For other uses of Kanyakumari, please see Kanyakumari (disambiguation).

Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, India

Kanyakumari District (also spelt 'Kanniyakumari' or 'Kanniakumari District) is a district of Tamil Nadu state, India and also the southernmost land area and district of mainland India. Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Kanyakumari District is one of the 30 districts of Tamil Nadu state, and also the smallest. The state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India is divided into 32 districts Tamil Nadu ( Tamil:, Country of the Tamils, t̪ɐmɨɻ n̪aːɽɯ is one of the 28 states of India. The district takes its name from the tourist town of Kanyakumari, which is at the tip of the Indian Peninsula and faces the Indian Ocean. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The headquarters (capital) of the District is Nagercoil, which is 22 km from Kanyakumari town. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Nagercoil (Tamil நாகர்கோவில் is a city and it is the Http//en

The district is a land of tourist attractions with many historic and religious sites that are centuries-old and also endowed with great natural beauty, both on the coasts and the mountainous interior, with a rich variety of flora and fauna.

A ferry (Vallam) crossing the Thengapattnam Estuary

Location

Commonly referred to as the Land's End, Kanyakumari District is located at the southern tip of peninsular India and bordered by Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state to the west and Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu to the north and east. Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; Tirunelveli District (திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம் in Tamil is a district of Tamil Nadu state in southern

The district lies between 77° 15' and 77° 36' of the eastern longitudes and 8° 03' and 8° 35' of the northern Latitudes. The south-eastern boundary (coastal) is the Gulf of Mannar (Bay of Bengal), while on the South and the South West, the boundaries are the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. The Gulf of Mannar is a large shallow bay that is an arm of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian Ocean. The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated:

Administrative Divisions

No of Taluks - 4, Blocks - 9 Municipalities - 4 (Nagercoil, Padmanabhapuram, Colachel, Kuzhithurai) Village Panchayats - 99 Special category village panchayats - 56. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Nagercoil (Tamil நாகர்கோவில் is a city and it is the Http//en WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Padmanabhapuram (Tamil பத்மனாபபுரம் a city and a Municipality near Thuckalay WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kolachal (Colachal (Tamilகுளச்சல் is a city and a Municipality in Kanniyakumari WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Kuzhithurai is a city and a Municipality in Kanniyakumari District in the Indian The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen

Nagercoil town is the administrative headquarters (capital) of Kanyakumari district.

History

Kanyakumari District takes its name from the town of Kanyakumari, at the southern tip of India. (In many Indian languages Kumari means virgin girl). Thus, Kanyakumari District is also sometimes called 'Kumari' District. Kanyakumari town is named after the Goddess Kanyakumari Amman, a popular deity of the area. Legend has it that the Goddess Parvati in one of her incarnations as Devi Kanniya did penance on one of the rocks of this 'land's end' to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva

The town of Kanyakumari is geographically a Cape, and it was known earlier as Cape Comorin. A cape is a type of Clothing, and can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment such as a Poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back Since ancient times, Kanyakumari District has consisted of two geographical areas, known locally as Nanjilnadu and Idainadu. The etymologists interpret the word Nanjilnadu as the country ('nadu') where there were (and still has) several agriculture plantations and fields. Nanjilnadu is mentioned in old Tamil literature as a rich agrarian area, where the town of Kottar, (today, a locality in Nagercoil) as a major commercial centre. Tamil literature refers to the Literature in the Tamil language. Kottar is a locality and a thriving bazaar area of Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu state India; though a part of Nagercoil today it is the original town around Ancient temples and inscriptions reveal a major Jain influence in ancient times. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. The district is home to many practitioners of various branches of ancient India's health tradition, including siddha, ayurvedha, varma kalai. for the towns in Nepal see Siddha Nepal A siddha சித்தா in Tamil means "one who is accomplished" and refers to Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other Varma Kalai (also called Varmam) (வர்மக்கலை meaning " the art of vital points " is an ancient martial art which has its origins

Palace at Padmanabhapuram, the capital of the ertswhile state of Travancore ; The capital was later shifted to Trivandrum

Nanjilnadu, which is the present Agasteeswaram and Thovalai taluks (administrative sub-divisions) of the district, was under the rule of Pandyas till the early 10th century and then under Cheras. Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Origin The origin of the word “Pandya” has been a subject of much speculation History In early Tamil literature the great Chera rulers are referred to as Cheral Kuttuvan Irumporai Kollipurai and Athan Idainadu including Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks were under the rule of Cheras. When the power of Cheras declined due to the rise of Hoysalas and western Chalukyas, the Venad (Travancore) Chieftains (descendants of the Cheras) took advantage of the situation and gradually established their hold, on many areas of Nanjilnadu. The Hoysala Empire ( Kannada: ಹೊಯ್ಸಳ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ ( pronunciation: in Kannada was a prominent South Indian Kannadiga The Chalukya dynasty ( Kannada: ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯರು ʧaːɭukjə was an Indian royal dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and Central For general context see History of Travancore. Venad (véNAd (േവണാട് was one of the eighteen kingdoms of the ancient Cheran Travancore or Thiruvithaamkoor ( Malayalam: തിരുവിതാങ്കൂര്‍ "Thiru" (respectful prefix which suggests either royal or The annexation commenced by Veera Kerala Varma was to a large extent continued by his successors and completed by 1115 A. D.

For about four centuries, Venad was ruled by powerful kings who were consistently making incursions into the pandyan territories. As a result the Vijayanagar kings proceeded against venad. The Vijayanagara Empire ( Kannada: ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ Telugu: విజయనగర సామ్రాజ్యము was a South In 1609 Kanyakumari fell in to the mighty hands of Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai. Consequent to this, there was no serious threat to Nanjilnadu, until 1634.

In 1729, Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma took control of Venad after putting down the insurgency of the Ettuveettil Pillamars. Marthanda Varma (Anizham Thirunal Malayalam, (1706-1758 was the Maharajah of the Indian Princely state of Travancore from 1729 till He defeated the forces of the Dutch East India Company under Eustachius De Lannoy in 1741 at the Battle of Colachel. Eustachius Benedictus (Eustache Benoît de Lannoy (also spelt "Lennoy" and sometimes called 'Captain De Lannoy' ( 1715 - June 1, 1777, The Battle of Colachel (or Battle of Kulachal was a battle that took place on 10 August 1741 ( 31 July OS during the Travancore-Dutch War In the later part of the 18th century, Chanda Sahib, a rebel commandant related to the Nawab of Arcot attacked Nagercoil and other areas. Nawabs of the Carnatic (also referred to as the Nawabs of Arcot) ruled the Carnatic region of South India between about 1690 and 1801 Travancore had to contend with such attacks and monetary demands from the Carnatic Nawabs or from their rebellious governors until the English fully supported the state of Travancore. In spite of the troubles encountered in the southern border of Venad, Marthanda Varma expanded the kingdom towards north up to Aluva and established the state of Travancore. By this, the present day Kanyakumari District came to be known as Southern Travancore. Later, the capital was shifted from Padmanabhapuram (in present day Kanyakumari District) to Thiruvananthapuram.

After Marthanda varma, Venad had to face incursions of Mysore's Tipu Sultan. This led to treaties with the English East India Company. Subsequently, the kings of Travancore ruled the country accepting the hegemony of the English. In 1762, a treaty with the Carnatic Nawab brokered by the English gave control of Shengottai and Kanyakumari to Travancore.

