments are on the north side of Chitharal village.
The monuments’ entrance is marked and is under the management of ASI
Thrissur circle. From the entrance board, they can be reached by roughly hewn
steps in rocks uphill, midst cashew, coconut and rubber-plantation trees.
The monuments are reached by roughly hewn steps In rocks and the narrow
entrance between them. A natural cavern formed by overhanging rock has many
bas-relief sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras. This is the north side and the outer wall
of the Jain cave temple. It is visible to the visitors as they approach the temple.
The reliefs of Parsvanatha and Padmavati are standing figures canopied by multi-
hooded cobra and with attendant smaller figures of Yaksha.
Most figures in the bas-relief are seated in ardha-padmasana pose in each niches
with three tiered parasol. These are many of the other 24 Tirthankaras. To the
left, three standing figures are also of Tirthankaras. The central niche has a figure
of Mahavira with three tiered parasol, chhatratrayi chaitya with a tree above it
and attendant figures. There is another female figure of Ambika in a niche next to

it. It has two attendant figures below and a lion. All major niches has flying figures
of Vidyadharas (upholders of knowledge). There is a short inscription below the
seat of each relief. This mentions the name of an ascetic or a donor who
sponsored the carving with their place of residence in Tamil language and
Vatteluthu script. Based on the script styles in the inscription, these were added
over several centuries. The site must have been an active Jain site at least till
middle of thirteenth century.[According to Gopinatha Rao, the Hindus of 13th-
century or earlier were already treating the southern side of this site as sacred to
them, and making gifts and offerings to the temple. Their prayers have included
Padmavati as a goddess in their pantheon, making the site an active place for
pilgrimage thereafter for some seven centuries. More substantial inscriptions at
this site have been discovered on the Hindu temple side.For example, there is one
Tamil inscription in Vatteluthu script on the rock adjacent to the Hindu temple,
which states that a “Narayan of Rajavallapuram donated money to the Bhagavati
temple” in “Ko 425”. The latter is equivalent to about 1250 CE of the Georgian
calendar.Further, given the Hindu sculptures carved and other architectural
features on the Hindu temple side, the structure could be dated to pre-13th
century. This and the Hindu name of “Narayan” led Gopinatha Rao and other
scholars to initially propose that the Jain temple was “converted” into Hindu
temple by mid 13th-century.

The longer inscriptions about gifts and donations at this site were directed to
Padmavati with Hindu religious icons, even during the centuries when Jains were
also visiting and adding to the bas-relief. The added artwork to the Jain side here
is in striking accordance with Hindu text on architecture – Manasara, a Sanskrit
text that dedicates a chapter on proper way to design and carve Jaina
iconography. The site, therefore, does not reflect a conflict and conversion, rather
a cooperation and overlap between the two ancient Indian religious faiths.

Pechiparai Reservoir

Pechiparai Reservoir is the largest dam in Kanyakumari district. It is located

in the foothills of the Western Ghats in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu at
Pachiparai. It is located 43 kilometers from the district capital Nagercoil. This dam
is built across the Kotai river.
Pechiparai Reservoir is the largest dam in Kanyakumari district. It is located in the
foothills of the Western Ghats in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu at
Pachiparai. It is located 43 kilometers (27 mi) from the district capital Nagercoil .
This dam is built across the Kotai river. This dam was built during the period 1897-
1906 by the European engineer Mr. Minchin by the then Maharaja of Travancore
during the Thirunal period. This dam fulfills the agricultural and drinking water
needs of Kanyakumari district. This river is the Western GhatsBuilt at the base.
The height of this dam was originally 42 feet. Then in 1964 it was decided to add 6
more feet and in 1969 the height of the dam was 48 feet. Stone pool,
Agatheeswaram, Thovalai and Radhapuram circles are benefited by this. About 50
thousand acres of land gets irrigation facility. The Pachiparai Dam, which was 42
feet, was raised to 48 feet. 6 feet of raised water and Radhapuram was raised for
this purpose. An additional 3.75 TMC of water is added after the dam is raised.
The 42 feet Pachipara dam was raised to 48 feet by Kamaraj. 6 feet of raised
water was also raised for Radhapuram area. An additional 3.75 TMC of water is
added after the dam is raised.

