Attractions in Tamil Nadu

Vivekananda rock memorial is a popular monument in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. Thiruvalluvar statue which is 133 feet tall was built adjacent to this memorial. It ages four decades and is one of the most visited tourist spots in Kanyakumari ever since it was erected. It stands on few rocks amidst the ocean, just 400 meters away from Kanyakumari. The memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, well-known spiritual philosopher who revived Hinduism in India.

Vivekananda was the disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, founder of the Ramakrishna Mission. He is very famous for his speech in Chicago at the Parliament of the World's Religions for addressing the gathering as ‘sisters and brothers of America’. The place where the memorial is built is the place where Vivekananda meditated before going for an important religious meeting.

The architecture of this memorial is totally Indian contemporary style of architecture. The memorial was built by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee under the supervision of Shri Eknath Ranade. A life size statue of Vivekananda is positioned inside the memorial. The Dhyana Mandapam (Meditation Hall) of the memorial provides great ambience with the natural beauty that sets up the right mood for meditation.

There are two rocks that reach out to the ocean adjacent to the Kumari Amman temple. One of these rocks has an interesting legend stating that the sacred feet of the virgin Goddess Devi Kumari has blessed the place. This is one of the reasons for this site to be considered as a holy place. The rock preceded by the foot print was also known as the ‘Sripada Parai’ delivering the meaning “The holy foot rock”.

The Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam are the two significant buildings of the memorial. Vivekananda Mandapam is where the meditation hall is located providing a serene atmosphere to meditate. The view from this rock is gorgeous; one can witness the meeting point of three great water bodies the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The Shripada Mandapam holds a study hall and site also possesses a museum that portrays helps the tourists to know more about Swami Vivekananda, a wonderful place for spiritual enhancement with the encasing serene natural beauty of the site.