Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) Kerala

City Of Lord Anantha (Sacred Snake God) !!

Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum is the capital city of Kerala. This land is famous worldwide for its unique art, dance, music, paintings, temples, beaches and natural beauty since the ancient times. This beautiful seaside city on the south-western coastline of India is spread over seven hills and covers an approximate area of 2192 sq. km. Thiruvananthapuram (Thiru – Anantha – Puram) is believed to be the city of snake lord Anantha, who provides the Aasana (seat) for lord Vishnu.

Thiruvananthapuram is popular for its trading traditions too. It is a must-visit vacation spot if you are visiting Kerala. It is the best place to explore Kerala's tradition, beauty, history, art and living.

Major Attractions

Padmanabha Swamy Temple is the most important tourist spot and a major landmark in Trivandrum. This huge temple is devoted to lord Vishnu reclining on lord Anantha. It is a unique blend of typical Kerala & Dravidian architecture. The temple is located inside the East Fort. People from farthest places come here to see its mural paintings and stone carvings. Padmanabha Swamy Temple has a huge pond for ritual bathing. It is among 108 sacred Vishnu Temples in India.

Just 16 km. from Thiruvananthapuram, is Kovalam Beach. This internationally famed beach is a paradise for tourists since 1930.  Kovalam consists of three beautiful beaches- Lighthouse beach, Hawah beach and Samudra beach, popular for activities like swimming, boat cruising, beach volleyball, sun-bathing, kite surfing, sailing, fishing, football, jogging etc etc.

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum is another major attraction. This palace belonged to the King of Travancore, Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma. The king was a great poet, musician, social reformer and statesman. Therefore, this palace, now a museum, has a marvelous collection of ancient art forms of the royals. The palace/museum is well known for its unique wood carvings and mural paintings depicting ancient Hindu stories.

While visiting Trivandrum, do not miss The Napier Museum. This museum was built in the 19th century in the Indo-Saracenic style. Its uniqueness lies in the natural air-conditioning system. It is also popular among tourists for its rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings.

You can also see Sree Chitra Art Gallery which is situated very near to the Napier Museum. People visit this art gallery for the amazing paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich. The gallery also reveals the extraordinary art work from Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools of Art In India.

If you visit the Durga Temple, you must go to Aruvikkara Dam, which is located on the banks of Karamana River. This picturesque picnic spot is famous for fish that come close to the shore when visitors feed them.

The Zoological Park, Priyadarshini Planetarium, Observatory, Shankhumugham Beach and Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre are some of the other tourist attractions in the city.

Shopping

Thiruvananthapuram, being the capital of Kerala state, provides a variety of shopping opportunities. You can buy several handicrafts, traditional South Indian clothes and miniature Kathakali dance masks. Besides, you also have options in coconut shell products, coir products, small rugs, doormats, etc. that come in a variety of colors and sizes. Thiruvananthapuram is also popular for unique showpieces made of brass and metal that portray Kerala's tradition in their engravings and carvings.

M.G. Road, Chalai, Attukal Shopping Complex, Power House Road, Narmada Shopping Complex and Kedaram are the most crowded shopping spots in Thiruvananthapuram.

Food And Cuisine

You can find a lot of variety in South Indian, North Indian, Tandoori, Chinese and Continental cuisine in the capital of Kerala. There are all sorts of restaurants and dhabas  to suit every budget, taste and preference. Trivandrum's specialty lies in its marine food as well. Tourists are very fond of fish, crabs and prawns.

Climate & Best Time To Go

Thiruvananthapuram enjoys an equatorial climate throughout the year. Though the place is hot and humid, the ocean and cool winds make the climate pleasant. June to September is considered the monsoon period here. Post-monsoon period, i.e. October to February, is the best period to visit the city. Temperature varies between 20-36 in summer and 18-35 in winter.

How To Go

Being the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is well equipped with an airport, railway stations and buses. It is well connected with all the major parts of India via air, rail and road. It has a KSRTC central bus stand too.

If you want to explore this huge city, you can hire a car, preferably from a government-approved agency, or take a taxi or an auto rickshaw for internal transport.