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| Trivandrum City Tour Guide - Kerala |
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Trivandrum Facts:
• Area 141.53 sq. km
• Population 6,99,872
• Altitude Sea level
• Languages Malayalam and English
• STD Code 0471
• Best time to visit September–May |
Get to Thiruvananthapuram before a city you might fall in love with disappears. This, the ‘city of the sacred serpent’, with its winding cobbled lanes, traditional red tiled wooden houses with pagoda tops and languid pace is hardly a tourist hot spot. The capital from where the world’s first elected Communist government governed is tucked into the lower part of southern Kerala.
Still somewhat simple and lovely, Thiruvananthapuram (earlier Trivandrum) is bound to sooner rather than later succumb to the disaster that passes for urban development. A pleasant city in one the most beautiful states in India, Thiruvananthapuram merits more than just a transit meal on the way to Kovalam Beach.
History
The founding of Thiruvananthapuram is the story of God, lost and found. Divakara Muni some say it was Vilwamangalam Swami, a saint who peeps out of almost all lores of Kerala, who has played God in the city’s growth was so devoted to Vishnu that the lord used to play with him as a toddler. Annoyed by the toddler’s antics, the saint shooed him away, and lost Him. The distraught saint pleaded with the Divine. Vishnu assured the saint that He would be found in the Forest of Anantha. The saint wandered looking for the forest; he found it in the far south, where the Lord revealed himself not as a playful child, but in His cosmic form reclining on the endless coils of the mythical snake Anantha. Hence Thiru-anantha-puram, the city of the cosmic snake Anantha.
Triruvanthapuram became the capital of the Raja of Travancore in 1750 when the then Raja moved from Padmanabhapuram. The kings of Travancore, the princely state, of which Thiruvananthapuram was a part, were great patrons of art and literature. And they had laid down their absolute power to the presiding deity, Padmanabaswamy, and had ruled the land as a representative of the lord. Maharaja Swati Tirunal was a great composer and has several compositions to his credit; Raja Ravi Varma, also of the same family, was a master painter. The kings of Travancore started colleges for music and fine arts in Thiruvananthapuram, which are still up and running. After Independence, Travancore and Kochi were integrated to form the state of Thiru-Kochi, with Thiruvananthapuram as the capital. When Kerala was formed in 1956, the city retained its capital status.
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How to get there
Air
Thiruvananthapuram has an international airport that gets traffic from the Gulf countries, Sri Lanka and Maldives. It is well connected by several domestic services from various parts of the country. 6km from the main city, the airport is connected by local bus and pre paid taxi service.
Rail
The Himsagar Express plies once a week from Jammu Tawi in the north of India, via Delhi to Trivandrum. Railway connectivity within south India is far better and there are many trains from Thiruvananthapuram to other places in the state. It is usually a good idea to book in advance but there is a thirty days limit on that.
Road
Connectivity by road is very good. There are daily buses run by the state Transport Corporation to any place of note in Kerala. Buses to neighbouring Tamil Nadu are run mainly by the Tamil Nadu Corporation and again, it is possible to leave or arrive any day in the week. The booking offices are at the bus stand.
Best time to visit
Thiruvananthapuram's equatorial climate makes it hot and humid during summer, but a cool breeze soothes the city at night. The monsoon enters India through Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. There are people who camp out here in the beaches to watch the monsoon set in, late in May. Torrential rains lash the city from June to August. The best period to visit is from October to January. Remember to carry umbrellas, whatever the time of the year.
Dining Out
Unlike Kochi, life is more relaxed in Thiruvananthapuram and eating out is a special occasion. But take-aways are a fad in this city. Be warned that the typical Kerala fare tends to get a bit spicy. For vegetarians, we recommend Arul Jyothi, Kadalivanam, Arya Bhavan, and Comfort Inn Grand. Non-vegetarians may try Kalpakavadi, Pankaj Rooftop, Ootupura, and South Park. For Chinese, Hotel Mascot, and South Park are safe bets. In fact, both are multi-cuisine.
Nightlife
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Shopping
For traditional Kerala offerings wood carvings, coir products, handwoven mats try SMSM Handicrafts Emporium (on YMCA Road), Kairali, the state emporium (opposite the Secratariat), or Gramsree (in Vazhutacaud).
If interested in traditional Kerala handloom dresses, there’s no better place than Karalkada (in Kaithamukku, just 3kms from the city).
For branded, urban stuff Palayam Bazaar and Chalai Bazaar are the two main marketplaces lined with showrooms of well-known brands.
The Parthas, near East Fort is a dress shop which caters to the needs of the entire family.
For the traditional silks, visit the shops around the Padmanabhaswamy temple. The Gurukirpa Sri Venkatrao's Silk Shop is one of the oldest. A must visit if you love to feel and hear the rustle of soft silk. You can also check out the Alappat house of silk and Alukas which are also near by.
Tourist Offices
The Tourist Facilitation Centre is great with travellers’ queries. They are exceptionally helpful and will be able to help you with every aspect of your trip. It is on Museum Road. Telephone: 321132
The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is responsible for the promotion of tourism to Kerala. The KTDC Reception Centre is on Station Road. Telephone: 330031
Tourist offices at KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) bus stations will have information on travelling by road: distances, bus timings, an approximation of the time it will take, and other relevant news.
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