Tiruchendur and Beyond!!
Aaru Padai Veedu, also referred to Lord Murugan’s Six abodes signify 6 Battleground Camps of the Lord as per mythology. These are present across Tamil Nadu in Tiruttani, Palani, Swami Malai, Tiruchendur, Thiruparankundram and Pazhamudir Cholai. Except for Tiruchendur which is built along the seashore, the rest of the temples are built atop a hill/artificial hillock.
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Lucky to plan a varied itinerary!
Between me and my wife, while we have individually been to all these temples during our younger days, we had done only 3 of these temples at Tiruttani, Swami Malai and Palani together as family.Â
While we understood that an easier day of the week to visit Tiruchendur was a Monday considering that it generally remains crowded throughout the year, we wove a plan around a few places in and around Tiruchendur to try and make it a short and memorable break and at the same time, not being very hectic.
Monday at Tiruchendur meant that I hd a couple of days on hand and quickly drew up an itinerary to include Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur over 3 days.
However, by the time I got into booking the train tickets, realized that an easier way for me would be to return via Tuticorin as tickets from Tiruchendur were full.
It did us an opportunity to include Tuticorin though I wasn’t too sure on how long we would require and finally kept half a day.Â
- September 20th 2024
We had booked ourselves by the Kanyakumari Express which was to leave from Chennai Egmore station by around 5.20 PM. It was to be a long 12 hour haul and while we knew that we could always buy dinner enroute at one of those stations, to be on the safer side, we picked up something from Adyar Ananda Bhavan, just outside the Egmore station.
- September 21st 2024
Reaching India's Southern most point
A comfortable 12 hour train journey ensued and the train finally rolled into Kanyakumari station by 5.30 A.M. We had booked ourselves at Hotel Sealand which was located just around 700 metres away. No signs of any cabs nor did the apps like Ola and Uber work. Hired a Tuk Tuk guy Bhagavati just outside the station for Rs.50/- to drop us at our hotel which was just around 700 metres away. Took his mobile number just in case we wanted to use his service for getting dropped at Nagercoil station the next morning.
Check-in formalities completed, we made our way to our rooms on the 2nd floor.Â
As we came out of the lift we found a surge of folks heading to the top most floor leading to the terrace to take up vantage positions to view the sunrise over the Bay of Bengal.Â
We had around 25 minutes on hand to do a quick refresh and post some good Masala tea, headed for the terrace, armed with my DSLR camera and a couple of Mobile phones.Â
There was a goodly crowd gathered around our hotel and a couple of adjoining ones, all waiting in awe to see the ball of Orange emerge from the sea. At 6.12 AM, the sun emerged between the clouds against the vast expanse of the bluish green sea.Â
It was a beautiful sight to behold and the added advantage from the terrace was that we got to see some lovely views of the Vivekananada Memorial and the Thiruvalluvar statue.
Our plan for the day was to see some places of interest in and around Kanyakumari and come back during the later part of the day to visit the Memorial and the Thiruvalluvar statue if time permitted.Â
The famed Suchindram Temple
Searched around the internet for some cab services and narrowed down on a random cab operator Rangoli Tours and Travels after reading a few reviews of them on the net.Â
We finished a traditional South Indian breakfast and got ready by 9.00 AM. The cab driver Murali was already waiting at the lobby.
We had planned to visit the Thanumalayan Temple in Suchindram Temple and the Padmanabhapuram Palace in that order before returning to the city. We covered the 15 kms distance in around 30 minutes and reached the Suchindram by around 9.45 AM. Also known as the Sthanumalayan Temple, this place holds significant importance to both Shaivaite and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism.
Not to be missed inside the temple are the 22 feet high statue of Lord Hanuman made out of a single Granite Block and the 13 feet high and 21 feet long statue of Nandi.
While the name signifies the Trimurti, Standu means Mahesha, Mal means Vishnu while Ayan denotes Brahma.Â
Originally built by the Chola Kings in the 9th century, the temple was later rebuilt in the 17th Century in the traditional Kerala and Tamil style architectures.
