Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, the city of the snake god , is the capital of Kerala State and is situated at south India. The city is a blend of modern and traditional architecture. Named after the fabled Serpent God 'Anantha' on whom Sri Anantha Padmanabhan (Lord Vishnu) reclines, the city is built on seven hills. Caressed by the Arabian Sea at the west, Thiruvananthapuram is a popular transit destination for Indians and foreigners alike who like to visit south India. Scintillating Special Holidays with us.

Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient city that had trading links with the other parts of the world. Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple, a landmark of Thiruvananthapuram, is 2000 years old. King Marthandavarma, the erstwhile founder of Travancore made Thiruvananthapuram his capital. Scintillating Special Holidays with us.After Marthandavarma, it remained the capital of Travancore and after independence, became the capital of State of Travancore-Cochin. In 1956, when Kerala state was formed, Thiruvananthapuram was again chosen as the capital of Kerala. Scintillating Special Holidays with us.

Tourist Places
Agasthyakoodam
Agasthyakoodam is the second highest peak in Kerala, at a height of 1890mts above sea level and is a part of the Sahyadri range of mountains.It is 60 Kms North East of Trivandrum.The mountain is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus, as it is believed to be the abode of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara as well as of the sage Agastya, a disciple of Shiva. The forests of Agasthyakoodam are rich in rare medicinal herbs and plant, and hued orchids. Explore the hotels and packages with Indian Travel Agent.

Kanakakunnu Palace
It is situated 800meter NE of the Napier museum. It is where the Travancore royal family once entertained their guests is on top of a hill. Now it belongs to the Government. Today the palace and it's sprawling grounds are the venue for many cultural meets and programmes.

Koyikal Palace
This is at Nedumangad which is on the way to the Ponmudi hill station and the Courtallam Water falls. This ancient palace was built during the 15th century on a traditional nalukettu style.

Veli Tourist Village
It is about 10kms from the city and boating facilities are offered at this picnic spot. Speed boats, restaurants and well landscaped gardens are available. Explore the hotels and packages with Indian Travel Agent.

Padmanabhapuram Palace
This majestic old palace is 63kms from Thiruvananthapuram. It is situated at Thucklai, on the way to Kanyakumari. This palace was once the capital of the State of Travancore. The palace is built in the Travancore architectural style. This is famous for its 17th and 18th century murals, carved mahogany ceiling, colored mica windows, secret underground passages, inner courtyards, durbal hall, museum, four poster medicinal bed, Belgian mirror, pictures of Lord Krishna, granite dance halls and special black shiny floors which are made from a unique combination of egg white, jaggery, lime, burnt coconut, charcoal and river sand. Explore Special Holidays with us.

Padmanabha Swami Temple
Thiruvananthapuram's most interesting temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian style of architecture. It is a best example of South Indian architecture, with an impressive seven -story gopuram (tower).

Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave
t is about 17kms from the city. It is a historic spot which was left unnoticed for long time. There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple. The granite cave here encloses a one cell shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshnimurthi. Explore Special Holidays with us.

CVN Kalari Sangham
This Training Centre for Kalaripayattu was established in 1956 to revive Kerala's martial arts tradition.

Museums
Napier Museum
It displays an eclectic assortment of historical and contemporary ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings and life-size figures of kathakali dances in full costume. It has a famous collection of 8th-18th century south Indian bronze. The visiting time is from 10am to 5pm, closed on Monday and forenoon of Wednesday.

Sri Chittira Art Gallery
t is situated to the North of Napier museum and has an excellent collection of Indian art with examples from early to modern schools. Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and works from Mughal and Rajput miniature paintings and Tanjore paintings embellished with semi- precious stones are displayed. There is a Zoo and Aquarium nearby. It will be open from 10am to 5pm and closed on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Explore Special Holidays with us.

Kuthiramalika (Puthemalika) Palace Musuem
The palace was built by Maharaja Swathi Tirunal Balarama Varma, the King of Travancore who was also a great poet, musician, social reformer and state man. This palace has wood carvings in the traditional Travancore style. The palace museum displays various painting collections of the royal family. It is situated on the South East side of Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple. It will be open from 8:30-12:30hrs and 3:30-5:30hrs. It will be closed on Monday.

Beaches
Shanghumugham Beach
It is situated about 8kms from the city and is a popular city beach adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram airport. An indoor recreation club, the children's traffic training park, the matsya kanyaka, a gigantic 35mt long sculpture of a mermaid and a restaurant shaped like a star fish are some of the attractions here.

Varkala
This beautiful little beach town is better known among locals as a major pilgrimage centre. According to legend, the sage Narada flung a cloth made from the bark of a tree into the air, and it landed at the spot where the small town of varkala now stands. Narada then directed his disciples to pray for salvation at the newly created beach, which came to be known as papanasham beach or the "Beach of Redemption". Since then, this beach has been associated with ancestor worship, as Hindus immerse the ashes of their dead here. Indian travel agent gives special discounted hotel from budget hotels to Deluxe hotels in India.

Kovalam Beach
Kovalam beach is 16kms away from Thiruvananthapuram. Until the 1960s, Kovalam was just a sleepy fishing village with narrow lanes and thatched dwellings with wide countryards for drying fish. However, once its spectacular beach and Shallow, crystal-clear waters were discovered, it became a favourite with hippies and backpackers, and over the years acquired the reputation of being a shabby, downmarket resort. Today, however, it also attracts the rich and famous, who come here in private planes. As a result, the beaches are dotted with both luxury and budget resorts, as well as cafes and several government-approved Ayurveda centres that Offer anything from a simple massage to three-week treatments. Indian travel agent gives special discounted hotel from budget hotels to Deluxe hotels in India.