Places to visit in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram : Thiruvananthapuram literally means "Abode of Lord Ananta" in Sanskrit and Malayalam. The name derives from the deity of the Hindu Religion. Anantha is the serpent on which lord Vishnu or Padamnabhan reclines. The city is built on hills by the seashore on the west coast. The city and the suburbs cover an area of about 250 square kilometers that is located between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India the extreme south of the mainland. The elevation of the city is 16 ft above sea level. The city is known as Trivandrum also. It is the capital of Kerala. Mahatma Gandhi referred it as the "Evergreen city of India". It is the largest city in Kerala and a sizable number of international tourists visit here annually. There are reputed science and technology institutions such as the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC), Techno Park, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER). Apart from these India's first and only animation park is situated here. It is an ancient city with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE. The city was the famous trading center of spices, sandalwood and ivory. |
 |
 |
 |
Tourism contributes significantly to the economy of the city. Foreign tourists use the city as a hub to explore the tourist cities around Kerala. It is also a major destination for medical tourism, as there are many recognized Ayurveda centers. The city has a climate that borders between a tropical savanna climate and a tropical monsoon climate. The mean maximum temperature 34 °C and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C.
The city comes to life during Onam Festival in August/September. This is the harvest festival that signifies association of the people with agriculture. On the eve of Christmas festival, the city wears a colorful look. The tourism week celebrations with many cultural events are held every year during the Onam festival. The common cuisine is the Keralite cuisine, which is characterized by the significant use of coconut and spices. The popular fast food is easily available in the city.
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) Sight seeing
- Padmanabha Swamy Temple :
The temple is located inside the East Fort. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu; the temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. It is known for its mural paintings and stone carvings.
- Kovalam Beach :
Serenity and a city are two diametrically opposite concepts, which however, get belied in the 'City Beautiful'. Chandigarh is a rare epitome of modernization co-existing with nature's preservation. It is here that the trees and plants are as much a part of the construction plans as the buildings and the roads. Thanks to the creative genius of Le Corbusier, the city retains its inherent character even today, as conceived by him in his Master Plan. Corbusier's architectural ingenuity endowed with uniform and standardized structure designs. Wide roads, sector wise divisions, tree-lined avenues, land scaping and a wide piazza, lends the city a special character and a unique orderliness.
- Varkala Beach:
It is located 30 Kms north of Thiruvananthapuram on the seacoast. It is a seaside resort and spa. The Papanasam Beach at Varkala is a quiet, less crowded beach known for its white, silvery stretch of sand, mineral springs and rocky cliffs. The 2000-year-old Janardana Swamy Temple and the Nature Care Center are the main attractions of Varkala Beach.
- Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave :
These eighteen sanctuary rocks cut sculptures can be seen in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthy. The outer wall of the cave depicts incomplete statues of the Hindu God Shiva and Parvathi.
- Ponmundi :
It is an idyllic hill resort with narrow, winding pathways with cool, green, wooded environs. It is located 915 meters above sea level. It has a variety of beautiful mountain flowers, exotic butterflies, small rivulets, springs and the deer park. This hill station has excellent trekking trails.
- Veli Tourist Village :
It is a picnic spot where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea. There are Pedal boats and speedboats that you can hire to explore the charms of the lagoon.
- The Kanakakunnu Palace :
The palace and its sprawling grounds are the venue for many cultural meets and events.
- Shankhumugham Beach :
It is situated 8 kms away from the city; this is a favorite haunt of sunset watchers. The beach is adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram Airport and Veli Tourist Village. An indoor recreation club, the matsya Kanya (a gigantic, 35 m long sculptures of a mermaid) and a restaurant shaped like a starfish are some of the attractions.
- Kuthiramalika Palace Museum :
The palace was built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma - the King of Travancore, who was a great poet, musician, social reformer and statesman. This rare specimen of workmanship in the traditional travancore style of architecture also has exquisite woodcarvings. The palace museum displays paintings and various priceless collections of the royal family.
- The Napier Museum :
It was constructed in 19th century, the indo - saracenic structure boasts a "natural" Air-conditioning system and houses rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot, ivory carvings, gables and turrets. A repository of fine works of art, the chief attraction is the 250-year-old temple car designed for Lord Vishnu that is artistically made and beautifully ornamented. There are objects carved out of wood, models of temple and antique jewelry etc. The use of plastic is banned in the museum premises.
- Shree Chitbra art Gallery :
It is located near the Napier Museum. It displays select paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Reorich and exquisite works from the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools of art in India. The collection also includes paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Bali.
- Boat ride :
A boat-ride on the enchanting backwaters of Kerala is the speciality. You can enjoy waterways of Thiruvananthapuram visiting the panorama of beautiful landscapes, beaches, coconut palms and friendly local people.
Thiruvallam :
This serene backwater stretch is situated 10 kms away on the route to Kovalam. It is known for Canoe Rides.
Aruvikkara Dam :
This picturesque picnic spot is situated 16 kms away on the banks of the Karamana River. You can see the stream full of fish fed by the visitors.
Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) :
The last tract of land in India or the point where the three seas meet is the renowned Kanyakumari. It is one of the most popular tourist spots of India. It is the very tip of the Indian peninsula and the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
How to Reach Thiruvananthapuram
Air :
The city is well connected by major cities of India. It is internationally connected to Colombo, Mali, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.
Rail :
Thambanoore is the Central Railway Station, which connects rail services to important cities of India.
Road :
It is well connected by major cities of India.
About the Author:
Author : Anil Baree
I co-own online travel company named www.travinfoindia.com. It is an elaborate India travel facilitation inclusive of hotels, destinations, sight seeing, air/rail tickets, transportation and transfers through single window.
Regards
Anil Baree Email: anil@travinfoindia.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Travel Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India