Spread over 2 acres with 2 Gateway Towers, this is one among the 108 Shiva temples revered by the Kerala Hindu culture though Kanyakumari got merged into Tamil Nadu from the erstwhile Travancore.Â
The Eastern Tower of the temple stands at a height of 44 metres or 11 stories and is the tallest. Legend has it that the King of the Devas Indra got relieved of a curse where the main Linga of the temple is located.Â
We were out of the temple by around 10.30 AM and started our 20 km drive towards Thuckalay where the Padmanabhapuram Palace is located. Having purchased the entry tickets of Rs.5/ per head plus an additional Rs.50/-for the DSLR, we made our way into the Palace Complex.Â
A Palace of a different kind
Also known as the Kalkulam Palace, this Travancore era building, located in Kanyakumari District, is administered by the Kerala Government.
The complex lies inside an old granite fortress which is believed to be 4 kms long and is at the foothills of the Veli range and part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby. The clock tower at the entrance of the complex is 30 years old and still works.
Initially built in 1601 CE by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609, the palace was rebuilt in 1750 by King Marthanda Varma who ruled Travancore between 1729 to 1758. The King had dedicated the Kingdom to his family deity Sree Padmanabha (a form of Lord Vishnu) and hence the Palace earned its name of Padmanabhapuram. Though the Palace lost its former glory after the capital of the empire shifted to Trivandrum in 1795, the Royal family converted it into a museum in 1935.
Apart from the Palace having a 4 storeyed mansion at the centre of the complex, other notable structures were the King’s Council Chamber, the Performance Hall, the Guest House to host foreign dignitaries and guests, the Southern Palace and the Mother’s Palace.Â
The Mansion  comprises the Royal Treasury, the King’s Bedrooms, his resting and study rooms and the worship chamber. Beautiful Murals adorn the walls, depicting scenes of the social life of Travancore besides scenes from the Puranas. The Southern Palace connected to the Main palace by a Pubic Road stands converted to a heritage museum exhibiting antique household articles and curios.Â
An entire room filled with old Chinese jars gifted by Chinese merchants, brass lamps, wood and stone sculptures, large mirrors, a gallery of paintings depicting incidents from the history of Travancore, the king’s cot made out of 64 pieces of wood bearing medicinal properties, toilets and wells were also on display.
We were out of the Palace by around 12.45 PM and headed back to Kanyakumari. We stopped by for lunch at an Udipi restaurant in Nagercoil. The South Indian meals on offer were pretty ordinary and after a quick lunch, we headed for Vattakottai Fort located around 20 kms away.
A Circular Fort
Built in the 18th century, this Circular Fort served as a coastal defence fortification and barrack in the former Travancore kingdom. Â
Spread across an area of 3.5 acres of land, the fort commands a beautiful view of the sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other.Â
Made out of Granite blocks and overlooking a black sand beach, this 25 feet high fort with a thickness of 29 feet in the front was equipped with watch towers, rooms to store weapons and rest rooms and was also believed to have a secret 4 feet wide path tunnel from the Padmanabhapuram Palace to the fort.
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Vivekananda Memorial & Thiruvalluvar Statue
We made our way out of the Fort by around 3 PM and headed for Kanyakumari. The cab driver dropped us near the entry point from where the boats ply their return trips to Vivekananda Rock Memorial and Thiruvalluvar statue. To our dismay we found serpentine queues leading to the gates and after standing in the line for around 30 minutes, we were contemplating amongst ourselves to give up on the idea of doing the boat ride. The terrible heat and humidity were neither doing our cause any good and the closing of the gates at 4 PM came like a whiff of good news. We had done this boat ride during an earlier trip.
One of amongst the most popular tourist attractions in Kanyakumari and lying at India’s Southernmost Tip, this memorial was built in 1970 atop 2 rocks located around half a km from the mainland in honour of Swami Vivekananda who is believed to have attained enlightenment on this rock.Â
It is said that Swam ji swam across the seashore to reach this rock and meditated here for 3 days and nights.Â
Dhyana Mandapam, a meditation hall for visitors to medidate is available with the precincts of the memorial. Different styles of Temple architecture across India are incorporated in the design of this hall. The Laccadive Sea which is the confluence of the Indian Ocean with the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea surrounds these rocks.Â
Goddess Parvathi (Kanyakumari) is also believed to have performed penance at this very place for Lord Shiva.