The rule of the Travancore royals finally ceased in 1947 when Travancore had to join the independent Indian Union. In 1949, Kanyakumari district became part of the newly constituted Travancore-Cochin State. The majority of the people of South Travancore Taluks (Kanyakumari District) were Tamil-speaking and a popular agitation for merging the Tamil majority areas of South Travancore to Madras State (now Tamil Nadu) was started during this period . The State's Reorganisation Commission also recommended this. Accordingly, the Indian States Reorganisation Act, 1956 was passed and Kanyakumari District was formed on 1 November 1956 , with the four Taluks, Viz. , Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode, merged with Tamil Nadu. Thiru. R . Thirumalai, I. A. S. , assumed charge as the first Collector of Kanyakumari District on 1 November, 1956.

Though generally a peaceful place, violence flared up between Christians and Hindus in 1982 at the coastal village of Mandaicadu. In the subsequent violence and police shoot-outs in several parts of the coastal areas of the district and in Nagercoil, several people were killed.

On 26 December, 2004, the Indian Ocean Tsunami that struck several countries of South Asia, South-East and Africa caused havoc in the coastal areas of the district, with the western coast of the district severely affected. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of Casualties were close to 900 deaths and several hundreds missing and injured. Social organizations from several countries and the Government have since been working on rehabilitating the affected people and property.

The Land & Geographical Features

Kanyakumari is the smallest District in Tamil Nadu, with a land spread of 1,684 km² and has almost all ecosystems - forests, wetlands, freshwater resources, marine, etc.

Pechiparai Reservoir

The district, once called 'The Granary of Travancore' is fertile, with hundreds of water bodies and an excellent canal irrigation system. Pechiparai Reservoir is a reservoir located 43 kilometers from the town of Nagercoil, near the village of Pechiparai in Kanyakumari District A granary is a storehouse for threshed grain or Animal feed. In ancient or primitive granaries Pottery is the most Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Rubber and spice plantations are found on the hilly terrain, while paddy fields, plantain (banana) and coconut plantations are found on the plains, near the coast.

The district is generally hilly, with plains found near the coast. The land from the sea-coast gradually rises from sea-level to the Western-Ghats hills in the deep interior of the district. The District has 62 km of coast on the western side (Arabian Sea coast) and 6 km of coast on the eastern side (Gulf of Mannar/Bay of Bengal coast).

There are three important riverine ecosystems, which confluence with Arabian Sea. They are :

1. Thengapattinam estuary, formed by the confluence of river Tampirabarani in between Thengapattinam and Eraiummanthurai. 2. Valliyar estuary formed by the river Valloiyar near Kadiapattinam. 3. Manakudy estuary formed by the confluence of river Pazhayar in between East and West Manakudy villages.

Apart from these, are two minor estuaries also: they are Pambar estuary near Colachel and Pantri estuary near Rajakkamangalam. These are formed by excess water in the drainage canal during monsoon and the water drained from the irrigational fields.

Soil types -

(1) Laterite soil is found at Thiruvattar, Killiyoor, Munchirai, Rajakamanagalam, Thuckalay blocks.

(2) Red and Alluvial soil are found at Agastheeswaram and Thovalai blocks. Alluvium (from the Latin, alluvius, from alluere, "to wash against" is Soil or Sediments deposited by a river or other running WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Agastheeswaram is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state Thovalai is a small village located in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, is famous for flowers

The soil pH is between 4. 5 to 8. 0. The minerals in soil - nitrogen: low to medium, phosphorus: medium, potassium: high

Land Use - 48. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 9% under cultivation and 32. 5% under forests.

Demography

Kanyakumari District is the third-most advanced district in Tamil Nadu. It had a population of 1,676,034, as of 2001. It is 71. 27% urbanised as per Census 2001. [1]

The district has a literacy rate of 91. 11%, the highest in the state.

Climate

Based on a 50 year study, it is found that during the North-East monsoon, between October and December, a precipitation of 549 mm is received in 24 rainy days and during the South-West monsoon 537 mm is received from June to September in 27 rainy days. In summer, 332 mm of rainfall is received in 11 rainy days between March and May. The annual average rainfall in the district is 1465 mm with a maximum of around 247 mm in October and a minimum of 21 mm in February. Relative humidity ranges between 60 to 100%. Relative humidity is a measurement of the amount of Water vapor that exists in a gaseous mixture of air and water

People, Culture & Religion

Language

The main languages spoken by people of the district are Tamil and Malayalam. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Not to be confused with the Malay language. Malayalam (മലയാളം malayāḷaṁ) is a Dravidian language used English is widely understood in the urban areas. While the majority in the district speak Tamil, Malayalam is an important language, and spoken by many, in the northern and western areas of the district.

People of the district celebrate both Tamil and Keralite (Malayalam) festivals, apart from religious festivals. Tamil Pongal festival and keralite Onam festival are both popular in the district. Thai Pongal (தைப்பொங்கல் is a Harvest festival equivalent to a Thanksgiving event celebrated by Tamils across the world Onam is the state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated in honour of Mahabali, the mythical Asura king of ancient Kerala

Religion

An Octo-circular Ayyavazhi Thangal near Thiruvattar on the Marthandam - Kulasekaram road. Ayyavazhi (aiavəɻɪ( Tamil:அய்யாவழி Ayyavali - "Path of the father") is a dharmic belief system that originated Nizhal Thangal ( Tamil:நிழல் தாங்கல்; also called Inai Thangals) is a simple temple WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Thiruvattaru is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state Martandam is the second biggest town next to Nagercoil and also a major trade centre across National Highway (NH 47 in the Kanyakumari district of Kulasekaram is a Town Panchayat in the district of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India

The religions of Christianity, Hinduism and Islam are represented in the district, with Christians forming close to 45% of the population. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The district has the third largest Christian population among all districts in India. ^[1] Also, about one-fifth of the Christian population of Tamil Nadu live in this district.

Hindus form the other sizeable percentage of the population and there are a number of Muslim dominated belts in the district. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Roman Catholic Christianity was introduced in Kanyakumari area by the European missionary, St. Francis Xavier, who resided at Kottar, while doing missionary work in the neighbouring areas. Saint Francis Xavier ( Konkani / Konknni: Sam Fransisku Xavier/ Sanv Fransisk Xavier Basque: San Frantzisko Xabierkoa Spanish: San Francisco Later, with the coming of the British in India, Protestant missionaries introduced Protestant Christianity. The Christian Missionaries, as elsewhere in India, were the pioneers of English Education in the erstwhile Travancore State and more particularly in the then South Travancore areas (including Kanyakumari District).

This district is the birth place of Ayyavazhi (Hindu-sect) religion. Ayyavazhi (aiavəɻɪ( Tamil:அய்யாவழி Ayyavali - "Path of the father") is a dharmic belief system that originated Apart from the role in the religious universe, Ayyavazhi also plays a major role in the social history of Kanyakumari in the mid-nineteenth century. ^[2] Islam had a firm foothold in this region since ancient times. The Main Mosque(Valiya Palli)in Thengapattanam is believed to have been built by the missionary team lead by Malik ibn Dinar,1400 years ago. [[2]]

Food

Rice is the staple food of the people, though for some people in the hilly areas, Tapioca is the main food. Tapioca is a flavorless colorless odorless Starch Though there are some vegetarians among the populace, a majority of the people use agro, meat and fish products. Fish caught in the seas around the district during the night or early morning hours reach the markets in the interior towns and villages in the early morning. Though the food is spicy, it is less spicy than the food prepared in the other districts of Tamil Nadu, and the people in the district tend to use more grated coconut in their curries and food-preparations, like neighbouring Kerala.

