Getting to know Kanyakumari

 Kanyakumari , being the proverbial southern tip of our peninsula, is often imagined to be at the exact endpoint of an inverted triangle , with the three oceans neatly converging at that locus. The  "ground reality",  so to speak , is not all that geometrically precise . 

It did come as a surprise that the real  tip of  S. India is the estuary where River Pazhaiyaru enters the ocean. Kanyakumari stands a little way off  center. 

At the real endpoint , there are no tourist mobs, no souvenir shops, no  overcrowded ferry to Vivekananda Rock  -  no  Rock or  looming Statue . Just a broad  dazzling river meandering from between the  purple and gray ranges of the Western Ghats  , slicing the town of Manakkudi into "Upper Town" and "Lower Town" on either bank and creating  a gorgeous estuary  at the sea , a wetland that teems with biodiverse life forms . The Virgin Goddess hailed by the hymning waves  here is Virgin Mary , the  white steeples of whose Churches rise from  amidst dense mangroves and coconut palms , imparting a  postcard-like loveliness to the panorama . 

To view the charming scenery  all around , it is best to stand on the Lourdamma Simon Bridge connecting the two halves of the town. The bridge is named for the lone Lady Minister of CM Kamaraj's Cabinet (1954 to '63) , a lady who rose from a humble background to work wonders for the fishermen community and upliftment of rural women in the district. 

More  education in store ! Kanniyakumari  ( thats the official spelling) District has  the second densest population in the State and is The Richest district  of TN in terms of per capita income  itseems -What !?

 Most of its wealth comes from Agriculture and Fisheries , supported substantially by Tourism. 65% of India's total Clove output , and 3 % of  natural Rubber , come from here.......

 Wait.. and the District is the State  Topper in Human Development Index , literacy and education . Phew ! ...... could it have any connection to  the fact that it is more than 50%  Christian....or that ,in its infancy,  it was groomed by the visionary kings of Travancore ...? Or that , even in  Sangam times, the region had busy maritime trade with Rome, Mid East and SE Asia , exporting  spice, ivory , peacock feathers , ( in addition to whole elephants and peacocks ), timber etc. , so business acumen runs in the DNA  ?  The wealth of this region was  remarked upon by Pliny; noted  in "Periplus of the Erythraean Sea" where the land is called  "Aioi " or Land of the Ay Rulers .

Let the statistics be . Makes no difference to a traveler here today, who can have eyes only for the brilliant scenery .   Wedged between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, the District's enchanting natural beauty is always on glorious display , any direction you look . So what if the sun beats down in earnest throughout the year and humidity is a default setting ! 

As  you tumble down the narrow roads , past cheerful, bilingual hamlets , lush greenery envelopes you so relentlessly  you are almost grateful to suddenly spot a virulent yellow cube of a building promising  Best Forex. You know you have reached Nagerkoil , the district HQ . 

Though  a bustling city, it still retains the  grounded simplicity of an overgrown village. People have a ready smile and speak a lilting dialect of Tamil, heavily infused with Malayalam inflexes . For all the heat and humidity , no one seems to be sweating , except the weather-pampered Bengalurean .

Vehicle stops for Chaya - served ( authentically) in  patta-patti glass tumblers . So flavourful ! ...No to Nendran Chips and Chakkavaratti.  Yes to Banana .  No , not those huge red ones or the long yellows. This bunch of  dainty , tiny plantains , sticking out of the stalk crookedly, like unruly kids defying lines . They call it Matti .  Gone in one mouthful , Matti tastes like  dipped- in -honey ! GI-tagged produce , you are told. ( Other GI tags in the District are "Kanyakumari Cloves" and "Nagarkoil Temple Jewelry" ) 

Now to the business of  being  The Traveler : 

The main tourist attractions in the district are Kanyakumari town ( Temple, Rock , Statue and Memorial Mantapas), Waterfalls , Reserved Forests, more temples, beaches,  historical Fort ,  Palace , Sunrise and Sunset points .

Since, reportedly, only scant water was falling this season,  the Waterfall was crossed out of the list.  

Forests need  prior permits to enter and was never on the list. 

Too hot to wander amidst stone bastions. So, 'Fort' crossed out. 

Beach  - only if time was left over from other to-dos. ( Finally, no left over time, no Beach) 

Eagerly  sought out the Archeological Museum , only to find it closed on Fridays . When, universally, Museums are closed on Mondays ! Disappointment .

