Trivandrum Travel (Thiruvananthapuram)

Trivandrum (official name Thiruvananthapuram) is the capital of the south Indian state of Kerala. It is a beautiful sea side city spread over seven hills, that sprawls in all directions. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines. Trivandrum is also the state in the country with the highest literacy rate, that is over 70%. The profusion of green caped mountains, palm lined backwaters and luscious green paddy fields make it one of the sought after destination in the country. The best time to plan out the trip to Trivandrum lies in between the month of October to March.

Trivandrum Sightseeing :

Padmanabhapuram Palace:

Padmanabhapuram Palace was the ancient seat of the Travancore rulers before it was shifted to Trivandrum. The palace is finest example of the Keralan architecture. It is one of the few wooden palaces in Kerala that contains some interesting of the interesting murals that belongs to the 17th & 18th century.

Padmanabha Swamy Temple :

Another most important sightseeing destination in the city of Trivandrum is the Padmanabha Swamy Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is located inside the East Fort and presents the perfect example of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. The temple houses its Mural Paintings and Stone Carvings.

The Napier Museum :

Built in the 19th century, Napier Museum contains the rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. The use of plaxtic is banned in the museum premises.

Kovalam :

13 km from Trivandrum, Kovalam is popular backwater destination. At Kovalam, one can stay at the house boats popularly known as Kottavalam. The famous boat races held annually in and around are real royal attractions.

Zoological Park Complex :

Zoological Park Complex was established in 1859 and is one of the largest in India. It comprises of a beautiful zoo, a museum with a collection of bronzes and the Shri Chitra Art Gallery, one of the best maintained in the world. It has copies of Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools, as well as some fabulous originals of Raja Ravi and Roerich, a Russian painter who now lives in India and whose landscapes of the Himalayas are magnificent.

Shopping in Trivandrum :

Trivandrum is a fascinating shopping hub. The city is well known for its coir products and you can buy small rugs, doormats, etc. that come in a variety of colors and sizes. You can shop for the unique craft item made out of the coconut shells. Look for the miniature Kathakali masks can be taken back to home a the memorial.

Festivals of Trivandrum :

Onam is one of the most important festival celebrated in Trivandrum. It falls on the twelfth day of the waning moon in the month of Bhadrapad. It is a harvest festival celebrated with great fun and enthusiasm. People wear new clothes, decorate their houses and make rangolis. Special dishes are prepared for the family feast. And the major highlight of the Onam is the boat race, that take place in the backwater lagoons.