There is no permanent river or canal irrigation in Radhapuram taluk. Till now the
situation is that the agricultural activities in the district can continue without
interruption only if the wells are filled. Taking this into consideration, the
Radhapuram Chittaru Pattanagalwai was constructed to benefit the farmers of
Radhapuram taluk during Kamaraja’s rule in order to improve agriculture.

The total capacity of these three dams namely Pachiparai, Perunchani and
Chittaru is 4300 million cubic feet. If these dams hold more than 1300 million
cubic feet of water (33 percent water in the dams), the excess water will have to
be released into the Radhapuram tributary to the Pattanag Canal. Government
Order No. 2584 dated 16-12-70 states this.

Through this, about 15 thousand 597 acres of land in Radhapuram taluk of Nellai
district will be directly benefited. It is worth mentioning that indirectly 1013 acres
of land is irrigated through 52 ponds, the required water for all 52 ponds can be
filled with one TMC of water.

The catchment area of this dam is little in the ghats of Panakudi, Kalakad of
Tirunelvei dist. Its catchment area is 207.19 square kilometers and depth is 14.6
meters (48 feet). . The length of the dam is 425.5 meters and the height is 120.7
meters. A small temple has been built here at Pachiyamman Beil and worship of
the deity is also taking place.
Thanumalayan Temple

The Thanumalayan Temple, also called Sthanumalayan Temple is an

important Hindu temple located in Suchindram in the Kanyakumari
district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the 108 shiva temple revered by the
Kerala Hindu culture, though this temple is now in Tamil Nadu,
when Kanyakumari District got merged into Tamil Nadu from Travancore.
The Thanumalayan Temple is of importance to
both Shaivaite and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism, as the
name Stanumalaya denotes Trimurtis; "Stanu" means Siva; "Mal" means
Vishnu; and the "Ayan" means Brahma.

The temple complex covers around two acres and has two gateway towers
known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a
height of 44 metres (144 ft). The temple has numerous shrines, with those
of Sthanumalayan and that of Hanumar being the most prominent. The
temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and
many yearly festivals on its calendar, with the festival during Margazhi
being the most prominent. The present masonry structure was built during
the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed
to Thirumalai Nayak and the Travancore Maharajas. The temple is
maintained and administered by the Dharmapuram Aadhenam. The temple
is associated with Indra whose sin was propitiated after worshiping the
presiding deity and also Anasuya known for her chastity. The temple is
maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable
Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu
The place got the name of Suchindrum from the Sthala Purana. Hindu
mythological legend has it that king of devas, Indra got relieved of a curse
at the place of the main linga in the temple. The term "Suchi" in
Suchindrum is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit meaning that
stands for "purify". Accordingly, Indra is supposed to visit the temple for
performing "Ardhajama Pooja", or worship, at midnight every day. As per
another legend, sage Atri and his wife Anasuya stayed at Jnaranya. Sage
Anasuya was highly devoted to her husband. The trinity of Hinduism,
namely, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma wanted to make her name eternal with
their divine act. They came to the sage's hermitage as Brahmin mendicants.
Anasuya treated them with utmost care. The Brahmins put forth a condition
that they would accept her hospitality with a condition that she would
come out nude. With her power of chastity, she converted the three to
small kids and served them with her breast milk. Atri returned to the
hermitage at the behest of Parvathi, Saraswathi and Lakshmi (the wives of
the trinity) to restore their husbands to their original form. Anasuya obliged
immediately and restored the kids to their original form. The trinity blessed
the couple for their devotion. The three emanated in the form of
three Lingas and the place where the couple worshiped the trinity is
believed to be the temple

