Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum is the capital of Kerala, India. The main city of ‘Gods Own Country’, it’s famed for its buildings of British colonial architecture and many art galleries. A cosmopolitan city, one of its attractions is Kuthira Malika or Puthen Malika Palace, which is adorned with carved horses and displays a huge collection of artefacts of the Travancore royal family. The city was regional capital of the Travancore royal family from the 18th–20th centuries.
Thiruvananthapuram is a major tourist centre of Kerala, and is known for the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, (worlds richest temple) the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, the backwaters of Poovar and Anchuthengu and Western Ghats tracts of Agastyamala and Ponmudi. The city is one of those rare places in India; where cultural heritage, modern amenities, and natural splendour complement each other.
The city is a mix of the modern facilities in terms of hotels, schools, sports arenas and infrastructure with temples mosques, churches and more. The present regions that constitute Thiruvananthapuram were ruled by the Ays, until their fall in the 10th century. The city takes its name from the Malayalam word thiru-anantha-puram meaning “The City of Lord Ananta” referring to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in the city. The temple is the richest place of worship in the world.
Thiruvananthapuram is also known in the literature, and popular reference as Ananthapuri derived from the Sanskrit word Syanandurapuram, meaning “The City of Bliss” in Carnatic kirtanas composed by Swathi Thirunal, erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore. During Ay dynasty rule, city of Thiruvananthapuram was witness to many ferocious battles, in which Tamil Nadu’s Chola and Pandyan dynasties made attempts to capture the port town. The city was ultimately taken over by the Chera dynasty.
Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Travancore-Cochin state and remained so till the new Indian state of Kerala was formed in 1956. In the 12th century, the Travancore-Cochin kingdom, was conquered by the Kingdom of Venad. Thiruvananthapuram is a notable academic and research hub and is home to some of the most important educational centres in India. In the late 17th century, King Marthanda Varma who inherited the Kingdom of Venad; decided to expand his kingdom by conquering the neighbouring kingdoms of Kayamkulam, Poonjar, Changanassery, Meenachil, Attingal, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Kollam, and Ambalapuzha.
The city’s golden age is considered during the mid-19th century when the state was under the reigns of Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal and Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. During this period numerous developments took place in the city; including the establishment of the first English school (1834), the General Hospital (1839). Also during this period the Observatory (1837), the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and University College (1873) were setup in the city. The establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962, made Thiruvananthapuram a cradle for India’s ambitious space programme. India’s first space rocket was developed and launched in 1963 from Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in the outskirts of the city.
Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO were later established in Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram’s economy comprises IT / ITES, education, plantations, aerospace, commerce and tourism Thiruvananthapuram district contributes 10.31%, of the state’s GDP. The city is home to numerous reputed government and private sector enterprises. Trivandrum is also known for its buildings with unique architectural style that involves use of Kerala style architecture; mixed with British and Dravidian influences.
Well connected by rail, road, air and sea there are numerous places worth visiting in and around the city such as museums like Kerala Science and Technology Museum, Napier Museum, Kerala Soil Museum and Koyikkal Palace Museum. Also worth visiting is the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve listed in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Best time to visit Trivandrum is between the winter months of October to February. It is the perfect time for tourists to indulge to enjoy the beach. The months of February to May are summer season, when the weather is very hot and humid, and not favourable for tourism. The months of June to September bare best avoided when due to the monsoon season, it becomes hard to move around; and sometimes it rains continuously for a few days.
There are numerous places of interest in and around the city including Kallar, Braemore, Ponmudi hills, Poovar, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Varkala Cliffs, and Kappil-Edava lakes. The city is a shopper’s paradise with numerous shopping destinations in the form of markets and shopping malls. Thiruvananthapuram is also called the “Evergreen City of India” thanks to its greenery that makes the landscape around the city lively. The public parks, are considered the lung spaces for the city with rows of trees and also great place to spend time. The nightlife in the city is also happening with several restaurants that serve various South Indian as well as Arabic, Italian, Thai and Mexican cuisines. Street food in Trivandrum is also popular with tourists. There are also numerous bars and pubs that serve alcohol.
There are numerous hotels and lodges that offer luxurious, mid-range and budget accommodation. A visit to Trivandrum gives tourist a glimpse of Malayali culture. The city has historically been a cultural hub in South India; thanks to support for development of arts, architecture and liberal customs by rulers of the erstwhile Travancore royal family. Renowned artists like Raja Ravi Varma and Maharaja Swathi Thirunal were promoted by the Travancore royal family. Heritage buildings like Kilimanoor palace, Thiruvanathapuram Zoo, The Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club and Kuthira Malika palace are worth visiting.
Along with the major Hindu festivals like Deepavali, Onam, Vishu, and Navaratri; Christian and Islamic festivals like Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid and Milad-e-sheriff are celebrated with equal gusto. The diverse ethnic populace of the city celebrates several local festivals like Attukal Pongala, Vettukaad Church Festival, Beemapally Uroos, Padmanabhaswamy Temple Aaraattu and Lakshadeepam festival. During Onam festival, state government organizes cultural events in the city. Especially worth mentioning is the Attukal Pongala festival, the festivals; that sees a congregation of millions of women devotees who arrive in the city from across India and abroad. Celebrated generally in the month of February; the 10 day festival celebrated at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, is reported to be the largest gathering of women in the world.
Thiruvananthapuram is home to many stalwarts of India in different walks of life. Prominent social reformers such as Sri Narayana Guru, Ayyankali, Chattampi Swamikal, Vakkom Moulavi and C. V. Raman Pillai hail from the city. Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer and Kumaran Asan; Two of the three Malayalam triumvirate poets are from Trivandrum. Literature festivals like Kovalam Literary Festival, are annually held in the city. Literary development in the city is aided by state government institutions like State Central Library, which one of the oldest public libraries in India, established in 1829. Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Central library, and the Kerala University Library are other major libraries.
Thiruvananthapuram is hub for classical music since the time of Maharaja of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal. Thiruvananthapuram is famed for many of its music festivals like the Navarathri Music Festival, one of the oldest in South India. other music festivals like Soorya Music Fest, Swathi Sangeethotsavam, Neelakanta Sivan Music Fest are organised by various cultural groups. 111-day-long Soorya Festival is the largest art and culture event in Kerala that features film festivals, music, painting, theatre, dance, and photography exhibitions. The city is an education and healthcare hub with numerous education centres and hospitals.
The Malayalam film Industry was started in Thiruvananthapuram. The first Malayalam feature film, ‘Vigathakumaran’ directed by J. C. Daniel considered the father of Malayalam cinema was released here. J. C. Daniel also established the first film studio in Kerala, the Travancore National Pictures at Thiruvananthapuram in 1926. The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), held every year in December, is one of Asia’s largest film festivals. Many movie studios and production facilities are present in the city; like the Kinfra Film and Video Park Uma Studio, Merryland Studio, Chitranjali Studio, and Vismayas Max contribute to the growth of Thiruvananthapuram as hub of cinema. All this makes Thiruvananthapuram a must visit place for tourist from across India and the world.
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