Decorative lights at a church in Marthandam during the Christmas season. Martandam is the second biggest town next to Nagercoil and also a major trade centre across National Highway (NH 47 in the Kanyakumari district of With 45% of the population being Christian, Christmas is celebrated across the district with lights, decorations and various programmes

Festivals

Kanyakumari District has important religious sites for all three major religions in the district, viz. , Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Ayyavazhi festival, Ayya vaikunda Avataram is widely celebrated throughout the district. Ayyavazhi (aiavəɻɪ( Tamil:அய்யாவழி Ayyavali - "Path of the father") is a dharmic belief system that originated The Ayya Vaikunda Avataram ( Tamil: அய்யா வைகுண்ட அவதாரம் - Incarnation of Vaikundar) is a festival celebrated by the followers ^{[3] [4]} The Kodiyettru Thirunal celebrated in the religious head quarters, Swamithope pathi attracts a huge crowd^[5] across from and beyond the state. Kodiyettru Thirunal is the festival celebrated in Swamithoppepathi for eleven days by the followers of the Ayyavazhi. Swamithoppe Pathi ( Tamil:சுவாமிதோப்பு பதி Swamithoppu-pathi, Manavai-pathi, Thamarai-pathi or Thalaimaippathi ^[6][7][8] The car festival at Suchindram also attracts large crowds in the month of January. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Suchindram is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state The Kodai festival in the month of March at the Mandaicadu temple also attracts large crowds, both from Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Thirukalya Utsavam in Kumaracoil temple, near Thuckalay, is celebrated in the month of March - April, and attracts large numbers from Kerala. In the St. Xavier's Church at Kottar, the annual festival on the 3rd of December, is celebrated with grandeur, and attracts Catholic people (and some Hindus too) from all over South India. All important religious festivals like Christmas, Deepavali, Ramzan are celebrated with fervour. Diwali, or Deepavali, (also called Tihar and Swanti in Nepal (Markiscarali is a major Indian and Nepalese festival and a significant Ramadan or Ramazan ( Arabic: رمضان Ramaḍān) is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic

New Year is grandly celebrated with Vana Vediakkai (fireworks) and local games such as Valukku Panai (slippery palm - The game in which the person has to get to the top of the bamboo stick which is flooded with oil)

Folk Arts

There are several Folk Arts practiced in temples for Sastha (ayyanar), Sudalaimadan and Isakkiamman. The New Year is an event that happens when a Culture celebrates the end of one Year and the beginning of the next year Villupattu is especially for Sastha temples and Kaniankoothu is practiced for Sudalaimadan. Grand Tamil poetess Avvaiyar temples are found along with Isakki amman temples and worship of teachings of Avvaiyar can be observed

Many Folk arts and dances are popular in this district. They are played during the time of festivals in temples, celebrations in schools etc.

Bow Song (Villu Paatu) is an ancient form of musical - story - telling art of southern Tamil Nadu. Villu Paatu (or 'Bow Song' as translated in English Villu means Bow is an ancient form of musical story-telling art of southern Tamil Nadu. Villu Paatu has been especially popular in Thovalai and neighbouring areas of the district.

Bow, the age-old weapon of warriors - paradoxically lends itself to be used as a primary musical instrument for the Villu Pattu artists. There are Udukku , Kudam, Thala, Kattai, etc. as supplementary instruments in their performances. Udukku, mentioned in the ancient Tamil literature as Thudi, is a small drum with a slender middle portion which is held in the left hand and played by the fingers of the right hand . Occasionally, the Villu Pattu team divides itself into two groups, each trying to prove opposite points-of-view of a subject. This is called Lavani Pattu. The songs used by the Villu Pattu artists are mostly traditional folk-songs.

Thiruvathirai Kali occupies the pride of place among the folk dances. It resembles Kummi and is played especially during Onam festival. Kummi is a Folk dance, popular in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India, danced mostly by Tamil women in circle. The players are young girls. The necessary number of girls is 8,10,12 or 16 for each dance. They move round and sing in chorus. Each girl strikes the stick (Kole) which she holds in each hand, and the striking of the sticks and the steps , which she makes are rhythmical to the tune.

Kalial is a folk dance played by group of men or boys in the country side. A group leader sings songs and keeps time with cymbals. The players stand in a circle with sticks in their hand and dance round a lighted lamp repeating the songs sung by the leader. They turn, twist, lean forward and backward, squat and move round singing to the tune. At the beginning the steps are elaborate and at times, they are also very quick . When invited to perform in a function, the players generally begin the dance with an invocation for heavenly aid and conclude the dance with a torch - dance using lighted torches. This folk dance exhibits the artistic and recreative life of the country side.

Kathakali is a unique form of drama, which has its origin in Travancore. Kathakali (കഥകളി kat̪ʰəkaɭi is a form of highly stylised classical Indian Dance - Drama that is noted for its attractive make-up of characters Kathakali (story-dance) is a relatively recent (fifteenth or sixteenth century) development of earlier dances, which, like dances every where, arose out of religious expression through symbolical action. In this art-form, the characters express their ideas not by words, but by significant gestures. In Kanyakumari District, it is now played in the temples at Thiruvattar, Thirparappu, Ponmana, Kuzhithurai, Neyyoor and Munchira during the time of festivals. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Thiruvattaru is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state

Ottam Thullal is a form of story telling. It is a popular for of amusement, staged in the temple premises and Malayalam is the language commonly used. Ottam Thullal is now played in the temples of Thiruvaattar, Thirparappu, Ponmana and Thirunanthikara in the district during the time of festivals.

Kalari, also known as Adimurai in Kanyakumari district, is an ancient martial art, still preserved in the villages of the district, and also in Kerala. Kalari is the Malayalam word for the kind of gymnasium where Kalarippayattu, a martial art from Kerala, is practiced A tradition believed to have been founded by Parasurama is known as Vadakkan Kalari ; another is credited to Agasthiar in which the emphasis is on striking at vital points of the body and not on weapons, even through sword, knife, Urumi (rolling sword), Mankombu (horns of a deer), Kandakkodali, (a kind of axe), mazhu (a kind of axe) etc. , are also used.

Infrastructure

Greenery along the National Highway 47, near Chunkankadai

Transport & Highways

There are two major National Highways (NH) roads emanating from Kanyakumari town. The following highways are numbered 47: Canada Alberta Highway 47 York Regional Road 40 (Bloomington Road - Formerly Highway One is the NH-7 that starts from the town and runs through Madurai and the other is the NH-47 that runs to Salem through Kerala, touching some important cities in Kerala like Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi and also in Tamil Nadu. Madurai Salem ( Tamil: சேலம் is a city and a Corporation in Salem district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The road stretch from Kanyakumari to Thiruvananthapuram is one of the busiest Highway stretches in India.

The state-owned Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation is the major operator of bus services in the district, though licences are issued for specific routes to private operators.

Today, there are 3495. 80 km of surfaced roads in the district.

The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram International Airport which is 70 km away from Nagercoil, the capital of Kanyakumari District.

Railways

Nagercoil is a major railway junction, connecting the eastern and western rail-lines. The western line runs through the west coast (though Kerala) and the eastern line runs through the east into Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, towards Chennai. Tirunelveli (திருநெல்வேலி is a city in Tamil Nadu and was formed into a Municipal corporation in 1999 by merging three municipalities viz The rail-link to Kanyakumari was established only in 1978, mainly because establishing a rail line through the district posed some challenges for the rail department and took a lot of efforts, especially the western line. The western line that runs to Thiruvananthapuram today runs through some huge artificial ground-elevations and number of hill-tunnels. For nature-lovers, the rail-route from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram should be a real delight.

Kanyakumari District is connected through direct train services with all leading metropolitan cities in India, like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore & Kolkata. These Express trains originate either from Kanyakumari or Nagercoil.

