Thiruvanathapuram

It is a magnificent wooden palace of the 16th century, located in Thuckalay, 64 kms. away from Thiruvanathapuram. It has the importance of being the old palace of the erstwhile Travancore (1550 to 1750 AD). This palace is a classic example of indigenous architectural style of Kerala. This palace has antique interiors and replete with intricate rosewood carvings and sculptured décor adorned with 17th & 18th century murals. There are a number of beautiful sights to behold within the palace - windows with colored mica, a musical bow in Mahagany, royal chairs adorned with Chinese carvings.

Thaikottaram or Queens Palace is a resplendent affair with painted ceilings, rosewood and teak carved ceilings with over 90 different floral designs.

The Durbar hall has a shiny black floor especially made with a combination of jaggery lime, egg white, burnt coconut, river sand and charcoal. It has secret underground passages, granite tubs to cool curd and buttermilk, hanging brass lanterns lit continuously since the 18th century, room for scribes and accountants, the King’s bedroom with a four poster medicinal bed, hanging cage through which eagles tore criminals to death, open air swimming bath, pooja (worship) rooms with jackfruit tree columns, fish carvings on the ceilings, enormous teak beams, Belgian mirrors and an outer cyclopean stone wall fitted together without mortar, granite dance hall, Goddess Saraswathi urns and room for scribes and accountants.

Nedumangad Palace, also known as Koikkal Kottaram, is an 18th century palace situated about 14 kms from Thiruvanathapuram at Nedumangad. It is on the way to the Ponmudi hill station and the Courtalam waterfalls. The palace today houses a folklore museum and a numismatic museum as well. The chief attractions here are the Palace, the numismatics museum and the folklore museum set up by the Department of Archaeology. Originally built for Umayamma Rani of the Venad royal family, the Palace is a double storied traditional nalukettu with slanting gabled roofs and an inner courtyard.

This temple at Thiruvanathapuram is open to Hindus only and the devotees should wear a ‘Dhothi’ or ‘Saree’. This temple was built in the Dravidian style by Maharaja of Travancore in 1733. It has been dedicated to Vishnu, who reclines on the sacred serpent ‘Anatha’ meaning ‘Thiruvanathapuram’.

Aranmula Temple is located on the Thiruvanathapuram – Kottayam route. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. A major attraction here is the snake boat race held as part of the Uthrettathi festival in August/September. “Aranmula Kannadi” is a polished hand made mirror, for which Aranmula is famous.

This temple is located at Attukal, just 2 kms away from Thiruvanathapuram city. It has a special significance, for this temple is considered as the Sabarimala of the women. So, women form the major portion of the devotees here. The Goddess is worshipped as the supreme mother here. Legend has it, that Attukal Bhagavathy is considered as the divinized form of Kannaki viz an incarnation of Parvathy. The famous Pongala is celebrated in this temple in the month of March and it is a 10 day long event. On pongal day, 2 major popular rituals are performed; one is called as Kuthiyottam performed by boys and the other is known as Thalappoli by the girls. The pongal ceremony is exclusively meant for women.

Located in a well planned compound is a complex of museums and the city’s zoo. The government Arts & Crafts museum, earlier known as the Napier museum is in a red and black brick Indo-Saracenic structure, designed by Robert Fellows Chisholm in 19th century. The museum has a vast collection of bronzes, stone sculptures, exquisite gold ornaments, ivory carvings and a temple chariot. The Shri Chitra Art Gallery is located north of the museum. Housed in a beautiful building, the gallery incorporates the best elements of the local architecture. The pride of its vast collection is the huge works of Raja Ravi Varma, who was the finest Indian artist of his period.

The Natural History Museum to the east of the government museum has a vast collection of replica of a typical Kerala Nair wooden house, nalukettu, detailing the principles of its construction. The Kanakakunnu Palace where the royal family of Travancore once entertained their guests is adjacent to this complex, on the top of a hill.

This museum located in fort area is housed in an 18th century Palace built by Raja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma. He was a statesman, poet, musician, and social reformer. The museum has a rare collection of various artifacts of the royal era, including a solid crystal throne given by the Dutch. This wooden Palace is known for Kerala’s classic architecture and having polished floor work and slopping tiled roof. The wood carvings of the Palace are so fascinating and marvelous.

CVN Kalari Sangham, a training centre for kalaripayattu, was established in 1956 to revive Kerala’s martial arts tradition. At the gymnasium here students gather every morning to perform a series of exercises for developing combat skills. The centre has a shrine dedicated to the deity of the martial arts, Kalari, Paradevata, and also an ayurvedic clinic. At ayurvedic clinic, students are given oil massages.

16 kms south of Thiruvanathapuram city, Kovalam is a sleepy fishing village. Its spectacular beach attracts tourists from across the globe to discover its beauty with sun, sea and sand. Kovalam’s shattered natural bay has four beaches – Samudra Beach, Ashok Beach, Eves Beach and Light house Beach. Despite mass tourism, Kovalam still retains its natural charm and that makes it as one of the most popular beach resorts of India. The beaches to the south of the promontory are more crowded than the beaches to the north. The beaches to the north provide secluded space for sun bathing, water sports and safe swimming.