Kanyakumari, is one of those destinations which I visited as a child for the first time. Recently I went for a wedding at Chennai, when I saw buses plying to Kanyakumari. I couldn’t resist revisiting the place where I’d been years back.

Located at the southern tip of the India, Kanyakumari has a unique coastline. It’s also the meeting point of three oceans-the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. As a child I possibly missed the multi-coloured sand, which is a unique feature of the beaches here. But this time I made it a point to check out the sand. I also noticed that now the place is dotted with many hotels & has newer stay options.

I’d put up in hotel Samudra near the temple, overlooking the sea. Every time I would skip a heartbeat when the endless ocean with its rough surging waves, crashed against the rocks. From the window of my room, the spectacular sunset was all the more engrossing. The scenic vista can actually keep you engaged for hours. Every evening I would go upto the beach & sit to watch the sun till it vanished behind the horizon. I was carrying my camera, but for some unknown reason I was feeling uneasy to take pictures. It seemed the moment I start clicking pictures, I’ll lose this feeling of respite. May be I was rather too greedy to watch & absorb every moment of the beautiful evening.

After a day’s relaxation, I pulled myself to visit the famous Vivekanand Rock Memorial, the Kanyakumari Temple & the Portuguese Church, which are other highlights of the city besides the ocean. The moment I boarded the jetty which would take me to the Vivekananda rock, I saw young kids jumping around as I did when I came here first time. This time I was composed & was going there to note the architecture & heritage of the rock. The memorial is a combination of some distinct styles of temple architecture. Next day I was only planning to visit the Kanyakumari temple & the famous church, but couldn’t resist the temptation of seeing the Vattakottai Fort. The fort was erected as a symbol of military history of India which is small yet charming. The circular fort on the seashore, 6 kms away from Kanyakumari is an 18^th century fort.  

Very true to its culture, Kanyakumari is often referred to as the Alexandria of the East. Many small & big shops dot the city. But there isn’t much to buy from.

At the end of my second day, I was to return to Chennai & then board the Chennai mail to Kolkata. I skipped two working days at my office owing to this trip and was feeling somewhat guilty. But I’d lots of memories which came alive in last two days which made me quite happy & content to have come here.