What is the Old Name of Kanyakumari?

India has a long and rich history. For thousands of years, many cities and regions have had different names. These names reflect stories of kings, different cultures, and changing times. 

For example, the modern city of Patna was once called Pataliputra. The coastal city of Kochi was known as Cochin for many years. Prayagraj was called Allahabad for a long time before it got its old name back.

But there is one special place at the southern tip of India with its own unique history. Do you know the old name of Kanyakumari?

In this article, we will explore the interesting historical names of this coastal town and the stories behind them.

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What is the Old Name of Kanyakumari?

Source: Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari sits at the southernmost tip of mainland India and has had many names over the years. Below is a look at its historical identity.

• Ancient Name (Cape Comorin): When the British ruled, the town was officially named Cape Comorin. The Portuguese and British chose this simpler version because they found "Kanniyakumari" hard to say.
• Greek Reference: In the 1st century CE, the Greek geographer Ptolemy and the author of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea called it Comaria. They saw it as an important place for pearl trading and as a sacred site for pilgrims.
• Cultural Roots: Kanyakumari gets its name from the Kanya Devi Temple. In Hindu mythology, the Goddess Kanya Kumari did penance here in hopes of marrying Lord Shiva.
• The Transition (1947–1956): After India gained independence in 1947, there was a push to reclaim indigenous names. The region was part of the Travancore State.
• Official Change: The name changed from Cape Comorin to Kanyakumari on November 1, 1956, when the district became part of Tamil Nadu during the reorganisation of states by language.

Do you wonder before being called 'Cape Comorin' what the original name of Kanyakumari was?  

When the Dutch East India Company took control of Portuguese Ceylon, they shortened the local name, Kanniyakumari, to simply Comorin.

Later, during the British Raj, the name evolved again to Cape Comorin, which became its official title for many years. After India gained independence, the Government of India eventually restored its traditional roots by renaming it Kanniyakumari.

The original name of Kanniyakumari was Kanniyakumari; however, the names of this coastal town changed as different colonial powers arrived in the region.

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7+ Lesser-known Facts About Kanyakumari

• It is the only place in India where the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean meet, known as the "Triveni Sangam".
• Scientific observation shows that the waters of the three seas do not fully mix, often displaying three distinct shades of blue and green.
• Geologists believe the rocks at the tip are part of the Gondwana supercontinent, linking India to Antarctica and Africa from millions of years ago.
• The beaches feature unique multicoloured sand caused by the presence of minerals like monazite, ilmenite, and garnet.
• The presence of heavy mineral deposits in the coastal soil gives the area unique magnetic and geological characteristics, which are studied by scientists.
• Historical records suggest Kanyakumari was a thriving port for the Pandyan Empire, exporting fine pearls to the Roman Empire.
• The Gulf of Mannar nearby is a biological reserve hosting rare sea cows (Dugongs) and ancient coral reef structures.
• Being just 8 degrees north of the Equator, Kanyakumari experiences nearly equal day and night lengths throughout the year.

Why is Kanyakumari the Only Place to See a "Triple Sea" Sunset?

In most coastal cities, the sun sets over just one body of water. Kanyakumari is different. Its "V-shape" at the southern tip of India means it is bordered by the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean, giving it a wide, open horizon.

On a full moon day, you can see the sun setting and the moon rising at the same time because Kanyakumari has an open horizon with no land blocking your view. 

This happens because Kanyakumari is located very close to the Earth's equator (8.08°N), where the timing of the sun and moon paths aligns perfectly.

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How Do Ancient Rocks Prove India Was Once Connected to Antarctica?

When we think about human history, it's interesting to remember that Kanyakumari's oldest story is told by its rocks.

A few years back, Geologists from India and Switzerland examined ancient rocks in the Eastern Ghats of India to learn more about Earth's crust. Their research offers new insights into how continents moved and collided over billions of years.

Geologists discovered that the rocks here are made of Charnockite, which is more than 2 billion years old. The same type of rock is also found in East Antarctica and Madagascar.

"It is for the first time that we have been able to prove the hypothesis that the continent of Antarctica and the subcontinent of India were once a single large continent that broke apart about 1.5 billion years ago," explained Dewashish Upadhyay, the IIT Kharagpur geologist who led the research.

This shows that Kanyakumari was once the 'lock' that held the supercontinent Gondwana together. Long before it became a pilgrimage site, it served as a physical bridge between continents.

Looking at it from the perspective of continental drift, Kanyakumari is not just the end of India; it was once at the centre of the world's landmass.

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