What makes Kanyakumari special is that it is the confluence of Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean. The other highpoints of this coastal town in Tamil Nadu are the Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the 133-ft tall statue of Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, which are situated amidst the vast ocean.
The Devi temple and the Gandhi memorial also attract droves of people. The Vivekananda Rock Memorial was dedicated to the nation in 1971.
The ultra-modern new boat that will ferry tourists to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial was brought to Kanyakumari on September 26. The Rs 4.35 crore-swanky boat, which was christened ML Thiruvalluvar, was built by the Poompuhar Shipping Corporation in Goa. The boat can accommodate 150 people on the lower deck and 12 persons on the air-conditioned upper deck.
The boat service was suspended in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and it would be resumed after getting the requisite government nod, said shipping corporation manager Chellappa. Four boats – ML Guhan, ML Pothigai, ML Vivekananda and ML Tambraparni – had been operating services to the memorial.