Thiruvanathapuram (Trivandrum), the capital of the state of Kerala, is a beautiful seaside city built on seven hills. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru Ananthapuram meaning the city of Ananth or the abode of the sacred serpent Anantha, on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines.
GENERAL INFORMATION
HOW TO GET THERE
Air : Thiruvananthapuram is connected by Air-India and Indian Airlines flights with Bombay, Madras, Cochin, Delhi & Colombo.
Rail : Thiruvananthapuram is directly connected by rail all the major cities in India.
Road : Thiruvananthapuram is connected by road to several tourist centres in India as: Calicut 448 kms, Cochin 223 kms, Kanyakumari 87 kms, Madurai 417 kms, Periyar 272 kms, Ponmudi 61 kms, Quilon 73 kms, Varkala 55 kms.
Bus : Regular bus services connect Thiruvananthapuram to various places in Kerala as well as to Madras, Madurai, Kanyakumari etc.
Thiruvananthapuram city is an interesting blend of the modern and traditional forms of architecture. The many palaces and temples in and around Thiruvananthapuram bear testimony to its once regal past. Thiruvananthapuram has excellent accommodation and travel facilities with a range of accommodation options.
It is a very popular entry point for tourists coming in to Kerala. Kovalam beach, Varkala beach and Kanyakumari are close by. Thiruvananthapuram airport has very good connections to the Middle East and the major cities in India. Thiruvananthapuram has also very good rail and bus services to all major towns and cities. The railway station and KSRTC bus stand are at Thampanoor. The city bus station is located at East Fort.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Zoological Park,Napier Museum, Sri Chitra Art Gallery, Science & Technology Museum, Veli Lagoon, Shanmugham Beach, Aruvikkara Dam and Neyyar Dam, SMSM Institute.
Napier Museum
Opposite the Parkview Tourist Information Centre. The Napier Museum has a good collection of temple chariots and ivory carvings. The other interesting feature is the museum architecture. The museum is open 10.00 am – 5.00 pm. Closed on Mondays and Wednesdays for noon.
Sree Chithra Art Gallery
This art gallery is within the Napier Museum grounds. Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich paintings are the favourite attractions. There is also a good collection of copies of paintings of the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools and paintings from China , Japan, Tibet and Bali.
(Open 10.00 am – 5.00 pm , closed on Mondays and Wednesdays for noon).
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
The temple is near the East Fort city bus stand. This famed temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu has some interesting sculptures. The temple architecture is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidan styles. The fort wall encloses the older parts of the city including the temple. The temple pond and the traditional Kerala style buildings surrounding the temple are the other interesting attractions. Like most other temples, only Hindus are allowed inside the temple and there is a strict dress code restricted to Mundu (Kerala style dhoti) for adult males and Sari for females. Men are not allowed to wear shirts or vests. The temple festival in October is a grand event.
EXCURSIONS
Kovalam 16 km, Kanniyakumari 87 km, Padmanabhapuram Palace 54 km, Ponmudi 61 km Quilon 72 km, Suchindram Temple 99 km, Thekkady (Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary) 272 km, Varkala 55 km.
INFORMATION CENTRE
Govt. of India Tourist Office Counter, Trivandrum Airport
Kerala Tourism Development corporation, Touist Reception Centre, Thampanoor.
Tourist Information Centre, Govt. of Kerala, Park View.
| General Information |
| Name |
Thiruvananathapuram |
| Population |
825772 |
| Area |
75 Sq.KM |
| Languages Spoken |
Malyalam, English, Hindi,Tamil |
| Seasons |
| Season |
Period |
Mean Temperature in Centigrade |
| Winter |
December&Feb |
26.1 |
| Spring |
March |
27.9 |
| Summer |
April -May |
28.7 |
| Monsoon |
Jun-Sep |
26 |
| Autumn |
Oct-Nov |
26.6 |
| Weather (Temperature in Degree Centigrade ) |
| Months |
Max. |
Min. |
| Jan |
30.8 |
21.6 |
| Feb |
31.3 |
22.3 |
| Mar |
32.3 |
23.8 |
| Apr |
32.7 |
25.1 |
| May |
31.7 |
24.9 |
| Jun |
30.0 |
23.9 |
| Jul |
29.3 |
23.4 |
| Aug |
29.5 |
23.5 |
| Sep |
29.7 |
23.6 |
| Oct |
29.9 |
23.6 |
| Nov |
30.2 |
23.3 |
| Dec |
30.5 |
22.5 |
| Places of Tourist Interest |
| Sri Padamanabha Swami Temple |
| Sri Chithira Art Gallery |
| Museum |
| The Zoological Park |
| Shanmugham Beach |