History of Kanyakumari
History of Kanyakumari district goes back to the year 1956 as the territorial dominion was formally constituted by the implementation of the States Recognition Act, 1956 (important reform of the boundary limits of the Republic of India's states and districts, forming them based on languages).Kanyakumari district is the south most territorial dominion of the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Kanyakumari district is also regarded as the southernmost point of the Indian peninsula. Until the decline of the Pandyan Dynasty (one of the three powerful Tamil dynasties), the region of Kanyakumari was under the reign of Parava Kings and subsequently was under the domination of the Travancore Kings circuitously as they had to live with the British mastery.
Mythological History of Kanyakumari District
A bunch of mythical stories have been told concerning the region of Kanyakumari. One such account is that of Goddess Parvati's avatar Kanya Devi. The incarnation of Goddess Parvati that is to say, Kanya Devi was to wed Lord Shiva, the Supreme God within Shaivism (four most widely followed sects of Hinduism). But, Lord Shiva never turned up for the marriage ceremony. The food grains, which were to be readied for the marriage ceremony stayed uncooked and unused later on. As time went past, the food grains were changed its state to rocks. Kanya Devi, therefore, is regarded a virgin goddess and sanctifies devotees and visitors who visit the district.Another widely distinguished mythological story concerning Kanyakumari district is linked to Lord Hanuman, a Hindu deity, who was regarded as the greatest lover of Lord Rama. The fable holds it that Lord Hanuman while carrying the herb-bearing mountain on his path back to Lanka for curing the disastrous injuries of Lakshmana, dropped a piece of that mountain which is conceived to be the present day Marunthuvazh Malai located in the Kanyakumari district. The mythological origins of the district of Kanyakumari also have stories related to Agathiyar, who is one among the Saptarshis who are glorified several times in the Vedic literatures and a earliest Siddhar.
It is believed that Agasthiya munivar inhabited in this region as he was adept in remedial herbaceous plants. A lot of people even believe that this could be the cause for several medicative herbaceous plants to be ascertained on Marunthuvazh Malai. It is important to note that a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district, Agastheeswaram is named after Agasthiya munivar.
Recorded History of Kanyakumari District
The initial phase of the eighth century AD marks the arrival of Islamism in the southern part of the Republic of India through the ocean with dealers and other people who were sent on a mission, especially a religious or charitable mission to India. Through Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, according to the New Testament, Christian religion came into this region in 52 AD. Muslimism, Christian religion and Jaina Dharma have given extraordinary contributions towards the art and science of architecture and literary inheritance of Kanyakumari district. The region of Kanyakumari was also under the command of the three powerful Tamil dynasties of Chera, Chola, Pandya and also under the domination of the Nayak dynasty.Furthermore, for almost four hundred years, Venad, one among the three big late mediaeval Hindu feudal realms on the Malabar seacoast, south India was governed by mighty powers who were systematically aiming penetrations into the Pandyan soils. As a consequence, the Vijayanagar powers went forward against Venad. During 1609, Kanyakumari fell under the custody of the Vijayanagara viceroy to Madurai in south India, while the leftover divisions of Nanjilnadu remained under Venad. Subsequently, Venad was extended towards the northerly parts of Kerala, and referred as Travancore. Padmanabhapuram, an urban center and a municipality situated near Thuckalay in the present day Kanyakumari district was the headquarters of Travancore.
Notwithstanding the inconveniences ran into in the southerly boundary line of Venad, Anizham Thirunal Veerabaala Marthanda Varma extended the realm to the north to Aluva and added to the realm of Travancore. As an outcome, the present day Kanyakumari territory was referred as Southern Travancore. In the year 1745, the headquarters was changed from Padmanabhapuram to Trivandrum. The reign of the Travancore Royal Family eventually ended during the year 1947 as Travancore had to unite the independent India. In 1949, Kanyakumari district became an integral division of the freshly established Travancore-Cochin State.
The major population of South Travancore Taluks was Tamil-speaking and a famous unrest for combining the Tamil majority areas of South Travancore to Madras State was initiated during this time period. The reform of the States Reorganization Act, 1956 came about and Kanyakumari district was constituted on 1st November 1956 with the four Taluks, that is to say., Kalkulam, Agasteeswarem, Vilavancode and Thovalai and merged with the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Shri R .Thirumalai IAS was appointed as the first district collector of Kanyakumari district on 1st November 1956.