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Trivandrum
Places To See
The city has recently grown as a tourist and commercial center, with
the Trivandrum International Airport becoming the main gateway into
Kerala for a substantial number of visitors and tourists.
Nonetheless, it still retains a leisurely and laid-back ambience,
helped by the great diversity of quaint colonial and traditional
buildings. The visitor who allows himself to be tempted to amble
along through the various bilanes that snake off the main M.G. Road
can discover the city's visages - from shops, restaurants, and
hotels to bus-stops, banks, and post offices. At Palayam Junction
can be seen vivid proof of the religious tolerance of this state - a
mosque, a temple, and a church are within yards of each other.
Being the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram throbs with political
activity. This, fortunately, is not at the cost of the city's long
tradition of being a generous host to culture and the arts. Which is
why tourists are advised not to miss the Government Art Museum,
formerly called the Napier Museum, the Sri Chitra Art Gallery, and
the CVN Kalari (a centre for traditional martial arts) among other
cultural institutions, universities, and libraries located in
Thiruvananthapuram.
Government Art Museum
Located in a beautifully landscaped 80-acre plot, the Government Art
Museum forms part of a park-like complex which also houses the Sri
Chitra Art Gallery and the Zoological Park at the heart of the city.
The building is an architectural delight, combining styles of
traditional Kerala architecture with Chinese and Mughal touches. Its
19th c. British architect, Chisholm, is said to have stirred in a
touch of Brighton as well! The intriguing blend of colours - pink
and blue, banana yellow and cherry red - merge with red and white
lattice work and mock friezes to create a unique spectacle, best
viewed on weekends when the entire building is the focus of several
spotlights.
Inside the museum are several period collections of bronze statues,
treasures, costumes, masks, ancient jewellery, musical instruments
and models, including one of the Nair joint family residence, the `tharavad'.
Sri Chitra Art gallery
The Sri Chitra Art Gallery, in a traditional building, houses a rich
collection of paintings of the erstwhile Travancore ruling family,
including portraits of Maharajas and British Residents by Raja. Also
included are representative pieces of medieval and modern arts of
the Rajput, Mughal, Tanjore, and Bengal schools, and a selection of
the Russian painter Svetosku Roerich.
The Zoological Gardens - Zoo
The Zoological Garden, is One of the first zoos in India, it is
located in a well-planned botanical garden. With huge trees like
frangipani and jacaranda dotting the sprawling lawns and wild fowl
swimming in the lake, it is like a small jungle in the heart of the
city. A reptile house with different species of snakes is also
located in the premises.
Govt. Obervatory
Located on a hill opposite the Kanakakunnu Palace, another
attraction worth a visit, is the Government Observatory which offers
a lovely view of the city from its roof terrace.
Shankumugam beach
the city, this is a favourite haunt of sunset watchers. The beach is
adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram Airport and Veli Tourist Village.
An indoor recreation club, the matsya kanyaka (a gigantic, 35 m long
sculpture of a mermaid) and a restaurant shaped like a starfish are
some of the attractions here.
Thiruvallam
This serene backwater stretch, enroute to Kovalam, is famous for its
canoe rides. For details contact: Tour India, Thiruvananthapuram Ph:
331507 Karuvayal Tours Ph: 460974 Soma Houseboats Ph: 481600
Veli Tourist Village
About 11 km from the city is the Veli Tourist Village. This picnic
spot, where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea, offers boating
facilities. Pedalboats and paddleboats can be hired to explore the
charms of the lagoon in a leisurely manner. For a quick ride over
the waters, speedboats are available for hire. Children enjoy
climbing over the huge sculptures which dot the landscape
The office/KTDC restaurant can be contacted at 75385.
Akulam Lakeside Boat Club
The Akkulam Lakeside Boat Club is another popular destination for
city dwellers who want to get away from it all. About 13 km from the
city, it has a large children's park, a snall snack bar, and
facilities for boating between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm. The telephone
number is 443043.
Science & Technology Museum
Located at PMG Junction, near the Mascot Hotel, the Science and
Technology Museum is an interactive educational experience for
students, youth, and others of inquisitive dispositions. Closed on
Mondays, it is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on all other days.
There is a nominal entrance fee.
Children's Museum
Situated at Thycaud in the city, the Chacha Nehru Children's Museum
(named after the first Indian Prime Minister, who had a well-known
soft spot for children), displays dolls, masks, and paintings, and
is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Handicrafts Emporium
The SMSM Institute is the handicrafts emporium of the Handicrafts
Development Corporation of Kerala. Situated behind the Government
Secretariat and near the British Library, it sells a wide variety of
handicrafts, curios, and carvings. It is open from 9:00 am to 8:00
pm.Telephone: 63358/63298.
Kovalam
Kovalam, the world-renowned beach is endowed with a sheltered bay
safe for swimming during the off-monsoon months, is about 16 km
away. It takes about half-an-hour to reach Kovalam from
Thiruvananthapuram. Apart from the five-star Ashok Radisson Hotel,
there are several hotels of various standards to suit the budget.
Seaside restaurant stalls serve a variety of cuisines.
Aruvikara / neyar Dam
This picturesque picnic spot is on the banks of the Karamana river.
Near the Durga Temple here is a stream full of fish that fearlessly
come close to the shore to be fed by the visitors.The famed
Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram is located here.