Passenger (local) train services and other express-trains run between Thiruvananthapuram and either Nagercoil or Kanyakumari. The journey by train from Thiruvananthapuram to Nagercoil usually takes an hour-and-half.

India's longest-running train, both in time and distance, The Himsagar Express runs between Kanyakumari town and Jammu Tawi. The train covers 3,751 km between Kanyakumari and Jammu Tawi, in 74 hours and 55 minutes.

Electricity Generation

There are two hydro-electric power stations at Kodayar, generating a combined 100 MW of power. Aramboly in Kanyakumari District is a major centre for generation of wind-mill power and one of the largest in South Asia, led by major corporations like suzlon and Micon. Suzlon Energy ( is a Wind power company in India. In terms of market share the company is the largest Wind turbine manufacturer in Asia (and Micon the Younger of Athens was an ancient Greek painter and sculptor from the middle of the 5th century BC.

Colachel Port

Colachel Port is a small, but natural harbour, in the western side of the district, near the town of Colachel. The Government has plans to turn it into a major port / container trans-shipment terminal and is now in the process of making a feasibility study. Colachel Port would have certain advantages over other neighbouring ports in India when developed, in that, it would be closer to international shipping lanes - shipping traffic between Europe, West Asia and the Far East passes not far from the port. Also, the port is naturally deep. Being situated close to the tip of the Indian Peninsula and with major ports like Colombo and Singapore in the vicinity, the port is expected to become a busy port. Colombo ( Sinhala:, ˈkoləmbə Tamil: கொழும்பு is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Singapore

Education

The Protestant Missionaries who arrived in the 19th century were the first to introduce English Education in the District. The founder of the English School in the erstwhile Travancore State was Rev. William Tobias RingleTaube, a native of Prussia and a man of great force and character. He came to the State in 1806 and then onwards, he devoted his whole energy to evangelistic work and wherever he went, he carried with him the mission of English education. He was incessantly preaching and teaching and he established many schools for poor children, Christians as well as non-Christians. During the short period of ten years (1806 to 1816), he laid the foundation not only for the growth of the Christianity, but also for regular education in the area.

Several European missionaries who came to the district (then South Travancore) after Ringeltaube, also contributed immensely to the cause of regular education. Today, a number of old educational institutions in the district carry the names of these missionaries.

Kanyakumari District, today, tops the state in literacy levels and education. Colleges of higher education are found throughout the district - especially Arts and Sciences colleges and Engineering colleges. The Scott Christian College in Nagercoil is more than 100 years old.

Noted engineering colleges in the district include the St. Xavier's Catholic College of Engineering and the Noorul Islam College of Engineering, near Nagercoil.

The state runs the Kanyakumari Medical College at Asaripallam, near Nagercoil.

Number of Schools in Kanyakumari district -

1. Pre Primary Schools - 83
2. Primary Schools - 413
3. Middle Schools - 147
4. High Schools - 121
5. Higher Secondary Schools - 120

Total - 884

List of Colleges in Kanyakumari District

1. Aided colleges - 12
2. Self financing colleges -4
3. Colleges for special education -8
4. Colleges for professional education - 20

Agriculture

Rubber Plantation near Pechiparai (Pechiparai Reservoir)

Kanyakumari District accounts for more than 95% of the production of natural rubber in the state of Tamil Nadu. The Kanyakumari ranks first among the districts of Tamil Nadu in literacy rate Pechiparai Reservoir is a reservoir located 43 kilometers from the town of Nagercoil, near the village of Pechiparai in Kanyakumari District Rubber is cultivated mainly in the hilly areas (on the western ghats) in the interior, while paddy fields and other crops are mainly found on the plains, near the coast. The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം

Major crops under cultivation -

1. Rice - 400 km²
2. Coconut - 210 km²
3. Rubber - 194. 78 km²
4. Tapioca - 123. 50 km²
5. Banana - 50 km²
6. Pulses - 30 km²
7. Cashew - 20 km²
8. Mango - 17. 70 km²
9. Palmyrah - 16. Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid or commonly palm tree) the palm family is a family of Flowering 31 km²
10. Tamarind - 13. This article refers to the tree For other uses see Tamarindo (disambiguation. 33 km²
11. Arecanut - 9. 80 km²
12. Jack Fruit - 7. 65 km²
13. Clove - 5. This article is about the Spice; for other meanings see Clove (disambiguation. 18 km²

Rivers

View from the Mathur Hanging Trough bridge with the Pahrali river flowing below. Purpose The Aqueduct was constructed in 1966 by the late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu K Pahrali River flows through the Kanyakumari District in southern India.

The major river in the district is Tambaraparani River locally known as Kuzhithuraiar. Tamiraparani River, originates on the eastern slopes of Western Ghats in Tirunelveli District of the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. This river has got two major tributaries namely Kodayar and Paralayar with the Pechiparai Dam and Perunchani Dam respectively built across them. Pechiparai Reservoir is a reservoir located 43 kilometers from the town of Nagercoil, near the village of Pechiparai in Kanyakumari District Perunchani Dam is an irrigation dam at Perunchani, Kanyakumari District, in the state of Tamilnadu, India There are many tributaries for Kodayar river of which Chittar River I and Chittar II, with their dams, are the major ones. Chittar River and its five tributaries and numerous other contributing streams originate in the Courtallam hills of Tirunelveli District in the state of Tamil The origin of Tambaraparani river is in the Western Ghats and the river confluences with Arabian sea near Thengapattanam, about 56 km. The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated: west of Kanyakumari town.

Valliar, another small river and its tributary Thoovalar, originate from Velimalai Hills, collect the drainage from P. Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from a given area P. Channel and its branches, ayacuts (irrigated area under a tank) and confluence with Arabian sea near Manavalakurichi.

Pazhayar River another small river starts at Shorlacode, a place about 18 km north-west of Nagercoil. This is mainly a drainage river mostly collecting the drainages of Thovalai, Ananthanar and N. P. Channels.

Pahrali River flows through the district. Pahrali River flows through the Kanyakumari District in southern India. The Mathur Hanging Trough, the highest and longest aqueduct in Asia, was built over it near Mathur. Purpose The Aqueduct was constructed in 1966 by the late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu K

Forests

The Forests in Kanyakumari District is verdant and virgin Forests and said to be of 75 million years old. Of the total district area of 1671. 3 km², Government forests occupy an area of 504. 86 km² which comes to about 30. 2% the total geographical area of the district. The forests of the district are administered through the Kanyakumari Forest Division, with headquarters at Nagercoil, the capital of Kanyakumari District.

Types of Forest in Kanyakumari Division : 14 types of forests from luxuriant tropical wet evergreen to tropical thorn forests occur in this District because of diverse locality factors, (according to Champion and Seths classification) Rainfall varies from 103 cm to 310 cm elevation from sea level to 1829 m. The forest area is 30. 2% of total district geographical area which is next to Nilgiris district with 59% and Dharmapuri District with 38% in Tamil Nadu State. The District has 52% of its forests as dense forests coming only second to Dharmapuri District with 58%.

The forests consist of soaring and lofty trees of Mesua ferrea, Bischofia Javanica, Vitex altissima to smaller trees of Dillini a species festooning climber, shrubs, valuable herbs, variety of orchids, two types of canes, many indigenous palms and cycas. The important timbers are Teak, Rosewood, Vengai and Aini and this District is worth mentioning here for the easy availability and quality of the above timbers. Various types of forest produces like bamboos, reeds, canes soft wood, tamarind, lemon grass, rubber, coconut, Arecanut, Kadukai, Cinna momum bark, Nelli, Cardamom, Mango and many medicinal plants of high value are harvested in this District. The Maruthuvalmalai located among green paddy fields and fluttering coconut palms is famous for valuable medicinal plants. This is the only District in Tamil Nadu, where rubber and clove plantations have been raised in Reserve Forests in an area of 47. 857 km² and 1. 1 km² respectively. The district is rich in wildlife with at least 25 types of mammals, about 60 species of birds including 14 species of migratory birds and many species of fishes, reptiles and amphibians listed. In short, these forests are a veritable trove of biological diversion.