Sunrise - Check . Great view from the backyard of the cottage at the Resort , though this Sun rose from behind the mountain range and not over the sea . 

 Padmanabhapuram Palace and Museum - Check. A gorgeous piece of  heritage , managed and maintained by the Kerala Government , though located within Tamil Nadu. The woodwork - peerless . The Museum is well curated ;  nice to see a hall exclusively  for Epigraphy. Captions and sign boards give exhaustive info about each inscription . 

Gandhi Memorial Mantapam - Check. Right by the ocean . One huge hall with framed pictures and Quotations . The center piece is a little altar which marks the place where  a part of  The Mahatma's  ashes were kept briefly before immersion in the confluence. 

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Temples:

1. The primary  shrine is of course of Kanniyakumari or Bhagawathi . A shakthi peetam . The Mythology leaves one with more questions than answers . Crux is that Shiva who promises to marry Parvathi doesn't turn up on wedding day , making  her  a lifelong ( eons-long) ascetic doing penance . "There's  a reason he should not  marry her ", alright, but why promise in that case ?  Whatever. ....And there's that nice legend of her Diamond nose pin, gifted by a Chola Queen, that acted as a light house beam to guide sailors at sea ! Which Chola Queen  is not known. But  has to be  a Mrs.Chola  poste 10CE , since Nosepins became part of Indian jewelry only after that,. The nosepin  still dazzles brightly today , a bit too big and flashy for a real diamond it seemed. 

In all major temples, a Special Darshan ticket is sold, to bypass long lines . Here too . But strangely, Rs.20 is collected, without receipt, even from those in the General Darshan line, before entering the main mantapam ! No explanation  from the thugs . 

2. The second most famous temple of the district is  (S)Thanumalayan of Suchindram. Dedicated to Shiva(Sthanu)-Vishnu(Mal)-,Brahma(Ayan) . Huge campus with structural contributions by all major dynasties that ruled Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The  traditional architectural styles of both States can be seen intermingled here . A monolithic 22ft tall Hanuman ,  a masonry 13ft tall Nandi and an 8ft blackstone Veerabhadra , through whose ears a thin reed can pass from one side to the other, are  Star curiosities . Rich in inscriptions  and innumerable bas relief sculptures . Just as in all government administered  temples, Photography  is prohibited inside . A temple staff  is always prowling around , ready to pounce with a stentorian roar , if anyone so much as holds up a mobile phone. But , wonder of wonders, pictures and videos of all such jealously guarded temples keep appearing in social media regulary,  freely ! How ? Thugs under the table ?

( PS :  During this sojourn, The Click Ban was often appended with a warning of what consequences may befall those who disobeyed : At one place it was " Snakes will get you " , at another :" your phone/camera will be stolen /breakdown in a day" , in the next :" phone will be confiscated by the temple office" ; the last was  the most reasonable : "Temple staff will be reprimanded by officers who watch the CCTV , so please don't click. ")

3. Nagaraja Temple of Nagerkoil.  Now this is a curious case of  mixed origin . Jainism was pretty wide spread in the Tamil lands once , and it was only after the rise of the Bhakthi Movements  led by Alwars and Nayanars , that Jain influence waned . They say many Jain shrines were repurposed as  Murugan and Varadaraja temples, popular today. Evidences being scanty,  the claims are ignored as mere conjecture . Not so here ! This temple very clearly began as a Jain Palli ( Shrine and Monastery) , amply evidenced by huge stone inscriptions and bas relief sculptures of Mahavira, Parshwanatha, Adinatha , Yaksha Daranendra and Yakshis Ambika and Jwalamalini on pillars of the inner mantapam. None of the images  are erased , defaced or hidden away .The Inscription slabs are erected in full view , by the entrance .. According to old timers, till about 4 decades ago , the temple compound also sported a sign board declaring this to be an erstwhile Jain shrine, now used as a Hindu place of worship ! Scholars surmise that after withdrawal of Royal patronage for Jain shrines in historic times, the local chiefs  decided to continue worship , with "suitable modifications" and no destruction of the heritage building! It seems to have worked well ! A Rose is a Rose by any name,,,, ..... The three  main sanctums house a five headed Nagaraja , an AnanthaKrishna and a Shivalingam . There are a few subsidiary altars too.  