There are several inscriptions from the period of early and medieval Cholas along
with other Pandya rulers and Chera rulersin the region. There are two records
from Kopparakesarivarman who took Madurai and Eezham (Sri lanka) from the
30th and 40th regnal year of Parantaka I (907–950 CE).[3]

The current temple was renovated in the 17th century and is famous for its
sculptures. It was previously administered and controlled by “Thekkumon
Madam”, a famous namboothiri priest family. The main deity of the temple is
Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma in a single form called Sthanumalyam.
This 17th-century temple is famous for its architectural grandeur. The seven-storey
white gopuram (gateway tower) is visible from the distance. Its 40 m (130 ft)
façade is covered with sculptures of Hindu deities. Thirumalai Nayak and the
Travancore Maharajas, under whose administration the temple remained till
Kanyakumari’s merger with Tamil Nadu, have made many endowments for its
upkeep. During the reign of Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharajah of
Travancore, a lottery scheme was introduced in 1875 A.D., to raise funds for
rebuilding a portion of the temple and a sum of over Rs. 40,000 was realised.

The temple is one of the few temples in the Travancore region in both Kerala style
architecture and Tamil style architecture. The Navaratri Mandapam built during the 16th
century has a typical wooden structure like Kerala temples.[4] The temple is known for
its quality of workmanship in stone. There are four musical pillars carved out of a single
stone, and which stand at 18 feet (5.5 m) in height; these are an architectural and design
highlight of the temple grounds. They are in the Alankara Mandapam area, and they
emit the sounds of various musical notes when struck. There are an additional 1035
pillars with carvings in the area known as the dancing hall.

There is an Anjaneya, (or Hanuman), statue which stands at 22 feet (6.7 m)

and is carved of a single granite block. It is one of the tallest statues of its
type in India. It is also of historical interest that this statue was buried in the
temple in 1740, fearing an attack by the Tipu Sultan and was subsequently
forgotten. It was rediscovered in 1930, and subsequently restored for
viewing by the then Devaswom Board Commissioner Rajya Seva Praveena
Sri M.K. Neelankantha Iyer of Kottarathu Mathom, Moncompu.[5] There is
also a Nandi statue, made of mortar and lime, which is 13 feet (4.0 m) tall
and 21 feet (6.4 m) long, it is one of the biggest Nandi statues in India.
There are also various scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharatha depicted
in various pillars in the temple.

The religious significance of the temple stems from the fact that the main statue
of linga represent Siva (Sthanu), Vishnu (maal) and Brahma (Ayan), (as well as
giving the temple its name). The representation of the three central gods of
Hinduism in one linga makes it unique in India. The 10-day Car Festival celebrated
in this temple during between December and January every year attracts crowds
of thousands of people. Special worship practices are followed and the festival
images of Sthanumalayan, Aram valartha Nayagi and Vinayagar are taken in the
temple car around the streets of the temple. Another festival known as Teppam is
celebrated during between April and May every year. The Sanskrit work
Sucindrastalamahatmya gives a full-fledged legendary account of the origin and
development of this temple.

Sree Adi Kesava Perumal Temple

The Adikesava Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvattar,
Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India and is one of the 108 Divya desams, the
holy sites of Hindu Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the
seventh and eighth centuries C.E. The temple is one of the historic thirteen Divya
Deshams of Malai Nadu. The temple is a picturesque setting surrounded on three
sides by rivers namely, (River Kothai, River Pahrali and River Thamirabarani) It was
the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of Erstwhile Travancore. After state
reorganisation, the temple handed over to Tamilnadu H&RCE Dept. The presiding
Vishnu in the form of Ananthapadmabhan/Adikeshavaperumal is believed to be
older than Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Since Vishnu
resides here in a reclining position, and is surrounded by rivers, the temple is
called as “The Srirangam of Chera Kingdom”.

