TRIVANDRUM

A gracious and evergreen city spread over seven hills, Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala, is steeped in history and culture. Located in the extreme south of the state, its shores are washed by the warm waters of the Arabian Sea. This is a city where time moves gracefully with the day unfolding according to time honoured rhythms, qualities which make it one of the best cities in the country. Holding fort in the heart of the capital is Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who reclines on the serpent Anantha and after whom the city is named. Formerly called Trivandrum, the city’s original name was restored in 1991.

As the visitor moves around the city he or she cannot fail to notice many traditional elements of Kerala culture that have been passed down from generations. From temple elephants swaggering down a street to traditionally dressed women and men as well as people eating off banana leaves, the sights are many and often found only in this part of the country.

POPULAR TOURIST SPOTS

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.The forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare medicinal herbs and plants and brilliantly hued orchids.

Veli Tourist Village

The Veli Tourist Village which lies where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea provides for unique boating and picnicking opportunities. Visitors can hire pedal boats or paddleboats as per their convenience. One can also roam the gardens and have a nice picnic.

Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave

Considered to be the smallest rock-cut shrine in southern India, the Vizhinjam Rock-cut cave is dated to back to 8th century. The shrine has a central cell with an independent sculpture of Dakshinamurthy and on either side of the cell are unfinished sculptures of Siva and Parvathi.

Kuthiramalika Palace

122 smiling wooden horses await all who visit ‘Kuthiramalika’, which means “palace of horses”. Formally known as Kuthiramalika Palace Museum or Puthenmalika Palace Museum, it is a pristine two-storied palace near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

Priyadarshini Space Planetarium

Opened in 1994 to the public, this is one of the most versatile planetariums in the country. The main GM-11 star field projector here can project almost all the constituents of the visible universe. It can also simulate the star-studded night sky over any location on the earth, on any day.

Varkala

Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several tourist attractions that include a beautiful beach, a 2000-year-old Vishnu Temple and the Ashramam - Sivagiri Mutt a little distance from the beach. Varkala offers excellent accommodation facilities for tourists.