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Kanyakumari is a town and a cape at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula. It is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. During British rule, it was known as Cape Comorin. The closest major city is Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
Geography
Kanyakumari lies at the meeting point of three bodies of water: the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It is situated in 8º 4' 20 N., 77º 35' 35 E., and is the terminating point of the Western Ghats.
Kanyakumari is famous for its scenic beauty of the Sun-Rise and Sun-Set.
Some of the very beautiful picnic spots around Kanyakumari are Vattakottai, Sothavilai Beach, Sangumugam Beach, Thirparappu Falls, Thottipalam and Kalikesam.
1. General Information on Kannyakumari District:
General information
Kanyakumari district's inception : 1-11-1956 (Separated from Travancore -Cochin and joined with Tamil Nadu)
Area : 1,684 sq. Km
Forest areas: 446.5 sq. Km.
Length of Sea shore : 68 Km.
Western Seashore : 62 Km.
Eastern Seashore : 6 Km.
Population: 10,00,340 (1991 census)
Male: 8,03,830
Female: 7,96,510
District's Head Quarters: Nagercoil
Population :1,591,174 (town area)
(Male : 797,914 & Female : 793,260)
Revenue Divisions : 2 (Nagercoil & Padmanabapuram)
Revenue Taluks : 4 (a) Agastheeswaram
(b) Kalkulam
(c) Thovalai
(d) Villavancode
Panchayat Unions : 9 (a) Agastheeswaram
(b) Rajakkamangalam
(c) Thovalai
(d) Kurundhancode
(e) Tuckalai
(f ) Thiruvattar
(g) Killiyoor
(h) Munchirai
(i ) Melpuram
Municipal Unions : 4 (a) Nagercoil
(b) Padmanabapuram
(c) Colachal
(d) Kuzhithurai
Revenue Firkas : 18
Revenue Villages : 81
Sea port : 1 Colachal
Nearest Airport : Trivandrum
Parlimentary constituency : 1 ( Nagercoil )
Assembly constituency : 7 ( Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Thiruvattar,
Colachel, Killiyoor, Vilavancode)
Dams : Pechiparai, Perunchani, Chittar1, Chittar2
Watter supply dam : Mukkadal
Electric power : Kothayar
Post offices : 250
Bank branches : 1352. Information on the coastland of the District:
i. List of Coastal Villages
1. Arockiapuram 23. Peria Vilai
2. Chinna Muttom 24. Puthoor
3. Kanyakumari 25. Kottil padu
4. Vavathurai 26. Maramady
5. Puthugramam 27. Maramady
6. Siluvai Nagar 28. Simon Colony
7. Kovalam 29. Kodimunai
8. Kil Manakudy 30. Vaniakudy
9. Mel Manakudy 31. Kurumbanai
10. Annai Nagar 32. Helen Colony
11. Pallam 33. Enayam
12. Puthenthurai 34. En. Puthenthurai
13. Kesavan Puthenthurai 35. Ramanthurai
14. Pozhikarai 36. Mulloor Thurai
15. Peria Kadu 37. Poothurai
16. Rajakamangalam Thurai 38. Erayamanthurai
17. Azhikal 39. Thoothoor
18. Pillaithoppu 40. Thoothoor Chinna thurai
19. Muttom 41. Eraviputenthurai
20. James Nagar 42. Marthandam thurai
21. Kadiapattinam 43. Vallavilai
44. Neerodyii. Demography and Fishing Crafts: (SIFFS – February 2003)
Total Population - 1,38,569
Total Houses - 31595
No. of Boats already Registered - 1379
No. of Kattumaram - 6053
Vallams - 1747
Fishing Nets:
Kachavalai - 2236
Chazhavalai - 2050
Disco Valai - 3080
Vazhuvalai - 1175
Echavalai - 628
Thathuvalai - 733
Kal Rall Valai - 659
Ilu Valai - 530
Otha Kundu Valai - 519
Vazha Valai - 301
Valachavilai - 5
Mananguvalai - 125
Vaval Valai - 75
Thirukavalai - 38
Paduka Meen Valai - 211
Thattumadi - 296
Karamadi - 280
Total - 12,365
Out Board Engines (Susuk) - 2105
Out Board Lambady - 744
NGOs in the network - 26
Significance
In 2000, the government of Tamil Nadu installed a large stone statue of the Tamil saint Tiruvalluvar on a second rock next to it. The Statue, which has been sculptured by a team headed by Mr. Ganapathi Sthapathi, is 133ft in height signifying the 133 chapters of Thirukural.
Vivekananda Memorial at Kanyakumari is also one of the important touristic spot and attracts many Hindus. According to local Christians, the place which is now called Vivekananda rock was once actually a small rock with Cross on it for the worship of local Christian fishermen while they're in the sea. But, according to the Hindus whom built Vivekananda Memorial, it is the place where Swami Vivekananda meditated for some time before attending the World Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893. The place-issue once attracted severe communal and religious clashes. Today, a Vivekananda memorial stands on a rock half a kilometer into the sea, as well as a temple built around a rock bearing the footprint of Kanya Devi at the point where she performed her penance.
Kanyakumari beach is also the place where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were thrown into the sea. There is a memorial to him there, the Gandhi Mandepam.
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