The construct of the memorial had to weave itself through multiple religious discords and protests and it finally saw light  in 1970 thanks to the efforts of Eknath Ranade, an eminent social and spiritual reformer who had to fight commoners, politicians and finally using public funding managed to put this beautiful monument up.Â
The Memorial is a perfect fusion of the design of Ramakrishna Math in Belur in West Bengal wite West Bengal and Tamil Nadu Architecture.
Adjacent to the Memorial lies an imposing 7000 tonne statue of Thiruvalluvar, a celebrated Saint and Scholar who is best known for his Thirukural, a collection of couplets on matters like politics, economics, ethics and love.Â
This majestic 133 feet tall statue, depicting 133 chapters of the Tirukkural stands on a rock adjacent to the memorial and looks like a real masterpiece, set against the backdrop of the dee blue sky and resplendent sea. The pedestal on which this statue is mounted is 38 feet high, depicting 38 chapters of virtue, the first 3 books of the Kural text.Â
The second and third books on wealth and love represent the statue.
While the statue was dedicated to the people of Tamil Nadu by the then Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi, the credit for this creation goes to Indian Sculptor V.Ganapathi Sthapathi. Tourists are allowed to climb upto the foot of the statue only.
The Bhagavathi Amman Temple
We moved on to the Bhagavathi Amman temple located close by which is one among the 108 Shakthi Peethas.
Located adjacent to the resplendent blue waters of the Bay of Bengal and surrounded by strong stone walls, this temple with a history of over 3000 years is dedicated to Goddess Devi Kankyakumari, referred to as a virgin goddess. Legend has it that the demon Banasura gained a blessing that he could be killed only by a virgin girl and that Goddess Parasakthi took the form of Kumari or a virgin girl to destroy the demon. Â
She was then requested to stay back on earth till the end of Kaliyuga by Saint Narada and Lord Parasurama who then constructed this temple and installed her idol.Â
Other shrines dedicated to Lord Surya, Ganesha, Ayyappa, Bala Sundari and Vijaya Sundari can also be seen within the temple complex.
The Spices Market of Kanyakumari
While waiting in the queues for the boat ride, we picked up some spices from the local markets. Came across these packs of Cigarette Candies which this shopkeeper was selling. While we used to fool around with these candies in our hands and irritate our parents, I thought that this sweet was long extinct. Was pleasantly surprised to see them. Check the last picture below.
Confluence of the Seas and Ocean (Triveni Sangam)
The Triveni Sangam is the point where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. Bathing here is considered holy.
The Gandhi Mandapam (Memorial)
We walked across to the Gandhi Mandapam located very close to the temple, a memorial built in honor of the Father of our Nation.Â
Said to have visited Kanyakumari twice in the years of 1925 and 1937, after his demise, Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were kept in 12 different urns for transfer across different parts of the country while one such was brought to Kanyakumari for people to pay their respects.Â
While the ashes were immersed in the sea waters at Kanyakumari the Memorial came up in 1956 at the very same place where the ashes were kept. Coinciding with his age, the Mandapam was built 79 feet high and in the Orissa style of architecture. A unique feature of this Memorial is the ceiling which has an opening through which the sun rays fall exactly on the spot where the ashes were kept.Â
A library inside the Memorial showcases periodicals, books, magazines and pamphlets from the pre-independence era while one also gets to see various photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and other famous personalities who have contributed greatly for our country and the world.
Sunset View Point at Land's end Kanyakmari
We drove on next to the Sunset View Point which was to be our last halt for the day. Located around 2 kms from the City centre, this vantage point has been well developed for tourists to get some lovey views of the sunset. Different hues of the sky against the backdrop of the colours of the sea and the orange ball slowly setting make for a compelling view. The Sunrise and Sunset apparently happen from the same place and this is the only place in India where one gets to see this phenomenon.
We were back at the Hotel by around 7 PM and after paying the driver Rs.2,500/-Â for the sightseeing charges settled into our rooms after an early dinner. The next day was to be our checkout and our plan was to visit Tirunelveli and around. We were to catch the Chennai Egmore Express from Nagercoil station at 7.35 AM and had asked the same Tuk Tuk guy who had dropped us at our hotel the previous morning to come at around 6.15 AM.
