India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (149 page)

Farther south, the Ayurvedic resorts that can still lay claim to the beach idyll that put Kovalam on the map dot the coast (see “Where to Stay & Dine,” below). Visitors staying at any of these should seriously consider a day trip that takes in
Padmanabhapuram Palace
(see review below), on the way to
Kanyakumari,
India’s southernmost tip, where you can enjoy one of the most interesting cultural experiences on the subcontinent (see “India’s Ultimate Sunrise gathering,” below).

Note:
For details on finding visitor information points and contacting suitable travel agencies, see “Essentials” under the Trivandrum and Varkala section, earlier. In
Kovalam,
visit the
Tourist Facilitation Centre
(
0471/248-0085;
Mon–Sat 10am–1pm and 1:30–5pm) near the entrance to the Leela resort (it’s just beyond the security check post). Besides giving information, the center assists with tour bookings, car hires, boat rides, and lodging—enthusiasm is not their strongpoint, however.
Note:
Consider any recommendations for government-owned accommodations very carefully—they tend to be poorly managed and often run-down.

India’s Ultimate Sunrise Gathering

Just 87km (54 miles) southeast of Trivandrum, across the border with Tamil Nadu,
Kanyakumari
(also known as Cape Comorin) is not only India’s southernmost tip but the much-venerated confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.
Watching the sun rise from the subcontinent’s southernmost point
is an age-old ritual that attracts thousands of Indian pilgrims each morning. They plunge themselves into the turbulent swell, believing that the tri-oceanic waters are holy. Others revel in the glorious spectacle as though it were a major Bollywood premiere. Nature’s daily show here becomes something akin to a miniature festival, with excited pilgrims besieged by chai-, coffee-, and souvenir-wallas selling everything from kitschy crafts (how else to describe conch shells with plastic flower bouquets glued to the top?) to ancient postcards and outdated booklets. But it’s all part of the experience, which is quite wonderful; you can’t help but be moved by the mass of people who gaze on a natural daily occurrence with such childlike wonder, effectively bestowing upon the event the spiritual significance that draws the crowds in the first place.

To get here, you need to arrange for an early morning wake-up call and have your hotel schedule a taxi. You should reach Kanyakumari at least half an hour before sunrise in order to take in the mounting excitement as the crowds prepare to greet the new day. Once the sun is up, you’ll have a good view of two rock islands not too far offshore. One of these is the site of the
Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial
(Rs 15 daily darshan or viewing of a deity; 8am–4pm), reached by the half-hourly ferry. The memorial commemorates a Hindu guru and social reformer’s meditative sojourn on the island in 1892. Several bookstores selling spiritual tomes are found on the island, but the best experience is to be had in the
Dhyana Mandapam,
a room where absolute silence is maintained so that pilgrims can meditate before a golden om symbol. A set of
Parvati’s footprints
is enshrined in a temple built for it on the island. On the adjacent rocky island, a massive sculpture of the celebrated ancient Tamil poet-savant
Thiruvalluvar
stands 40m (131 ft.) high, punctuating the horizon like some bizarre homage to New York’s Statue of Liberty.

The only attraction in the town itself is famous
Kumari Amman Temple
(daily 4:30am–noon and 4:30–8:30pm), dedicated to Kanyakumari, a virgin goddess. Devotees enter the temple through the north gate, making their way around various corridors and bridges before viewing the deity, here depicted as a young girl doing penance with a rosary in her right hand. It’s said that her sparkling nose jewel—seen glowing from some distance away—was installed by Parasurama (Lord Rama, an avatar of Vishnu) himself. Non-Hindus wishing to enter the temple must remove shoes, and men must remove shirts and wear a dhoti (although a lungi passes; purchase one before you leave Kovalam). A willing temple priest will lead you on a very brisk (queue-jumping) tour of the temple, ending with the obligatory suggestion that a donation would be quite acceptable.

En route back towards Kerala, you can buy cheap, delicious palm fruits from children on the roadside and visit the fantastic palace in the town of
Padmanabhapuram,
capital of Travancore until 1790 (see review below). If, for some reason, you get trapped in this ramshackle, pilgrim-choked town, head for
Hotel Maadhini
(East Car St.;
04652/24-6857
or -6787;
www.hotelmaadhini.in
; Rs 900–Rs 1,900 double), where you will be woken predawn with tea and an urgent suggestion to watch the rising sun from your balcony. (
Note:
Kanyakumari sunsets,
which are obviously more convenient to reach, also draw a crowd but are only visible mid-Oct to mid-Mar and are not quite as atmospheric, except perhaps for chaitra purnima, the full-moon evening in Apr when the sunset and moonrise can be viewed simultaneously along the horizon.)

Padmanabhapuram Palace
Although technically in Tamil Nadu (but a mere 55km/34 miles south of Trivandrum), this gorgeous palace—one of the finest examples of secular architecture in India—was for several centuries the traditional home of Kerala’s Travancore royal family. It’s still well-maintained, and a meditation room features two lamps that have burned since its construction, tended by two dutiful women. Built over a number of generations during the 17th and 18th centuries, the palace exemplifies the aesthetic and functional appeal of Kerala’s distinctive architectural style: sloping tiled roofs; elaborate slatted balconies; cool, polished floors; and slanting walls and wooden shutters—all effectively designed to counter the intense sunlight and heat. The private living quarters of the royal family are a maze of open corridors and pillared verandas; outside, small garden areas feature open courtyards where the sunlight can be enjoyed. Note that the king’s chamber is furnished with a bed made from 64 different types of medicated wood and has its own beautifully decorated prayer room.

Padmanabhapuram is 55km (34 miles) south of Trivandrum. Admission Rs 10. Tues–Sun 9am–4pm. Ticket office closed 1–2pm. Visitors must be accompanied by a guide and must remove footwear.

WHERE TO STAY & DINE

Backpackers head for the budget hotels on the fringes of Kovalam’s beaches, which, during peak season (Dec–Jan), are completely overrun by tourists and relentless hawkers. With the notable exception of The Leela, most lodging in Kovalam is less pleasant than cheap, and you’re likely to be at the constant mercy of blaring music from the beach and its sprawl of cafes. Note that these cafes are fine for a snack, but each should be judged according to the number of customers. The rule of thumb is: If it’s empty, the food has been standing around too long.

The resorts reviewed below have been chosen because they are situated away from mainstream Kovalam and offer peace, tranquillity, and charm, as well as some of the world’s most pristine stretches of coastline. The prize for top location still goes to Surya Samudra; if you haven’t opted to stay here (see below), it’s definitely worthwhile taking a drive out to dine at
Surya Samudra’s open air restaurant
(
0471/226-7333
). The semicircular terrace is perched high above the ocean and palm-fringed beach and cooled by the fresh sea breezes. Presuming the menu hasn’t changed too dramatically by the time it reopens, you can assume that seafood will be the order of the day: Don’t miss the superb grilled tiger prawns or the fish curry (succulent pieces of white fish in a spicy red sauce; order with chappatis). Vegetarians can opt for the vegetable
theeyal
(spicy gravy), this time with Kerala
paratha
(flatbread). And for the truly unadventurous, there is a selection of Western dishes.