Introduction to Trivandrum
God's own country with its psychedelic sunsets complete with palm trees
swaying to whatever music the wind chooses to play, the wafting aromas of
the land of coffee, spices and coconuts, the bastion of communism, a
literate people whose friendliness is only surpassed by their curiosity for
more. A place that fiercely retains and respects the ancient traditions
while viewing the modern with tolerance and invitation - Thiruvananthapuram
or Trivandrum is Kerala incarnate. There is beauty and intelligence, the
exotic and the mundane, there are Ayurvedic massages that elicit equal
amounts of pain and pleasure, beaches and lagoons with the best part being
the preservation of it all the way Nature meant it to be. Trivandrum is also
a bustling city, where the business of life is carried out like it is around
the world, interspersed with everyday visits to the nearby temple or mosque.
Myth has it that the place derives its name from it being the city of
Anantha, the sacred serpent of Vishnu. History has it that
Thiruvananthapuram had once been the port of call for Romans and Jews, Arabs
and Christians. Believable, considering that it remains one of the biggest
centers for sea-bound labour.
Places of Interest
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Covering an area of about
2,400 sq. meters, the temple of Sri Padmanabhaswamy is believed to be around
260 years old. The temple with its gopuram (tower) soaring majestically
upwards is believed to be one of the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnavites
in India. The main entrance to the temple is through the eastern gopuram
that towers to over 30 metres and is devised in the Dravidian style. The
deity of the temple, Padmanabha (an incarnation of Vishnu) reclines on the
sacred serpent in the inner sanctum. The main shrine inside the temple is
well guarded with a number of massive doors and darshan (audience) can be
had through the three-door openings into the sanctum sanctorum.
Napier
Museum Dating back to 1880, the Napier Museum building is a
combination of the Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles.
The building has a unique natural air-conditioning system. A visit to this
museum gives you glimpses of Kerala's rich cultural heritage. The museum has
an excellent collection of bronzes, historic ornaments, ivory carvings and
chariots, and life-size figures of the Kathakali dancers in full costume.
Sri Chitra Art Gallery The Sri Chitra Art
Gallery houses paintings from the Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art.
Besides these, the gallery has a rare collection of paintings by Raja Ravi
Varma, Svetoslav and Nicholas Roerich. An Oriental collection consisting of
paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Bali are a visual treat to the
visitor.
Zoological Garden The spacious
zoological garden is set among the pleasant surroundings of woodlands and
lakes. The garden provides delightful shaded walks for the visitors. You can
also have a look at the wide variety of the animals and birds that are
housed here. The Reptile House has a collection of snakes worth seeing. The
nearby botanical gardens have a large number of trees that can be easily
identified by their labels.
Observatory
The Government Observatory is located on a hill opposite the Kanakakunnu
Palace. It is an interesting attraction worth a visit. The terrace of this
Observatory offers you a fascinating view of the city.
Science
and Technology Museum Located in the heart of the city, the Science
and Technology Museum has interactive displays and scores of other items
that highlight the science, technology and electronics. Near the museum lies
a planetarium. The planetarium presents a daily 40-minute show that provides
a panoramic experience of the universe.
Children's
Museum The children's museum, situated at Thycaud, has been named
after Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. The
museum has a wonderful display of dolls, masks and paintings.
Excursion:
Places nearby Trivandrum Aruvippuram
Aruvippuram is located at about 24 km from the city of Kollam. The major
attraction out here is the Shiva temple that attracts a large number of
devotees during the Shivratri festival. A small waterfall makes it an
attractive picnic spot.
Kanyakumari Located
at a distance of about 87 kilometres from Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari is
the southernmost part of the Indian mainland. The place is the meeting point
of the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Kanyakumari has
great religious significance for the Hindus. The place is dedicated to the
Goddess Devi Kanya, believed to be an incarnation of Parvati, Lord Shiva's
wife. Pilgrims come here to visit the temple and bathe in the waters here,
as they are considered sacred. One of the major tourist attractions at
Kanyakumari is the Vivekananda Memorial. The memorial is built about 400
meters offshore. It was here that Swami Vivekananda meditated in 1892 before
embarking on a journey to usher in the religious reforms throughout the
country. The mandapam built here in his memory reflects the architectural
styles from all over the country.
Kovalam
Sixteen kilometres away from Thiruvananthapuram lies Kovalam, an
internationally renowned beach. The beach has been a favourite haunt of
tourists, especially Europeans, since the 1930s. A visit to the beach
provides you with plenty of leisure options. You can go for sunbathing,
swimming and herbal body toning massages. Special cultural programmes are
also organised here. Kovalam has been developed as an integrated seaside
resort by the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). The beach
complex includes the Ashoka Beach Resort (owned by ITDC), low-budget
cottages, Ayurvedic health centres, shopping zones, and swimming pools.
Neyyar Dam Located at about 32 km from
Thiruvananthapuram, the Neyyar Dam is a popular picnic spot with a lake and
a dam. You can enjoy boating in the lake that has been formed by the dam
across the Neyyar River. Apart from boating, you can also take a trip to the
Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The wild species in the sanctuary include
elephants, wild buffaloes, wild boar, porcupines, tigers and a variety of
snakes. There is also a crocodile breeding centre and a lion safari park at
the dam site.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Padmanabhapuram Palace, 64 km from Thiruvananthapuram, is a magnificent
wooden palace of the 16th century. This old palace of the erstwhile rulers
of the State of Travancore (1550 to 1750 AD) is a fine specimen of Kerala's
indigenous style of architecture. It has rosewood-ceiling carvings in floral
patterns, windows laid with jewel-coloured mica and floors finished to high
polish with a special compound of crushed shell, coconuts, egg white and the
juices of the local plants. Some of the interesting items housed here are
the musical bow in mahogany, royal chairs with Chinese carvings, secret
underground passages, the King's bedroom with a four-poster medicinal bed,
mural paintings, pictures of Lord Krishna, hanging brass lanterns lit
continuously since the 18th century, hanging cage through which eagles tore
criminals to death, open-air swimming bath, granite dance hall, Saraswati
temple, Belgian mirrors and an outer cyclopean stone wall fitted together
without mortar. The palace, though situated in Kanyakumari district of Tamil
Nadu, comes under the purview of the Government of Kerala.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi is an enchanting hill resort situated at about 61 km from
Thiruvananthapuram city. The resort offers you excellent opportunities for
trekking. You can also visit the deer park that is just 3 km from the
resort. Golden Valley, which lies on the way to Ponmudi, is an ideal place
for bathing in the cool, clear mountain stream that splashes down the rocks.
You can also find natural springs, flowering trees and orchids quite in
abundance here.
Varkala Located at 51 km
north of Thiruvananthapuram City, Varkala is a calm and quiet hamlet that
has several places of tourist interests. There is a tranquil sea resort,
rich in mineral water springs, at the Varkala beach. A dip in the waters
here is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins.
Overlooking the beach from the cliffs is Janardhanaswamy Temple, a
two-thousand-year old shrine. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great Hindu
reformer and philosopher Sri Narayana Guru (1856-1928) is also close by.