My Visual Travel Experience: Trivandrum

I visited Trivandrum in 2007 when my company had a marketing conference in a fancy resort in the backwaters of Poovar near the city. In 2012, my wife, my mother in law and I spent a week in Kerala, and we spent a few days in and around Trivandrum. I enjoyed visiting the city for its temples, its palaces, its colonial architecture and the vibrant beaches of Kovalam.

Trivandrum, the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, has a population of just over 750,000 (as per the 2011 census). In 1991, the city’s name was changed to Thiruvananthapuram, but it is still widely known by its former name. Trivandrum is located along the coast of the Arabian Sea, and is close to the southern-most tip of India.

The city was ruled by the Ays till the 10th century, when the Chera Dynasty took over. In the 12th century, the Kingdom of Venad took control. In the 1729, King Marthanda Varma founded the princely state of Travancore. In 1745, the state’s capital was shifted from Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari District to Trivandrum. After India’s independence from the British in 1947, Trivandrum became the capital of Travancore-Cochin state, and stayed the capital after the formation of Kerala in 1956.

Trivandrum is a big Information Technology hub. It is also a notable academic and research centre. It attracts a lot of tourists because of the presence of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the popular beaches at Kovalam close to the city, and the backwaters of Poovar not far off.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Anantha. The temple is built in the Chera style blended with  the Dravidian style. It has a 30 meter tall, 7 storeyed, yellow coloured, intricately carved gopura from the 16th century. In the sanctum sanctorum, Lord Padmanabham reclines on the five hooded serpent Anantha. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, and they must follow a dress code. It is the world’s richest temple.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Puthen Maliga Palace Museum lies right next to Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It is also known as Kuthiramalika (Mansion of Horses). It gets this name from the horse carvings along one of the roofs. The palace was built in the 1840s.  A part of the palace has been converted into a museum, with figures of kathakali dancers. European mirrors, chandeliers. Paintings, musical instruments, two royal thrones and other artifacts.

Puthen Maliga Palace Museum

Napier Museum is an art and natural history museum. It has archaeological artifacts, bronze statues, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. The complex also has the Sri Chitra Art Gallery, famous for its Raja Ravi Varma paintings. There is also a zoo. The museum was established in 1855. The old building was demolished and this new one was built in 1880. It was named after Lord Napier, the former Governor of Madras.

Napier Museum

Gardens, Napier Museum

Sri Chitra Art Gallery

St Joseph’s Cathedral was built in 1873, but the bell-tower was completed in 1927. The exterior was painted red from 1927 to 2010 but was then painted white. At the top of the bell-tower, there is a statue of Jesus with his arms raised.

St Joseph's Cathedral

Victoria Jubilee Town Hall was made as a town hall in 1896 for the golden jubilee of Empress Victoria’s coronation. Today it houses exhibitions and cultural events.

Victoria Jubilee Town Hall

The Kerala Government Secretariat Building was completed in 1869. It was originally build as the Durbar Hall of Travancore Kingdom, but now has the seat of administration of the state government, with many ministries and the bureaucracy.

Kerala Government Secretariat Building

Kovalam lies about 20 km south of the centre of Trivandrum. Kovalam is known for its beaches, which include Lighthouse Beach, (which is very popular with tourists, and is named after a lighthouse that stands on a hill),  Hawah Beach (which is also called Eve’s Beach, and stays busy with tourists and fishermen) and Samudra Beach (which doesn’t have tourists but has fishermen doing their trade).

Kovalam Beach

Kovalam Beach, View from Leela Kovalam

Lighthouse Beach

Taj Kovalam

Poovar is a tourist destination in Trivandrum District that lies about 30 km south of the city. It is known for its scenic backwaters, and has several popular resorts catering to tourists.

Boat in the Backwaters, Poovar

Coconut Trees in the Backwaters, Poovar

Pieta Statue, Poovar

Poovar Island Resort

Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary lies about 30 km east of Trivandrum. It covers an area of 128 sq km. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1958. The sanctuary has the drainage basin of the Neyyar River and its tributaries. There is a lot of wildlife around, including lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, deer, monkeys and crocodiles.

Boat, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Crocodile, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Water Reservoir, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Lions, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Padmanabhapuram Palace lies about 60 km south east of Trivandrum, in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district. Padmanabhapuram was the former capital of the Kingdom of Travancore. The palace dates back to 1750. King Marthanda Varma dedicated the kkingdom to his deity, Lord Padmanabha, a form of Vishnu. The palace is surrounded by Tamil Nadu but it continues to be a part of Kerala. The palace’s 18th century clock tower still tells the time. Visitors to the palace can see furniture, murals and household articles.

King's Palace, Padmanabhapuram Palace

Clock Tower, Padmanabhapuram Palace

Entrance, Padmanabhapuram Palace

Chinese Chair, Padmanabhapuram Palace

Horse Lamp, Padmanabhapuram Palace

In some ways, Trivandrum was unique. Padmanabhaswamy Temple was quite an experience - I had to wear a dhoti and enter the temple without wearing anything on top, as per the temple's rules. That was a first for me. I was reluctant at first, but then I went with the flow! The beaches in Kovalam are perhaps the most popular in India, along with the beaches of Goa; also, the luxurious properties in Kovalam rank among India's best, and my wife and I really enjoyed visiting them for their splendour and their lovely beach views. Overall, Trivandrum and its surroundings were very enjoyable.