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 Kanyakumari
District is one of the smallest districts in the state
having an area of 1584 sq.kms. of which 1541-3 sq.kms are
rural and 42.7 sq.kms are urban. The district lies between
77 degree 05* and 77 degree 36* of the Northern latitude.
The district is bounded by Tirunelveli district in the north
and north-east, by Kerala state in the north-west and
cofluence of Arabien sea and Indian ocean in the west and
south. The coastline extends over 58 kms, and is almost
regular except for some points and land projecting in to the
sea at Kanyakumari.
Kanniyakumari is the southernmost tip of peninsular India,
is where the waters of the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean
and the Arabian Sea meet, A place from where one can see
spectacular sunrises and also colourful sunsets! on balmy
evenings, one can watch the sun set while full moon is
rising in another part of the sky.
Kanyakumari
district came in to exixtence in the year 1956 as a result
of re-organisation of stateson the basis of vernacular and
added in the map of Tamil nadu. It was known as the granary
of Travancore due to its vast stratches of Paddy fields,
rich forests and abundant mineral sands.
This district
has a pleasant climate and has the advantage of both the
South-West as well as North-East monsoons. The city has many
a charming spot, best being the Cape-comerin, the place of
meeting of Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian sea. The
meeting point of the ocean is the where "Continent ends in a
swan-song of broken rocks and mingling oceans".
It was a faith
that Kanyakumari district has been named after the Goddess
Kanyakumari Amman, who is a well known diety of this
district and over throughout the country. The legend is that
the Goddess Parvathi is one of her incarnation as 'Devi
Kanya' did penance on one of the rocks of this land's end to
obtain the hand of Lord Siva.
On a little rocky island just off the coast is the memorial
to that great Indian philosopher - Swami Vivekananda. He is
supposed to have sat here in deep meditation in 1892. On the
island one canalso see the Shri Pada Parai - the footprints
of the virgin goddess.
The Gandhi Memorial at Kanniya Kumari is located at the
place where his ashes were kept before immersion. It is so
designed that on 2nd October, his birthday, the sun's rays
fall directly on the spot.
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