Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a sacred monument and popular tourist attraction in Vavathurai, Kanyakumari, India. The memorial stands on one of two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland of Vavathurai, India's southernmost tip. It was built in 1970 by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee in honour of the visit of the great spiritual teacher Swami Vivekananda toShripada Parai during the month of December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment. He swam to this rock and meditated about the past, present and future of India. It is said that he attained enlightenment on the rock, and henceforth became a reformer and philosopher.

Near Vivekananda Puram, Kanyakumari,Tamil Nadu 629702 Best Period to Visit

Vivekananda Rock Memorial is one of the most interesting places to see in the southern part of India. It is situated in Kanyakumari and it is a fort and an island. Vivekananda Rock Memorial stands on top of a two rocks that are situated approximately 500 meters off the island. Although the Vivekananda Rock Memorial itself is fairly recent and built around the 1970's, the two rocks themselves have been there since the millennia. It is thought that the great philosopher Swami Vivekananda had meditated on the rock seeking enlightenment. Vivekananda Rock Memorial is open every day and attracts many visitors constantly.

Importance
Towards the end of 1892, after three years of wandering across the length and breadth of India, a young monk found himself at Kanyakumari, the southernmost point of the country. To quell the questions raging in his mind, he leapt into the sea and swam across shark-infested waters to reach a holy rock in mid-seathe very last bit of Indian land. On the rock, he meditated, taking in the whole of India as it were, from that vantage point. At the end of three days and nights, the monk found enlightenment on his lifes mission: to arouse the nation from its dismal slumber of a thousand years of slavery and rediscover its past glory. Thus was born on that rock, Swami Vivekananda the spiritual teacher, prophet and patriot-monk of modern India. The rock became doubly blessed. To honour Swami Vivekanandas vision, the idea to construct a memorial on that particular rock was mooted on the eve of his birth centenary in 1962.