Welcome to God's Own Country Local Attractions


Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple

Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple: This ancient temple is the most dominating feature of Thiruvananthapuram. Overlooking the Padma Theertham pond, the temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu who is depicted reclining on Sri Anantha, the hooded snake from which the city derives its name. This temple is amazing with its stone carvings.The history of the temple dates back 5000 years.Thats how old the original shrine so Amazing.

Festivals : The Alpashy festival is during October/November and the Painkuni festival is during March/April, lasts for 10 days each.A major annual festival related to Padmanabha temple is the Navaratri festival. The idols of Saraswati, Durga, and Murukan are brought to the kuthira malika palace in front of Padmanabha temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi music festival is held every year during this festival. The biggest festival in this temple is laksha deepam, which means hundred thousand lamps. This festival is unique and commences once in 6 years.




Kuthiramalika Palace Museum

Kuthiramalika Palace Museum, a classic specimen of Kerala Architecture is situated in 'Kuthiramalika'. The palace, with its excellent carvings and amazing architectural designs, is by itself a slice of heritage. The palace gets its name from the 122 horses that are carved into the wooden wall brackets that support the southern roof. The palace forms part of a vast complex of royal buildings in the vicinity of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The building was left unoccupied for more than a century, following the demise of Swathi Thirunal in 1846. A portion of Kuthira Malika has been converted to a Palace Museum that houses some of the assets owned by the Travancore Royal Family. The collection includes Kathakali mannequins, Belgian mirrors, crystal chandeliers, paintings, armaments, musical instruments, traditional furniture and other artifacts. On the right side of the mannequins are the ivory cradles of various sizes. The palace has on display two royal thrones, one made of ivory and the other of Bohemian crystal with the Tranvancore emblem 'conch' adorning the top of the backrest. The palace has a large collection of idols and sculptures made from white marble.




Napier Museum & Sri Chitra Art Gallery

The museum established in 1855 is an architectural masterpiece. Napier Museum is a landmark in the city with its unique ornamentation and architectural style with gothic roof and minarets. The Indo-Saracenic structure also boasts a natural air conditioning system. The museum houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. The museum contains a fine collection of Kerala's bronzes, ornaments and contumes, and a model of "Tharawad'-the traditional Nair family home. It also contains the Sri Chitra Art Gallery, which contains works from Raja Ravi Varma and Nicholas Roerich, as well as examples of Mughal and Tanjore art.




Padmanabhapuram Palace

Located at 54 kms from Thiruvananthapuram across the border in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district, the palace nestles at the foot of the Veli hills. Built during the 16th cenury it was called Darpakulangara, but later in the 18th century it was renovated and renamed as the Padmanabhapuram palace. A place of elaborate woodwork, it was the ancient seat of the Travancore rulers Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma till the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram in 1780. It contains relics of historical and artistic value. The palace was constructed by Iravipillai Iravivarma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Travancore between 1592 A.D. and 1609 A.D. In the late 18th century, the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Thiruvananthapuram, and the place lost its former glory. However, the palace complex continue to be the best examples of traditional Kerala architecture, and some portions of the sprawling complex are also the hall mark of traditional Kerala style building art. There are several structures to see. Mantrasala, literal meaning, King's Council Chamber, Thai Kottaram, literal meaning, Mother's Palace - believed to have been constructed before 1550, Nataksala, literal meaning, the Hall of Performance, four-storeyed building at the centre of the Palace complex, Thekee Kottaram, literal meaning, the Southern Palace.




Kanyakumari (Cape Comerin)

Kanyakumari is the southern most tip of peninsular India situated 87 km away from Thiruvananthapuram. The location is so special in many ways. It is the meeting point of three seas – Bay of Bengal in the East, Indian Ocean in the South and Arabian Sea in the west. This place also offers you see sunrise and sunset (over the sea) at the same location. one can see the sun rise from the Bay of Bengal and sun set in the Arabian Sea.It is a holy place for Hindus because of the Kanyakumari Temple. In addition to the sunrise and sunset, Vivekananda Rock (where Swami Vivekananda meditated), huge statue of Poet Valluvar and Gandhi Memorial are other attractions.




Veli Tourist Village and Akkulam Backwater

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 backwaters, speedboats are available for hire. Children enjoy climbing over the huge sculptures which dot the landscape.




Ponmudi Hills

Ponmudi is a hill station located about 60 km north-east of Trivandrum city at an altitude of 910 m. It is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea.Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a narrow winding road which offers a scenic view on the way to Ponmudi. The climate is alwayspleasant and it serves as a base for trekking and hiking.Other attractions near Ponmudi include Golden Valley and a number of rivulets and rapids, some even across the road. Located in a rich forest area, this whole place is a treasure of tropical vegetation.The tea-gardens here are also famous.There is also a rich wildlife around these hills. Golden Valley is a sneak peek offered to the beauty of the hills. It is an access point to the river Kallar. Well-rounded pebbles, lush green trees, the cool water, fishes and the sheer wilderness of the park enthrall the visitors.On the way to the ponmudi, Kallar and Meenmutty water falls are among the main attractions.




KALLAR

Kallar is small town 45 km from Thiruvananthapuram. The majestic Vamanapuram River flows through the town. Many varieties of birds and trees can be watched in and around Kallar.The main attractions are the nearby Golden Valley, and the Meenmutty waterfalls. Unlike the Meenmutty waterfall, the Golden Valley is easily accessible form the main road. Here one can take a dip in the crystal clear waters to cool off, and also watch the many rapids and small pools that dot a good part of the river in this area. Apart from Golden Valley, those with zeal for trekking and bird watching can take the narrow track, starting from the right from the side of the Kallar Bridge.




Aruvikkara Dam

Aruvikkara Dam is situated 16kms north of Thiruvananthapuram. It is gifted with lavish scenic beauty and here is a stream full of fish that fearlessly come close to the shore to be fed by the visitors. Boating facilities are available at the reservoir. On the banks of the river, an ancient temple is situated which is dedicated to Durga.