Kanyakumari Temple
¤ The Temple of Virgin Goddess
Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India and the merging point
of three seas; the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of
Bengal. It is named after the virgin Goddess Kanyakumari whose temple
is situated here on its shore.
 This
temple is devoted to a manifestation of Parvati, the virgin goddess
who performed penance to acquire Lord Shiva's hand in marriage. The
temple is a major tourist attraction with neighboring ghat,
beautifully placed overlooking the shore. It is an eminent belief that
the diamond nose-ring of the deity is so shiny that it is visible even
from the sea.
There are two rocks emerging out of the ocean, located southeast of
the Kumari Amman temple. One among these is Sri Padaparai, where the
footprints of the virgin goddess are believed to be imprinted on this
rock. It is said that Swami Vivekananda sat in deep meditation here
and therefore the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built in 1970. Along
with this there also a dhyana mandapam, which provides a tranquil
atmosphere to meditate.
¤ Legend Related To The Temple
Legends say that the wedding of Kanya Devi, an avatar of Goddess
Parvati and Lord Shiva was to be held here. But he did not arrived at
the auspicious time and the wedding never took place. The food that
was to be cooked was left uncooked. Here the stones resemble rice and
cereals which can also be bought. According to the people residing
here these stones are the leftovers of the legendary marriage that
could not be solemnized. As for the princess Kanya Devi, she became a
virgin goddess, blessing everyone who visits this temple.
¤ The Features of The Temple
The temple is entered mainly through the northern gate, inspite of
the fact that the deity is facing east. The eastern entrance remains
closed except for special occasions when the deity is taken out for
ceremonial bath.
There are all together three corridors that skirt the sanctum. The
outer corridor is deprived of special shrines, but after a walk round
it the devotees cross the 'Navarathiri mandapam'. A pathway leads to
the second corridor surrounding the shrine. There stands the flag mast
or 'Kodisthambam'. The Goddess can be clearly viewed from here. Moving
further you will reach the front of the sanctum.
The Idol of the Goddess stands with rosary in one hand as if in
prayer. It is said to be installed by Parasurama and is made of blue
stone. In the inner corridor, the shrines of Vinayagar and
Thiagasundary are present, which is visited by devotees after
worshiping the Goddess.
¤ Festivals
The temple festivals celebrated here are held in the Tamil month of
Vaikasi (May/June) . Navarathri festival is an important festival
celebrated in the months of September/October.
¤ Opening Times
The temple is remains open for the public from 4.30 AM to 11.45 AM
and 5.30 PM to 8.45 PM.
Major Tour Packages To Maharashtra
|
|