4.  AdiKesava Perumal Temple, Tiruvattaru . One of the Divya Desams. Built on a high platform, surrounded on  three sides by rivers ( Kothai, Pahruli, Tamraparni) , with a fortress like high compound wall. The core shrine 'dates from Treta Yuga.' As for the structural part, the earliest inscription is from 8 CE. Of course , all successive dynasties have contributed structures and extensions.  The  intricate woodwork and Kerala style murals are just  breathtaking! So are the life sized pillar sculptures - especially  those twisting, turning, smirking warriors  brandishing sword and horn !  In the sanctum , Shiva is seen near the reclining AdiKeasava . The entire reclining Vishnu has to be viewed , part by part , through three doors ( Face -Torso- Feet).  A monolithic mantapam ( Otthakkal Mantapam) is an attraction . Scores of Deepalakshmis are placed all over the corridors. 

For some strange reason , water-bottles  are not allowed inside this temple ! 

5. Tirunandikkarai : What a pretty site , in a woodland setting ! The main shrine is typical Kerala , circular , with a conical roof  clad with brass plates. Presiding deity is Nandikeshvara , a foot high lingam . The Nandi here sits in a sunken square - grounded there by Shiva for getting rowdy and creating havoc in the region ! The three subsidiary shrines house a Krishna,  a Shastha and a Yakshi. Since it was  midday closing time , could not do full justice to the temple. 

As a backdrop to the temple compound , rises a rocky hill , in which is excavated a cave dated 9 CE. , attributed to Pandyas. It is a protected monument under ASI . A very simple cave with a Shivalingam  of a later date inside and an older small lingam cut on the outer wall. The pillars and sidewalls of the entrance have grant inscriptions in Vatteluthu script. The most prized aspect of the simple cave  were the 9 th.century  frescoes on walls and ceiling. "Were", because now , a smudge here and a line there are all that remain ! Even pictures of  remnants in fairly recognisable shapes , in archived documents, are only a handful ; so the grandeur of the fully painted cave is left to imagination. Among the earliest cave paintings in South India, they were painted in the style of the Vakataka paintings of Ajanta  on  thin plaster layers applied on the rock surface . The crumbling and peeling of plaster due to weathering , seepage and  long neglect have deprived us of an irretrievable treasure.

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A Devotional Marathon called "Shivalaya Ottam" : The above Tirunandikkarai is one of the 12 Shivalayas that are touch down points  during a single day Marathon Run undertaken by devotees  as a Shivaratri ritual in this district. The entire route is about 100kms long . It is said that the ritual was started in the last century , perhaps as a personal prayer . But it has gained fad-value  and is now run by hundreds .From 2014 , the day of the Marathon is an official District holiday. A  story from Mahabharatha has been adopted as its "Origin Tale" . 

The devotees start before dawn at Tirumalai Mahadevar Temple ; after a quick darshan , start running , chanting "Govinda-Gopala", reach Thickuruchy Mahadevar temple -quick darshan-run...and on ...to successive temples.....ending at Tirunattalam Shankaranarayana Temple, well past midnight. All are Shivalayas, but the Chant is  "Govinda Gopala" . For a reason. 

 The Run is a re-play of  what  Pandava Bhima did to lure the meditating Purushamriga ( a strictly  Shivite sphinx ) to Dharmaraja's Yagna .  The Sphinx could be enslaved only when it was out of its divine sanctuary , and being powerful, it battered anyone who tried to catch it. Bhima's tactic was to provoke it , with the chant of Govinda -Gopala, to come chasing after him till it crossed the boundary of its sanctuary. When the powerful  Purushamriga comes  after Bhima and almost catches him,  the latter  drops a magical stone which turns into  a Lingam . Immediately the Sphinx stops to worship it and Bhima gains a headstart and runs ahead chanting Govina Gopala. The chase resumes....in this way , 12 stones become 12 Shivalayas . At the final one , the Sphinx sees Shankara-Narayana , realises the Oneness of Shiva and Vishnu and  tamely agrees to  go with  Bhima to the Yagna. The story reminds  one of the Greek Myth of Atlanta and the Golden Apples dropped to obstruct her run, causing her to lose a Challenge. 

In addition to TiruNandikkarai, happened to visit two more Shivalayas in this  Marathon series, Kalkulam and Melancode, as they were near some places on the itinerary.  

