Kanyakumari .... Pilgrimage & Tourism @ Triveni Sangam

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Steaming frothy cup of tea to start the day. With the blessings from rising Sun God, we commenced our long drive to Cape Comorin, the present day Kanyakumari; the southernmost rocky tip of the peninsular India. The estimated distance from Varkala was 140 km and the travel time of 4 to 5 hours. Barely 12 km from the Black Beach, we reached the NH-47. The traffic was sparse and the chauffeur kept us engaged in his lively chatter.

The interaction with the chauffeurs I find, have been very informative, which adds to the knowledge on diverse subjects such as the local culture, customs, cuisines, lifestyle, history, do’s & don’ts, and above all the local politics. They have tremendous experience of ferrying tourists on a day-to-day basis, and their exposure makes them very resourceful. As an icing on the cake, the interaction keeps them in good humor throughout the trip. One cannot wish to have a better travel companion.

On the outskirts of Thiruvanthapuram, large housing and commercial complexes consisting of skyscrapers became visible for the first time in Kerala. The chauffeur informed us that this is the Techno Park and all major software companies like TCS, Infosys have their large establishments there. On seeing the large number of cars parked on the multi-storied car parks, the magnitude could be easily gauged. The road-widening work coupled with the peak-hour city traffic slowed our pace drastically. The office-goers were seen rushing to their glass-clad workplaces. We moved on … though at a snail’s pace.

We passed the diversions towards famous beaches - Kovalam, Vizhinjam, Poovar, and witnessed many shops selling fruits. During our road journey in the last 4 days, we noticed that many varieties of exotic fruits are grown in Kerala, particularly banana, pineapple, papaya, guava, mango, and jackfruit. We were told that there are more than 80 varieties of banana alone, yellow, purple and red, having different sizes and tastes. The most favorite among them was red banana, which has sweet taste similar to strawberries. From time to time, we kept on refilling our fruit basket for the periodic consumption during our long surface travel.

No sooner we crossed the cluster of backwater cruise jetties on Neyyar, the inter-state permit was required to be taken to seek entry in the state of Tamil Nadu. Surprisingly it was swiftly issued after receiving the personal details of all passengers and the requisite fees. Thereafter, one side of the road was the state of Kerala and on the other side the state of Tamil Nadu. The road doubled as the border for neighboring states. Though narrow, the quality of road has been good throughout and well maintained too.

The journey continued and we spotted a vendor selling Neera, palm nectar, or a sap extracted from the inflorescence of toddy palms. It was sweet, delicious, translucent in colour, and high in nutritional value. The nectar was served in a cone made from green palm leaf. We could get 2-litres of real good stuff for mere Rs.100/-. A glassful, highly diluted Neera costs Rs.10 – 15, back home. The pit stop was really heavenly and it could certainly give a skip to Kingfisher Premium this afternoon.

By now, with the vibrant signboards and colourful billboards in Tamil language, it was evident that we have formally entered the state of Tamil Nadu. There was not much of a difference otherwise on the streetscape. As the traffic slowed down, we reached one of the major town on this route .. Nagercoil. Since the breakfast was skipped in the morning, we halted for an early lunch at Chitra Hi-Tech Pure Vegetarian Restaurant.

It was a large dining room like restaurant. We could not fathom as to what the “Hi-Tech” meant. In order to receive prompt services, we opted to sit in non-AC section. The thali meal consisted on Sambar, Rasam, Potato Gravy, Dry Vegetable (boiled raw banana) with liberal sprinkling of Coconut, Curd, Papad, Pickle and Rice. Everything unlimited. The delicious Payasam (in limited quantity), for the desert was excellent. The pricing was reasonable. … while exiting the question still lingered as to what is “Hi-Tech” about it.

The ambient temperature had crossed 30 degrees and it had become unbearably hot. The car air conditioner was not able to give us the desired cooling and comfort. Yet, the efforts to avoid dozing off, in the front seat of the car, were in vain. The intermittent short nap was over when we approached large lotus plantations. We were hoping to see blooming lotus flowers, floating on the lake. The plantations were in place sans blooming flowers. Probably it was a wrong season or the wrong time of the day …. Not sure.