From tourism angle, the forests are highly enhancing with pleasant sholas hill top forests, beautiful grass lands, panoramic valleys, top hillocks, singing streams, vast stretches of rubber plantations, valuable teak plantations and excellent climate. Mahendragiri, Maramalai, Sea field and Balamore estate, Ecology farm, Kalikesam, Pechiparai Dam, Perunchani Dam, Upper Kodayar, Maruthamparai and Mukkudal are some of the many places in the district of great scenic beauty.

The following are the Reserve Forests in Kanyakumari Forest Division :

1. Therkumalai East and West - 1741 ha 2. Thadagaimalai - 797 ha 3. Poigaimalai - 1,243 ha 4. Mahendragiri - 4,360 ha 5. Veerapuli - 28,109 ha 6. Velimalai - 1,126 ha 7. Old Kulasekaram - 694 ha 8. Kilamalai - 8,106 ha 9. Asambu - 4,310 ha

Flora and Fauna

Fauna

The flora and fauna of Kanyakumari District are vast and diverse.

Animals on the hills of the district include porcupines, hedgehogs, wild boars, etc. Porcupines are Rodents with a coat of sharp spines or quills that defend them from predators A hedgehog is any of the small spiny Mammals of the Subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. The boar or wild boar ( Sus scrofa) is an Omnivorous, gregarious Mammal of the biological family Suidae. , while storks , water hens, cranes are commonly found in the water bodies and wetlands. Storks are large long-legged long-necked wading Birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae. Cranes are large long-legged and long-necked Birds of the order Gruiformes, and family Gruidae. Reptiles include monitor lizards, pythons and other snakes. Common names pythons The Pythonidae are a family of non- Venomous Snakes found in Africa, Asia

In Mahendragiri hills (about 4,000 ft (1,200 m) above sea level), one can find bucks, leopards and deer. BUCK is the first full-length Album released by Christian Ska band BUCK Enterprises. The leopard (lɛpɚd Panthera pardus) is an Old World Mammal of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four roaring A deer is a Ruminant Mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. (Leopard-cubs often stray onto the highway near the hills and are sometimes run over by motorists).

Keeriparai and Maramalai, are habitats for wild elephants, while bisons are found in the Kodayar hills. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. This is an article about an animal For other uses see Bison (disambiguation.

In the Theroor wetlands, one can see several varieties of storks and migratory birds during specific seasons. Trout fish is among other varieties of freshwater-fish found in the Pechiparai reservoir (lake). Trout is the common name given to a number of Species of Freshwater Fish belonging to the Salmonidae family

Flora

Kanyakumari district is noted for its medicinal plants and herbs. The district also has a huge forest cover, accommodating a wide variety of plants, trees, shrubs, etc.

Commercial varieties include various kinds of Plantain (like Nenthiram, Palayamkotan, Thuluvam, Matti), Jack fruit (like Varikila and Koolan), Mango (varieties like Alphonsa, Bangalora, Neelam and Ottu) and coconut, which add to the richness of the cultivated crops and plants of the district. The plantain is a crop in the genus Musa and is generally used for cooking in contrast to the soft sweet Banana (which is sometimes called the See also Mangifera caesia The jackfruit ( Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a species of Tree of the mulberry family ( Moraceae) Mangoes belong to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous species of tropical fruiting Trees in the Flowering plant family Anacardiaceae The Coconut Palm ( Cocos nucifera) is a member of the Family Arecaceae (palm family In addition to fruits, a variety of flowers like roses and jasmine are also produced. A rose is a perennial flowering Shrub or vine of the Genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species Jasmine or Jessamine ( Jasminum) (from Persian yasmin, ie "gift from God" via Arabic) is a Genus of Shrubs

Gardening is a big passion among the locals (throughout the district) and some of the best varieties of plants are seen on display outside houses. Common garden varieties include Crotons, Lillies, Dahlia, etc. Croton is an extensive Plant Genus of the family Euphorbiaceae established by Carolus Linnaeus in 1737 Dahlia is a Genus of bushy tuberous, Perennial plants native to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia.

In areas like Keeriparai, one can see varieties of ferns, bamboo and other tropical plants. A fern is any one of a group of about 20000 Species of Plants classified in the phylum or division Pteridophyta, also known as Filicophyta At Pechipaarai, one comes across trees like 'Flame of the Forest', with its reddish and orange leaves and flowers, sparkling in an area of green cover.

Rubber estates are found in the hilly areas surrounding Arumanai, Kaliyal, Kadayal etc.

Maruthuvazhmalai (or medicinal) Hill, near Kanyakumari.

Medicinal Plants

The district is endowed by nature with several hills and mountains with rich herbs of medicinal value and minerals. Marunthuvazhmalai or Maruthuvamalai, a hill in the district located near Kanyakumari, literally means medicinal hill, and is referred to by Therapeutics (Buddhist monks) who belonged to the period of Emperor Asoka, as having medical and spiritual heritage. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi According to traditional beliefs, the hill was a piece of the mountain Gandha Madhana which dropped, while the mountain was being carried by Hanuman to Lanka during the epic war between Rama and Ravana. Hanuman (हनुमत् sa-Latn '''Hanumat''' nominative singular sa हनुमान् sa-Latn ''Hanumān'' known also as ' Anjaneya' (son of Anjana is one of the Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: For the South Indian film see Ravana (film. Ravanaa, also transliterated as Raavana, Ravan or Today, rare medicinal herbs are available here in abundance.

Sage Agasthiya, the first grammarian of good old Tamil was also the foremost of the Siddhars (the practitioners of herbal medicines). This sage is believed to have lived in 'the land’s end' and there is also a village by the name Agasteeswaram near Maruthuvamalai which owes its name to the dwarf sage. In this village, there is a temple dedicated to Agasteeswaramudaiyar which is believed to have been consecrated by Agasthiya himself. Besides medicine and grammar, Agasthiya was also adept in Varma Sastra. General palm leaf records like ‘Varmani’ and Varma Sastra were written by Agasthiya. Even today, this healing art of varmam treatment is taught in Kanyakumari in the Guru-Sishya tradition, and treatment is also done by elders who are quite conversant with this method of treatment by applying Tamil medicines in required proportion.

Marine Life and Resources

More than 200 species of marine fishes have been recorded in the coastal region of Kanyakumari district, which includes skates, rays, sharks, sardine, mackerel, etc. Skates are cartilaginous fish belonging to the family Rajidae in the superorder Batoidea of rays Batoidea is a Superorder of cartilaginous fish containing more than 500 described species in thirteen families Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body For the hide and seek-like game see Hide and seek. Sardines, or pilchards, are a group of several types of small Oily Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of Fish, mostly but not exclusively from the family Scombridae. Apart from fishes different species of prawns, lobsters, crabs, bivalves, gastropods, cephalopods and turtles are seen in the catch. Prawns are Crustaceans belonging to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata   Clawed lobsters compose a family ( Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine Crustaceans Lobsters are economically important as Crabs are decapod Crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (βραχύ / brachy Bivalves are Molluscs belonging to the class Bivalvia. They have two-part shells and typically both valves are symmetrical along the hinge line The class Gastropoda or the gastropods, also previously known as gasteropods, or univalves, and more commonly known as Snails The cephalopods ( Greek plural (kephalópoda "head-feet" are the Mollusc class Cephalopoda characterized by Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of

The coastline is rocky in several places, while sandy in other areas.

