Attractions in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram with its thousands of years of varied legacy in the field of art, culture and architecture is replete with historical, religious and cultural hotspots. The capital city of God’s Own Country with its natural beaches with hills as backdrop to the scenic beauty is the Caribbean vacation destination for Indians.

The city attracts all kind of tourists; the religious for the sacred temples, the explorers looking for the old relics in the ruins of forts, the beach lovers looking for those sunny days away from freezing winters and few come in search of that elixir of life in Yoga, Ayurveda and the nature. The reasons are numerous but the destination is one, Thiruvananthapuram.

The Beaches

The beaches of Thiruvananthapuram are known for their scenic beauty all around the world and the name on the top spot is Kovalam Beach. It is located just about 8 miles from the city. The second is the Varkala beach country, just about half an hour away from the city; it is the Caribbean experience in India. The Veli Tourist Village though not a beach, offers much more than that. The lake which merges in the Arabian Sea has been developed into a family picnic spot with parks, gardens and a number of water sports. The Shanmugham beach is located close to the village and has a Keralite version of the mermaid, the Matasya Kanyaka, a 35m long stone sculpture.

The Temples

The city can be termed a temple city of Kerala with dozens of temples of various deities and religions located there. The prominent ones are Attukal Bhagavathy Temple or the Sabrimala of Women, Sivagiri Mutt setup by Sree Narayana Guru and the 2000 years old Janardhana Swamy Temple of Varkala. The Varkala temple is atop a step hill and revered by all the devotees of Vishnu in India. The secular tradition of Thiruvananthapuram is upheld by the Palyam Juma Masjid, a mosque and Beemappalli Dargah, a pilgrim center for the Muslims. The Church at Vettukad or the Madre De Deus Church is not for the Christians alone but attracts devotees cutting across all religious faiths for the annual Feast of Christ.

The Heritage Buildings

There is no dearth of the prestigious relics in spic and span condition. The most important among them is the Kerala Government Secretariat; the white marvel was constructed in the later part of 1800. The Kannakunu Palace, built during the rule of Sri Moolam Thirunal, is the sought after venue for hosting cultural events. The Napier Museum built during the colonial India by the Travancore Kings is housing rare bronze and ivory artifacts. The Sree Chitra Art Gallery, Museum of natural History and Trivandrum Zoo are located in the premises of the Napier Museum.

The list is endless but the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum needs a mention for the horse face shaped beams with which it has been constructed and the Padmanabhapuram Palace, constructed in the indigenous Keralite construction of wood

The list of interesting sites has numerous more names; the wild life sanctuary at Peppara, Ponmudi hill station, Neyyar Dam and Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave are a few located within an hour drive from Thiruvananthapuram. All you need is that urge to know about the God’s Own Country and everything else will follow.