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Kanyakumari Bhagavathy Amman Temple
Devi Kanyakumari · Land’s End · Tamil Nadu
॥ ॐ दुं दुर्गायै नमः ॥
The Bhagavathy Amman Temple at Kanyakumari stands at the very tip of the Indian peninsula, where three seas meet, dedicated to the virgin goddess Kanyakumari — a form of the Mother who, by legend, did penance to marry Shiva and remained ever-young to guard the land. A revered Shakti Peetha, its image is famed for a diamond nose-ring said to shine far out to sea.
The virgin goddess of the south
Kanyakumari is Devi as the eternal maiden. The legend tells that she undertook severe penance to win Shiva as her husband; when the marriage was prevented for the good of the world, she remained a virgin goddess, standing at the edge of the land in unending vigil. As Kumari, the maiden, she gives the cape and the whole country its southern name.
A Shakti Peetha at land’s end
The temple is counted among the Shakti Peethas, the sites hallowed by the fall of part of the goddess Sati’s body. It faces the sea, and its sanctum holds the standing image of the goddess with a diamond nose-ring whose brilliance, by tradition, once guided — and misled — ships, so that the eastern door is opened only on special days.
Where three waters meet
Kanyakumari is the meeting-place of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, and pilgrims bathe at the ghat before darshan. Offshore rise the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the great statue of the poet Thiruvalluvar, so that the shrine sits at one of the most dramatic and sacred edges of India.
How to reach Kanyakumari
- By road: Kanyakumari is the southern terminus of the country, well connected by road from Nagercoil and Trivandrum.
- By train: Kanyakumari is a major railway terminus.
- By air: Thiruvananthapuram Airport is the nearest, about 90 km away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the goddess Kanyakumari?
Kanyakumari is the Divine Mother as the eternal virgin, who by legend did penance to marry Shiva and, when the marriage was prevented, remained ever-young to guard the southern tip of the land.
Is Kanyakumari a Shakti Peetha?
Yes — the Bhagavathy Amman Temple at Kanyakumari is counted among the Shakti Peethas, the sites hallowed by part of the goddess Sati’s body.
What is special about the diamond nose-ring?
The goddess’s image bears a diamond nose-ring of great brilliance, said by tradition to have shone far out to sea; for this reason the temple’s eastern door is opened only on certain days.
Where exactly is the temple?
It stands at the very tip of the Indian peninsula at Kanyakumari, facing the meeting of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
How do I reach Kanyakumari?
Kanyakumari is the southern terminus of India, a major railway station, with Thiruvananthapuram Airport about 90 km away.
What else is there to see at Kanyakumari?
Offshore stand the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the great Thiruvalluvar statue, and the sunrise and sunset over the meeting of the seas are famous.
॥ जय माता दी ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Goddess Kanyakumari (the virgin goddess) |
| Significance | A Shakti Peetha at India’s southern tip |
| Special | Diamond nose-ring said to shine out to sea |
| Setting | Meeting of three seas |
| Nearby | Vivekananda Rock, Thiruvalluvar statue |
| Main Festival | Navaratri |