About Nagercoil

Nagercoil, a quiet and peaceful town in Tamil Nadu, lies very close to Kanyakumari & is located near the tip of the Indian Peninsula & the farthest district in the south to be situated on the Indian mainland. This sleepy south Indian town is a popular destination among tourists because it has been blessed abundantly by Mother Nature and thus has many beautiful and scenic spots that are alluring to visitors. According to legends, the place derives its name from the Nagaraja Temple, located in the heart of the town. This temple has been a significant place of worship for Hindus from all over the state. The temple also attracts thousands of tourists each year.

The people of this town are very proud of their rich historical past, steeped in glory and bravery. History states that this town was part of the Travancore state for almost ten years after India gained its Independence in 1947. It was only in 1956 that Nagercoil, along with Kanyakumari District, became part of the state of Tamil Nadu. The town has seen rulers belonging to different dynasties. The Cheras, the Cholas, & the Pandyas have all ruled over Nagercoil. The kingdoms fought to gain control of this area since it was a very fertile land and thus ideal for farming and irrigation.

Tourist Attractions In Nagercoil : 14

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1: Thirumeni Nathar Temple

Sri Thirumeni Nathar Temple is in the village of Thiruchuzhial, in the Virudhunagar district. Thiruchuzhi is a big town & the temple is surrounded by four car streets facing east. Worshipping Lord Shiva in Thiruchuzhial with just one piece of Vilva leaf is considered equal to worshiping Lord with 1000 vilva leaves in all sacred places of the country. Thought and talk of the Thiruchuzhial Lord ensure the devotee's total salvation. Lord Shiva condensed the Pralaya floods as a water bubble & covered it with earth in this place, hence the name Thiruchuzhial, according to the local history Sthalapurana of this place. Lord Shiva in the temple is swayambumurthi.

2: Aruppukkottai

Aruppukkottai is a town located at a distance of about 48 km from Madurai. The place is famous for its jasmine production & its wide range of temples, mosques, and churches. The major attractions of this place are the Nallir Muhaideen Andavar Masjid, Vazhavandhapuram Jumah Pall vassal, Thoukith Jamath Pallivasal, Sri Arulmigu Sokkanathar Swami temple, Arulmigu Sri Muthu Mari Amman Temple, the CSI church, the Roman Catholic Church, among many others. Other than being a pilgrimage center, the town is also an industrial town & connects Madurai with many other cities. Thus, the town can be a nice place to drop by on one's way to Madurai.

3: Ayyanar Falls

Ayyanar Falls, located in the foothills of the Western Ghats at a distance of 12 km west of the Rajapalayam, is a popular tourist attraction of Sivakasi. There is a temple dedicated to Ayyanar in its vicinity & which is a popular picnic spot. The 15 ft high segmented Ayyanar Falls has dense forest as its backdrop & its natural beauty is an added attraction to this place.

4: Bhuminathaswamy Temple

The Bhuminathaswamy temple at Tiruchuli is among the 14 famous Shaiva centers in Tamil Nadu. The name of God is Bhuminathar Goddess is Thunaimalai Amman. The temple has undergone extensive renovations & the present complex accommodates several shrines built over time within the high boundary walls constructed during the reign of Muthuramalinga Setupati. Swami Vivekananda stayed three days in this temple due to the flood of the Gundar River during his yatras. Thiruchuli is admired by persons who are pious & religious & who love seclusion for meditation and chants in the name of the divine. There is also a Sri Ramana Ashram. This place comes under the Virudunagar district.

5: Guhanparai

Guhanparai, located on the way to Kalugumalai from Vembakkottai, is a small hillock to the west of the village called Guhanparai & the village takes on the same nomenclature. There is a small natural cavern at the foot of the hillock & believed to have been used as a shelter by Jain monks. There was a damaged stone image of a Jain Tirthankara. A 10th century AD Vatteluthu inscription on a rock of the hillock states that a monastery Munnurru Varperumpalli was established in the name of Munnurruvar Kovilpillaigal.

6: Irukkankudi

Irukkangudi is in the east of Sattur, at the confluence of the Arjuna river and the Vaippar. The Mariamman Koil, located close to the confluence is a popular spot for devotees. The Panguni Uttiram is an important festival celebrated in the month of Panguni for 21 days.

7: Kamarajs House

Kamaraj House is a memorial that has been built in the house in which Kamaraj was born, featuring photographs of the leader at every stage of his life. A few of his clothes, watch & articles are displayed in this memorial.