- September 22nd 2024
I was up and ready by 5.45 AM and while the folks were getting ready, went upto the terrace with my cameras to shoot the morning sunrise. It was still dark and the lit up statues of Thiruvalluvar and the Vivekananda Memorial in the far background made for beautiful views.
I was up and ready by 5.45 AM and while the folks were getting ready, went upto the terrace with my cameras to shoot the morning sunrise. It was still dark and the lit up statues of Thiruvalluvar and the Vivekananda Memorial in the far background made for beautiful views.
We got into the Auto by 6.15 AM after completing the checkout formalities. Our stay in Hotel Sea Land costed us Rs.2,000/- per night. The hotel was pretty comfortable but lacked a dining option and we had to depend on nearby eateries for our food. Other options which one could explore closer to the beach are Hotel Sea View, Hotel Gopinivas Grand and Hotel Samudra.Â
Avoid booking through the portals as the 12 Noon check-out would be an impediment since you would end up paying for 2 nights while staying for one. All or at least most hotels around Kanyakumari offer a 24 hour checkout and since most trains come into Nagercoil or Kanyakumari station early in the morning, a direct hotel booking would be deemed to be a better option.
We reached Nagercoil station by around 7.00 AM. Paid the Auto Driver Rs.650/- for the one way drop of 18 kms.Â
Should one want to use his services when in Kanyakumari, you could call him on 9994902596. The ride was bumpy in some parts but we got to  see the rural side of life and the backdrop of the mountains against the paddy fields and lakes with the occasional bullock cart and tractor, something which we city breeders hardly get to see.Â
The flip side of arriving at Nagercoil was that there were no restaurants near the station while even at Kanyakumari, most hotels open only by 7.30 AM. The Auto guys waiting near the station suggested that we could pack some breakfast from a nearby tea shop, run by a family. Looking at the discomfort on our faces, they asked us not to worry as they said that the food was home made. Packed ourselves some Dosas and Idlis and boarded the Chennai Egmore Tirunelveli Express at around 7.30 AM.Â
We were almost by ourselves in the 2 Tier AC coach and after an early breakfast caught up with some sleep. It took us around a couple of hours to reach Tirunelveli. While on the train, called up a few cab operators to check their charges for a day’s sightseeing in and around the town and after checking a few reviews settled for RS Cabs. We deposited our luggage at the Cloak Room and got into the cab by around 10.15 AM.
Nellai better known as Tirunelveli
The town of Tirunelveli during the Puranic times was known as Venuvanam, meaning Bamboo Forest. Its believed that this town was one among 5 places where Lord Shiva is said to have displayed his dance, the other four being Madurai, Courtrallam, Thiruvaalangadu and Chidambaram. These dances were set in Stages or Ambalams as they were known, adorned with Copper, Silver, Paintings, Rubies and Gold for these 5 places.Â
Also known as Nellai, the city has quite a few nicknames including City of Paddy Fields, Halwa City and Oxford City (given the number of colleges in this district). The city is also home to the famous Courtrallam Waterfalls.
The Nellaiyyappar Temple
Our first halt was at the famous Nellaiyyappar Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple was built in the 7th Century AD by the Pandya Kings and subsequent regimes of the Cholas, Pallavas, Cheras and Madurai Nayaks added to the present masonry structure.Â
Considered to be a marvel of engineering and technology, the temple has its shrines enclosed with Concentric rectangular walls and also has a cluster of 48 pillars carved from a single rock which surround a Central Pillar. These Pillars produce the 7 musical notes when struck. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Nellaiappar (or Venuvananathar) and is represented by the Lingam while his consort Parvati is depicted as Kanthumathi Amman. It’s believed that their celestial wedding was witnessed by Lord Vishnu and that is why he is also worshipped in the same temple. There is a large statue of Nandi in this temple, similar to the one in Brihadheswara Temple in Thanjavur.