Wadge Bank

Wadge bank is a fertile fishing found where rich marine biological diversity occurs. Wadge bank may also be defined as a place of marine environment, where there is a rich availability of fish food organisms. The water depth of this region is low. The physical features of the water like under-water current, tides and waves will have less impact on the fishes and animals of this region. Fishes select this region for feeding and breeding purposes. Throughout the maritime countries of the world there are about twenty such wadge banks. Of these one is situated near Kanyakumari on the coastline of Kanyakumari District on the eastward as well as on the westward region for about 30 km. Here representatives of fish species of the three seas occur.

Mineral Sands on the coast

Beaches in specific areas of the district are rich in mineral content (and the sands look partly black). The state-owned Indian Rare Earths Ltd mines the sands for Zircon, ilmenite, monazite, Thorium and other minerals. Zircon is a Mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is Zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is Ilmenite is a weakly magnetic titanium-iron oxide Mineral which is iron-black or steel-gray In Geology, the Mineral monazite is a reddish-brown Phosphate -containing rare earth metals and an important source of Thorium Thorium (ˈθɔːriəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Th and Atomic number 90 Thorium is used in India's nuclear programme and nuclear power reactors. Thorium (ˈθɔːriəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Th and Atomic number 90 Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions

Handicrafts and Cottage Industries

This district is known for its traditional skills in handicrafts items. Making 'Monkey-doll' from the un-husked coconut and other handicrafts items from coconut shell or wood are two major activities in the cluster. Coconut shell handicrafts include making of spoons, ladles, forks, ice-cream cups, soup bowls, table-lamps, pen-stand, jewellery etc. Handicrafts made of seashells are available at Kanyakumari.

The district contributes nearly 28. 4 per cent of the total coir rope production in the State and is the first in the production of mats (98 per cent). The district accounts for 61. 5 per cent of matting produced in the State and qualitatively, the fibre produced in the district is rated as among the best. Nagercoil, Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode are the potential areas of the industry.

List of Products

Kanyakumari District is noted for two important agro-products : Honey and Cashewnuts. The honey produced near Martandam town in the district is marketed around India as 'Martandam Honey', while cashewnut production is an important activity around Martandam town. Martandam is the second largest town in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India, at the border with Kerala.

Items/Products produced in the district : Honey and honey based products, Pickles, Sea foods, Wafers (appalam), Flour items, Bakery items, Masala Powders, Fried Chips like banana, tapioca etc. , Murukku, Awal, Jams, squash etc. , Palm candies, Oils like coconut etc. , Coconut shell charcoal, Plant fibre brushes, Rose water, Temple articles, jewellery, Greeting cards from plant materials, Vermicompost, coir pith compost, Thatched palm leaf, Detergents, soaps, Phenyl, Ready mades, Embroidery products, Pin lace products, Cloth items, Granite and marble based products, Sculptures, Boat building, Handlooms, Metal crafts like jewellery, Wood based items, furniture, carvings, leather products, Pottery items, Flower and flower products like bouquets, Roof and flooring tiles, Herbal medicines, Clay and hollow bricks.

Tourism & Places of Interest

Kanyakumari - Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar Statue at sunrise

Thiruparappu waterfalls

View of the Western Ghats at Keeriparai

Chothavilai Beach, near Nagercoil

Thirparappu Temple, near Thirparappu Waterfalls

Mathur Aqueduct (Mathur Hanging Trough Bridge)

The district is a major tourist attraction in India, with a year-round tourist traffic at Kanyakumari town and several important tourist spots like Padmnabhapuram while seasonal in other tourist spots. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Thiruparappu is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state The following are some of the major tourist attractions in Kanyakumari District, distances being given from Nagercoil:

