Trivandrum

Location	Southern Coast of India (Kerala)
Main Attraction	Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Known As	Trivandrum
Best Season	September To May

Earlier known as Trivandrum is sprawling over seven hills covered with English government buildings side-by-side local traditional wooden houses in this seaside capital city. What does Thiruvananthapuram offer you? True to its composite and cosmopolitan character, the capital city's attraction's run from museums, art galleries, temples and zoo's. With a seven stotreyed Gopuram, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the most famous site of the capital city.

Prime Attractions of Trivandrum
" Churches § Vettukad Church : (The 'Madre De Deus' Church popularly known as the Vettukad Church attracts thousands of devotees from all religions. The annual celebration here is called the 'Feast Of Christ, The King'. Situated at a distance of 7 km from Thiruvananthapuram. .

" Temples Sri Ananthapadmanabha swamy Temple : The temple is located inside the East Fort. 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. One among the 108 sacred Vishnu temples in India, the presiding deity in here is Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha the Serpent. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. Dress code: Men - Dhoti; Women - Saree and blouse

" Beaches § Sankhumugham Beach : The long stretch of clean sand is located near the airport. The water there, however, is suitable for bathing.

Kovalam Beach : This internationally renowned beach resort has been a favourite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. Kovalam consists of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost, known as the Lighthouse Beach, is the most popular. Kovalam beach is at a distance of 16 km that is 1/2 hour from Trivandrum.

" Others Veli Tourist Village : This picnic spot, where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea, offers boating facilities. Pedalboats and paddleboats can be hired to explore the charms of the lagoon in a leisurely manner. For a quick ride over the waters, speedboats are available for hire. Children enjoy climbing over the huge sculptures which dot the landscape.

Aruvikkara : Situated about 16 kms. from the city is Aruvikkara both a pilgrim centre and a picnic spot, with a waterfall nearby. The spot houses a temple, with a rock cut shrine dedicated to Goddess Bhagvathy, the divine embodiment of female power. A stream with fishes, coming up to be fed by visitors, is another attraction. It is another favourite local destination is Neyyar Dam, a dam site with the lake providing a picnic spot as well as opportunities for boating and hiking. The famed Sivanada Yoga Vedanta Ashram is located here.

§ Beema Palli : (5 kms south of Trivandrum) An important Muslim pilgrim centre, it is dedicated to Beema Beevi, a pious Muslim lady believed to have possessed divine powers. Devotees of all faiths visit the mosque.

Public Park :The Public Park houses many important institutions, like the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. The observatory on the Observatory hill is also located in the Public Park.

§ Vizhinjam : Near Kovalam, it's a fishing port, which is also important for an ongoing pioneer project to generate electricity from wave energy.

Excursions of Trivandrum

" Forts & Palaces Anchuthengu Fort : Located 36 kms from Trivandrum. The historic remains of the fort built by the British East India Company in the 17th century and an adjoining cemetery are the noteworthy relics of this first major British trading station on the Malabar Coast.

Padmanabhapuram Palace (Tamil Nadu) : The seat of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore, this splendid palace is situated at Thuckalai, on the way to Kanyakumari. This is a well preserved wooden palace, a glorious testimony to the traditional Kerala school of architecture. The extraordinary murals, exquisite floral carvings and the black glossy granite floor have withstood the test of time.

Koyikkal Palace : Located 18 km from Trivandrum on the way to the Ponmudi hillstation and the Kuttalam waterfalls, this ancient palace that dates back to the 15th century, is famous in the history of Kerala as the official residence of Perakom Thavazhi, especially of Umayamma Rani of the Venad royal family. Here you can see a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu building with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard and two museums of folklore and numismatics set up by the Department of Archaeology.

§ Kaudiar Palace : This palace, home of the late Maharaja Sree Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma and his family is off limits to the public.

§ Sucheendram (Tamil Nadu) : 74 kms. The temple contains beautiful carvings and sculptures. There is an impressive statue of Hanuman and navagrahas carved on the ceiling imitating universe.

§ Aaranmula Parthasarathy Temple : Parthasarthy temple, dedicated to Parthasarathi or Lord Krishna is said to date back to the days of the Mahabharata. The Vaishnavite Alwar Saints have sung its glory.

§ Kulathupuzha Temple : Kulathupuzha Temple is situated on a forest range on the Trivandrum - Shenkotta road, Kulathupuzha is known for the Sastha temple.

§ Sivagiri Temple : The 'Sivagiri Mutt' is a 'Ashram' founded by the great Hindu reformer and philosopher, Sree Naravana Guru. Even decades after the Guru breathed his last here in 1928 AD, his 'Samadhi' (restling place) continues to be thronged by thousands every year.

" Cities § Ponmudi : 61 kms. It is a beautiful hill station away from the city. The natural scenery, salubrious climate and the scope of hiking in high trails make the visit an exhilarating experience.

§ Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) : 87 kms. It is located at a junction at the southernmost tip of India where the three water bodies, namely, Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean meet. From here, one can see the sun rise from the Bay of Bengal and set in the Arabian Sea.

It is a holy place for Hindus because of the Kanyakumari Temple. The Gandhi Smarak Mandir and Vivekananda Rock Memorial are additional tourist attractions.

" Museums Napier Museum : This museum is just near the Mascot Hotel, opposite the Park View Tourist Information Centre. The museum has a good collection of temple chariots and ivory carvings. The other interesting feature is the museum architecture. The museum is open 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. It is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays fore noon.

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 wood carvings. The palace museum displays paintings and various priceless collections of the royal family and is located near the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

Science & Technology Museum : The exhibits here are related to science, technology and electronics.