KANYAKUMARI Deep South

As land's ends go, India's is a little like England's. A small promontory leading down to fabulous views over the seas, magical vistas and visions of lands beyond.

Like England's, it is also a tourist mecca, with an ever-increasing assortment of stalls and shops flogging all the usual seaside tat to the out-of-towners and pilgrims, especially to the fun-loving swamis, young medallion men who can't wait to get down to their Ys or black and gold loincloths, to frolic in the sea before going off to make their devotions to the nearby gods and goddesses.

They are surprisingly the coolest Indians we've met - friendly, fun AND a bit devil-may-care. Tops off? No outdoor clothes? In the sea? Wild and crazy guys!
 

Kanyakumari local council haven't sanctioned a theme park yet - give them a couple of years and the right offer - but that is made up for by the amount of shrines and temples they've managed to jam into this small piece of real estate.

We visit Goddess Shakti's temple, called Bhagavathy Amman or Kanyakumari Devi. I'm obliged to take my shirt off to follow the action (No photos, sorry ladies) in the cool, dim, chiming, seemingly subterranean heart of this small place of pilgrimage, bang in the middle of the market.

Pink powder ten rupees a pop, chest hair model's own

In stark contrast is the wedding cake-iced, neon-lit, psychedelic fairground vision of Catholic Cathedral Our Lady Of Ransom where a massive sound system invades the streets to herald m'lady's ten-day feast celebrations.

Each evening very loud music, chanting and complicated services are held in the Catholic quarter's town square, attended largely by sari-clad Indian ladies, as an alternative to the more blokey temples.

To visit the Vivekananda Rock Memorial just offshore, and the giant Thiruvalluvar statue, we join the Indian posse for the ferry over. The temples are very striking, beautiful, small and cosy in spite of their lofty location.

We even spend half an hour in the meditation room, largely to escape the tourists who are virtually queuing up for their selfies with us.

I'm still convinced they're collecting us to add to their #funnywhitepeople Instagram group.

Due to low tide we can't get to see the big fella close-up on his island, but we do get great views back over to the town.

Gandhi's monument is of interest - he first took his kit off here in 1925 (I might have made that bit up**), near the start of his march to freedom.

We're immediately corralled by another little old fella (a la David at Mamallapuram), who gives us a fun, potted five minutes on Mohatma's time here, before asking for his tip.

Up the stairs and out onto the terrace we finally find that tranquil southerly spot where tourists fear to tread, for a half hour's quiet reflection on how far we have come.

* Every year the feast of Our Lady of Ransom is celebrated for 10 days in the month of December. The feast of Our Lady of Ransom begins with the flag hoisting on the following Friday immediately after the feast of St. Francis Xavier, Kottar which falls on 3 December.

** Located near the shores of Kanyakumari, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial was built in the honour of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation. Also known as Gandhi Mandapam, it is an important part for every Kanyakumari tour, presenting a glimpse into the historical richness of India and into life of the great man that India had seen.

Mahatma Gandhi has visited Kanyakumari twice, in the year of 1925 and then in 1937. After his demise in 1948, his ashes were kept in 12 different urns so as to transfer them to different parts of the country. One of these urns was brought to Kanyakumari. Before immersions, it was kept at the spot where the memorial is built now for public so that they can pay their last homage to one of the greatest sons of India. Later the ashes were immersed in the sea waters at Kanyakumari. Later Mahatma Gandhi Memorial or Gandhi Mandapam was built at the same place.