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Trivandrum
is often referred to as the Kashmir of the South. Trivandrum, with its sun-kissed sands, golden beaches and the dominating emerald green of its palm trees, remains a very popular tourist destination for Indians and foreign nationals. Enjoy a ride through the prismatic splendour of this wonderful land.
Situated near the southern-most tip of India and washed by the rough Arabian Sea, Trivandrum (now
Thiruvananthapuram) is the capital of Kerala - the land carved out by the axe of
Parasurama, the legendary warrior.
The name
Thiruvananthapuram literally splits into Tiru, Anantha, Puram meaning
the town of Lord Anantha. This is really true since the temple is at the heart of the town and for generations, the kings have called themselves
Padmanabha-Dasa or the servants of Lord Anantha Padmanabha, and ruled the state as the representatives of
Lord Anantha Padmanabha. Trivandrum or the City of the Endless Serpent has a cluster of popular temples surrounding it. The city is dominated by the temple of Padmanabhaswamy or quite literally the
Lord with the Lotus Navel. A powerful deity close to Trivandrum is that of Janardhanaswamy
at Varkala about 50 kilometres away, and Sivagiri which was founded by Sri Narayana Guru, a great social reformer with a secular outlook. A testimony to the secular nature of Trivandrum can be found in the heart of the city - Palayam - where a temple, a church and a mosque are located next to one another.
The Royal Family was held in very high esteem during the heyday of the Travancore State. People used to believe that the Maharaja and the Maharani were next only to the local
deity, Lord Padmanabha. Swathi Tirunal, one of the Maharajas of
Travancore, composed songs in several languages and left a rich musical legacy. He is remembered to this day on the occasion of the Navrathri festival, when eminent musicians sing his compositions on al the nine days of the festival.
A drive down Mahatma Gandhi road, will see you cut through the heart of modern Trivandrum city which still bears the unmistakable stamp of the British era. On either side of the road are impressive buildings of the colonial times - the Public library, College of Fine Arts, the Victoria Jubilee Town Hall and the Secretariat. The Napier Museum is an exceptional building, combining indigenous architectural styles with European methods. The museum is housed within a large complex which also includes the Sri Chitra Gallery, the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. What is worth taking a look at are the paintings of Raja Ravi Verma (1848-1906). Ravi Verma was best known for his dramatic scenes from Hindu epics and the largest collection of his work can be found in the Sri Chitra Art Gallery.
Trivandrum is home to some leading scientific and technological institutions like the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, the Centre for Earth Science Studies and a museum dedicated exclusively to science and technology. In fact, India's pioneering efforts in space exploration began at Thumba, not far from the city.
The Chalai Bazaar-the old market area of Trivandrum-still retains its traditional charm. Jewellery and cloth stores, fresh fruit and flower stalls, fish and vegetable markets co-exist cheek-by-jowl.
Trivandrum is a major tourist centre and with its beautiful beaches, temples and buildings it is not hard to see why. So come to Trivandrum, Kerala, to savour the simple, clean life and the rich scenic beauty with which God has so lavishly endowed this land.
A
major commercial complex - JAMY
PLAZA by Jamy Builders & Enterprises (P) Ltd. is coming up
at Pattom - Medical College Road opposite to Vydhuthu Bhavan.. The construction
of the commercial complex by Jamy Builders & Enterprises (P)
Ltd. is progressing at a fast pace. Book early
and avail special price offer.
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