Kanyakumari takes its name from the Kumari Amman or Kanyakumari Temple, situated in the town, on the sea-shore, the very confluence of the three water-bodies – the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Kanyakumari has been a great centre for art and religion for centuries. It was ruled by the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Nayaks.