We were out of the temple by around 12.15 PM. The plan was to go visit one of the waterfalls before leaving for Tiruchendur by evening. Not sure of availability of proper vegetarian food enroute, we decided to do an early lunch. Bang opposite the Nellaiappar temple was a restaurant by the name of Nellai Saravana Bhava.Â
We tried out an assortment of dishes between a traditional South Indian meal to Cauliflower fritters and the local Malabari style Parathas washed down with some  nice Falooda. The food was pretty good and filling. Â
The Agasthyar Falls
We got into the car by around 1.15 PM and headed for the Agasthyar falls located around 4 kms ahead of Papanasam and over 50 kms away from Tirunelveli. The roads fortunately were good and we reached the falls in an hour and fifteen minutes.
The falls is located on the Western Ghats and to the South of Papanasam Lower, the lake from where the Thamirabarani originates.Â
It is believed that Sage Agasthyar viewed the wedding of Lord Shiva and his consort from this very place. We had no plans of bathing in the falls and after spending some time going around, started our drive back to Tirunelveli by around 3.30 PM. Â
The falls gets crowded on weekends with the locals landing up for bathing in the falls. One gets to see a lot of monkeys right from the Parking Lot and right upto the water falls.
We stopped by at the famous Shiva temple at Papanasam for a photo shoot from outside as the temple was closed and was to open only by 4.30 PM and there were crowds just beginning to gather.
Iruttukadai Halwa
We reached the town of Tirunelveli and the last thing on our agenda was to pick up the original Iruttukadai Halwa. True to its name of Darkness (Irruttu) Shop (Kadai), this small non descript outlet had a huge line waiting outside the shop by 4.45 itself when we reached.Â
Halwa is freshly made every day and starts selling by 5 PM and if one were to believe the locals, it normally gets over before 6 PM. Our cab driver suggested picking it from their outlet located 2 shops away where its sold under a brand name Visagam. We did our bit of shopping and got dropped by the cab driver at Tirunelveli station where we had to pick up our luggage.
As we entered the platform and started walking towards the cloak room, we saw an Express  train waiting at the station with the boards of Tirunelveli to Tiruchendur written on it. On enquiring with the locals, we were given to understand that this was the last of the 3 to 4 local trains which ply between Tirunelveli and Tiruchendur every day and which  traverses the distance of 63 Kms in one and a half hours.Â
After picking up our luggage, we went to the counter and asked them for AC Chair car tickets and to our surprise they said that these trains do not have reservations and only 2nd Class seater facilities were available. The cost of the tickets were only Rs.20/- per head.
We did our due checks inside the train and found the seats and the washrooms to be pretty well maintained. The train was due to leave at 18.50 hours and we made ourselves comfortable inside the train itself.
The train rolled into the temple town of Tiruchendur 5 minutes ahead of its scheduled arrival of 8.20 P.M. A very comfortable journey for the 3 of us at just Rs.60/- and it was a steal. While the kids had never been exposed to travel in a 2nd class compartment, for me and my wife, it was like reliving our childhood. The chugging of the train with the occasional distant lights popping up against the backdrop of the night sky when crossing the small towns enroute, the cries of chai-samosa as soon as the train pulled into any of the stations and our heads slanted towards the windows breathing the fresh air outside was literally like reliving our childhood.
The Temple town of Tiruchendur
We had booked ourselves in Hotel SR Grand which was just a minute’s walk from the Railway station. We finished the check in formalities and headed to their restaurant Saravana Bhavan, located in the first floor for dinner.Â
This was the same unit of the famed Chennai HSB (Hotel Saravana Bhavan) and the food was pretty good. The next day was to be our darshan at the Murugan temple.
Made plans to get up early and go for a morning run towards the temple area primarily to have a look at the seashore.
- September 23rd 2024
We had planned for an 8 AM darshan at the temple through some known sources. Post the run and photoshoots, headed back to the hotel by around 7 AM. The family was up and getting ready and after an early and nice breakfast at Saravana Bhavan, hailed an auto for the temple located less than 2 Kms away.
Tiruchendur Murugan Temple
Built adjacent to the seashore and one among the 6 abodes of Lord Subramaniyan (Murugan/Karthikeya/Karthik) who was born to Lord Shiva and Parvati, the temple is said to have been created by the celestial architect Mayan to commemorate the victory over the demon king Surapadman. After a long and vicious battle which ensued over many days, Murugan emerged victorious and killed the demon king in the process. A peacock was born at the same time and which went on to become his chariot or vahana as they call it.Â
Murugan wanted to worship his father upon winning and thus came up the temple. The sanctum santorum of the temple depicts Lord Murugan worshipping his father Lord Shiva.The temple has a 9 tier Gopuram or Tower Gate which is around 157 feet high. The inner sanctum of the temple is in a cave and the main deity depicts Murugan as a saintly child.