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6. Kalkulam Neelakanteshwara : A short way  behind the Padmanabhapuram Palace . A pretty huge campus with a very lovely temple tank . And a "Gopura Maadan" folk deity in front.  Barely 5 people  inside ! Very much in the same pattern of temples of this region , vast pavilions, huge intricate pillar sculptors ( the gloating Veerabhadras with Chinese moustaches !) , profusion of Deepalakshmis , dark sanctum beautifully lit with only oil lamps . 

There's a separate shrine called Adhisivan , behind the main vimanam, with a very tall  lingam clad with a brass face mask . Oil lamps, sambrani smoke , a deep booming drum.  An elderly Malayalam Lady was having some special ritual done. After Arati , she gave a handful of delicious prasadam : a mix of beaten rice, jaggery, coconut and sliced banana . And  very kindly also provided water to wash  hands after eating . 

7. Melancode Kaalakaalar : By a coconut grove , with a nice pond behind. Seemed quite an ancient structure . The Toranas on the outer (empty) koshtas were  noteworthy. Most parts have been rebuilt in modern times . Temple kept very clean . Behind the temple is the Sacred Grove with two huge old trees under which were installed the usual Naga stone votives and memorial stones  smeared with turmeric and vermillion. Some  had shiny  tinsel bordered  fabrics over them. The most arresting objects here were two tall  menhirs ! Wow,  unexpected bonus !  Menhirs are  memorial stones for ancestral worship from megalithic culture . How wonderful that they have continued to stand here , respected down millenia , even as other forms of memorialising came to vogue ! 

The Yakshi Sisters : In the same lane as the Kaalakaalar temple are shrines to  two Yakshis   known as Sisters ( Akka -Thangacchi) They are folk deities harking back to the animistic beliefs of ancient people . These Goddesses, similar to Hariti, are  inimical to children and have to be appeased periodically so that grave illnesses would not be visited upon the community. Aptly fearsome looking icons. In the outer prakaram are lined up many brightly painted wood and clay images , votive offerings, from 2ft to life size , of the same fearsome Yakshis  with flaming hair, long fangs , scary weapons and the mangled  body of a child dangling from the bloodied mouths !.....The  priest says with a  knowing smile : "They are not your compassion- incarnate  , boon dispensing soft gods . They are hungry spirits who demand to be appeased  regularly , or else ! "

Another Folk Guardian popular in the district is Sudalai Maadan , a  hero-warrior -ancestor-guardian.  His can be seen at random ,all over the countryside , either as a simple stone slab wrapped in a white dothi , planted under a huge tree , or as  dynamic blackstone  sculptures within bright , gold painted  , concrete temples. 

8. Parthasarathy temple , Parthivapuram ( Parthivasekharapuram) : Currently getting renovated by ASI , this 9 CE temple , built by Ay Dynasty , enjoys historical importance because it had a University ( Salai ) attached to it. Copper Plate Inscriptions issued at its inception talk, in minute detail, of how the school worked, the syllabi ( which, in addition to Vedas, included Civil, Administrative and Defense subjects),  the free amenities given to the 96 students , rules , regulations, codes of conduct  to be followed by the students  and the teachers , fines and punishments for wrongs , particulars about the donors expected to maintain the boarding etc  . 

Additionally , the inscription mentions that the school was organised on the same lines  as  "Kanthalur Salai" , a name  made famous by Rajaraja Chola's meikeerthi  . The ambitious Empire builder RajarajaCholan's first job , upon coronation, was to go all the way to Kandalur Salai University and demolish it fully. That's precaution ! - the elite University was capable of sending out highly efficient alumni who, if employed in other Royal Courts, could have proved a headache to his Empire Ambitions . 

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Summer having started, all  roadside kiosks were awash with yellow Tender Coconuts ( called Chenthengu) and  purple Ice-Apple fruit ( Nongu) . A cocktail made of tender coconut and Ice-apple ( water, jelly , all pulsed together) with an optional  squeeze of lemon , was on offer everywhere . In most eateries, the Kerala style cumin-water ( sometimes flavoured with nannari) was served first . "Munthiri Kotthu" a native  fried sweet made of moong and jaggery ( and no munthiri (cashew), inspite of the name!)  was vigorously plugged , but did not try . 

At the end of 5 days , did I get to know Kanyakumari District better ?  Cannot say . Whole chunks of its culture and traditions still remain to be explored. Some other day. 

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