The city is also a welcome departure from other large cities of India in its spacious layout and regulated life. Now the Capital of one of the most fascinating states of India, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is an important entry point into India with communication links to Maldives, Sri Lanka and many countries to the West of Arabian Sea. It is also an excellent base to explore the interiors of Kerala, the southernmost region of India, and from Kochi, the Lakshadweep Islands. The city offers all modern facilities needed by a visitor and is a centre for cultural activities. |
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| Transport and Communication :- | ||||||
Air
- Thiruvananthapuram
international air terminal is situated at a distance of 6 km from
the city. |
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| Around Thiruvananthapuram :- | ||||||
The
Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple, which combines the
fine elements of Dravidian and traditional Kerala temple architectural
styles, stands in awe-inspiring grandeur right in the heart of the
city. The sprawling temple complex, built by the erstwhile Maharaja
of Travancore, has numerous murals, stone carvings and a seven storied
tapering entrance-tower or gopuram adorned with an array of idols
- gods, goddesses, demons, celestial beings, heavenly maidens etc.
The idol of Lord Vishnu, the main deity, is 18 feet long and depicted
in a reclining posture on the sacred seven-headed serpent god Anantha.
Recent restorations on the idol revealed parts of it to be covered
in gold sheets and studded with rare jewels that were blackened
under centuries of smoke from camphor and lamps. Non-Hindus are
not permitted inside the temple.(Open:
0415-0515 hrs,0645-0730 hrs,0830-10:30 hrs,1130-1145 hrs, 1715-1930
hrs). |
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The
Napier Museum : The museum, one of the oldest in
the country, was built in 1855 by the then Maharaja of Travancore.
Reflecting the Indo-Saracenic architectural style, the present museum
complex was completed in 1880 AD and houses an exhaustive array
of artifacts collected through the years since its establishment.
The collection comprises of bronze and stone sculptures, ornaments,
idols, carved figures in wood and ivory etc., dating between the
11th and the 18th century. The bronze images of Shiva, Vishnu, Parvathy
and Lakshmy are some of the rare treasures showcased in the museum.
Kuftgiri works, traditional musical instruments of the olden days
and a numismatic collection are also on display. An ancient temple
chariot is another attraction of the museum.(Open 10.00-1700 hrs.
Closed on Mondays & Wednesday fore noons) . |
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Sree
Chithra Art Gallery : Located near the Napier Museum,
The gallery has on display original works of a number of artists
like Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova, Nicholas Roerich etc; along with
a number of works of art in the traditional Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore
styles. The museum also showcases a vast collection of works done
by contemporary artists from India and abroad. The collection also
includes paintings from Bali.(Open 1000-1700 hrs. Closed on Mondays
& Wednesday fore noons) |
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Kuthiramalika
(Puthenmalika) Palace Museum: is located near Padmanabhaswamy
temple. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma - the King of Travancore,
built this magnificent palace. He was a great poet, musician, social
reformer and statesman. The palace, built in the traditional Travancore
style of architecture depicts excellent craftsmanship and possesses
exquisite wood carvings. The palace museum has on display, enchanting
paintings and other priceless collections of the royal family.The
palace remains open from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm & 3:30 pm - 5:30
pm and is closed on Mondays. |
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Kanakakkunnu
Palace : Is the summer-house of Travancore Royal
Family. The palace and its grounds are today the venue for many
cultural meets and programmes. |
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| Govt.
Observatory : Located on a hill opposite to the Kanakakunnu
Palace, another attraction worth a visit is the Government Observatory
which offers a lovely view of the city from its roof terrace. |
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Chacha
Nehru Museum: Angengo the small historical town
10km. north-west of Attingal is hemmed between Lakshdweep Sea and
Anjengo Kayal. The English East India Company established a factory
in 1673 and also built a fort with the permission of Queen of Attingal
in 1695. The beach ruins of the fort and flagstaff, tombs of Dutch
and British are some places of interest. A large collection of Toys
from various parts of the world is available here. There is a good
number of stamps and masks on display in this museum. A mini aquarium
and the first issue of children's literature in Malayalam are also
exhibited here. Chacha Nehru Museum is set up in the model of Shankar's
International Doll Museum in New Delhi. The museum is situated about
1 km north of Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station. |
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Thiruvallam
: Is a famous Polgrim centre of Lord Parasuraman's
.The temple is here by the river at Thiruvallam, Chithranjali, the
State Film Development Corporation's studio is at Thiruvallam. This
is on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kovalam route, 6km from Kovalam. |
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Shanghumugham
beach :Just
8 km from the city, this is a favouriate haunt of sunset watchers.This
quite beach is an ideal spot to enjoy and unwind without the interference
of any crowd. This spectacular beach lying near the International
Airport is popular among tourists for its cleanliness and peaceful
surroundings. On the beach is the huge sculpture of a mermaid or
‘Jalakanyaka’ made by the prominent sculptor Kanayi
Kunhiraman. |
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| Veli
Tourist Village : This picnic spot where the Veli
Lake meets the Arabian Sea offers boating facilities. Pedal boats
and paddle boats can be hired to explore the charms of the lagoon
in a leisurely manner. For a quick ride over the waters, speed boats
are available. Children enjoy climbing over the sculptures which
dot the landscape (Open 08.00-18.00 hrs) |
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Agasthyakoodam:
This is a prominent peak in the Sahyadri range and is the second
highest peak in Kerala, at a height of 1890 metres above sea level.
