The previous day, on the afternoon of October 13, 2022, We had started our journey from Chennai Egmore Station by Kanyakumari Express (12633). After having dinner that night, I had a good sleep. From early morning, there seemed to be a lot of hustle and bustle all around. Tea vendors were calling out loudly, offering hot tea. When I opened my eyes, I saw that many passengers in the compartment had already gotten off the train. Some were packing their bags. The train was now standing at Nagercoil Junction Railway Station. In just another 20 minutes, we would reach Kanyakumari (CAPE), the southernmost railway station of India. Three days earlier, I had e-mailed the hotel, but hadn’t received any reply. The sky looked cloudy all around, yet sunlight was breaking through. As soon as the train arrived, everyone began heading toward their respective destinations. We got down slowly and took a few photographs of the surroundings. The hotel check-in time was 12 noon. There was still plenty of time in hand, and I couldn’t decide what to do. While thinking about it, I went towards the cloakroom. I deposited my trolley bag there, collected a token, and stepped out of the station. It was about 6:30 in the morning. If we went toward the sea, we would find people, food, and everything else there. An elderly auto driver approached us. His name was Justice. He looked trustworthy. I told him to take us near the sea. During our conversation, he asked which hotel we were staying at. Then he suggested that we should go to our pre-booked hotel and talk to the manager. Following his advice, we headed towards Sangam Hotel.
Vanakkam, You are lucky, your Room is Ready:
Actually, since most trains arrive in Kanyakumari Station in the morning, hotel owners usually keep the rooms ready for the tourists. After bidding farewell to Uncle Justice and completing some formalities at the hotel, we set out towards the seashore. The sea was quite close to our Sangam Hotel, so we decided to go on foot. Early in the morning, local drivers were bargaining with tourists for sightseeing trips. Since most of the visitors in Kanyakumari are Bengalis, many of the locals here can speak broken Bengali. By talking to them, we got a rough idea about the rates of the local tours.
Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial:
There was a strict instruction from home — no boat rides at all. After all, I don’t know how to swim, and the trip involved crossing the sea, that too the Indian Ocean! So, the plan was to take a few pictures of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial from a distance and return. Standing at the jetty, the two of us watched men and women, the elderly, and even people carrying babies — all boarding the boats wearing life jackets. We thought, “What wrong would it be if we went too?” So, after buying the tickets and waiting for a long time, we finally boarded the steamer. In a short while, we reached the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. From the speakers, a soft Tamil bhajan was playing in the background. A little ahead, we collected a token and kept our shoes in the designated place. By around 8 a.m., the sun was already high in the sky, yet the sea breeze made the heat quite bearable. Above us stretched the clear autumn-blue sky, and below lay the vast blue expanse of the ocean. In front of us stood the massive statue of the poet Thiruvalluvar, the Triveni Sangam, and in the distance, the town of Kanyakumari and the lighthouse were clearly visible. Behind us rose the temple built in memory of Swami Vivekananda — simply magnificent. It takes about an hour to explore the entire place. According to legend, about a thousand years before Vivekananda, Goddess Kanyakumari is said to have stood here on one leg, meditating in the hope of marrying Lord Shiva. Whether the marriage ever took place is unknown, but her footprints are believed to remain on this rock. Around these footprints, a small temple has been built. However, it is separate from the main Kanyakumari Devi Temple located on the mainland. By around 10:30 a.m., we returned to the station, collected our trolley bags, and went back to the hotel. When we informed the elderly man sitting at the reception about our plan, he said, “All right, the driver will be here within half an hour.” We quickly got ready and went down to the restaurant on the ground floor. After having a large dosa, along with puri-sabzi, and tea, we set out in the car to continue our journey.
Lunch at Hotel Chitra:
A clean and well-maintained hotel environment. The meal was served on banana leaves. Four kinds of pickles were already placed on the dining table. First came warm water for washing hands. Then, one after another, came rice, dal, four types of vegetables, sambar, papad, chutney, raita, and so on. After finishing the delicious meal to our heart’s content, we started for the famous Poovar backwaters. Then, Deepu led us along a gentle hilly path through a coconut plantation to the bank of a river.
Poovar Back-water:
We went with Deepu to a boating kiosk. During a bit of casual conversation, when I looked at the kiosk manager, only one thought kept circling in my head — “Why have you killed Amarendra Baahubali?” And that very manager was trying to assure me, saying, “Don’t worry, Sir. I won’t overcharge you.” Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when Deepu heard and explained what had happened. Then the manager burst into laughter. As a bonus, we even got an additional discount of ₹500. We told Deepu, “Why stay alone? Come with us.” He agreed. So the four of us — Deepu, the two of us, and the boatman — started our journey through the canals inside the mangrove forest. A little ahead, we came across a coconut seller ferrying tender coconuts on a boat. All four of us drank coconuts and resumed our journey. One after another, we passed Club Mahindra Resort and then reached a floating restaurant known for its variety of fish dishes. Since we were heading to a temple next, we decided not to eat anything. Soon, we arrived at the river mouth where it met the sea. The backwater had been calm until now, but at the estuary, large sea waves were visible. Although we were wearing life jackets, a sense of fear crept into our hearts. When I mentioned it to the boatman, he reassured us that there was a natural sandbar in the middle, so the waves wouldn’t harm our boat. I had read about such sandbars before, but today I finally understood what a parallel coastal sand bar actually looks like. Anyway, passing by a rock where a statue of the Virgin Mary holding the reclining infant Jesus stood, we moved toward the Golden Sand Beach. On the way, we saw a half-submerged rock — at first glance, it looked like an elephant standing in the water. The inner side of Golden Beach was calm, but on the seaward side, large waves were crashing against the shore. The roaring sound made it clear that no one would dare to swim there. After a brief photo session, we returned from the spot.
