Thiruvananthapuram

The capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is a district surrounded by the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. The city extends from latitude 8°29' N to longitude 76°59' E. During the British period and till a few years ago, it was known as Trivandrum, a name that suited the English to pronounce. A quiet, neat and clean city, it has a rich cultural heritage too.

History
Thiruvananthapuram derives its name from the deity at the Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswami Temple, one of the major landmarks of the place. The name is derived from the words Thiru-Anantha-Puram, meaning the town of Anantha. Although no records of the antiquity of the temple really exists, the temple nevertheless is believed to be several thousands years old. The city, according to the legends, boasts of being associated with King Solomon whose ships landed at a port called Ophir. Traders have been coming to these parts as far back as 190 AD for spices, sandalwood, and ivory.

Thiruvananthapuram shot into prominence in the 18th century when the capital was shifted here form Padmanabhapuram, a little down south. The erstwhile kings of the then Travancore state, taking on the title of Padmanabhadas (servant of Lord), dedicated themselves completely to the service of the Lord residing in the temple here. By the terms of this dedication, the deity owns the kingdom while the king is the mere executor of the trust. After independence, the city was designated as the capital of Kerala.

Travel to Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram - Attractions
Thiruvananthapuram is a must on every tourist itinerary if you travel to Kerala. The Padmanabhaswami temple with its gopuram (tower) soaring majestically upwards, is believed to be one of the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnavites in India.

Besides this magnificent temple, Thiruvananthapuram offers a great deal more. There is the Observatory to start with, established over a hundred years ago in Thiruvananthapuram in India. Several kings have also built their palaces in and around Thiruvananthapuram, each more impressive than the other. Despite a few attempts at modernity, Thiruvananthapuram retains its discreet, old-world charm.

If you travel to Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram, you can visit the Museum with its profusion of gables and turrets. A repository of fine works of art, the chief attraction here is the 250-year-old temple car made for Lord Vishnu, artistically designed and ornamented. Besides this, objects carved out of wood, models of temple, antique jewelry, etc., make the museum worth a visit.

Sri Chitra Art Gallery within the museum compound is an ideal place for art lovers. The piece de resistance is the large section devoted to the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, an Indian painter of distinction in the history of the country's modern art. Besides him, the Indian section also contains works of Rabindranath Tagore, Jamimi Roy, K. K. Hebar, miniatures from the Rajput and Mughal schools of painting and the famous Tanjore paintings encrusted with semi-precious stones. The gallery's collection also includes paintings from Indonesia, China, and Japan.

Then, of course, a trip to Thiruvananthapuram is incomplete without a boat-ride on its enchanting backwaters. These waterways of Thiruvananthapuram teem with life. One can be seduced by the panorama of beautiful landscapes, beaches and waterways, coconut palms and, of course, beautiful, friendly people of Thiruvananthapuram.

Excursions trips to Veli and Shankhumuggam is worth a visit while in Thiruvananthapuram.. The former has been converted into a superb tourist village while the latter boasts of lovely temples and a huge statue of a mermaid presently being worked upon by a famous sculptor.

The Kovalam beach that lies barely 18 km away Thiruvananthapuram is an absolute must. The beach is considered one of the finest in the world and provides ingredients for an ideal holiday excursion from Thiruvananthapuram. Besides swimming, there are opportunities for surfing and water skiing-even an exhilarating catamaran ride into the sea.

If you travel to Kerala during festivals, visiting Thiruvananthapuram can be quite a colourful experience. Onam is the main festival of Thiruvananthapuram, which is celebrated in the month of August or September. This is the harvest festival of Thiruvananthapuram and signifies association of the people with agriculture. Christmas is the other festival of this part of the country and Thiruvananthapuram wears a colourful look during this time of the year. Classical Music Festival is celebrated from January 27 to February 3 every year and is a great time to enjoy for the lovers of pure classical music forms such as Carnatic and Hindustani music in Thiruvananthapuram.

Travel to Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram - Accommodation
Accommodation is not a problem in Thiruvananthapuram. As the city is always bustling with tourists, many hotels catering to different income groups have opened up. Starting from luxurious hotels to reasonably cheap accommodations, all are available in this place. The city has a very good number of resorts specializing in nature therapy.

How to get there
Thiruvananthapuram being the capital of Kerala is well connected to other major cities of India and the neighboring countries. There are direct flights to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi through major domestic airlines. Cities in the neighboring countries such as Colombo, Malé, Singapore, and cities of Arabian Gulf are connected by the international airlines. Thiruvananthapuram is also well connected to other important cities of India and Kerala by trains. Regular trains are available for the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu.

Regular buses are available for the other important cities of Kerala and neighboring states. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation bus terminus is situated opposite the railway station. But the most pleasurable way to enjoy Kerala is through its backwaters. Most of the important cities in Kerala backwaters are connected to Thiruvananthapuram through boats. Some of boats that launch you into the backwaters are luxurious and as costly as a standard hotel accommodation.

Climate
Because of its nearness to the sea, the climate of Thiruvananthapuram is tropical. This also gives Thiruvananthapuram a very pleasant weather round the year. The average maximum temperature can go up to 36.2°C in summer months and to a minimum of 18.0°C in the winters. Monsoon comes to Thiruvananthapuram in the month of May and remains there until November.