Kanyakumari - One of the Oldest Devi temples of the country.
Narayanopanishad in the Durga Gayatri says - Katyayanayai vidmahe Kanya-kumarim deemahi Tan no Durgih procadayat. ( That may not refer this temple )
The author of Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (60-80 A.D.) has written that - After Balita ( Varkala) there is another place called Comari at which are the cape of Comari 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. ( Foriegn notices of South India - By Nilakanta Sastri Page 59 - hope you bought that in Madras University Sales)
Kumarithurai and Kumari neeradudal are mentioned in many Tamil works. Even Jain book Perunkadhai refers Kumari aduthal. ( One side news. The Mohanur in Namkkal dt is called Kongu Then Kumari by Appar. Here Cauveri flows Northwards - Utharavahini - Like Mayuram. Appar refers bathing in Mohanur. Both Kumaris should not be confused)
தென் திசைக் குமரி ஆடி வருவோள் தெற்கண் குமரி ஆடிய வருவேன்( manimegalai)
The Temple has epigraphs from the period of Chadayan Maran- 921 onwards. The Godess is refered as Kanya Pidariyar. After Rajendra period she is referd as both Kanya Pidariyar and Kanya Bhagawathiyar.
This temple is a treasure house of inscriptions - ardha Mandndapa, Pillars before the darshana mandapa and prahara.
Vira Rajendra has inscribed the Chola history in the pillars. There Pillars are now brass covered and some parts cemented.
This is the only inscriptions on Chola Genology ( and the other 2 are Anbil and Thiruvalangadu Copper Plates) Aditya's name is mentioned as Kothanda Rama who killed the pallava king seated on an elephant, Parantaga burnt Madurai and became Madurantaga and also won an invincible Krishnaraya and assumed a title Vira Chola.
A Rajendra Inscription gives a list of around 50-60 officers.
This temple is now under renovation and all steps should be proactively taken to save the epigraphs.
There is a Guhanatha swami temple in Kanyakumari - Parantaga period. It is another treasure house. The temple in a private hand - white washed but the patron has agreed to cooperate with us in restoring - This has a Vali sugreeva fight in the Boothavari.
There is a Rajadhiraja epigraph which says a contribution to be made to the temple by salt pans.
Another Rajadhiraja inscription mentions - Ayyappan Vediya Chathan temple- ( people who claim that Ayyappan is not accepted by orthadoxy, please note - He is actually called Vediya Chathan. )
There are 2 sasthas in Kanyakumari. One inside the Kumari temple - which is south east to Guhanadeswara temple as mentioned in the epigraph. The Bhagawathi temple is expanded and must have taken him inside as her kaval deivam).
The Guhanatha temple also is expanded and there is another sastha, in suyambu from inside Guhanatha temple. One of them is the Vediya Chathan. ( treasure 2) No photo allowed inside kanya amman temple.
Interestingly - there are no goshtams originally but Vinayaga, Dakshina moorthi, Yoga Narasimha, Brahma and Bairava found in the walls. The yoga Narasimha aspect is also found in another Parantaga temple in Kumari dt.