8: Pallimadam

Pallimadam is on the outskirts of Tiruchuli on the eastern bank of the river Gundar. Sundara Pandya, a 10th century AD Pandya ruler famous for his erudition, died while visiting Pallimadam. He was buried there & his younger brother Vira Pandya erected a sepulchral shrine over his grave. The temple was known as Pallippadai Sundara Pandya Isvaramudayar Koil. It is now called Kalainathaswamy Koil. The name Pallippadai has over the years been changed to Pallimadam. This sepulchral temple is the only one of its kind in Pandya Nadu.

9: Parasakthi Mariamman Temple

Parasakthi Mariamman Temple, constructed in 1923, is one of the main attractions of Sivakasi town. It is a famous pilgrim spot. The Panguni Uttiram festival is celebrated in this temple with much pomp & glory & the main festival of Sivakasi & its neighboring areas & is celebrated for 21 days and attracts devotees from Sivakasi as well as the nearby places.

10: Pilavakkal Dam

Pilavakkal Dam is at a distance of 90 km from Madurai & 59 km from Virudunagar & a popular picnic spot in the Virudunagar district & consists of 2 parts called the Kovilar & the Periyar Dam. The water in the dam gets filled during the months of October to December & on the premises, it has a Children's Park with all facilities for the entertainment of the little ones.

11: Saverier Church

The Francis Association took back in trust to build a grand church in honor of Saint Francis. This church was open to the public on 03rd March 2003. The structure depicts on one side the Hindu God Sri Krishna riding on a chariot driven by seven horses & the back side is in the shape of a half moon depicting the sign of Islam. The tall Cross reminds the Christian faith. A special mass is conducted on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

12: Shenbagathoppu Grizzled Squirrel Sanctuary

Shenbagathoppu Grizzled Squirrel Sanctuary The forests are found on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Only 6.3% of the total geographical area is under forests & rare & endemic varieties of flora and fauna are found along the mountain slopes. A wildlife sanctuary spread over 480 sq km was established in 1989 at Shenbagathopu in Srivilliputtur taluk. This sanctuary is contiguous with the Periyar tiger reserve on the south-western side and the Megamalai reserve forest on the northwestern side. The altitude varies from 100 meters to 2010 meters above sea level. The sanctuary also hosts a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and butterflies. The forests host a variety of orchids and ferns.

13: Sivakasi

Sivakasi is a city well renowned for its industries dealing with fireworks and matchboxes, located in the Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the budding tourist destinations in terms that houses some of the most important temples and celebrates colorful local festivals during different seasons. The history of Sivakasi is about 600 years old. King Harikesari Parakkirama Pandian, the ruler of Southern Madurai of which Sivakasi was a part, bought a Shiva lingam from Kasi to this part of his kingdom. Hence, the place sanctified by the Shivalingam from Kashi came to be known as Sivakasi, & later King Pandia & King Thirumalai Naicker expanded the famous Shiva temple known as Kasi Viswanatha Swamy. Today it is a great attraction for tourists and devotees.

14: Andal Kovil Srivilliputhur

Sri Andal was a great Vasishnavite devotee & her pasurams are as popular in Tamil Nadu as Meera bai's Devotional Songs are in the north & are 74 km away from Madurai and 45 km away from Virudunagar. Andal, like Goddess Sita is presumed to be not born out of his mother's womb. She left her mortal body and merged with Lord Renganatha when she was 14 years old, & every Vaishnavite temple in the south has a Sanctum dedicated to Sri Andal. This temple is also dedicated to lord Vishnu Known as Vadapathrasayee. He was a principal deity of Srivilliputhur before Andal was born. Thirumalai Nayak of Madurai and his sister have made intensive addition to the temple.

How To Reach Nagercoil

By Air - There is no airport at Nagercoil. The airport nearest to Nagercoil is the Thiruvanthapuram International Airport that is in Thiruvanthapuram, the capital of Kerala. The distance between the airport and Nagercoil is about 82 kms.

By Train - Nagercoil is connected to the rest of the country by two railway stations; the Trivandrum Central and the Thirunelveli Junction. Trains from both the railway stations regularly run to Nagercoil.

By Road - The town is connected to other major cities and towns in the state via a good network of roads. The town is connected to Kanyakumari, Kochi, Thiruvanthapuram and other cities. The Kerala State Bus Services run regular buses from the cities to Nagercoil. Deluxe buses as well as private cabs are also available.

Traditional Food (Regional cusine of Nagercoil)

1 - NAGERCOIL - (FAMOUS FOR KINNATHAPPAM IS A SWEET DISH MADE WITH WHITE RICE AND COCONUT MILK ; Theeyal IS SIMILAR TO SAMBHAR MADE FROM MIXTURE OF SPICES AND COOKED IN TAMARIND WATER WITH VEGETABLES ; Appam IS A TYPE OF PANCAKE MADE FROM RICE BATTER AND COCONUT MILK]