Trivandrum Tourism

‘Trivandrum’ or ‘Thiruvananthapuram’, the capital of Kerala and the headquarters of Thiruvananthapuram district, is the city spread across seven low coastal hills. Placed in the laps of the Western Ghats, Trivandrum is bordered by the Arabian Sea. Befittingly designated by Mahatma Gandhi as the ‘Evergreen city of India’, Thiruvananthapuram presents the perfect fusion of tradition and modernism, money making and merry making. Embellished with ancient temples, ancestral buildings, colonial mansions, grand avenues, enticing coastlines, tranquil hinterlands and fascinating backwaters, Thiruvananthapuram beckons tourists from far and wide.

The city gets its name after a mythological thousand headed serpent ‘Anantha’. Thiru-anantha-puram means the ‘Abode of Anantha’. Anantha refers to the legendary SheshNag on which Lord Vishnu (Padmanabh Swamy) rests. The famous Padmanabh Swamy Temple which houses an idol of Lord Vishnu reposing on Anantha is an iconic feature of Thiruvananthapuram city.

The largest and the most populated city of Kelara; Thiruvananthapuram, is also the IT Hamlet and the academic pivot of the state. Many government offices and most prominent educational and research institutes of the state are house in this city. Thiruvananthapuram is recognized as one of the 10 greenest cities of India and it ranks at the top for attracting the maximum number of international tourists in Kerala.

Coconut and palm fringed beaches and rich cultural heritage render Thiruvananthapuram a favorite tourist destination. The God’s Own Country and the city of Anantha, Thiruvananthapuram, is the most lustrous jewel in the emerald necklace named Kerala.

History of Thiruvananthapuram:

History of Thiruvananthapuram is dated back to 1000 BC. It is believed that the port named Ophir where the ships of King Solomon had landed in 1036 BC is none other than the Poovar village of Thiruvananthapuram district. This port was very famous amongst the merchants for the trade of sandalwood, spices and ivory. The early history of Thiruvananthapuram differs from the history of the rest of Kerala.

Ancient rulers of Thiruvananthapuram were the Ays. The Venads were their successors. In 18th century ‘Marthanda Varma’ established a new state Travancore. The original capital of Travancore was Padmanabhapuram which was later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram in 1745. This is the period when the rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began.

19th century witnessed the all-round development of the city during the administration of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal. Schools, colleges, hospitals, research centers were established during this time. 20th century was the golden age of tremendous social and political transformations. Thiruvananthapuram has never been colonized still this city made a noteworthy contribution in the freedom struggle of India. It served as an active pivot of the activities of The Indian National Congress

After the independence, Travancore joined Indian Union and it was merged with Kochi creating a new state Thiru-Kochi. ‘King Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma’, the ruler of Travancore was made the Rajpramukh of Thiru-Kochi. Later, on 1st Nov. 1956, Kerala sate was formed with Thiruvananthapuram being the state capital.

The first Indian space rocket that was launched in 1963 was developed in the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, based at Thiruvananthapuram. India’s first IT Park – ‘Technopark’ was founded in 1995 at Thiruvananthapuram. This is the largest IT Park in India and ranks 3rd in entire Asia. These two events mark the milepost in the glorious history of Thiruvananthapuram.