Vivekananda Kendra

On the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal, the 100-year-old Church of Our Lady of Ransom is dedicated to Mother Mary. The Church, which is one of the most beautiful churches in India, looks beautiful against the backdrop of the beautiful blue sky. The Church of Our Lady of Ransom was built in the Gothic style of architecture with a strong Portuguese influence. The church is slightly off-white in appearance and has three massive towering spires and stained glass windowpanes contributing to its overall grandeur. Another attraction of the church is the Central Tower. It's 153 feet high and is crowned with a cross of pure gold. (Interestingly, the dimensions of the church structures are based on the count of beads in the rosary). There are a few things about the church that make the visitors gasp with awe as they enter. The church boasts a beautiful statue of Mother Mary clad in a saree. Surprisingly, as compared with the grand and ornate exteriors, the visitors are quite taken aback by the simplicity of its interiors. There is just a tiny cross that adorns the altar. There are no church benches and the masses are held inside the church in normal days and outside on the clean sands during carnivals and occasions. The prayers are held in Tamil considering the parish here mainly comprises the local fishing folks. However, English masses are being conducted lately. Be on the lookout for the 10-day carnival festival during the second week of December every year. It is vibrant and colourful with the fishing hamlets of other nearby places and people of other religions celebrate together.

Kanyakumari Devi Temple is the main reason for naming the place as Kannyakumari or the "Land of the unmarried girl". This temple is close to the beach. As per legend, the demon king, Banasura, had become powerful, and could be killed only by an unmarried lady. Devi Kanyakumari, a devotee of Shiva, wanted to marry the Lord. Lord Shiva promises to marry at an auspicious Brahma Muhurtham. Sage Narada, on request of the other Gods, takes the form of a rooster, and crows before dawn on a particular day, indicating the daybreak. Lord Shiva, who was on the way to marry Devi, returns stating that the auspicious moment is complete. Devi Kanyakumari fumes in anger and walks down into the garden to pacify herself. Devil Banasura is attracted by the Devi and tries to capture her. Already frustrated over the cancellation of marriage, Devi Kanyakumari slays the demon and brings back peace to the world. The speciality of the temple is the diamond nose stud worn on the statue of the Goddess, which was said to be highly dazzling, and confusing to sailors at high seas. Hence, the wall has been raised to block the view of the stud from the sea. Like any other temple of Kerala style, women have to be in a saree or chudidhar.

Kamarajar Mani Mantapa Monument was raised and dedicated to a freedom fighter and Former Chief minister of Tamil Nadu, President of the Indian National Congress, Mr Kamarajar. He's 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 to before immersion into the sea.

Gandhi Mandapam Such is the beauty of Kanyakumari that a lot of people find themselves attracted to it. Mahatma Gandhi too could not resist its charm, and there is a place here dedicated to him called Gandhi Mandapam. This is the place, as told by locals, where one could witness the 'Sangam' (confluence) of the three oceans. Gandhi arrived here and succumbed to the beauty of the place as described in his beautiful words inscribed below his portrait in the Mandapam. After he died, his ashes were brought to this place. The Gandhi Mandapa is engineered in such a way that at the place where the ashes were kept stands a small stone which is said to receive the Sun's rays only on the 2nd of October, Gandhi's birthday, every year through a small hole on the roof.