Trivandrum

Thiruvananthapuram Tourism

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala.  The wooded highlands on the Western Ghats in the eastern and northeastern borders give Thiruvananthapuram some of the most enchanting picnic spots. A long shoreline, with internationally renowned beaches, historic monuments, backwater stretches and a rich cultural heritage make it a much sought after tourist destination.

 Thiruananthapuram, the jewel in the emerald necklace that Kerala is for the Indian sub-continent, must surely have Parasuramanbeen a "must see" destination for ages, long before National Geographic Traveller classified it as one. Surely long before Sage Parasurama , according to local legend, threw his divine battle axe from Kanyakumari to Gokarnam to wrest Kerala, God's own land, from the Varuna the sea god; before the times of Mahabali  the democratic and just ruler of this wonderful land who was sent down to the netherworld through deceit. It doesnt take any flights of fancy to imagine that this land fired the imaginations of intrepid travellers and explorers like Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Marco Polo, Fa Hien, and quite possibly, countless others from the pages of history, recorded or not.

Thiruvananthapuram, or Trivandrum, as it was conveniently re-christened by the English, is the southern-most district and Thiruvananthapuram city is the  district headquarters as well as the State capital of Kerala. Thiru Anantha Puram, or the city of the Holy Anantha,  is named after Ananthan, the cosmic serpent with a thousand heads, on whose coils Lord Mahavishnu reclines. This iconic representation is theSri Padmanabhaswamy chief deity in the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The temple was built by King Marthanda Varma  of the Travancore Royal family when, in 1745, he shifted the Travancore capital from Padmanabhapuram  in the south (today in the neighbouring State of Tamil Nadu) to Thiruvananthapuram King Marthanda Varma and started reigning as 'Padmanabha Dasa', the servant and representative of Lord Padmanabha--perhaps a nobler variant of the 'Divine Right Theory' that the West is familiar with . The vast temple complex, with its tall 'Gopuram' decorated with detailed carvings reflected in the huge temple tank, is today a centre of attraction for the pious, the tourist and the merely curious.

Thiruvananthapuram, built on seven hills, has today grown Hillsinto a sprawling metropolis; but thankfully the city still retains her past glory and charm, and in spite of the frenetic pace of modern life, perhaps it is the most sedate of the big cities of the State. The people too have retained their friendliness and hospitality, and communicating in English, Hindi or Tamil is as easy as it is in the native Malayalam, whether one is talking to a retired professor or to the man in the street. But be prepared for a 'dose' of highly individualistic observations though-- a hallmark of the Malayali that has enabled him to adapt and to survive the Tsunamis of alien cultures and ideas, and all things 'modern'. The old quarter East Fortof the city clusters in and around the East Fort, a protected landmark that dates back to the Royal days. The rightly famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple , the Navarathri Mandapam, where the annual musical fest is held as an offering to Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning , Kuthira Malika, a uniquely wonderful example of traditional architecture and the venue of the annual Swathi Thirunal music festival honouring the composer-king of Travancore are the best among the traditional structures that adorn the Fort enclave.