The picture below has been taken way back in December 2013 as a part of our family tour of South India. That is me, in the pink floral top trying to capture the majestic Vivekananda Rock memorial situated in Vavathurai, Kanyakumari. The beauty of the memorial is such that it can captivate anyone’s mind. The memorial creates a soothing environment over the sea which makes the view all the more enthralling.
The rock memorial was built in honor of Swami Vivekananda in 1970. Apart from that, the locals has a ardent belief that on that very piece of rock Goddess Kumari ( considered an avatar of Goddess Parvati) undertook great penance to please Lord Shiva. The rock Island is also the place where Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment. The picturesque Indian Ocean serves as a backdrop for this fantastic marvel of Man. The waves pays homage to the great spiritual genius whose birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India.
According to published literature the memorial is comprised of two structures: ‘Shripada Mandapam’ and the ‘Vivekananda Mandapam’. Shripada Mandapam consists of the sanctum santorum and along with it the inner and outer Prakaram surrounded by the outer platform. The Vivekananda Mandapam consists of the Meditation hall, the Assembly hall with the front entrance steps. The majestic statue of Swami Vivekananda in the “Parivrajak pose” seems to watch over the town of kanyakumari along with the divine presence of Goddess Kumari. The memorial is located just 500m from the mainland and provision of ferries are abundantly available. The ferry takes visitors over the rough waves to the memorial against a nominal charge of Rs 20 per person (back in 2013).
As I stood in awe watching over the magnificent small island, it dawned upon me that I am standing at the southernmost tip of Indian Mainland. That very feeling brought goosebumps and made me squeal in joy. The tide was high during our time of visit and the waves roared its way up to our feet on a higher rock where we were perched. Our short tour of the main tourist places of South India was made memorable partly due to the visit to this beautiful place. The beauty of the place is to be cherished with one’s own eyes and mark my words, You won’t be disappointed !
Wanderlust Ignited 