• Kanyakumari, the Land's end, and the confluence of the three water bodies, is 20 km to the south of Nagercoil, with tourist attractions of its own which include the Vivekanda Rock Memorial, 133 ft (41 m) high statue of Tamil poet-saint Tiruvalluvar - both on the mid-sea on rocky islands; the place is also famous for its distinctly beautiful (reddish) sunrise and sunset. Thiruvalluvar (திருவள்ளுவர் is a celebrated Tamil poet who wrote the Thirukkural, an ethical work in Tamil literature.
• Vattakottai Fort, or Circular Fort, is a fort near Kanyakumari, right on the sea-shore, built under the orders of De Lannoy during the reign of Marthanda varma (1729-58 AD). Vattakottai Fort (or 'Circular Fort' is a seaside fort near Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India. Marthanda Varma (Anizham Thirunal Malayalam, (1706-1758 was the Maharajah of the Indian Princely state of Travancore from 1729 till The view from the top of the fort, of the sea and the palm-fringed beach below is fantastic.
• Suchindrum (Thanumalayan) Temple, about 6 km from the heart of town and Nagaraja Temple (in the town), are some tourist attractions within the town. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Suchindram is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state
• St. Xavier’s Church, (Kottar in the town), built in the year 1600 AD, has historic importance due to the visit of St.Francis Xavier. Saint Francis Xavier ( Konkani / Konknni: Sam Fransisku Xavier/ Sanv Fransisk Xavier Basque: San Frantzisko Xabierkoa Spanish: San Francisco The church was built in the land allotted to St. Xavier by the Venad king.
• Swamithoppe Ayya Vaikundar Pathi, about 11 km from Kanyakumari, which is the religious headquarters of Ayyavazhi, is well known for its non-idolatry system of worship. Swamithoppe Pathi ( Tamil:சுவாமிதோப்பு பதி Swamithoppu-pathi, Manavai-pathi, Thamarai-pathi or Thalaimaippathi Ayya Vaikundar (அய்யா வைகுண்டர் according to Akilattirattu Ammanai, a scripture of the Ayyavazhi, was a Manu (father sovereign Pathi ( Tamil:பதி - "The place where God is" is the name asserted to the primary centres of congregational
• Padmanabhapuram Palace, (22 km from Nagercoil), once the seat of the Travancore kings, is India's only palace made completely of wood (16th century). Padamanabhapuram Palace complex is located in at Padmanabhapuram Fort close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu.
• Chitharal Jain Monuments (about 35 km near Marthandam), impressive rock shelters and idols dated 9-11th Century. The Chitharal Jain Monuments are located in a small village situated at a distance of 7 km from Marthandam and 55 km from Kanyakumari.
• Thirunandikkara temple (about 20 km), rock-cut cave temple of Pallava art can be traced back to seventh and eighth century AD.
• Thengapattinam Beach. This beach is located on the west coast near Painkulam village in Vilancode Taluk. It is a fine beach adorned with coconut groves. It is also a magnificent estuary where the river meets the sea. Riding in a catamaran (small boat) in the river can be a pleasant experience which can be arranged through local fishermen. It is 35 km from Nagercoil, 12 km from Kuzhithurai and 54 km from Kanyakumari.
• Udayagiri Fort, built by the Travancore kings, is a fort previously used for training the Travancore forces and also served as Barracks. Udayagiri ('Udaya' meaning morning and 'giri' meaning peak Udayagiri translates as the peak on which morning sunlight falls first is the name of many places in India, among Capt. Eustachius De Lannoy's tomb is within the fort. Eustachius Benedictus (Eustache Benoît de Lannoy (also spelt "Lennoy" and sometimes called 'Captain De Lannoy' ( 1715 - June 1, 1777, The fort (about 90 acres and almost full of vegetation now, with several plants, reptiles, etc. ) is presently declared as a bio-diversity park and maintained by the Kanyakumari forest department.
• Mathur Hanging Trough, near Thiruvattar in the District, is an aqueduct that carries irrigation water through a canal between two hills. Purpose The Aqueduct was constructed in 1966 by the late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu K The canal itself goes above a small river. Built on very high pillars, it is said to be one of the biggest aqueducts, both in height and length, in Asia. The view from the middle of the aqueduct of the surrounding hills and vegetation and the small river flowing down below is superb. There is also a bridge called chenkody bridge[NEAR KALLANKUZHI] which is very beautiful to see.
• Olakaruvi waterfalls, about 20 km from Nagercoil is on the middle of a hill and requires an hour's trek by foot from the base of the hill (better to go in a group, as it is a forested area)
• Keeriparai - for nature-lovers and adventurers - pristine and beautiful, places like Keeriparai haven’t been publicized much by the Forest Department for various reasons - Keeriparai hills (30 km from Nagercoil) and the nearby Kalikesam are good picnic spots - one can enjoy water rushing through small mountain streams - with pebbles and ferns all around. In contemporary usage picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a Meal is eaten outdoors ( Al fresco or En plein air There are also a few small waterfalls in this area - the popular one being Vattaparai Falls. Vattaparai Falls are located at, elevation 40 M, in the Keeriparai reserve forest near Bhoothapandi village (Pin629852 (Met Sta #10145 on the Pazhayar Maramalai, which is further up in the hills of Keeriparai is famous for Wild elephants. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea.
• Kodhayar (called Kodhayar Lower Camp) – is about 60 km and takes travellers through some exciting hill roads (motorable roads) with some thrilling 'hair-pin bends' and U-turns - Kodhayar forests are famous for bisons, though there are other wild animals too. Access to some areas need prior permission from the Forest Department.
• Pechiparai Reservoir, about 30 km from the town, in the hills, and also Perunchaani and Chittar dams are a must-see for the nature-lover (with clouds touching the top of the hills around the dams on a misty day !). Pechiparai Reservoir is a reservoir located 43 kilometers from the town of Nagercoil, near the village of Pechiparai in Kanyakumari District
• Thiruparrapu Falls, is a waterfall near Thiruparrapu. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Thiruparappu is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state
• Muttom, a coastal village, is another popular place with tourists. The terrain in this village and its surroundings is hilly and from a height one can have an idyllic view of the place, with a Portuguese style church standing in the middle of the village. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The beach-area is somewhat rocky. There is also a 100-year old lighthouse. A lighthouse is a Tower, building or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or in older times from a fire and used as an The lighthouse, though near the sea, is situated on a land mass some 105 feet (32 m) above sea level. Another attractive feature of this area, is a reddish ravine-like area with casurina trees near the seaside. This place with very popular with Tamil and Keralite film-makers, especially Tamil film director Bharathiraja. Bharathiraja (born 17 July, 1941 in Alli Nagaram, Theni district, Tamil Nadu) is a critically acclaimed South Indian filmmaker
• Sanguthurai Beach, about 8 km from Nagercoil is a palm-fringed and sandy beach. Sothavilai Beach is another good beach, about 7 km from the heart of town. Both beaches were hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami, but authorities have taken steps to improve facilities again. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of There is a very good lagoon (estuary - place where the river meets the sea) at Manakudy - 10 km from the town. A lagoon is a body of comparatively shallow salt or Brackish water separated from the deeper Sea by a shallow or exposed sandbank, coral
• Panchappathis, the five holyplaces of Ayyavazhi, all situated within 10 km radius from Kanyakumari
• Mukkudal reservoir : Fresh water supply to Nagercoil is from the Mukkadal Reservoir, about 8 km from the town, in the interior - itself a very scenic place, with a small bushy island in the middle of the dam. Pancha pathi பஞ்ச பதி ( Tamil: The five abodes of God) are the five important pilgrim centers of Ayyavazhi. Mukkadal dam is built across the Vambaru River in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India, 10 km from town of Nagercoil. The dam is surrounded by hills of the Western Ghats.

Photo Gallery

St. Francis Xavier's Church, Kottar, Nagercoil, where the great missionary-saint stayed and said mass for a period in the 16th century	Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari, at sunrise	View of the Western Ghats from Vattakottai Fort	View of the Hills from Udayagiri Fort
Thiruvalluvar Statue, Kanyakumari at night	Padmanabhapuram Palace, near Thuckalay	Ancient Jain temple on hill at Chitharal, near Marthandam	Muttom fishing village
Thirparappu waterfalls	Jungle stream at Keeriparai	Nagaraja Temple, Nagercoil	Mathur Trough Bridge (Aqueduct), one of Asia's longest Aqueducts, near Thiruvattar
Scenic view at Thottiyodu, on the Nagercoil-Thiruvananthapuram Highway	Suchindrum Temple near Nagercoil	Pechiparai Dam, with the Western Ghats in the background	Adhi Kesava Temple at Thiruvattar. Vattakottai Fort (or 'Circular Fort' is a seaside fort near Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India. There are two forts named Udayagiri Fort in South India Fort in Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari District The fort in Tamil Nadu is located at a distance Muttom (Tamilமுட்டம் is a village in Kanyakumari District of the Tamilnadu State India. Purpose The Aqueduct was constructed in 1966 by the late Chief Minister of Tamilnadu K WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Thiruvattaru is a Panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state Pechiparai Reservoir is a reservoir located 43 kilometers from the town of Nagercoil, near the village of Pechiparai in Kanyakumari District The Western Ghats ( Kannada ಸಹ್ಯಾದ್ರಿ Marathi / Konkani - सह्याद्री Sahyadri Malayalam സഹ്യപര്‍വ്വതം The inner temple is believed to be more than 2000 years old.
Hilly terrain near Muttom coast	Jain Art & Carvings at the hilltop-temple at Chitharal. Muttom (Tamilமுட்டம் is a village in Kanyakumari District of the Tamilnadu State India. The District is believed to have been under Jain (Jainism) influence, centuries ago. Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India.	Rubber Plantation near Pechiparai	Maruthuvazhmalai (or medicinal) Hill, near Kanyakumari. Legend has it that the Hindu God Hanuman dropped the hill/rock while flying to Sri Lanka to save sita. There is an Hindu Ashram on the hill.
Village scene, near Kanyakumari	Kovalam fishing village, near Kanyakumari	View of the sea from Vattakottai Fort. Vattakottai Fort (or 'Circular Fort' is a seaside fort near Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India.	Pilgrims taking holy dip at Kanyakumari, where the three water bodies, viz. , Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, meet
Navarathi Mandapam inside Padmanabhapuram Palace	Lotus Pond on the Nagercoil-Trivandrum highway, near Chunkankadai	Sunset seen from Chothavilai Beach	Black sands at a beach near Vattakottai Fort
Vattaparai, near Keeriparai	Lighthouse at Muttom, which is more than 100 years old	Gandhi Mandapam, Kanyakumari, at night	Thirparappu waterfalls
Muttom Coast	Captain De lannoy's Tomb at Udayagiri Fort	Baywatch Amusement Park, Kanyakumari	View from Chithral Jain Temple Hill

Tourist Information

Kanyakumari town and Nagercoil are directly connected by rail with almost all metropolitan cities in India. Eustachius Benedictus (Eustache Benoît de Lannoy (also spelt "Lennoy" and sometimes called 'Captain De Lannoy' ( 1715 - June 1, 1777, WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Nagercoil (Tamil நாகர்கோவில் is a city and it is the Http//en

Nearest Airport : Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) International Airport, 85 km away from Kanyakumari Town and 65 km from Nagercoil. Thiruvananthapuram ( Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം Tiruvanantapuraṁ) also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Nagercoil (Tamil நாகர்கோவில் is a city and it is the Http//en

Indian Ocean Tsunami

Kanyakumari district was one of the worst affected districts in India in the Tsunami that ravaged the coasts of various countries in South and South East Asia, on 26th Dec 2004. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when Casualties were close to 900 deaths and several hundreds missing and injured. Social organizations from several countries and the Government have since been working on rehabilitating the affected people and property.

