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THIRUVANANTHPURAM
(Trivandrum)
It’s hard to believe this friendly, relaxed
city, built over seven forested hills, is a state capital. Known
as the City of the Sacred Snake, Thiruvananthpuram has managed to
retain the magic ambience so characteristic of Kerala- red
–tiled roofs, narrow winding lanes, intimate corner cafes,
dilapidated municipal buses and necessary business accomplished in
a friendly manner with a relatively high degree of efficiency.
When political tension between the various factions erupt
onto the streets, the calm can quickly fade and political slogans,
emblems and flags –especially those of the communist and Muslim
parties – become a notable feature of the Keralan urban
landscape. Politicians parading around in long streams of official
cars can also cause delays by otherwise Keralan politics rarely
affects the visitor.
The famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is only open to
Hindus so most Western visitors simply pass through the town.
Kovalam Beach is just 16 km south, and there are flights
connections to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and the Arabian Gulf.
MUSEUM,
GALLERY & ZOO
The zoo and a collection of museums are in a
park in the north of the city. The museums are open Tuesday to
Sunday from 10 am to 4:45 pm, but not only until1 pm on Wednesday.
Housed in a bizarrely attractive, decaying, Indo- Saracenic
building dating from 1880, the Napier
Museum has a good collection of bronzes, historical and
contemporary ornaments, temple carts, ivory carvings and life-size
figures of Kathakali dancers in full regalia.
The Sri Chitra Art
Gallery has paintings of the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore
schools, together with works from China. Tibet, Japan and Bali.
There are also many modern Indian paintings, including works by
Ravi Varma, Svetoslav and Nicholas Roerich.
The Zoological
Gardens are among the best designed in Asia – set among
woodland, lakes and very well-maintained lawns-but some of the
animal enclosures are miserable. The zoo is open Tuesday to
Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm.
The separate Science
& Industry Museum is not that interesting unless you’re
a high- school science student.
Sri
Padmanabhaswamy Temple
This temple, dedicated to Vishnu, was
constructed in the Dravidian style by a maharaja of Travancore in
1773. Only Hindus are allowed inside, and even they have to wear a
special dhoti. The temple incorporate a tank in which the faithful
bathe.
Puthe Maliga Palace Museum
The Puthe Maliga Palace Museum is housed in
wings of the 200-year-old palace of the Maharaja of Travancore.
Notable for its Keralan architecture, the palace took 5000 workers
four years to complete. Many of the exhibits reflect the spice
trade with China and Europe.
Velli
Tourist Park
This
well-designed park contains fine sculptures by local artist Canai
Kunuram. The sculptures portray a distinctive sense of balance and
harmony sometimes combined with the erotic.
PLACES
TO STAY
HOTEL SAJ LUCIA, (Government Approved) 4 Star
THE SOUTH PARK- A FORTUNE HOTEL BY WELCOM GROUP, (Government Approved) 4 Star
SURYA SAMUDRA HOLIDAY RESORT, (Government
Approved) HERITAGE
HOTEL HORIZON, (Government Approved) 3 Star
HOTEL PANKAJ, (Government Approved) 3 Star
HOTEL SAMUDRA, (Government Approved) 3 Star
MASCOT HOTEL, (Government Approved) 3 Star
AROUND
THIRUVANANTHPURAM
Padmanabhapuram
Palace
Although it’s actually in Tamil Nadu, this
fine palace is easily visited from Thiruvananthpuram or
Kanyakumari. It was once the seat of the rulers of Travancore, a
princely state for over 400 years, which included a large part of
present-day Kerala and the western littoral of Tamil Nadu. The
palace is superbly constructed of local teak and granite, and
stands within the massive stone town walls which kept Tipu Sultan
at bay in the 18th century. The architecture is
exquisite, with ceiling carved in floral patterns, windows laid
with jewel-coloured mica, and floor finished to a high polish with
a special compound of crushed shells, coconuts, egg-white and the
juices of local plants. The 18th –century murals in
the puja room on the upper floors have been beautifully preserved,
and surpass even those at Mattancherry in Kochi. Ask at the
curator’s office for special access.
With its banqueting halls, audience chamber, women’s
quarters, recruiting courtyard are and galleries, the palace is a
must for anyone visiting this part of the country.
Padmanbhapuram is 65 km south-east of Thiruvananthapuram.
To get there, you can either catch a local bus from
Thiruvananthapuram (or Kovalam Beach) or take one of the
Kanyakumari tours organised by the KTDC.
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