Tourist places in Trivandrum

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Padmanabhaswamy temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. The name of the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Malayalam translates to “The City of Lord Ananta”, (City of the Divine Serpent) referring to the deity of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the Chera style and the Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century gopura. While the Ananthapura temple in Kumbla is considered the original seat of the deity (“Moolasthanam”), architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal temple in Thiruvattar. The principal deity Padmanabhaswamy (Vishnu) is enshrined in the “Anantha Shayana” posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adi Shesha.

Shankhumugham Beach

Residents of the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram swear by the vibe and atmosphere at the Shankhumugham Beach. Some come here to view sunsets, while others drop by during the day to simply relax, with a majestic view and a calming breeze playing perfect hosts. Its rustic charm is enhanced by the fishermen thronging the place, along with a bunch of delightful vantage points which seem to have been specifically created for picnickers. For company, you have the matsyakanyaka sculpture (a gigantic, 35 m long mermaid structure), among the most unique constructions in the entire State and a special Indoor Recreation Centre and a beautiful Children’s Park.

Beemapally

Beemapally, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram. Beemapally is famous for its mosque, Beemapally Dargah Shareef, which houses the tomb of Syedunnisa Beema Beevi, a woman believed to have divine powers, and her son Syedu Shuhada Maheen Abubacker. Every year there is a festival held to venerate Beema Beevi which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all faiths and castes. Beemapally Masjid is an impressive building with its imposing façade and soaring minarets. The tomb of Beema Beevi, the lady with miraculous powers who is believed to belong to the Prophet Mohammed’s family, is the main attraction at this mosque. People of all faiths come to offer prayers at Beemapally.

Vizhinjam Lighthouse

Vizhinjam Lighthouse is situated near Kovalam beach in Kerala. It started functioning on 30 June 1972. Vizhinjam was a busy seaport in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Before the current light was installed, there were no lighthouses at this location. A day mark beacon (flag mast) must have been there in 18th century. After 19th century, this port was in a neglected state. A lighted beacon was constructed in 1925 at nearby Kolachal. Subsequently, a day mark beacon was provided at Vilinjam during 1960. The tower is cylindrical with a height of 36 meters. The paint markings are red and white bands. The lighthouse is equipped with metal halide lamps and direct drive mechanism. The light source was modified on 30 April 2003.

Ponmudi

Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a two-lane highway (SH2 & SH 45). The last 18 km starting from Anapara has scenic views, as it winds through the mountains and tea gardens. The travel along this stretch provides a thrilling experience as drivers and riders have to navigate 22 Hairpin turns. Ponmudi is also a popular spot for backpacking and trekking.The climate is pleasant year-round. Other attractions near Ponmudi include Golden Valley and a number of rivulets and rapids, some even across the road. The lush forest area has tropical vegetation. A variety of wildlife inhabit the hills. The Golden Valley offers vistas of the hills and access to the Kallar River. Flowing through a wilderness area, it has rounded pebbles, cool water, fish, and lush green trees.

CVN Kalari Sangham

Kalarippayattu, considered to be the mother of all martial art forms in the world, is a priceless asset to Kerala’s heritage. An intricate blend of physical prowess, mindset, martial techniques and indigenous medical system, this form of armed, close quarter, hand-to-hand combat is unique to this State. The Kalari is a practice ring or training centre on the lines of a gymnasium and Payattu is a duel. Hence, Kalarippayattu means martial skills learnt in a ring or training centre. The CVN Kalari Sangham in Thiruvananthapuram was established in 1956 following the lifelong dedicated efforts of C.V.Narayanan Nair, C.V.Balan Nair and Kottackal Karunakara Gurukkal.

The Zoological Park

As you step past the gates of the Zoological Park in Thiruvananthapuram,an immediate hush falls as all the visitors collectively draw in their breath in awe. There is a furry Macaque staring right back at you while a little ahead the exotic Nilgiri Langur playfully teases you. In a few more steps it dawns on you; you are in a literal jungle, right in the heart of the city. Said to be among the oldest of its kind in all of Asia, the zoo was built under the reign of the former ruler of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma. Dated to about 1857, one can still see some of the older structures that have been renovated over time. The finest avian species, brought here from around the world, dazzle your senses with an exorbitant display of colours. Throughout your walkyou are under a canopy of massive trees like mahogany, teak and fig. There is a pond at the heart of the zoo where one can view nesting Pelicans, Storks and Herons in their natural habitat.