We reached our today’s destination little after 2:00 pm. Hotel Tri Sea. The south-facing room on the higher floor ensured that we have an uninterrupted view the famous landmarks of Kanyakumari. The road below had constant movement of tourists from all over the country. Unlike other destinations visited in the current trip, most tourists were domestic and hardly any international tourist could be spotted. From the balcony of the room, we could see the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meeting the Indian Ocean. The glare on the water was simply unbearable for the naked eyes. We decided to take a short nap till evening … it was much needed for the fatigue-ridden body.

In the evening we took a small walk towards the Beach Road and visited high-domed Mahatma Gandhi Memorial. This beautiful structure was constructed in commemoration of the immersion of the ashes of the father of the nation in 1948.

Later, at the edge of the ocean on the rocky mainland, we visited the beautiful Bhagavati Amman temple. This temple is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati as a virgin, who is also known as Kanya Kumari Amman, the presiding deity of the sea. Many legends are associated with Kanya Kumari. In the vicinity we also visited Adhi Shankar Temple. The tourists had gathered in large number at Triveni Sangham, as the time of sunset was nearing. This area had hundreds of shops selling touristy articles and wares. The flow of tourists was unabated. The last minute rush to take selfies before the actual dusk was visible at the site.

As we moved little away from this tourist market, a battery-operated bus was beckoning us to board for the sunset point, near Kovalam Beach …. not to be confused with Kovalam Beach in Kerala. The fare was either Rs.10 or 20 one-way …. not to sure. The environment-friendly mode of transportation facility by Kanyakumari Special Grade Town Panchayat, the local authority was highly appreciable. The short 2-km ride took us to sunset point. Midway, there was a view tower, and was full of tourists seeking panoramic view of the sea and surrounding landscape. The promenade at sunset point was full of large groups of tourists, from almost every state of the country. All had their sights sharply focused on the setting sun. Many were struggling to fit into the cellphone camera frame along with the sun, singly, jointly or with the entire family. The clouds were overcast and the visibility was little poor. As the glow on the sky diminished, we returned to the beach in the same battery-operated vehicle.

A short walk towards Kanyakumari Railway Station, brought us to Mayapuri – The Wax Museum. The entrance fee was Rs.100/- per head. It was a small place, which housed well-made realistic statues of famous personalities. Amitabh Bachchan, Mahatma Gandhi, Barack Obama, APJ Abdul Kalam, Manmohan Singh, Rabindranath Tagore, Albert Einstein, Mother Theresa, Michael Jackson … to name a few …. all of them housed under the same roof without any individual ‘security cover’. In an adjoining hall, there were aesthetically lit 3-D paintings. The uniformed staff was quite friendly and helped the tourists to click photographs with the statues or 3-D pictures in the background. Young and old, both were delighted with the visit to this place and have their pictures clicked.

The evening was well spent and it was time to return to the hotel room. The tourist flow to the beach was getting diminished with every passing hour. The brightly lit islands, housing Thiruvalluvar Statue and Vivekananda Memorial, were now deserted. The roar of the ocean could be clearly heard from the balcony. We did not venture out for dinner and the same was ordered from the hotel kitchen. A small ‘spirited’ relaxation was followed by the dinner consisted of Prawns, Dal-Fry, Chapatis and Rice, with Pickle and Papad. The spicy aromatic prawns curry satiated the hunger to a very great extent. A brief walk, before hitting the bed, on the periphery of the roof-top pool, under the moonlit sky, was heavenly.

During a holiday, getting a cup of tea, as soon as you are awake, is very difficult. We, urbanites, have formed certain peculiar habits … rise early, go for a walk and have a tea at a street-side tea joint, before embarking on the day’s routine. Most hotel kitchens open only after 8:00 and Tri Sea was not an exception. There was hardly any movement on the road below. I was taking a small walk in the hotel balcony when I noticed a mini-bus, after having undertaken night journey, stopping near the reception. A tea vendor followed the bus on his cycle and was serving tea from his kettle. I rushed to the ground floor with lightening speed. The tea was the god-sent brew. As usual, had two cups, each costing Rs. 10/-. The service was invaluable at this odd hour. I was his one of the initial consumers and was impressed with his concern for cleanliness. He had a small bag tied to the cycle for collecting used cups and disposal later at an appropriate place.