The temple was consecrated by Parasurama and is admired by Veda

vyasa in the sections which deal with temples in Padma Purana. As per the
stone inscriptions which dates back to 779 KE the temple is established in
the Treta yuga. The Adikeshava temple is also where Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, founder of the Gaudiya Vaishnava movement, discovered the
lost manuscript of the Brahma Samhita

The temple architecture is Dravidian style architecture with wooden pillars,

doors and roofs. The Temple is surrounded by a thirty-feet-high fort wall.
The outer corridor stand on 224 stone pillars. The adjacent forward facing
mandapams includes sculptures and art works which depicts events from
Ramayana. It also portrays Gods and goddesses from Hindu mythology
including Shiva, Parvati and Sri Krishna etc. The lord is lying on his snake
couch and has to be viewed through three doors. We could see Lord Shiva
near Lord Adikesava Perumal inside the sannidhi. Deepalakshmis are many
but none resembles the other. The Otraikkal Mandapam (single stone hall)
made of a single stone 3 feet thick, is a marvel. Oorthuva Thandavam,
Venugopala, Rathi, Manmatha, Lakshmana and Indrajit are excellently
carved. The temple is also renowned for its murals.

The composite columns of Virabhadr” holding sword and horn are found be
additions of the Vijayanagara kings during the early 1500s. Similar columns
of Virabhadra are found in Meenakshi Temple at Madurai, Nellaiappar
Temple at Tirunelveli, Kasi Viswanathar temple at Tenkasi, Krishnapuram
Venkatachalapathy temple, Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram,
Soundararajaperumal temple at Thadikombu, Srivilliputhur Andal temple,
Srivaikuntanathan Perumal temple at Srivaikuntam, Avudayarkovil,
Vaishnava Nambi and Thirukurungudivalli Nachiar temple at
Thirukkurungudi.[1]

The entire present day Kanyakumari”District formed part of erstwhile

Travancore Kingdom. Up to Marthanda Varma, all kings ruled the erstwhile
Venad Kingdom (which was expanded by Marthanda Varma to form
Thiruvithaamkoor) from Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari District. It was
Dharma Raja, the nephew and successor of Marthanda Varma, who shifted
the capital to Thiruvananthapuram. Padmanabhapuram Palace, the
erstwhile royal abode of Travancore Kings, is still preserved in all its glory
and is situated at Padmanabhapuram in Kalkulam Taluk of Kanyakumari
District. Marthanda Varma was a staunch devotee of Lord Adikesava and
used to worship at the temple before all the major war campaigns
undertaken by him.
The presiding Deities of Thiruvatt”r, Thiruvananthapuram and Thiruvalla had
a three-cornered connection which reflects in the quantitative
measurement of commodities utilised etc. The Perumals of Thiruvattar and
Thiruvananthapuram remain closely bound to each other with this
closeness being mirrored not only in festivals which coincide, special days
and many rituals but also in the structural pattern including the Ottakkal
Mandapam. In both cases the Moola Vigrahas are of Katu-Sarkara and are
containing Salagramas. The strong affiliation of the Venad kings to both
Thiruvattar and Thiruvananthapuram temples in their privileges and
responsibilities provide ample evidence of enduring interconnections. Many
ceremonies had to be initially performed at Sree AdiKesava Temple before
being conducted at the Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

The temple complex includeincludees a Ayyappan temple behind which

stands the Ksetra bala Balikkal. It also includes Sree Bali Prakaram and the
Yanaikottil. Other deities being located in the south-western corner, the
flagmast is located at the west at the Sree Balippura. As per the stone
inscriptions in the pedestal of the flag mast it was renovated by Sree
Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma VI in 1071 KE. The granite entrance of the
Chitra Sabha includes sculptures of the Dwara Palakas, Jaya and Vijaya.
Sculptures of Lakshmana and Pathanjali Tandava carved to the left of Sabha
Mandapam while that of Indrajith, Muralidhara and Kalabairava are carved
to the right. The image of the chief deity in his sayana posture, is sculpted
on the wooden entrance door. Vatteluttu incriptions of Shilpa Shastra are
found in adjacent walls. It also includes details about the 11 th century Chola
King Rajendra Chola.

Sculptures of Rati and Manmadan is found opposite Udaya Marthanda

Mandapam. The epic scenes Vinayaka Kalyanam, Bharata War and deities
Varuna, Niriyati, Yama, Kubera, Indra, Agni, Brahma and Monks in penance
are sculpted in a row above the Mandapam. A variety of mural painting are
found along the walls of the inner prakarams. A secret passage leading to
the Palace is found beneath the west of the inner prakarams which is
covered with a large stone slab.

Going by extant legends, the temple is closely associated with the famous
Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram.
Thiruvananthapuram Sri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple deity lies in
the direction as to see the Thiruvattar Adi kesava deity. The main deity was
originally covered with gold kavachams in which diamonds and other
precious stones were embedded which the Kerala kings had presented to
the temple. There is also a small shrine for Lord Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy
near the river and opposite to the Adikesava Perumal Temple. Alvar saint
Nammalvar had sung 11 pasurams in praise of Adi Kesava Swamy in the 6 th
Thiruvai mozhi. There are Three temples related to Adikesava Perumal
Temple. It is believed that, the Moolasthanam of all three temples such as
Padmanabhaswamy temple, Thiruvananthapuram; Adikesava Perumal
Temple, Thiruvattar and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam is
Ananthapadmanabhaswamy Temple or Anantha Lake Temple near Kumbla
in Manjeshwaram Taluk of Kasaragod District of Kerala, South India.
In the rapidly changing global economic scenario, tourism is considered to be one
Of the largest and fast growing industries. The occupation of tourism is providing
very useful And fruitful avenues especially to those people who are engaged in
tourism activities Because through this smokeless industry, they are not only
enhancing their standard of living But also generating income and employment
opportunities. In the contemporary era of Globalization and industrialization, the
whole world has shrunk into a global village.
The Tourism has played a very decisive role to transform the world into a
globalized economy Where all nations can exchange free trade and culture and
share their interest of mutual Benefits based on tourism industry. India is one of
the major destinations of the foreign Tourists particularly the state of Tamil Nadu
which has a rich cultural heritage among the Indian states. All over the world, the
tourists are visiting it due to its climatic, scenic beauty And ecological resources.

