Kanyakumari - Nithya Kanyake Nama...

Kanyakumari, the tip of Indian peninsula is not only renowned as the triveni sangama, but also for the 3000 year old Kanyakumari Bhagavathi temple dedicated to Goddess Kanyakumari, the virgin goddess, similar to the Goddess Malikappurathamma of Sabarimala, who stands in eternal vigil protecting the country on the shore where three oceans meet. 

The entrance to the temple is through the northern gate, while the eastern gate always remains closed except on some festival days, when deity is taken out for the ceremonial bath. The deity is facing the East.

 
 

According to lores, once Banasura, the demon king, got supremacy over Demi-gods and met out cruel punishment to them. The Demi-gods performed a ritual pleading to annihilate the demon. Goddess Parasakthi(the supreme mother) came to Kanyakumari as a virgin girl and began her penance. Meanwhile Lord Shiva (Sthanumalaya Perumal of Suchindram) fell in love with her and arrangements for the marriage were made in the midnight of a particular day. Sage Narada realised that their marriage would destroy the chances of annihilating Banasura because he could be killed only by a virgin. When Lord Shiva was on his way to Kanyakumari from Suchindram at Valukkamparai 5 Km south of Suchindram, Sage Narada assumed the form of a rooster and cooed falsely heralding the break of dawn. Thinking that the auspicious time for the marriage was past, Lord Shiva returned with disappointment. The Goddess too decided to remain virgin after that. Meantime, Banasura attempted to win the Goddess by force, she killed him with her weapon, and relieved the demi-gods of their sufferings. It is believed that Goddess is continuing her penance as Kanyakumari at the sea-side temple after that.

The idol made of a special and rare blue-stone (Neelanjana kallu), is believed to have been consecrated by Lord Parashurama. The Kanyakumari devi stands as a charming young girl in her penance mood with a rosary in her right hand, and a sparkling nose-ring(Mookkuthi) that sheds exuberant radiance. It is believed that the nose-ring of Kanyakumari devi is set with rubies which are so bright and could be seen from far at night. It is also told that some ships sailing at sea in the dark mistook the gleaming of those rubies for the light from a lighthouse, went off the sea limits and got wrecked, hitting against the rocks ashore. Hence Eastern gate of the temple is kept closed for most part of the year. 

After a walk around the outer corridor and crossing the Navarathri Mandapam, the pathway leads to the second corridor encircling the shrine. At the entrance here, after worshipping Kalabhairava and crossing the well (known as Pathala Ganga Teertham), the devotees reach the flagmast. After worshipping the Goddess Kanyakumari in the main sanctum sanctorum, pilgrims enter the inner corridor, where they can have the view of Indra Vinayaka (Lord Ganapathi). There is also a small shrine dedicated to Thyaga Sundari.

Banasura is believed to have been killed near Pothia Malai, north of Kanyakumari. From this mountain two rivers flows, one called the Tamravarni on the northern side, made by Sage Agasthya, and the other, the Kuzhithurai River, in the south. It is believed that Lord Parashurama established an idol of Lord Ganapathi at Kanyakumari just before establishing the Kanyakumari devi. It was done with the idea that Lord Ganapathi would help retaining the Goddess there with all her glory and get her fulfill his purpose. Indra established another idol of Lord Ganapathi when he arrived there, called Indra Vinayaka. The processional deity in the Kanyakumari temple is called Thyaga Sundari. The Goddess who appears in the state of being ready for marriage, is called Syama Sundari. 

The worship of Kanyakumari devi dates back to the Vedic times where she has been mentioned in the Narayana Upanishad (belonging to the Taittrya Arayanka) of Yajur Veda. Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), worshipped the Goddess in 1892 in Kanyakumari and with the blessing of the Goddess decided to embark on the Missionary Work that his Master Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886) always directed him to do.

Kanyakumari was under the rule of the Paravar Kings till the downfall of Pandyas, and later by Kings of Travancore till India became independent.