Sree Chitra Art Gallery

Sree Chitra Art Gallery is an art gallery in Thiruvananthapuram, India, established in 1935. It is located towards the northern side of the Napier Museum. It was inaugurated by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma.The gallery features a unique collection of traditional and contemporary paintings, including the works of Raja Ravi Varma, Nicholas Roerich, Svetoslav Roerich, Jamini Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, V. S. Valiathan, C. Raja Raja Varma, and K. C. S. Paniker. There are approximately 1100 paintings at the gallery. The art gallery has on display works from the Mughal, Rajput, Bengal, Rajastani, and Tanjore schools of art. It also has an oriental collection of Chinese, Japanese, and Balinese paintings, Tibetan Thangka, and unique collections of Indian mural paintings from pre-historic times. Other items of interest include miniatures from different parts of the world, reproductions of murals of Ajanta, Bagh, Sigiriya, and Sittannavasal, and manuscripts of archival importance. The gallery houses 400-year-old Tanjore miniature paintings.

Tallest Sivalingam of 111 feet at chengal

The Shiva lingam, which has a height equivalent to that of a 10-storey building, is constructed in such a way that pilgrims can reach a model ‘Kailasam’ on top of the structure. There one can see snow-clad Himalayas with idols of Shiva and Parvathy. The pathway is constructed in such a way that it represents seven hills of Himalayas. The pathway also features murals and statues. The first floor has 108 Shiva lingams, where the pilgrims can offer ‘abhishekam’. There are eight floors inside the cylindrical structure, of which six represent six chakras or energy centres in the human body.

LuLu Mall Thiruvananthapuram

Lulu Mall Thiruvananthapuram is a shopping mall located in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. With a total built up area of 2,000,000 sq ft (190,000 m2),It is one of the largest malls in India. The shopping mall is located along the side of National Highway 66 at Aakkulam near Technopark the largest IT park in India. The mall has 300+ national and international brands and 12 anchor stores including a Lulu Hypermarket, largest indoor entertainment zone in the country, a multilevel car parking space for more than 3,800 cars. It also has a food court with a capacity for 2500 people serving various regional, international and specialty cuisines. The mall has a 12 screen Superplex Multiplex including kerala’s first IMAX screen, 4DX screen by PVR cinemas.

Poovar

Poovar is a tourist town in Neyyattinkara (tehsil) in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, South India. This village is almost at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram while the next village, Pozhiyoor, marks the end of Kerala. Poovar lies very close to Vizhinjam, a natural harbour. The beach of Pozhiyoor named Pozhikkara is located near Poovar. The 56 km Neyyar River passes through Neyyattinkara Taluk into the Arabian Sea near Poovar.

Kerala Government Secretariat

The Kerala Government Secretariat (Malayalam: Saṁsthāna Sarkkār Sirākēndraṁ) is the seat of administration of the Government of Kerala, in Thiruvananthapuram, housing important ministries and bureaucratic offices. It is the highest echelon of state administrative structure offering locus for the exercise of authority by state Government. The secretariat refers to the complex of departments. Its political heads are the ministers while the administrative heads are the Secretaries to the Government. The Government Secretariat is a popular landmark and located in heart of the Thiruvananthapuram City, in Narmada Road. The Secretariat complex was originally constructed as Durbar Hall for Travancore Kingdom. Contents

Priyadarshini Planetarium

Opened in 1994 to the public, this is one of the most versatile planetariums in the country. The main GM-11 star field projector here can project almost all the constituents of the visible universe. It can also simulate the star-studded night sky over any location on the earth, on any day up to 12,500 years back or 12,500 years into the future. The planetarium will be closed on Mondays. Show timings: 1030 hrs (in Malayalam), 1200 hrs (in English), 1500 hrs (in Malayalam), 1700 hrs (in Malayalam) 3D Show – 1115 hrs
Entrance fee:
Adults – Rs. 60/-
Children between 3 -10 – Rs. 30/-

Kovalam

Kovalam is an internationally renowned beach with three adjacent crescent beaches. It has been a favourite haunt of tourists since the 1930s. A massive rocky promontory on the beach has created a beautiful bay of calm waters ideal for sea bathing. The leisure options at this beach are plenty and diverse. Sunbathing, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programmes and catamaran cruising are some of them. The tropical sun acts so fast that one can see the faint blush of coppery tan on the skin in a matter of minutes. Life on the beach begins late in the day and carries on well into the night. The beach complex includes a string of budget cottages, Ayurvedic health resorts, convention facilities, shopping zones, swimming pools, Yoga and Ayurvedic massage centres.

Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

This sanctuary has a substantial natural vegetation cover. The diversity of its flora makes the sanctuary an ideal gene pool preserve. There are 39 species of mammals, including tiger, leopard, sloth bear, elephant, sambar, barking deer, bonnet macaque, Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri tahr. 176 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, 17 species of amphibians and 40 species of fishes are reported from the sanctuary. A crocodile farm, set up in 1977 at Neyyar, is home to around 20 mugger crocodiles. The Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre was inaugurated at Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in May 2007. Neyyar Elephant Rehabilitation Centre complex within the area cares for several elephants, from elephant calves to an 87-year-old elephant, and offers elephant rides and elephant feeding. There is also a deer rehabilitation centre.

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is a town in Kanyakumari District in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The southernmost town in mainland India, it is sometimes referred to as ‘The Land’s End’. A popular tourist destination in India, it is famous for its unique ocean sunrise, sunset and moonrise, the 133 feet Thiruvalluvar Statue and Vivekananda Rock Memorial off the coast, and as a pilgrimage centre. The town is situated 20 km south of Nagercoil, the headquarters of Kanyakumari District, and about 90 km south of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. On the shores of the town is a temple dedicated to Goddess Kanyakumari (the virgin Goddess), after which the town is named.

Kanakakkunnu Palace

Across Southern Kerala, people sing praises of the architectural marvel that is the Kanakakkunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram. Located at the heart of the city, it plays a welcoming host to a multitude of cultural events, seminars and programmes. Its proximity to a number of important tourist sites, including the Napier Museum and Trivandrum Zoo, has made it an important part of the daily workings of the city. Once host to many an important gala, under the reign of the erstwhile ruler of Travancore Sree Moolam Thirunal, it is an integral part of city’s festivities and heritage to this day.

Napier Museum

The museum houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. It also contains the Sree Chitra Art Gallery, which contains works from Raja Ravi Varma and Nicholas Roerich, as well as examples of Mughal and Tanjore art. Indian epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana are depicted in the museum, using Japanese shadow-play leather. In the old days, the band of the Travancore Nair Brigade used to perform at the Band Stand in the museum complex on all Fridays. Later, the police band used to perform here on all Saturdays. The Band Stand has concealed speakers and special acoustics. The museum compound has a rich and diverse variety of trees. The oldest living rubber tree in Kerala that was brought from Ceylon and planted in 1876 by Visakham Thirunal is present at the compound of museum

Science & Technology Museum

Kerala Science and Technology Museum is an autonomous institution established by Government of Kerala, India, in 1984, as a center for popularisation of science and scientific temper among the general public, especially among the young generation. The institution is in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram city, in Kerala

58-ft-tall statue of Lord Shiva in Azhimala

Azhimala in Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, picturesque with the tranquil yet erratic sea, mellow fisherfolk, a handful of tourists and the revered Shiva Temple, is now host to a congregation of tourists. In majestic glory, a 58-ft-tall statue of Lord Shiva as Gangadhareswara, with his windswept, tumultuous dreadlocks enclosing a triumphant Goddess Ganga, has been intricately sculpted on the premises of the Azhimala temple, adjacent to the sea.

Miyawaki forest

This unique afforestation method popularised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki has been gaining popularity in Thiruvananthapuram as a solution to the absence of green lungs in urban landscapes. The Miyawaki forest at Kanakakkunnu was, in fact, one of the first to be set up. The Miyawaki forest was a joint initiative of Invis Multimedia, Nature’s Green Guardians Foundation, Culture Shoppe and Organic Kerala Mission Society on behalf of the State Tourism Department. A basic principle of this afforestation method is that plants and trees found locally in a region should be used.

Veli Tourist Village

The Veli Tourist Village which lies where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea provides for unique boating and picnicking opportunities. Visitors can hire pedal boats or paddleboats as per their convenience. One can also roam the gardens and have a nice picnic or choose to employ the boats for the entire duration of the trip. The view and feel of the place is extremely unique, considering it is merely 12 kms from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram.