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Thiruvananthapuram
Brief
The gateway, to one of the most beautiful states in India - Kerala, the city gets its name from the word, Thiruvananthapuram, meaning the city of Anantha, or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha, on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines. Presiding over one of the most scenic states of the country, it is a beautiful seaside city built on seven hills. The famous Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple, is dedicated to Vishnu and is a landmark in the city. Most visitors to Kerala, use it only as an arrival point, speeding on immediately to the silvery sand beach of Kovalam. It is slow paced and laid back, but is the political hub of Kerala and politically very active and volatile, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala.
History
Known as Thiruvananthapuram, it is literally split into Tiru-Anantha-Puram, meaning
TheTown of Lord ANANTHA. For generations, since the time of the
Venad Chieftains, the kings have called themselves Padmanabha-Dasa or
the servants of Lord Ananthapadmanabha, and ruled the state, as the representatives
of Lord Anantha-Padmanabha. The temple was built by Raja Marthanda Varma
in 1733 AD.Culture
The Kings of Travancore (called Thirunals), have not only promoted art and literature, but have themselves been accomplished artists. The most famous of them are Swathi Tirunal, who is a well-known composer in both Karnataka and Hindustani forms of music, and Raja Ravi Varma the internationally acclaimed painter, well known for inventing paints, using natural materials. Traditional dance, art and martial performances like Kathakali (the spectacular dance drama depicting stories from the great epics of India), Mohiniyattam (the dance of the enchantress), Oppana (a traditional Muslim dance), Kalaripayattu, (traditional martial arts of Kerala) and ritualistic folk dances, such as Theyyam and Pulikali ,are performed by one and all. Onam is a 4-day national harvest festival, when Snake Boat races are held, mostly in connection with temple festivals; Vishu is the new year day and Pooja Eduppu is connected with Vinayak Pooja. These apart, cultural programmes like the spring festival Gramam, is organized at the Kovalam beach, from the 14- 23January of each year.
Climate & Geogaphical Location
The climate of Thiruvananthapuram is very moderate, not very hot nor very cold. The influence of the sea and proximity to the equator, affects the climate to a great extent. Built over seven hills, Thiruvananthapuram, the southern most district of Kerala, isbounded by the wooded highlands of the Western Ghats on the east and north-east, and the Arabian Sea on the west.
How to Reach
Thiruvananthapuram is well connected by rail, road and air. By air, Thiruvananthapuram airport ,is well connected to Banga
lore, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. Also
there are a number of connections to tDubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Muscat,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Male and Sri Lanka. Chartered flights arrive
from the European countries in this airport ,during the tourist season.
By rail, Thiruvananthapuram is the main railhead and is well connected
to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and other parts of the country.
By road, Thiruvananthapuram is well connected to all major cities. Buses
operate regularly to destinations including Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam,
Thiruvalluvar, Kanyakumari and Thrissur. It has services to Chennai, Madurai,
Bangalore, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, as well as Nagercoil and Erode.Tourist Places
Napier MuseumThe Napier Museum reflects the cultural and historical past of Kerala. The eclectic collection of archaeological and historical artefacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings, are among the exhibits in the museum. The building, a nineteenth century Indo-Saracenic structure, is based on the traditional Kerala architectural style. Using plastics, is banned in the museum premises.Nearby, there is the Natural History Museum, first opened in 1857, that has a collection of ethnographic pieces, animal skeletons and stuffed animals and birds.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
Although actually in Tamil Nadu, it can be easily visited from Thiruvananthapuram. Once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, the palace is superbly constructed of local teak and granite, and stands within the massive stone town walls, which kept Tipu Sultan at bay, in the 18th century. The architecture is exquisite, with ceilings carved in floral patterns, windows laid with jewel-coloured mica, floors finished to a high polish, with a special compound of crushed shells and coconuts, egg white and the juices of local plants. The 18th-century murals in the puja room on the upper floors are in an excellent state of preservation, surpassing even those at Mattancherry in Kochi. With its banqueting halls, audience chamber, womens quarters, recruiting courtyard, cool louvered galleries and many other features, the palace is a must for anyone visiting this part of the country.
Kovalam
Sparkling blue waters, silvery white sand, swaying coconut palms... Kovalam
is a dream. Once a serene and secluded beach, it is now a busy tourist
site, haunted by foreign habitués. One can spend hours on the beach,
sipping coconut water, watching the fishermen go out to sea, gorging on
fantastic seafood, or splattering on an anti-tan and dozing off under
a beach umbrella. A sheltered natural bay, there are a number of Ayurvedic
centres, providing herbal treatments to rejuvenate your tired muscles
with ayurvedic massages and oil treatments.Kovalam is also the venue,
to indulge in many water sports, including kayaking and water skiing.
From thebeach, you can also make inland backwater tours in country or
pedal boats.Ponmudi
A small, thinly populated hill station, Ponmudi is 61km from Thiruvananthapuram. It makes for a good day trip - you could probably take a picnic lunch along. Ponmudi, the beautiful hill resort, with its narrow, winding pathways and cool, green woods is an ideal place for trekking. Walking around the place, immersed in lush greenery, soothes you with a sense of cool. On the way to Ponmudi, a turn to Nayyar Dam will lead to the Nayyar Wildlife Sanctuary too. The sanctuary has a lion park and a crocod
ile breeding
farm. You can even take a boat to see the deer and other wildlife on a
tiny island in the dam.Kanniyakumari
Famous for its peaceful and stunning natural environment, Kanniyakumari
is the Lands End of India. Surrounded by oceans on three sides, it is
located on the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Indian
Ocean. Famous for its peaceful and stunning natural environment, this
place has been attracting tourists, due to its geographical positioning.
It is perhaps the only place in India, where at full moon, it is possible
to enjoy the unique experience of seeing the sun set and the moon rise
over the ocean simultaneously. The sight of Sunrise and Sunset at Cape
Comorin is something, which cannot be forgotten easily. Kanniyakumari
is also famous as a pilgrimage for Hindus.Others
CVN KALARI - The CVN Kalari Sangham, is a small building, which is at the same time a Kalari training centre, a temple and a hospital. The centre gives training to aspiring students in Kalaripayattu, a martial art of Kerala.
KANAKAKKUNNU PALACE - The palace, once owned by the royal family, is today a venue for many cultural meets and programmes. The palace is situated,
KUTHIRAMALIKA (PUTHEN MALIKA) PALACE - The Kuthiramalika (Puthen malika) Palace, was built by the maharaja of the erstwhile Travancore Province. A great patron of arts and paintings and a great musician and composer
OBSERVATORY - The Observatory is situated at one of the highest points in the city near the Museum complex, opposite the Kanakakkunnu Palace.
PALACE MUSEUM - The recently opened Puthen Maliga Palace Museum, adjacent
to the temple, is housed in several wings of the palace of the Maharajas
SHREE CHITHRA ART GALLERY - Situated near the Napier Museum, the Sree Chithra Art Gallery exhibits paintings of maestros, such as Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich. The collection includes paintings
VIZHINZAM - This is a quaint fishing village barely a kilometer from Kovalam. The striking pink and green mosque and a church are its highlights. Unfortunately, the Christians and Muslims of the village, are not on the best of terms
ZOO - The Zoological Gardens, is one of the first zoos in India and is a host to a large number of species of animals, many on the verge of extinction, including the Nilgiri Tahr and Lion-tailed Macaque.
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