Kanyakumari got its name from the Kumari Amman or the Kanyakumari
Temple situated at the shore on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Indian
Ocean and the Arabian Sea. According to the local lore, Kanya Devi, an avatar of
Parvati, was to marry Shiva, but he failed to show up to the wedding. The rice
and other grains meant for the wedding feast remained uncooked. Today tourists
can buy tiny stones which look like rice, in remembrance of the marriage that
was never solemnized. The princess Kanya Devi is a virgin goddess who blesses
pilgrims and tourists.
According to another local myth, Lord
Hanuman dropped a piece of earth as he was carrying the mount with the
life-saving herb, Mrita Snajivani from the Himalayas to Lanka during the
Rama-Ravana war. This chunk of earth is called Marunthuvazh Malai, which is
literally translated to "medicine-residing hills". This is said to be the reason
for the abundance of unique native plants in the area. The district is home to
many practitioners of various branches of ancient India's health tradition,
including siddha, ayurvedha, varma kalai.
The lost lumeria continent nice video clip
Kanyakumari
has been a great centre for art and religion for centuries. It was also an area
of heavy commerce and trade. It was ruled by the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas
and the Nayaks. The architectural beauty of the temples is the work of these
rulers. Later Kanyakumari becamew part of the Venad kingdom with its capital at
Padmanabhapuram. The king of Venad, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma established
Travancore by extending his domain further north up to Aluva, during his reign
from 1729 to 1758. By this, the present
Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore.
King
Marthanda Varma defeated the Dutch East India Company at the famous Battle
of Colachel in 1741. Kanyakumari was under the rule of the Kings of
Travancore under the over all suzerainity of the British till 1947.
Travancore joined the independent Indian Union in 1947. Obviously, the royal
reign came to an end. In 1949, Kanyakumari became part of the
reconstituted Travancore-Cochin State. By this time, the popular
agitation for the amalgamation of Kanyakumari District with Tamil Nadu by
the tamil majority under the leadership of Thiru M.A. Nesamony intensified.
Eventually, in 1956, Kanyakumari was integrated with Tamil Nadu (then
known as Madras State) as per the language-based reorganisation of States.
According to legend,
Christianity arrived in South India around AD 52 through St. Thomas, one of the
twelve Apostles of Christ. However, European missionaries, who arrived in the
16th century, propagated Christianity in the area. St. Francis Xavier (April 7,
1506 – December 2, 1552)was the pioneer in preaching Christianity in the present
day Kanyakumari
District. Islam is believed to have entered the southern part of India
through Kanyakumari during the early part of the eighth century AD through the
sea route with traders and missionaries. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have
also contributed to the architectural wealth and literary heritage of the region
It is very popular to
watch the
sunrise/sunset here. Because this is a meeting point of three ocean
bodies - the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea - the
spectacular
sunrise/sunset sight is considered to even more special.
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