Trivandrum

TRIVANDRUM

THE EVERGREEN CITY OF INDIA

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 west 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

PLACES TO VISIT IN TRIVANDRUM

Padmanabha Swamy Temple

Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture located inside the East Fort. One among rare Vishnu temples in, the presiding deity here is of Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha the Serpent.

Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave

There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess Parvathi.

Kerala Legislature Complex

Located at Palayam, this is the new building where the Legislative Assembly of Kerala located. With its towering dome, exquisitely carved galleries, ornate teak panelling and ceiling, combined with the most modern acoustic treatment and state-of-the-art sound systems.

Varkala

Varkala is a land of seaside resort and spa. It is also an important Hindu centre of pilgrimage. The final resting place of the great social reformer, Sree Narayana Guru, is near Varkala, atop a hill called Sivagiri. High cliffs with mineral springs rise majestically from the coastline.

Veli Tourist Village

This picnic spot, where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea , offers boating facilities. Pedal boats 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.

Kuthiramalika (Puthenmalika) Palace Museum

The rare specimen of workmanship in the traditional Travancore style of architecture also known for exquisite wood carvings was built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma - the King of Travancore, who was a great poet, musician and a social reformer.

Agasthyakoodam

Agasthyakoodam is the second highest peak in Kerala and is also a part of Sahyadri range of mountains, at a height of 1890 metres above sea level. Teeming with wildlife, the forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare medicinal herbs and plants and brilliantly hued orchids.Trekking is done here.

Ponmudi Hills

A special attraction of the ponmudi is meenmuty-Kallar waterfall, One can always stopover at the breath-taking Kallar river on the way. This River flows parallel to the road in the opposite direction, and Meenmutty Waterfalls only a little distance ahead. Golden Valley is also a major attraction of Ponmudi Hills.