Kovalam Beach:
When we reached Kovalam Beach, it was low tide. Because of the muddy shore, we couldn’t step into the water. Overhead stretched the clear blue sky; all around, a coastline lined with rows of coconut trees; beneath our feet, a carpet of green grass; and in front of us, the vast Arabian Sea stretching to the horizon — its beauty is beyond words. Adding to the scene were a few tall edged wooden boats belonging to the local fishermen, looking just like figures painted on an artist’s canvas. There is also a beautiful resort here owned by actor Mithun Chakraborty. After capturing a few memories with our camera, we set out for our next destination.
Sri Padmanav Swami Temple:
We reached the northern main gate, or gopuram, of the temple around 4 p.m. Deepu parked the car. I put on a dhoti and wrapped an uttariya around my shoulders. My wife was already wearing a saree, so there was no issue. Among the ancient temples of India, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the most famous — and hence the rules are quite strict. Watches, mobile phones, wallets, shoes, belts, and intoxicating items like betel, bidi, or gutkha are all strictly prohibited. There’s also a dress code for women. In the morning, I had seen a lady taking selfies at Vivekananda Rock wearing a top and jeans; now I saw her draped in a white saree over those jeans, heading toward the temple for darshan. Such strict regulations are indeed necessary; otherwise, one day these temples will turn into amusement parks. Anyway, after passing through multiple layers of tight security, we entered the temple premises. It was an enormous temple complex — it felt like an entire city inside. The temple had its own bank, post office, police station, court, treasury, staff quarters — everything! After quite a bit of searching, we found the way to proceed. There were three types of darshan arrangements. A woman sat at a computer counter, issuing tickets in exchange for money. Beside her, two plates were neatly arranged with lotus flowers and tulsi garlands. I said to my wife, “The flowers look so fresh and beautiful.” Meanwhile, she was talking to that lady, while I, instead of listening, was taking in the surroundings with my eyes. Massive corridors stretched around us, lined on both sides with tall pillars. The lion faces carved at the top of those pillars resembled the ones seen in the temples of Puri’s Jagannath and Rameswaram. But this place felt much more open and airy. The inner courtyard looked almost like a fairground. Here and there stood a few small tiled houses. A concrete path ran across the sandy ground toward the sanctum, covered with a tiled roof. Wooden railings bordered both sides of the path. After walking some distance, we turned right toward the main temple.
But a question arises — how is it that the richest God in the world resides beneath a simple clay-tiled roof? Perhaps He Himself is the true source of all inspiration. As I pondered that thought, a quiet smile played on my lips. Then we came upon a stone wall. Entering the dark garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) through a small doorway, we found a crowd of people pressing together, each hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of the deity. The dim light from oil lamps on the walls, the smoky air, and the slippery stone floor together created a somewhat perilous atmosphere. Out of fear and awe, we stood almost frozen. A policeman on duty said something to us, but we couldn’t quite understand. Someone above waved a hand, signaling — though we weren’t sure if the gesture was meant for us. The policeman then spoke in half Hindi, half English: “Go forward, keep to the right wall. The priest is calling you.” We couldn’t imagine why we were being called. As we moved ahead, one by one, the guards and priests on duty kept gesturing to us to go further forward. Finally, climbing a wooden staircase, both of us almost reached the sanctum’s inner platform. The chief priest took the two lotus flowers and tulsi leaves from our offering plate and touched them to the feet of the deity. Only then did we realize what had happened — the lotus flowers we carried in our plate were actually symbols of a VIP Entry Pass, which had earned us such special access amid that enormous crowd.
Lord Sri Vishnu Idol Darshan:
Here, Lord Vishnu resides in His reclining posture (Anantashayana). At the priest’s instruction, I wrapped my upper cloth around my waist. In front of us stood three dimly lit chambers. In the first, we saw the ever-smiling face of Lord Vishnu, with the hood of the serpent Ananta raised above Him. In the second chamber, from His navel rose a lotus on which Lord Brahma was seated, and below His hand rested a Shiva Lingam. In the final chamber were the feet of Vishnu. As the priest illuminated the deity with the lamp in his hand, the gems and jewels adorning the idol sparkled brilliantly. We stood there, palms folded, awestruck — especially by the eyes of Ananta, the serpent. It felt as if those eyes might swallow us at any moment. I recalled what I had once read in college: “Out of fear, the idea of God was born.” Today, I witnessed that truth with my own eyes. The black granite idol (kasthipathar) measured about 15 to 20 feet in length and at least 7 feet in height. Three or four priests stood above the sanctum. Seeing their gentle smiles, I loosened my pocket a little. In return, they touched a silver crown to our heads and blessed us both. While descending the wooden staircase on the opposite side, I noticed many people standing below — the Free Entry line had already turned away much earlier. There was also a Paid Line, but from there, it was quite difficult to get a proper view of the deity. Before leaving, we collected large-sized laddus and sealed cans of prasadam to take home.
