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Trivandrum Travel Guide
The
capital of the state of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram or the City of the Sacred
Snake, is built over seven hills. Named after
Anantha, the thousand -
headed serpent of Hindu mythology, the city once formed a part of the Travancore
kingdom, its capital at Padmanabhapuram, now a part of Tamil Nadu.
Thiruvananthapuram is, decidedly, one of the cleaner and well-planned cities
of the country. The city's scenic appeal, its enchanting beaches, and overwhelming
greenery only add to its uniqueness. It embodies the magical feel of Kerala,
as a whole, and lends terrific insight into the culture of the state.
The red-tiled roofs, the never-ending stretches of palm trees, the maze of narrow,
winding streets and above all, the sea, make for a fascinating mixture. There
is an element of understated and effortless elegance about the city, which leaves
a lasting impression on the visitor.
Festivals
The festival, that the entire city, anticipates with great enthusiasm is
Onam,
which marks Kerala's new year and harvest season, and comes around in August-September.
The other spectacular event that transfigures the entire city is Thrissur Pooram,
the annual temple festival.
How
to Get There
Thiruvananthapuram is well connected with the other major cities of the country
by air, and railways. By road, the city is connected via the National Highway
47 to Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Madras, and Bangalore.
Places To See in Trivandrum
The area of historical interest in the city is
the Fort, at the southern
end of M.G.Road, which encloses the famous
Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu Temple.
The fort gateway leads to the temple, which is surprisingly enough, in the Dravidian
style of architecture, typical of Tamil Nadu. The temple enshrines, and is dedicated,
to the presiding deity of Thiruvananthapuram, Lord Vishnu. It was constructed
by a Maharaja of Travancore, in 1733. The temple is open only to Hindus. The
city derives its name from this temple, as the deity i.e Lord Vishnu, is shown
as reclining on his serpent, Anantha.
The Museum, Zoo, and the park they are located are in, are quite popular with
the local people and tourists. The
Napier Museum is housed in a striking
building, and has a good collection of bronzes, ivory carvings, ancient musical
instruments and life-size figures of Kathakali dancers. The art collection at
the
Sri Chitra Art Gallery, contains paintings of the Mughal, Tanjore
and Rajput schools and a special section, devoted exclusively to the paintings
of Raja Ravi Varma. There are, also, works of art from China, Bali, Tibet and
Japan. The
Zoological Gardens are, said to be, among the most well-planned
zoos in Asia. The
Botanical Garden within the zoo, houses specimens of
almost every tropical tree existing. The
Observatory, located on the
highest point of the city, is one of the impressive architectural landmarks
of Thiruvananthapuram.