The primary urge of a gregarious tourist does not come from nature or historical
sites, but From a possible interaction between persons. Nature may provide a
suitable backdrop, but Not more than that. Usually he prefers company and
hankers for sports and other Entertainment facilities. Thus, the continuous nature
of journey of a commercial traveler may not be observed in the Case of a business
magnet attending a convention held abroad or within the country. Similarly, the
nature of tourism of an educationist attending a seminar would be different From
that of an exchange student. Besides, as usually it is said, all forms of travel are
Educational in nature. Hence, education may be regarded as a generalized
motive, if not the Primary motive for all forms of travel.
Tourists may often move in formal and informal groups. There are different types
of group
tourists. There are exclusive groups like married couples, particularly
honeymooners, family
groups, friends-circles or groups of students studying in the same class. Recently
cooperative holidays are enjoyed also by a group of workers belonging to a
common
business establishment. Secondly people may form their group in the course of
the journey
itself. For instance, pilgrims may start their journey separately but the different
terrain and
the strain of the journey may often bring them together. Lastly tour operators like
Thomas
Cook with their pre-paid package tours usually form the largest and most
heterogeneous
polyglot. A single tourist could be a social drifter or army personnel in search of
drug, sex or
other excitement. He could also be a high business executive or government
official who
comes to the tourist spot to shed his inhibitions. A great majority of them would,
however
behave like any other tourist. Similarly, there are no reasons to think that married
couples
would not visit night clubs or gambling dens together. But, it cannot be denied
that a
solitary unaccompanied tourist would be least bound by conventional morality
and norms of
behaviour to which he is likely to conform in his known surroundings. On the
other hand, a
family group tourist would stick to the same code of behaviour when traveling
abroad as in
the home town. A newly married couple will fall somewhere between the two,
since the
accepted code of behaviour is still not yet firmly established. To provide
accommodation,
transport and related facilities to a larger group is however, more difficult
because of the
bulky nature of the required services. Such difficulties are felt most acutely in the
case of a
package tour. The amount and pattern of expenditure per day of a package
tourist is
expected to be different from that of a non-package tourist. Package tours,
therefore, are
based on some special arrangements like chartered flight (in the case of
International
tourism), a separate reserved railway compartment (in the case of domestic
tourism) or a
tourist bus (in the case of both international tourism and domestic tourism).
Pleasure is there, but not as a primary motive. For instance, a commercial traveler
travels Widely from one place to another to form or renew his business
connections. His choice of Place of tourism is determined primarily by business
considerations though he may often Mix business with pleasure. Similarly the
primary urge of a pilgrim, whether traveling alone Or in a group is not to enjoy the
scenic surroundings of the place of pilgrimage but to fulfill Some inner religious
urge and to perform some religious rites sanctioned by someCommonly held
religious norms. The sense of fulfillment of his religious urge may increase (rather
than decrease) with the hardship of the journey. A student going abroad for
higher Study or to attend a summer school selects the university or college as his
place of study not By the same consideration that would reign supreme for a
vacation tourist. Similarly in the Case of a group of students accompanied by their
teachers on an education tour, the Declared motivation is not only pure
enjoyment but educational also. But, in practice, such Educational tours may
often be a camouflage for an outing or picnic. It may be pertinent to Add here
that different motives for a tour need not necessarily lead to different types of
Tour. The mode of behaviour of a person attending a business convention or a
seminar or a Conference would be more or less same whether he is by profession,
a businessman or a Government official or an educationist. Similarly the same
motive for tourism (say, business Or education) may leads to different types of
touristic behaviour pattern. Thus, the Continuous nature of journey of a
commercial traveler may not be observed in the case of a Business magnet
attending a convention held abroad or within the country. Similarly, the Nature of
tourism of an educationist attending a seminar would be different from that of an
Exchange student. Besides, as usually it is said, all forms of travel are educational
in nature. Hence, education may be regarded as a generalized motive, if not the
primary motive for all

Factor Overall ranking

1 Accommodation 3

2 Shopping facility 5

3 Transportation 8

4 Recreation 6

5 Local traffic 7

6 Scenery beauty 1

7 Food and drinking 2

8 Parking 4

Characteristic Distribution of answer

Tourist’s gender Male 46%, Female 54%
Tourist’s age 15 – 24:19%; 25 –44: 50%; 45 – 64: 28% ; older than 65: 3%
Tourist’s educational
qualification
Elementary: 10%; Secondary: 35%; College or higher: 55%
Tourist’s nationality Indian tourists: 45%; Foreign tourists: 55%
Tourist’s marital status Married: 67%; single: 33%
Tourist’s occupation Governmentemployee:45%;businessman:35%;any other:20%
Type of lodging Hotel: 75%; apart hotel: 10%; other: 15%
No. of days of visit 1-3: 55%; 4-6: 25%; 7-9: 20%
First visit to Kanyakumari Yes: 33%; No: 67%
Main travel motivation Leisure/recreation/holidays: quoted by 82% of
respondents;
visiting Friends and family: quoted by 11% of respondents;
business: quoted by 4% of respondents; health: quoted by
3% of respondents
Main form of transportation
used in this journey
Rental car: 49%; private car: 41%; public transports: 10%;

Suggestions

*Paid parking should be easily available at distinct places.

*Easily available road links should be provided where possible.

