09/11/2025
The Bhagavati Kumari Amman Temple is one of the 52 Shakta pithas. It is believed that the back spine area of Sati's co**se fell here creating the presence of Kundalini Shakti in the region.
The shrine is accessed through the Western door. The eastern door is opened only on certain days of a year, as on the new moon days in the months of Thai, Aadi (Karkidaka) July, during Navaratri and in the month of Kaartikai. For the purpose of rites and rituals in the temple of Kumari is imagined as (Sankalpam) as Bālambika, the child goddess. The goddess is considered as Katyayani, one of the Navadurgas here. She is also considered as Bhadrakali by the devotees while worshipping her.
Devi Kanya Kumari is the goddess of virginity and penance. It is a practice that people choose to receive the Diksha of Sanyasa from here in olden times.The rites and rituals of the temple are organized and classified according to Sankaracharya's treatise.
The other attractions inside the temple are the Pathala Ganga Tirtha, Kalabhairava Shrine. Kalabhairava is a ferocious form of Shiva who annihilates kala, or time itself. Each of the 51 Shakta pitha has a Kalabhairava shrine within the temple meant for the protection of the temple. The name of the Kalabhairava in Kanyakumari temple is 'Nimish' and the Shakti is 'Sarvani' and in the Shakta pitha of Shuchindram the Kalabhairava is 'Samhāra' and the Shakti is 'Narayani'. These are two Shakta pithas out of the 51 Shakta pithas all over South Asia There are also shrines to Vijayasundari and Balasundari, friends and playmates of the Goddess in her youthful form.
