Thiruvananthapuram

The capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram or Trivandrum, is an appealing blend of a strongly rooted heritage and a nostalgic colonial legacy. Built upon seven hills, this city has long since left the days when it was only used by seafaring explorers behind - today, Trivandrum is an expensive metropolis with quaint urban charm and plenty of architectural and historical places to visit. In addition, Trivandrum is a gateway to nearby popular beach towns of Kovalam and Varkala. The Padmanabhaswamy temple (also known as Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple) is a must-visit temple of India. Other famous temples in Trivandrum include the Attukal Bhagawati temple, the Aazhimala Siva Temple, the Karikkakom Chamundi Devi Temple, and the Pazhavangadi Ganapathy Temple. The city is home to a few museums, such as the Kuthiramalika Palace Museum and the Napier Museum. The Kuthiramalika Palace Museum is situated close-by to the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Renowned for its Travancore styled architectural features and its structural elegance, this museum houses priceless paintings, traditional furniture, and other royal family collections. Trivandrum, now known as Thiruvananthapuram, is not only the capital of the Indian state of Kerala but is also the biggest city there. It hosts the only magic academy in India. This magic academy is known as the Magic Academy Research Centre and is run by an award-winning magician named Gopinath Muthukad. Apart from this, Thiruvananthapuram is also a central I...

• Kerala Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala's capital – still usually referred to by its colonial-era name, Trivandrum – is a relatively compact but energetic city spread across low-lying hills and is an easygoing introduction to urban life down south. Most travelers merely springboard from here to the nearby beaches of Kovalam and Varkala, but Trivandrum (once capital of the princely state of Travancore) has enough good food and intriguing sights – including a zoo, a Travancore palace and a cluster of Victorian museums in glorious neo-Keralan buildings – to justify a stay.

Contents • 1 Understand • 2 Talk • 3 Get in • 3.1 By plane • 3.2 By train • 3.3 By bus • 3.4 By car • 3.5 By Taxi • 4 Get around • 4.1 By bus • 4.2 By auto rickshaw • 4.3 By taxi • 4.4 By auto-taxi • 4.5 By car • 4.6 By two wheelers • 4.7 Bicycle • 4.8 On foot • 4.9 By hitch-hiking • 5 See • 5.1 Monuments and Museums • 5.1.1 Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple • 5.1.2 Other Monuments • 5.2 Itinerary • 6 Do • 7 Learn • 8 Buy • 8.1 Big shopping centres • 8.2 Malls • 8.3 Shopping complexes and arcades • 8.4 Handicrafts • 9 Eat • 9.1 Kuruvankonam • 9.1.1 Indian cuisine • 9.1.2 International food • 9.1.3 Bakery • 9.1.4 Drinks • 9.1.4.1 Cafe • 9.1.4.2 Tea • 9.2 Bakery junction • 9.3 Nanthencode • 9.4 East fort and surrounding areas • 9.5 Sasthamangalam • 9.6 Pattom • 9.7 Vazhutacaud • 9.8 Kowdiar[Royal Road Avenue and branching streets] • 9.9 Palayam • 9.10 Statue and M.G road • 9.11 Paruthipara • 9.12 Technopark • 9.13 Other areas • 10 Drink • 10.1 Bars • 10.2 Take home • 11 Sleep • 11.1 Budget • 11.2 Mid-range • 11.3 Splurge • 12 Stay Healthy • 12.1 Exercise • 12.1.1 Gyms • 12.2 Hospitals • 12.2.1 State run • 12.2.2 Private • 12.3 Dental Clinics • 13 Stay safe • 13.1 Traffic • 13.2 Crime • 13.3 Public transport • 14 Contact • 14.1 Telephone and mobile • 14.2 Internet • 15 Cope • 15.1 Tourist Information • 15.2 ATMs • 15.3 Money exchange • 15.4 Banks • 15.5 Opticians • 15.6 Libraries & Cultural Centers • 16 Get out Location Quick Facts Government Capital of Kerala and headquater of triv...

Thiruananthapuram, the jewel in the emerald necklace that Kerala is for the Indian sub-continent, must surely have Parasuramanbeen a “must see” destination for ages, long before National Geographic Traveller classified it as one. Surely long before Sage Parasurama , according to local legend, threw his divine battle axe from Kanyakumari to Gokarnam to west Kerala, God’s own land, from the Varuna the sea god; before the times of Mahabali the democratic and just ruler of this wonderful land who was sent down to the netherworld through deceit. It doesnt take any flights of fancy to imagine that this land fired the imaginations of intrepid travellers and explorers like Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Marco Polo, Fa Hien, and quite possibly, countless others from the pages of history, recorded or not