Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a popular monument in Kanyakumari visited by most of the tourists. The memorial stands on one of the two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland. It was built in 1970 in honour of Swami Vivekananda, who is said to have attained Moksha or mukti on the rock.

According to legends, goddess Kanyakumari, a form of Parvati performed a spiritual meditation in devotion of lord Shiva. To this memorial, a Dhyana mandapam is connected allowing visitors to meditate.

Significance:

The design of the mandapa or memorial involves different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It is surrounded by the sea mingle point where the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. The memorial consists of two main structures Vivekananda Mandapam and Shripada Mandapam.

It is belived that Swami Vivekananda, swam across the seashore in Kanyakumari to reach the rock in the middle of the sea. He meditated there for three days & nights on the rock until he attained mukti.

The Vivekananda mandapam consists of a Dhayana Mandapam (a meditation hall) with six adjacent rooms. Likewise, Sabha mandapam (a Assembly Hall) with statue, two rooms, a corridor and open place round the mandapam. It also has a mukha mandapam. The statue of Vivekananda was sculpted by Narayanrao Sonavadekar, a sculptor and a professor at J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai.

How To Reach:

Kanyakumari bus stand is located at a distance of around 1 KM and railway station is at a distance of 1.2 KM from this memorial.  You can take an auto rickshaw or go by walk to reach the memorial.

The Shripada mandapam consists of a Garbha Graham, Inner Prakaram, Outer Prakaram and a Outer platform.