Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu

The temple at Kanyakumari or the Virgin Maiden stands proudly at the Cape Comorin. It is one of the most famous temples in India and it is believed that pilgrims should visit both Benares and the cape to complete their pilgrimages.

Mythology has it that the deity Kanyakumari was born out of Siva's Shakti in order to tackle the demons Bana and Muka. Along with Kanyakumari another divinity was born and is situated in Kalighat as Mother Kali. The famous festival there is the ambu cherthal which is marked to celebrate the creation of these divinities by lord Siva. Another version of the origin of the Kanyakumari temple is that there was a maiden in heaven by the name of Puspakasi who was a great devotee of Lord Siva who was sent to earth by Siva to kill Bana and Asura. Bana and Asura had received a boon that they could be killed only by a virgin and hence Puspakasi was able to kill them and restore peace on Earth. When Pushpakasi started doing penance to go back to heaven after her accomplishment, Parasurama installed her image along with a Vinayaka as he believed that she alone can safeguard the land. And thus the Kanyakumari Amman or the temple was formed. The processional deity here is called Thyagasundari and Holy mother, who appears in the state of being ready for marriage is called Syamasundari.

This temple at Cape Comorin can be reached by road from railway stations of Tirunelveli and Trivandrum. There are a lot of government and private hotels there along with a Government Traveler's Bungalow and Devasthanam Choultries.