Thiruvananthapuram,
formerly known as Trivandrum is gateway to one of the most beautiful
Indian states, Kerala.Stretching along the southern coast of the
country, with the Backwaters reaching deep into the verdant countryside,
Kerala affords a fascinating experience. The city of the Thousand
- headed Anatha, the holy serpent on which Lord Vishnu reclines.Trivandrum
is one of the most beautiful cities of India. Perched on undulating
terrain of low coastal hills near the southern edge of the Indian
mainland, clean and green Trivandrum, which was previously called
Trivandrum, is an ancient city with trading tradition dateing back
to 1000 BC.
Tourist
Destinations:
» Padmanabhaswami
Temple
A
shrine sacred to the Vaishnavites, the Padmanabhaswami temple is
thronged by devotees from all over the country. The main attraction
of the temple are its 400 beautifully carved pillars of granite
and a 100-feet-high gopuram. One can enter the sanctum sanctorum
through a three-door opening. Many palaces also adorn the landscape
of the place.
» The
Backwater Boat Rides
A
trip to Thiruvananthapuram is regarded as incomplete without a boat-ride
on its sparkling backwaters.The backwater banks are dotted with
picturesque palm trees and thatched huts.
Health Tourism - the Resorts and Ayurvedic Centres Another of
Trivandrum's attraction is its famous health resorts and specialised
centres of ayurveda. International tourists also come in great
numbers to avail the famous ayurvedic treatment here.
» Sri
Chitra Art Gallery
Lovers of art can go straight to Sri Chitra
Art Gallery which displays the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, the
Indian painter whose paintwork attracted the attention of world
community towards India. The Indian section of the gallery also
displays the paintings of Rabindranath Tagore, K. K. Hebar, Jamimi
Roy and a few others.
» Kowdiyar
Palace
The
home of the late Maharaja Sree Chithira Thirunal Bala Rama Varma
and his family is off limits to visitors but you can have a glimpse
from the main gate. If a friendly guard is on duty, he will let
you walk a bit inside the grounds where you can get a view of the
grand old building at the end of its long drive.
» How
to reach Trivandrum
By
Air : Being the capital of Kerala state, Trivandrum is well connected
to other major cities of India and the neighboring countries. There
are direct flights to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.
By Rail : Trivandrum is connected to other important
cities of India and Kerala by trains. Regular trains are available
for the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu.
By Road : Trivandrum has a
well-developed network of roads and is very well connected to
other cities of Kerala and other cities of India.