*Government should take initiatives to improve tourism in Kanyakumari

DistrictPromptly. Government should make regular inspections and surprise
visits to hotels To keep proper check.
 *Safety of tourists should be priority of the local government.
*Proper signboards are not available so these should be kept on priority by

Kanyakumari belongs to the land of Tamil Nadu. It is famous for beautiful views
of sunrise and sunset. It has a great tour of temples and ashrams where anyone
can have a vacation with their family. It is very famous for the variety of its
seashells. So here are some shopping places in Kanyakumari.
FINDINGS
Here is a list of famous things to buy from Kanyakumari:

1.Sri Kanya Handicrafts

Sri Kanya Handicrafts has a wide range of products which are hand-
made and is famous for that in Kanyakumari. Here you can find beautiful
artificial jewelry and wooden toys and showpieces which you can gift to
your family and friends.Beautiful products can also make your home
attractive and eye-catching so that people will talk about that.Here you
will get the brass idols, which are very beautifully and finely designed.
Wooden products that are found here have a unique and beautiful
design.
Weavers invest their innovative and artistic ideas to make the product
unique in their style. Products are found here are of reasonable prices.
Goddess statues, handmade or crafted gods murti, were also found here.

2.Tamil Nadu Shopping Center Kanyakumari

This place fulfills the various requirements of local people and also for
tourists. This place is mainly famous for its fashion, accessories, and
electronics. Electronics items find here at the lowest prices.All the
electronic goods are imported from China. So, this place is best for all
categories of people because you can get a better product from here on
a low budget. Shopping Center as its name described that this is a
center where you can get every kind of stuff and in every range.Local
people always came here for fulfilling their basic requirements. This
place has a combination of all types of things, so you don’t need to go
anywhere else if you have a shortage of time.
3.Stalls at the beach

Stalls at the beach is mainly famous for its palm leaf drawing, which are
handicrafts. The beach is fully covered with stalls, which makes the beach
attractive in its way. All products are made of bamboo, cane, and wood.
The beach is famous for its seashell and souvenirs.
4.Tamil Nadu Co-Optex Sales Emporium
Tamil Nadu Co- Optex is famous for its textiles nature. If you already
visit the stalls at the beach, you must come to Tamil Nadu Co-Optex
Sales Emporium, and you will remember this place after you visit. Here
you will find beautiful traditional South Indian silk.If you are not a silk
person, but after visiting this place, you will buy a beautiful silk saree
made of fine silk quality. It was established in 1935. Handloom sarees,
Cotton Sarees, Silk sarees with the best unique design are found
here.Fabrics, which are found here, have excellent aesthetic quality. With
innovative and attractive ideas, products are made here. This market is
always doing successfully in fulfilling the market demands. The products
are so artistic, which makes them more beautiful.
5.Street Market of Kanyakumari

Street Market is famous everywhere. Every where’s street has their

specific products which makes them well-known for the street market.
Electronic goods are found here at very low prices.All electronic goods
are imported here from China. Antique pieces attract people to shop
there because of their unique and best designs.Also, different varieties
of seashells are found here. You can again buy straw hats, conches, and
clips. All these are made up of coconut shells.Kanyakumari is the type of
place where you once visit you don’t want to go from there. The best
time to tour this place is from October to March. This place has a great
collection of every type of stuff. Here you get the unique products of
wood.The beaches, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, and the famous
temples will always remind you of Kanyakumari. So you must visit these
shopping places to get great shopping experiences.

POPULAR FOOD IN KANYAKUMARI

Avial
It is a thick mixture of vegetables and coconut, seasoned with coconut
oil and curry leaves. Avial is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals, and
essential nutrients. Made with multiple vegetables and grated coconut,
avial is considered a ‘regal’ dish. The fibers help in reducing body
weight. It is an amazing dish for those who have malnutrition.
Erissery
It is made with a combination of vegetables and pulses using ground
coconut paste and finally seasoned with roasted coconut.De-seed the
pumpkin and peel the outer skin. Dice the pumpkin into cubes. Pressure
cook the pumpkins with turmeric and chilli powder and half a cup of
water. Cook for two whistles (five minutes). Wait for the pressure to
settle down. Strain the water remaining after cooking. Do not discard the
water used for boiling. We will use it later. Set aside.

