History

Kanniyakumari district is the smallest district in Tamil Nadu. Even though it is the smallest in terms of area (1672/Sq.Km), the density of population is the highest 1119/Sq.Km in Tamil Nadu next to Chennai. In literacy it stands first. It is the only place in the entire world where one can witness both the rising and setting of the sun.

It has a coastal line of 71.5 kms stretched on the three sides. This small district is famous on its vast green stretches of paddy fields, coconut groves, Rubber garden and luxurious forests and the rare earth of the western sea shore and stretched valley mountain of the Western Ghats.

The Main Court Building situated at Nagercoil was Built in the Year 1899 In the Regin Of HIS HIGHNESS RAMA VARUMA (HH The Maharajah of Travancore Sree Padmanabhadasa Vanchipala Sir Rama Varma VI) during the Administration of DEWAN BAHADUR K.KRISHNA SWAMY ROA, by Chief Engineer W.Jopp.

The area covered by the present district of Kanniyakumari was a part of the previous Travancore state. In the year 1835, when the Travancore state was divided into Northern and Southern divisions, this area formed part of the Southern division and was placed in charge of Dewan Peishkar, Kottayam. In the month of July 1949, when the United States of Cochin and Travancore was inaugurated, the present Kanniyakumari area continued to form a part of Trivandrum district in Kerala. The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks, which formed the southern divisions of the former Trivandrum district, were predominantly Tamil speaking. They agitated for the merger of this area with state of Madras. The States Reorganization Commission recommended this and the States Reorganization Act, 1956 was passed and the district of Kanyakumari was formed on the 1st of November 1956, with the four taluks, Viz., Kalkulam, Agasteeswaram, Thovalai and Vilavancode and merged with the state of Tamil Nadu. Now it has It has 6 Revenue Taluk Agasteeswaram, Thovalai, Kalkulam, Vilavancode ,Thiruvattar and Killiyoor.

The district attracts a large number of tourists from different parts of India throughout the year. The Kanniyakumari district is famous for its majestic hills, pristine rivers, virgin beaches and meandering rivulets. It has a fragrance of architecture, culture and customs of neighbouring Kerala mixed with the rich deep traditions, culture and architecture of Tamil Nadu as well.