All India Jain Temples and Tourist Places

Author(s): B C Nagraj
Publisher: ITI Jains Association, Bangalore

Page 96

278. KODAIKANAL : (120 kms from Madurai - Hill Station)
This hill station is 7,000 feet above sea level. The scenic beauty is enchanting. The places to be seen here are Lake (Boating is a beautiful experience), Coaker's walk ( Scenery of Valleys) Pillar rocks ( beautiful scenic gorge) Silver Cascade (beautiful falls) etc. 279. KANYA KUMARI (Cape Comorin, 90 kms to Trivandrum)
Kanyakumari is the “Land's end of India” and is an important tourist centre of India. Here Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal converge with Indian ocean.
Swami Vivekananda came here and sat for medidation on a rock in the midst of sea. The place can be reached by a launch where a memorial for Swamy Vivekananda has been erected and is known as 'Vivekananda Rock”. From here one can see a beautiful view of the converging seas.
The Kamakshi temple on the sea shore is very famous.
Recently in 2000, a statue of the Tamil Poet Thiruvalluvar has been installed here. Its height is 130 feet including pedestal. Some scholars argue that poet Thiruvalluvar is none other than the great Kunda Kunda Acharya.
KERALA
Kerala is the southern most state of India, situated between the evregreen Western Ghats and the deep blue Arabian Sea. Kerala is formed for its arresting natural beauty. It looks like a fairyland with its dense forests, fresh green hills, palm-fringed lakes, rivers, back waters and lagoons. The coastal belt, a narrow strip of land is the most picturesque region of Kerala broken as it is by extensive backwaters, lagoons, canals and flanked by luxuriant coconut groves and green rice fields.
'Kathakali' is the famous dance drama and ‘Mohini Attam’ is the classical dance form which originated from here. Kerala is a happy mingling place of all major religions. Malayalam is the widely spoken language.
· Jainsim has flourished in Wynad district of Kerala. 280. SOUTH WYNAD : (Mananthavady the centre place is 140 kms from Mysore)
A drive ups and downs inside beautiful coffee land will lead to many small villages. Kalpetta (Sri Ananthanatha Swamy Temple)
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