Teeming with wildlife, the forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare
medicinal herbs and plants and brilliantly hued orchids. Agasthyakoodam
is the second highest peak in Kerala. Abundant with wildlife, the
forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare medicinal herbs and plants,
and brilliantly hued orchids. A bird watcher’s paradise, this
legendary mountain is accessible by foot from Kotoor, near Neyyar
Dam and from Bonacoud. The season from December to April is the
best time for trekking. |
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| Aruvi
Waterfalls :
Beautiful and serene, the Aruvi is blessed with a weather that is
as perfect as the land itself where 4 ft. cascade, is one of the most
verdant and unspoiled spots in Kerala. It is 60 kms from Trivandrum.
Tourists are mainly attracted to this place because of the natural
scenery. The temple of sage Agasthiar near the waterfalls draws a
large number of devotees on the full moon day in the months of April
and May. |
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| Padmanabhapuram
Palace : The seat of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore,
this splendid palace is situated at Thuckalai, on the way to Kanyakumari.The
palace, built by Maharaja Iravi Varma in 1601 AD, is a fine example
of Kerala’s architectural grandeur. This is a well preserved
wooden structure, a glorious testimony to the traditional Kerala
school of architecture.The king’s bedchamber – ‘Mantrasala’,
is built with perfection which keeps heat and dust out while maintaining
the chamber cool. The chamber also houses a luxurious, ornamental
bedstead which is made of 64 kinds of herbal and medicinal woods.
The extraordinary murals, exquisite floral carvings and the black
glossy granite floor have withstood centuries.(63 km - Closed on
Mondays) |
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Ponmudi : Is a scenic
and idyllic hill station with narrow, winding pathways and cool,
green, wooded environs, Ponmudi is located 915 meters above sea
level. Along with a variety of beautiful mountain flowers, exotic
butterflies, small rivulets, springs and the deer park near by,
. Ponmudi is also an ornithologist’s paradise; many rare varieties
of birds including the Malabar Hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher etc.
are spotted in the region. For the adventure and fun lovers Ponmudi
offers numerous trekking trails. The Agastyakoodam peak, one of
the highest in the Western Ghats is located here. The mountain,
which once served as an abode of Saint Agastya, is also famous for
its medicinal herbs and plants. On the way to Ponmudi is the famous
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary. (61 km ) |
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Peppara
Wildlife Sanctuary: This sanctuary spread over 53sq.
km. on the Western Ghats , is accessible from Vithurai, which is
on the way to Ponmudi. With its rich flora and fauna, Peppara, dotted
with hillocks, forests and eucalyptus plantations, is emerging as
a great attraction for wildlife enthusiasts. (50 km) |
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| Neyyar Dam : A popular picnic spot, Neyyar Dam has a watch tower, crocodile farm, lion safari park and deer park . Boating facilities are available at the reservoir. (32 km) | ||||||
Kovalam
Beach : This internationally renowned beach resort
has been a favorite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Kovalam consists
of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southern most, known as
the Lighthouse Beach , is the most popular. Kovalam offers accommodation
options to suit all budgets.(16 km) More........ |
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Varkala : is a seaside
resort and spa. It is also an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage.
The final resting place of the great social reformer Sree Narayana
Guru is near Varkala, atop a hill called Sivagiri. High cliffs with
mineral springs rise majestically from the coastline. In addition
to the Papanasham Beach , the 2000 years old Sree Janardhana Swamy
Temple and the Nature Care Centre are the main attractions here(40
km )
More........ |
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| Thiruvananthapuram - Accomodation :- | ||||||
|
Thiruvananthapuram,
the city of the Snake God, is the capital of Kerala, the Arabian
Sea bound on the west and Tamilnadu on the east. The city is a
blend of modern and traditional architecture. The city is characterized
by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills with narrow winding
lanes and busy commercial alleys. The city is also a major hub
of art, literature and culture, besides being the political and
media capital of Kerala. The history of the city is invariably
intertwined with that of Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple’s –
Lord Anantha Padmanabha being its divine patron and protector.
Thiruvananthapuram is probably the only city in the world where
a Hindu temple, a mosque and a church (St. Joseph’s Cathedral,
the Juma Masjid and the Ganapathy temple) stand side by side as
an inspiring example of communal harmony. Thiruvananthapuram derives
its name from the deity at the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which
is the most recognizable icon of the city, nearly 2000 years old.
Akkulam tourist vilage , Aruvikaradam , Agasthyakoodam , kanakakunnu
Palace , Napier Museum , Padmanabhaswamy temple , Sreechitra Art
gallery , Vely tourist village and Kuthiramalika Palace Museum
are the most attracted places here. The district has long shore
lines, historic monuments, and backwater.