A quick hot water shower was followed by the ascent to the terrace. The sunrise time was nearing. The sky was receiving the initial glow heralding the arrival of the Sun God. Upon panning the vicinity in 360 degrees, I realized that I am not the only one awaiting the arrival. The guests in most hotel terraces had risen early and assembled with their cameras, in stand-by mode, to capture the orange sky-scape. ‘Selfie” has become an extremely vital element of every tourist destination. At 6:20 sharp, we could hear blowing of the “Shankh” (conch shell). The sound was emanating from the temple on the beach. There was a sudden rush to capture the first glimpse on sun on the camera. The sun had surfaced on the horizon … and within minutes the crowds on the terraces dispersed, with an ecstatic satisfaction of viewing the sunrise of lifetime at Tri-Sea.

Later, we reached, on foot, the jetty for boarding a ferry to Vivekanand Rock Memorial Island. The ferry service is operational between 08:00 hours and 16:00 hours. Poompuhar Shipping Corporation is responsible for the operation. There was a long queue of tourists at the booking window. The estimated time required to board the jetty was more than an hour. Due to paucity of time, we opted for the Special Entry Ticket, costing Rs.267/- as against the normal ticket, which costs around Rs.50/-. Though the entry to the terminal was easy, the scene at the place of boarding the ferry was chaotic. Each passenger was provided with a dirty life jacket, before boarding the boat. The distance of 500 meters from the shore was covered in less than 10 minutes. At the time of alighting, the life-jacket was required to be returned, which was haphazardly dumped by the ground staff, making it still dirtier.

At the island, we were required to deposit our shoes for safekeeping and purchase an entry ticket to the monument, costing Rs.35/- or so. Swamiji meditated and received enlightenment on this island in December 1892. The Vivekananda Mandapam, has been constructed at the same location. The meditation hall has a statue of Swamiji, in meditation posture, carved out of black stone. The silence added to the divinity at the hall.

It is believed that, Goddess Pravati in the form of Kanyakumari, did her penance on this island. The rock, which is known as Shripada Parai, has been blessed by her foot – Shripada. A projection in the form of human foot is revered as the symbol of Shripadam. The Shripada Mandapam has Garbha Gruham – Sanctum Sanctorum.

Both the structures were designed with the vision that Swamiji, in the statue, can directly see the Shripadam. After having spent about an hour on the island, we returned to the shore.

Though, we wanted to visit the adjoining island housing iconic Thiruvalluvar Statue in standing posture, due to tidal restrictions, the ferry service to this island was not operational.

Thiruvalluvar was the highly respected and celebrated poet from Tamil Nadu. He composed Thirukural, which is one of the most important literary work in Tamil language. This literary work was arranged in 133 Adhikarams, each with 10 couplets. The 133 Adhikarams were divided into three major groups known as "Aram", "Porul" and "Inbam". Aram represents Virtue, Porul defines the principles of Life for common people as well as the State.The last section deals with aspects of Love.

It was in his memory this 133 ft tall grand structure was erected. The 95 ft. tall statue of this poet stand atop 38 ft. pedestal known as Atharapeedam. The pedestal is surrounded by Alankara Mandapam, which has 10 elephant statues signifying 10 directions. The 38 ft height of pedestal represents 38 chapters in the Book of Aram in Thirukural and the statue of 95 ft represents the total chapters in Porul (70) and Inbam (25). Thus the statue symbolically signifies that the theme of Porul and Inbam are based on Aram.

Kanyakumari has multi-religious population dwelling in a perfect harmony. It has a number of tourist landmarks such as the Government Museum with a good collection of sculptured artifacts and crafts of South India; 1000-year old Guganathaswamy Temple, built by the Chola King Raja; a temple dedicated to Shri Sthanumalayan (Sthanu-Shiva, Mal-Vishnu and Ayan-Brahma, in one form) at Suchindrum on the bank of the river Pazhayar; Udaygiri Fort; Padmanabhapuram Palace; beaches, waterfalls, palaces and churches. However, the time constraint or improper itinerary planning on our part forced us to skip them and to move on. Nonetheless, we ensured that we pay a brief visit to Kanyakumari Railway Station, the ‘seemant’ railway station, on the southernmost tip of peninsular India, connecting with it the rest of India.



It was the time to hit the coastal highway … driving towards our next destination …. Kovalam and to continue with our Kerala sojourn. We move on ……

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