Thiruvananthapuram - The capital of Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram which was previously called Trivandrum is an ancient city with tradition dating back to 1000 BC. Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Raja of Travancore in 1750. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala is a beautiful seaside city built on seven hills. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland spreading over a total of 2,192sq.km.

The city is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills with narrow winding lanes and busy commercial alleys. The best season to visit Thiruvananthapuram is during September to May. King Marthandavarma, the erstwhile founder of Travancore made Thiruvananthapuram his capital. After Marthandavarma, it remained the capital of Travancore and after independence, became the capital of State of Travancore-Cochin.

In 1956, when Kerala state was formed, Thiruvananthapuram was again chosen as the capital of Kerala. Being the state capital, it also throbs with political activity. Thiruvananthapuram and its famous beaches are one of the top tourist destinations in India.

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. The city has grown as a tourist and commercial centre, with the International airport becoming the main gateway into Kerala.

Azure seas…silvery sand beaches…intricately decorated temples…limitless stretches of greenery…mist shrouded mountains…art galleries and museums…feasts and parades…Your voyage of Kerala begins in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, where history has a character and royalty has a charm. A city where the beautiful shadows of the past coexist with the present. A city that is calm and yet teeming with vigour. A city where tradition and modernity coexist beautifully.

Places of Interest

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple: Thiruvananthapuram's most interesting temple is open to Hindus only, and even they must wear a 'dhoti' or 'sari'. Still, it's worth visiting -even if you are just passing through town-to see the temple's seven story carved gopuram reflected in the nearby sacred tank. Constructed in the Dravidian style by a maharaja of Travancore in 1733, the temple is dedicated to Vishnu, who reclines on the sacred serpent, Anantha, which gives Thiruvanathapuram its name.

Kovalam Beach: Kovalam is just 16 kms away from Trivandrum. This unique internationally renowned wonderful beach will get pride of place amongst the loveliest beaches in the world has been a favorite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Today Kovalam has become one of the most popular beach hangouts in India. Kovalam means a grove of coconut trees and truly the coconut trees along the beaches gives it a ravishing look.

The palm-fringed bays in secluded coconut groves, promise a relaxed stay. The boundless blue waters of the Arabian Sea and miles of white sands washed away by the surf at the feet of the stalwart palms and the rocky promontories, makes this beach paradise. This marvellous beach is a tourist's dream come true.

A sheltered natural bay with cool soothing palms and gentle waves. Where when you are tired of aquatics, swimming or sunbathing, you can explore the handicrafts, jewellery and cloth shops spread along the waterfront. Not to speak of the delightful sea-food fare including lobsters available at the beachside restaurants.

Palace Museum: The recently opened Puthen Maliga Palace Museum, adjacent to the temple is housed in several wings of the palace of the maharajahs of Travancore.

Museums, Gallery & Zoo: The zoo and a collection of museums are in a park is the north of the city. The museums are in a park in the north of the city. Housed in a whimsical, decaying, Keralan style building dating from 1880, the Napier Museum displays an electric assortment of bronzes, historical and contemporary ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings and life size figures of Kathakali dancers in full costume.

The Natural History Museum has a rudimentary ethnographic collection as well as an interesting replica of a Nayar wooden house built in the Keralan style.

The Sri Chitra Art Gallery has paintings of the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools, together with works from China, Tibet, Japan and Bali. There are also many modern Indian paintings, including works by Ravi Varma, Svetoslav and Nicholas Roerich.

The Zoological Gardens are among the best designed in Asia -set among woodland , lakes and well -maintained lawns - but some of the animal enclosures (and their inhabitants) are misreble.

The Science & Technology Museum and Planetarium, about 100m west of the Mascot Hotel, cater mostly to high school students.

Padmanabhapuram Palace: Padmanabhapuram Palace was once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, a princely state for more than 400 years which included a large part of present day Kerala and the Western coast of Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram is just inside Tamilnadu, 65km south-east of Thiruvananthapuram. To get there, you can either catch a local bus from Thiruvananthapuram or Kovalam beach or take one of the Kanyakumari tours organised by the KTDC. The palace is closed on Monday.

Veli Tourist Village: Boardered by Veli lagoon and the Arabian Sea, the village includes water sports, Waterfront Park, floating bridge, children's park, restaurant, garden etc.

Akkulam Boat Club: A popular picnic spot with boating facility.

Shangumugham Beach: It's a pleasant place to walk or watch the fishermen securing their catch. A large sculpture of a mermaid graces the roadside, an example of the work of the local artist Canai Kunuram. At dusk, during temple festivals, the beach is the site of the ritual bathing of the temple idols.

Ponmudi: Ponmudi hill resort is cool and quiet. As the hills come awake you can begin a pleasurable exploration of the wooded paths. Trekking is a passion with visitors to Ponmudi. Ponmudi has other surprises too for you.

Orchids, for instance, grow in abundance here. A charming deer park is only 3 kms from Ponmudi. Picnic hampers that the staff at the guest house would be happy to arrange, which you could take down the hill to a picturesque ruined dam site or golden valley which is another pretty scenic spot. Other attractions are Bird watching, Deer park and long, enjoyable walks.

Art & Culture
The city of Thiruvananthapuram has been the centre of cultural activities of Kerala (India) from the time it was made capital of Travancore in 1745. The capital city is a major intellectual and artistic center. The Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Thiruvananthapuram Zoo were started during the reign of Swathi Thirunal (1813–1847) and are one of the oldest of their kind in India.

Painting and Sculpture
Giant Statue of Mermaid at Shankumugham Beach Contributions of Thiruvananthapuram to painting are immense. The earliest of murals that can be attributed to the Kerala tradition are found in a small cave-shrine at Thirunandikkara in south.

Fairs and Festivals
The city comes to a festive mood during the festival season of Onam in August/September, and during the tourist season later in the year. The state government conducts the tourism week celebrations every year during Onam with cultural events taking place at various centers in the city

Languages and Dialects
About 96% of the people of the District speak Malayalam as their mother tongue. Only 2.5% of the people speak Tamil as their mother tongue. As in the case of all other languages, there is some difference between the colloquial language and the written dialect in Malayalam also. Though there is difference in the dialects spoken by the various sections and classes of the society, the fundamental unity of the Malayalam language is not affected in any way. The dialects spoken by the more primitive of the hill tribes differ considerably from the ubiquitous Malayalam, but they hardly deserve to be regarded as separate languages.

Food
Rice is the staple food of the people. The Nairs, Ezhavas and other such castes are not generally vegetarians, though some individual members may stick to being strict vegetarians. There is no great difference in the dietary habits of the Christians and Muslims. The routine diet in a family consists of breakfast, lunch, tiffin and supper.