Kanyakumari Fish Curry

A fish curry made with coconut, tamarind and mild spices.
Munthirikothu

A unique festival sweet of Kanyakumari, Munthiri Kothu are fried moong dal
balls dipped in cardamom and jaggery syrup.

Nandran Banana Chips

Banana chips are deep-fried or dried slices of bananas. They can be
covered with sugar or honey and have a sweet taste, or they can be fried
in oil with spices and have a salty or spicy taste.

CONCLUSION:

Kanyakumari offers a multitude of experience to the tourist. It is blessed

with unmatched Natural diversity that provides immense scope for
tourism. This virtual paradise holds Almost all the tourist attractions of
the world i.e. beaches, enhancing back waters, mist clad Hill stations,
lush forests, scintillating waterfalls, extensive plantation, invigorating
Monsoons, ayurvedic health centre, magical festivals, spectacular art
forms, splendid Cultural heritage, spicy cuisine and everything else that
enthralls a visitor. It has emerged as The most acclaimed tourist
destination of the district in the recent past.

On December 26, 2004, the Asian tsunami struck the Indian coast,
causing cata-strophic destruction of life and livelihood. The southern
coastal belt was the worst affected. Among southern districts,
Kanyakumari faced the worst losses after Nagapattinam: 1,500 fisher
lives, 7,800 coastal homes, and more than 10,000 boats, 1,000–
1,500 motors, and 30,000 nets. It was a disaster of over-whelming
proportions, particularly for a population whose lifeline is the sea. Some
of the most poignant testimonies from fisher survivors spoke of
their sense of betrayal and fear, how fishing nets and boats became
death traps for many fleeing the waves, their bodies entangled in
nets and thrown against boats. “The nets that fed us have killed us,”
one coastal villager said; another spoke of the tsunami as kadalamma’s
(goddess of the sea) vengeance for prof-ligate resource exploitation. In
some ways, the outpouring of concern and support for coastal inhabi -
tants was a notable departure from the historical negligence of coastal
prob-lems. The disproportionate harm experienced by fishers put them
in the spot-light like never before. Aid flooded in. Newspaper coverage
of the coast was sympathetic and highlighted the suffering of fisher
families and the collabora-tion of civil society organizations and
individual citizens in cleanup, housing construction, and distribution of
food. I have not been back to Kanyakumari since the tsunami, but I have
followed the rehabilitation process from a dis-tance through
conversations with friends and through the many publications put out by
the Tamilnadu government, nongovernmental organizations, and activist
movements in the fisheries sector.1 In what follows, I address some of
the concerns raised by fisher artisans and their activist supporters that
reflect

It Is also known as Cape Comorin, Kumari and Kumari Munai. This is a

‘rocky mainland‘ on the Indian Ocean in the State of Tamil Nadu and
located at the Southern Most tip of the Indian Subcontinent. Many call it
KOODAL meaning it is situated at the Confluence of three oceans Bay of
Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Kanyakumari is popular because
it is the only places on earth, where you can see the Sun Rise and Sun
Set from the ocean. It is the only place in India where one can enjoy the
unique spectacle of Sunset and Moonrise simultaneously on full moon
days. It is even more special and spectacular on Chitra Paurnami [full
moon that occurs in Apr-May] when one can view both the sun and the
moon facing each other on the same horizon, a rare sight of unique
grandeur, which seems to happen by prior arrangement.To conclude,
Kanyakumari possesses everything. The rich cultural heritage,
sculptures, sprawling beaches, highest mountains, hills, palaces, temples,
delicious cuisine, rare mixture of life style etc, which makes it a
‘Cross Cultural Paradise’ stays on ‘Unity in Diversity’. The
Government and private sector need to work earnestly and with a
commitment to develop this, a most attractive tourism destination in
the world. The author touches the necessary facts and figures, option
of marketing, strategies and techniques to woo international visitors and
also to encourage domestic tourism. Thus it may be concluded that
domestic and foreign tourists are attracted to Kanyakumari mainly by
natural beauty, climate and environment.