Kanyakumari
Kanyakumari (US: /kənˈjʌkʊmɑːriː/; lit. 'The Virgin (or Kanya) Princess' referring to Devi Kanya Kumari), officially Kanniyakumari, also known as Cape Comorin, is a city in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the southernmost tip of the Indian subcontinent and the southernmost city in mainland India, and thus referred to as "The Land's End". The city is situated 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Thiruvananthapuram city, and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Nagercoil, the headquarters of Kanyakumari district.
Kanyakumari
Cape Comorin | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Kanniyakumari | |
Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Kanyakumari | |
| Nickname(s): Kumari, Thiruvenisangam | |
Kanyakumari Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu Kanyakumari Kanyakumari (India) | |
| Coordinates: 8.088300°N 77.538500°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Kanyakumari |
| Named for | Devi Kanya Kumari |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town panchayat |
| • Body | Kanyakumari Town Panchayat |
| • District Collector | P. N. Sridhar, IAS |
| • Member of Parliament | Vijay Vasanth |
| • Member of Legislative Assembly | Thalavai Sundaram |
| • District Panchayath Chairman | S.Merliant Dhas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 25.89 km2 (10.00 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 60 m (200 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 29,761 |
| • Density | 665/km2 (1,720/sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 629 702 |
| Telephone code | 91-4652 & 91-4651 |
| Vehicle registration | TN 74 & TN 75 |
| Website | www |
Kanyakumari is a popular tourist destination and pilgrimage centre in India. Notable tourist spots include its unique sunrise and sunset points, the 41-metre (133 ft) Thiruvalluvar Statue, and Vivekananda Rock Memorial off the coast. Lying at the tip of peninsular India, the town is bordered on the west, south, and east by the Laccadive Sea. It has a coastline of 71.5 kilometres (44.4 mi) stretched along these three sides.
On the shores of the city is a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kanya Kumari (the virgin goddess), after which the town is named. Kanyakumari has been a town since the Sangam period and was referred to in old Malayalam literature and in the accounts of Ptolemy and Marco Polo.