Manakudy, Kottilpadu and Colachel were the worst affected areas in the district. Being a holiday (Sunday) and the peak of the tourist season, several people were washed away from the shores of Kanyakumari town also. A concrete road bridge across the Manakudy estuary was carried away by the waves for several metres into the estuary. Several people on the beaches near Nagercoil were also taken unawares.

Famous Personalities

Famous personalities from this district include:

• Kavimani Desika Vinayagam Pillai (renowned Tamil poet, writer and scholar)
• Kalaivanar N. S. Krishnan - Tamil Film comedian and Drama Artist of yester-years
• P. Jeevanandham, prominent socialist and close comrade of social reformer, Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
• T V Ramasubbaiyer (Founder of "Dina Malar" - a leading Tamil daily)
• Sathyan, famous actor of Malayalam films
• S. Venkitaramanan - Ex-Governor of Reserve Bank of India
• Admiral Sushil Kumar - 18th Chief of Naval Staff of India
• David Davidar -English writer and Ex-CEO of Penguin India(Publishers). Kavimani Desigavinayagam Pillai (July 27 1876 - September 26 1954 was an eminent Tamil poet N S Krishnan, popularly known as Kalaivanar and also as 'NSK' was a leading Tamil film comedian drama artist playback singer and writer in the early stages of the P Jeevanandham (1907 – 1963 (Tamil: ப ஜீவானந்தம் also called Jeeva, was a social reformer political leader litterateur and one of the pioneers Periyar E V Ramasamy (பெரியார் ( September 17, 1879 &ndash December 24, 1973) also known as Ramaswami T V Ramasubbaiyer (popularly referred to as TVR) was an Indian freedom fighter philanthropist and founder of the popular Tamil daily newspaper Dina Malar Dinamalar (literally daily bloom) Tamil daily was launched at Thiruvanthapuram on 6 September 1951 Sathyaneshan Nadar ( 1911-11-09 &ndash 1971-06-13) or Sathyan, as he is popularly known was a double- Kerala State Film Award winning Malayalam S Venkitaramanan was the eighteenth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 22 December 1990 to 22 December 1992 Admiral Sushil Kumar, a Nagercoilite Christian from Tamil Nadu, was a Chief of Naval Staff in the Indian Navy. David Davidar is an author and publisher He was educated at Madras (now Chennai) and Harvard University (where he obtained a diploma in publishing Now with Penguin Canada, Author of The House of Blue Mangoes
• Walter Davaram - Top cop of the MGR era in Tamil Nadu
• Vasanth -of Vasanth & Co. Vasanth is a well known Tamil cine director Career He worked as an assistant to K (Brother of Kumari Anandan) - (owner of leading chain-retail shops in Tamil Nadu)
• Kumari Anandan - Leading orator and politician, brother of Vasanth, businessman
• Kumari Muthu, comedian in Tamil Cinema
• Sundara Ramaswamy - Renowned Writer, Poet (with a pen name:Pasuvayya), Critique, and Socialist ; Founder of "Kalachuvadu"-the Tamil magazine (http://www.kalachuvadu.com) - died Oct 15, 2005 in California, USA. Vasanth is a well known Tamil cine director Career He worked as an assistant to K Events 533 - Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His works are available at kalachuvadu Padhipakam, KP Road-Kottar, and Sudarshan Padihippakam, Tower Junction, Nagercoil.
• Sathavathani Shaikuthampi Pavalar (renowned Tamil poet, writer and scholar)
• Bala Prajapathi Adikalar, present Pattathu Ayya of Swamithope pathi and one among the leaders of Ayyavazhi religion. Bala Prajapathi Adikalar (also spelt Adigalar or Adigal) is considered as the present religious leader of Ayyavazhi. Payyan dynasty is a family which manage and administer Swamithope pathi, the head quarters of Ayyavazhi. Swamithoppe Pathi ( Tamil:சுவாமிதோப்பு பதி Swamithoppu-pathi, Manavai-pathi, Thamarai-pathi or Thalaimaippathi
• Prof. Ranjan Roy Daniel - Leading ISRO Physicist (Padma Bhushan Awardee)
• P. T. Samy, Nanjil P. Thangasamy, writer of ghost stories
• Devasahayam Pillai, 18th century convert to Christianity, recommended for beatification
• Shenbagaraman Pillai, freedom fighter who travelled in Emden submarine and threw bombs in Chennai
• Jeyamohan, renowned literary writer
• Lakshmi Manivannan, literary writer, the publisher of literary magazine, Slate
• Hepsibha Jesudasan, an early Tamil novel writer
• Krithika, a Tamil novel writer with strong Nietszhean ideas. Devasahayam Pillai was an 18th century convert from Hinduism to Christianity in the southern part of India. B Jayamohan, or B Jeyamohan is a noted Tamil Writer and Literary critic from Nagercoil in the south of Tamil Nadu. Slate is a fine-grained foliated homogeneous, Metamorphic rock derived from an original Shale -type Sedimentary rock composed of Clay
• Raja Kesava Das (died 1799) - Able Chief Minister of Travancore under Karthika Thirunal Ramavarma during the invasion of Tipu Sultan. He was from Kunnathur, Vilavancode.
• Velu Thampi Dalawa(died 1805) - The Diwan of Travancore under the Maharaja Balaramavarma. Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi (1765 - 1809 was the Dalawa or Prime Minister of the Indian kingdom of Travancore between 1801 and 1809 during Led the rebellion against the hegemony of the English East India Company. He was a native of Thalakulam in the district. He started Nayar Pattalam. The Nair Brigade was the army of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore in India.
• Admiral Krishnan - Former Chief of Indian navy
• Marshal A. Nesamony - Also known as Nesamony Vakkeel
• Kamukara Purushothaman - Late Playback Singer in Malayalam movies
• Thirunainarkurichi Madhavan Nair - Poet and Lyricist. Famous Song: "Atmavidyalayame"
• Admiral O. S. Dawson - Ex-Naval Chief of Staff of India
• Jeppiaar (JPR) - founder of Sathyabama University
• V. Sathyabama University is a Private University in Tamil Nadu, India, founded in 1987 G. Paneerdas (VGP) - businessman (late) - pioneered Theme park near Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• T. N. Gopakumar - TV and Media personality in Malayalam
• Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair - Famous Malayalam Actor of Yesteryears
• Lyricist Mr S. Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair was a famous poet playwright scenarist lyricist orator film director and actor in Malayalam though he is best known as an actor Rameshhan Nair - Famous Malayalam Poet
• Nanjil Kumaran, IPS - Present Chennai City Commissioner of Police
• Mullanchery M. Velaian - organizer Kumari Arivial Peravai
• Mayara Venkata Subbarao - Also known as Chittibabu

References

Er. C. Thayabaran M. E. Chairman of SUN,Surya,Udaya Group of Colleges Nagercoil

External links

(Click link to see Images of Kanyakumari District on Wikipedia : Kanyakumari District in Images)

• Kanyakumari District
• Kanyakumari Portal
• Kanyakumari Tourism
• handicraft industry
• religious violence
• history
• Eraviputhenthurai
• AllLocale.com Website for every neighbourhood in Tamil Nadu and Kanyakumari
• Kumari Arivial Peravai
• SIVALAYA YATHRA in Kanyakumari District