Antiquity of Worship
The worship of Devi Kanya Kumari dates back to the Vedic times. She has been mentioned in the Narayana Upanishad (belonging to the Taittrya Arayanka) of Yajur Veda. Here there is a hymn in the form of a Gayatri addressed to the Divine Energy.
"Katyayanayai vidmahe Rajesh
Kanya-kumarim deemahi Tan no Durgih procadayat"
The Divine Mother enshrined in the Temple at Kanya Kumari and worshipped as "Bhagavati" or "Devi Kanya Kumari" is the eternal ancient symbol of a Hindu Nun. She is holding a rosary in Her prayerful spiritual ecstatic mood shedding pure spiritual bliss. Her only intention is to attain the "Supreme" by doing the repetition of God's name (mantra-japa) and be a model to the whole of Hindu Womenkind an embodiment of eternal Divine Bliss.
Swami Vivekananda (1863–1902), the modern Hindu Saint of India worshipped Her in December 1892 in Kanyakumari and from Her presence only decided to embark on the Missionary Work that his Master Sri Ramakrishna (1836–1886) always directed him to do.
Swami Brahmananda (1863–1922) and Swami Nirmalananda (1863–1938, another two disciples of Sri Ramakrishna also worshiped Devi Kanyakumari and got Her blessings. In fact, Swami Nirmalananda brought several small girls from many parts of Kerala and made them to worship Mother Kumari in 1935-36 period. To the surprise of all, SEVEN girls out of them later became the members of the first batch of Nuns of the "SARADA ASHRAMA", a Hindu Nunnery started later in 1948 at Ottapalam, a remote village in Kerala by Swami Vishadananda.
The author of Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (60-80 A.D.) has written about the prevalence of the propitiation of the deity Kanyakumari in the extreme southern part of India; "There is another place called Comori and a harbour, hither come those men who wish to consecrate themselves for the rest of their lives, and bath and dwell in celibacy and women also do the same; for it is told that a goddess once dwelt here and bathed."
mythical treasure of kanya kumari: it has been a myth that there is treasure hidden here worth billions of $ ...the architecture style of kanyakumari temple is same as that of padmanabh temple.the kund or lake in front of temple also indicates the possibility of tunnel network to the sea . there are also underground tunnels just beneath the temple. last references of opening are about 179 years ago. but this is a mythical story .nobody ever opened the underground tunnel thereafter.
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