Koyikkal Palace, Nedumangad
Located on the way to the Ponmudi hill station and the
Courtallam waterfalls, this ancient palace dates back to the 15th
century. Here you can see a double storeyed traditional Nalukettu
building with slanting gabled roofs, an inner courtyard and museums
of folklore and numismatics set up by the Department of Archeology.
The Folklore Museum set up in 1992 is a treasure house of quaint
musical instruments, occupational implements, household utensils,
models of folk arts etc. Displayed in the Koyikkal Palace, they
focus attention on the cultural background of the State. The
Numismatics Museum houses rare and historically valuable coins
denoting the trade relations of the State.
Agasthyakoodam
Part of the Sahyadr range of mountains, Agasthyakoodam is the second
highest peak in Kerala, at a height of 1890 metres above sea level.
Teeming with wildlife, the forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare
medicinal herbs and plants and brilliantly hued orchids. A bird
watcher's paradise, this legendary mountain is accessible by foot
from Kotoor, near Neyyar Dam, as also from Bonacaud. The season from
December to April is advocated for trekking, for which a forest pass
has to be obtained from the Wildlife Warden, Forest Department, PTP
Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram.
Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary (50 km from Thiruvananthapuram)
This sanctuary spread over 53 sq. km on the Western Ghats, is
accessible from Vithurai, which is on the way to Ponmudi. With its
rich flora and fauna, Peppara, dotted with hillocks, forests and
eucalyptus plantations, is emerging as a great attraction for
wildlife enthusiasts.
Sri Narayana Guru samadi
The samadhi of the great social reformer Sri Narayana Guru, is at
Varkala , 55 km from Thiruvananthapuram. It is also the site of the
Janardanaswamy (Vishnu) Temple. Another attraction is the mineral
springs believed to have healing effects.
Padmanabhapuram Palace
The ancient seat of the Travancore rulers, the 16th c.
Padmanabhapuram Palace with its elaborate woodwork is 55 km from
Thiruvananthapuram in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, en route
to Kanyakumari (/kanyaakumaari/, 74 km from the city). It contains
historical relics, including ancient swords and pistols, original
rosewood furnishings and murals. The floors are made from a mixture
of eggshell, coconut shell, and charcoal. Beneath can be found
hiding places and narrow escape tunnels used by ancient kings to
flee from their enemies. The palace is open to visitors on all days
except Mondays.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi is a small hill resort (altitude: 325 m.) within easy reach
(61 km) of Thiruvananthapuram. Mountains and tea plantations provide
the setting for some beautiful hiking trails. Accomodation is
available in a Guest House with 24 rooms and ten stone cottages
perched on a hillside. Reservation scan be made at the KTDC office
in the city opposite the railway station.
Suchindram Temple
Close to Kanyakumari, the Suchindram (/sucheendhram/) Temple has an
impressive `gopuram' and a statue of Hanuman, apart from beautiful
carvings and sculptures
Kuthiramalika (Puthenmalika Museum) Palace Museum
The Kuthiramalika (Puthen malika) Palace was built by Maharaja Swati
Thirunal Balarama Varma, the maharaja of the erstwhile Travancore
Province. The maharaja was a great patron of arts and paintings and
was a great musician and composer himself.
The palace with its white washed walls, granite and marble cables
supporting the wooden gables and the slatted windows beneath the
red-tiled windows reflect the typical Kerala architectural style.
Each of the 16 rooms of the palace has different ceilings carved in
sandalwood. It is said that it took 5,000 workers and four years to
complete the construction work of the palace.
The upper storey of the palace is a dance hall with special lattices
that allowed the free passage of wind to the room. Another telling
feature of the palace is the series of kilivathil or small windows
in the upper stories of the building through which the ladies in the
palace gazed out.
The Museum displays the paintings and various priceless collections
of the royal family. The paintings and other curios offer a rare
glimpse into the private lives of the members of the royal
family.
The first room of the palace houses 14 life-size figures depicting
various scenes from the Kerala legends and Kathakali. Magnificent
ivory cots, thrones of kings, a musical tree that produces the eight
swaras when tapped etc are a few of the attractions of the
museum.
The Palace and Museum is open to visitors on all days except Monday
from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 3 to 5.30 p.m. Entry fee is
Rs. 10 per head. Photography is not permitted within the
building.
Science & Technology Museum & Planetarium
The Science and Technology Museum and the Priyadarsini Planetarium
mainly satisfies the curiosities of high school students interested
in Science subjects. The exhibits here are related to science,
technology and electronics. The Planetarium has 40-minute
science-related shows in English at noon daily. Both the museum and
the planetarium are closed on Mondays.
Observatory
The Observatory is situated at one of the highest points in the city
near the Museum complex, opposite the Kanakakkunnu Palace. 60 m
above sea level, one can have a bird’s eye view of the city.
CVN Kalari
The CVN Kalari Sangham is a small building, which is at the same
time a Kalari training centre, a temple and a hospital. The centre
gives training to aspiring students in Kalaripayattu, a martial art
of Kerala. You can watch the training free of cost from 6.30 to 8.00
everyday in the morning, except on Sundays, on which it is closed.
You can join the training programme by signing up for a short course
of three months at Rs 500 per month.
Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatment for ailments, especially for soft
tissue injuries are available from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. and from 5 p.m.
to 7.30 p.m. on all days from Mondays to Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. on Sundays.
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