While the Dutch East India Company occupied the temple during their war with the Portuguese and even looted the main idols which were later restored back, this was perhaps the only temple which withstood the onslaught of the Tsunami in 2004. Water entered the inside of the town of Tiruchendur upto 2 kms but receded back soon and while the temple stood unaffected, no lives were also lost.
We were ushered in through a special entrance which quickened the waiting time before the queues were merged into one final line, just around 150 metres before the main sanctum sanctorum. A divine darshan followed and we came out of the temple by around 10.30 AM.
We took an auto back to the hotel and decided to complete our packing since the check out time was around 12 noon. There was nothing else to see/visit in this temple town and thankfully we had booked our return ticket via Tuticorin mainly for 2 reasons that the train from there reached Chennai earlier than the train from Tiruchendur and the second being that we wanted to see a little bit of the so called Pearl City before our return.
The final pit stop at Tuticorin
We hired a local cab to take us to Tuticorin and had asked him to come in by around 1.30 PM. The check-out formalities done and the lunch savoured at Saravana Bhavan, we started for our 40 KM drive to Tuticorin.
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It was an hour’s drive and the driver regaled us with stories of the movie shootings which were shot in that stretch and also on the feudal and very strong caste system prevalent in the villages around Tiruchendur and Tuticorin.Â
The cab charges for the drop was Rs.1,500/-. One could reach them in case you are looking for a cab service around Tiruchendur at 9677008522.
We reached Tuticorin by around 4 PM and got dropped at the Railway station. After having found our way to the cloak room to deposit our luggage, we hired a local auto to show us around the city. Â
Our first halt was at the Muthu Nagar Beach located just around 2 kms away from the station. In stark contrast to the crowded Marina beach of Chennai, here was a lovely stretch of golden sand set against the backdrop of the blue seas and very well maintained.
The Muthu Nagar Beach
We spent almost 45 minutes around the beach walking around after which we got back to the Auto.
Lady of Snows Basilica
We were not able to visit the Tuticorin Port Trust and Harbour as that entailed prior permissions and passes and had to give that a skip. On our way back we stopped at the Lady of Snows Basilica, a Catholic pilgrimage centre. The history of this church dates back to 5 centuries when the Portuguese had built a fort at Pallippuram in Kerala and followed it up with a church for Mother Mary in 1503. This was later renovated in 1931 and rebuilt in 2006.The locals fondly call her Santa Maria Das Nevis (meaning Our Lady of Snows in Portuguese).
The photo shoots completed, we got dropped at the station by around 6 PM. The Auto driver charged us Rs.300/- for keeping us busy for 2 hours including his waiting charges. We settled in at the waiting room and had a clear 2 hour window to ourselves since our train was at 20.25 hours.Â
Googled around for some eating joints as we had decided to pack ourselves some dinner and after checking with some locals, walked upto a restaurant called Birundhavan, located very close to the Railway Station.Â
Since I had around 30 odd minutes on hand for the food to get ready, decided to visit the 700 year old Shankara Rameshwarar Udanurai Pagampriya Shiva temple, located very close to the restaurant.It was here that Lord Shiva was supposed to have defined the Pranava Mantra to Goddess Parvati. It is also believed that for childless couples, if one bathes in the Holy Tank inside the temple also known as Vanjapushkarani and worships the Lord, they get a child.
Picked up the food and headed back to the station around 7.30 PM. While randomly clicking pictures on my way back, was surprised to see the names of a few restaurants being termed as Night Clubs. As Shakespeare put it, “What’s In A Name?”
Boarded the Pearl City express around 8.00 PM and finished off an early dinner before the train was to start.
The wife went off to her novel, the grown up kids to their mobile chats and reels while yours truly picked on my laptop for what ensued as an uneventful journey.
We reached Chennai at around 7.30 AM the next day morning. A short 3 day packed break which helped us cover 4 cities located down South in Tamil Nadu.
Very detailed article. Excellent clicks