Return to Kanyakumari:
Around 6 p.m., we started from Thiruvananthapuram toward Kanyakumari. On the way back, our car passed in front of the Sabarimala Temple, but since we were short on time, we decided to skip visiting it on this trip. After crossing the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, we stopped for tea and later for dinner. By the time we returned to the hotel, it was almost 9:30 at night. During our journey, the hotel manager called twice to check on us. We always prefer renting a car directly through the hotel rather than taking one from the local stand — it ensures there’s a local custodian responsible for our safety and comfort throughout the trip.
Kanyakumari Mata Temple:
The next morning, the two of us went for a walk to visit the temple of Goddess Kanyakumari. It is believed that since her marriage to Lord Shiva never took place, the Goddess remains angry. Therefore, men are required to remove their shirts before entering the temple. Oh Lord Shiva — we bow our heads in shame for your sake! Inside, the worship ceremony was in progress. The moment we stepped in, it was clear from the stone pillars that the sanctum was truly ancient, though the outer walls had been renovated with bricks. In exchange for a modest offering, the priest blessed us wholeheartedly. On our way back, we bought shankha (conch bangles) and sindoor (vermilion) for the well-being of all our family members.
Tsunami Memorial Park:
We walked a short distance to the Triveni Ghat, where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea meet. After that, we reached Tsunami Park, which is built right alongside the outer wall of the Kanyakumari Mata Temple. The park was neat and well-maintained, but exhausted by the heat and sunlight, we returned to the hotel around 9:30 a.m. Today, after breakfast, we had to go straight to our room to pack our bags. Since our return train was scheduled for the evening, there was no time to waste.
Wax Museum:
As I had informed earlier, Uncle Justice arrived around eleven o’clock. Today, our plan was to visit the Vottakottai Fort, the Bharat Mata Temple, and the Wax Museum. After buying tickets for ₹200 each, we entered the museum and saw oddly shaped wax figures — puffed up, almost like broiler chickens. There were also some 3D wallpapers, similar to the graffiti you can see along the streets in many Indian cities. Anyway, next we headed to see the Vattakottai Fort.
Vattakottai Fort (Circular Fort):
Vattakottai Fort is located about 6 km from Kanyakumari town. We advanced along a narrow, broken road, passing through small Tamil villages. Unlike the massive forts of Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, this fort is not very large. Although the word “Vattakottai” means circular, the fort’s shape is rectangular, with circular bastions at the corners. In 1741, the Dutch forces were defeated by the Travancore king Marthanda Varma at the Battle of Colachel. Later, the Dutch naval officer Eustachius De Lannoy joined the Travancore army and assisted in the construction of this fort. From here, both the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are visible. Yesterday, we visited the Padmanabhapuram Palace in Nagercoil, from where this fort was once administered. At that time, the fort played an important role in defending the coastline along the Bay of Bengal. Uncle Justice gave us a guided tour of the fort, showing us around and telling us which movies had been shot here. While drinking coconut water, we also learned why he was called “Justice.” After spending about an hour exploring, we set off to visit the Bharat Mata Temple.
Bharat Mata Temple:
Behind a beautifully landscaped garden stands a fairly large temple. Separate parking facilities are available. After purchasing the entry tickets, we went inside. In front of us was a full-bodied statue of the five-faced Hanuman, approximately 25 feet tall even if its height seemed slightly reduced. Incidentally, this is not a religious temple but rather a museum related to Hindu nationalism. Each room is adorned with large oil paintings depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, along with English explanations. In addition, there are portraits of various Indian thinkers, accompanied by insights into their philosophies and sayings. Finally, we reached the main hall on the second floor. In front of us stood a massive statue of Bharat Mata, with a map of undivided India behind her and the Indian flag in her hand. Such a grand photo frame was installed in the Anadi Bhavan of the Sarada Shishu Tirtha, Cooch Behar. Standing before it, the then head teacher, Chanchal Dadamani, would tell the students, “Janani janmabhoomishcha swargadapi gariyasi” — Mother and motherland are greater than heaven itself.
Return to Madurai:
Finally, it was time to say goodbye. After settling our dues at Sangam Hotel, we returned to our room. After a short while, we freshened up and went to eat. The meal was a traditional Tamil thali: rice, two roti, an idli, a small portion of upma, along with three to four kinds of vegetables, sambar, papad, coconut chutney, pickles, and raita — in short, absolutely delightful. After the meal and some rest, we reached the station. We were to board train number 12634, the Kanyakumari Express, which would take us to Madurai by 10 p.m. Tonight we will stay in Madurai, after visiting the Meenakshi Amman Temple the next day, and then head to Chennai by the afternoon.
