Thiruvananthapuram
Richest temple in the world
Located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the State of Kerala in India is the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. It is believed to be the world’s richest temple.
The history of Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century. It is one of the 108 sacred Vishnu temples or Divya Desams in India. Divya Desams are the holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars (saints). The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu, reclining on Anantha, the hooded Serpent.
Marthanda Varma, noted among Travancore kings, did a major renovation to the temple and it resulted in the present day structure of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It was Marthanda Varma who introduced the Murajapam and Bhadra Deepam festivals in the temple. Murajapam, which literally means continuous chanting of prayers, is still conducted in the temple once every six years.
In 1750, Marthanda Varma dedicated the kingdom of Travancore to Lord Padmanabha. Marthanda Varma vowed that the royal family will rule the State on behalf of the Lord and he and his descendants would serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa or the Servant of Lord Padmanabha. Since then the name of every Travancore King was preceded by the title Padmanabha Dasa. The donation of the kingdom of Travancore to Padmanabhaswamy was known as Thripadidanam.
Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala takes its name from the presiding deity of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, who is also known as Anantha (one who reclines on the Serpent Anantha). The word 'Thiruvananthapuram' literally means - the Land of Sree Anantha Padmanabhaswamy.
The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as per belief is located at a place that is considered as one of the seven Parasurama Kshetras. There are references to the temple in texts like the Puranas, viz. the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana. The temple stands close to the holy tank - Padma Theertham, which means 'lotus spring.'
The shrine is currently run by a trust headed by the erstwhile royal family of Travancore.
Kashmir of Kerala
Ponmudi also known as Kashmir of Kerala is a hill station in the Peringamala gramapanchayath of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. It is located 22km west of vithura town, 53 km north-east of Trivandrum City, 78 km south-east of Varkala town and 69 km north-east of Kovalam Beach at an altitude of 1,100 m
Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a two-lane highway .The last 18 km starting from Anapara has scenic views, as it winds through the mountains and tea gardens. The travel along this stretch provides a thrilling experience as drivers and riders have to navigate 22 Hairpin turns.Ponmudi is also a popular spot for backpacking and trekking.The climate is pleasant year-round
Ponmudi is a breathtaking hill station situated at the southern stretch of Western Ghats. Located within a short driving distance from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, Ponmudi literally means The Golden Peak.
The first thing that travellers to Ponmudi notice is the thick tropical forests that carpets the foot of the hill range. Hairpin bends, steep climb and mist covered stretches marks the route to Ponmudi from Kallar, located at the base of the village.
Located close to Agasthyar Hills, one of the biggest peaks in Western Ghats, Ponmudi offers excellent trekking and camping opportunities. Trekking through the thick forests one gets to see assortment of mountain flowers, unusual butterflies and small rivulets. However, the incline is steep and the trek rigorous.
For those who prefer casual strolls instead of trekking, Ponmudi would leave them impressed. A walk through the tea gardens is a feast for the eye and the senses.
Ponmudi is primarily divided into the Upper and the Lower Sanatorium. Kerala government has started an ecotourism project in the Upper Sanatorium area to promote tourism.
Plenty of birds, both native and migratory, have made hills of Ponmudi their home. The Ponmudi Hills are also a natural habitat for Nilgiri Tahr. Though they number around a couple of hundreds, it still forms an important habitat for the endangered species.
Sightseeing in and around Ponmudi includes Ponmudi Waterfalls, the Deer Park, River Kallar, Meenmutty Falls and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary among others. Apart from sightseeing, Ponmudi is also famous for Ayurvedic medical treatments.
Kashmir of Kerala
Shankumugham Beach is a beach in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, south India. The beach is on the western side of Thiruvananthapuram and very near to Trivandrum International Airport
Shanghumukham Beach Kerala
In the southern destination of Kerala, Shanghumukham beach has long been amongst the favorite place for travelers. Not just because of its close proximity with the airport but also because of its beautiful mermaid structure called Sagarakanyaka by the locally renowned artist Kanai Kunjiraman. It is a perfect place to spend a calm day amidst the charming Take-A-Break restaurant and classic Old Coffee House.
The closest airport to Shanghumukham Beach is Thiruvananthapuram Airport at a walk able distance and the closest railway station is Thiruvananthapuram Central at a distance of 9 kilometers.
Shanghumugham beach is considered as the ‘Arattukadavu’ of Sri Ananthapadmanabhan - The presiding deity of the city. Thousands of Hindus perform ‘Bali Tharpanam’ during special occasions. Shankhumugham is the prime location for Ganesh Nimarjan at the time of Vinayaka Chathurthi
On the Arattu day at Thiruvananthapuram, images of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Narasimha, and Lord Krishna are taken in procession to the Laccadive Sea at Shanghumugham beach. His Highness the now-titular Maharaja of Travancore will lead the procession with the royal sword in hand, who will be escorted by members of the royal family, armed guards, temple authorities, mounted police, and officers. After the ceremonial bath at Shanghumugham, images are taken back in procession which marks the conclusion of the festival.
Wildlife Sanctuary
The Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in the southern state of Kerala in India is spread over the southeast corner of the Western Ghats, and covers a total area of 128 km2 (49 sq mi). It is located between 77° 8’ to 77° 17’ east longitude and 8° 29’ to 8° 37’ north latitude, central location 8°33′N 77°12.5′E. Although it was declared as a sanctuary in 1958, not much was done about wildlife conservation, until 1985, when a separate wildlife wing was set up and as a result, conservation efforts have gathered momentum. It is part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve.
Shanghumugham beach is considered as the ‘Arattukadavu’ of Sri Ananthapadmanabhan - The presiding deity of the city. Thousands of Hindus perform ‘Bali Tharpanam’ during special occasions. Shankhumugham is the prime location for Ganesh Nimarjan at the time of Vinayaka Chathurthi
On the Arattu day at Thiruvananthapuram, images of Lord Padmanabhaswamy, Lord Narasimha, and Lord Krishna are taken in procession to the Laccadive Sea at Shanghumugham beach. His Highness the now-titular Maharaja of Travancore will lead the procession with the royal sword in hand, who will be escorted by members of the royal family, armed guards, temple authorities, mounted police, and officers. After the ceremonial bath at Shanghumugham, images are taken back in procession which marks the conclusion of the festival.
This sanctuary has a substantial natural vegetation cover. The diversity of its flora makes the sanctuary an ideal gene pool preserve. There are 39 species of mammals, including tiger, leopard, sloth bear, elephant, sambar, barking deer, bonnet macaque, Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri tahr. 176 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, 17 species of amphibians and 40 species of fishes are reported from the sanctuary.
A crocodile farm, set up in 1977 at Neyyar, is home to around 20 mugger crocodiles. The Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre was inaugurated at Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary in May 2007.
Neyyar Elephant Rehabilitation Centre complex within the area cares for several elephants, from elephant calves to an 87-year-old elephant, and offers elephant rides and elephant feeding.
Wildlife Sanctuary
The Veli Tourist Village which lies where the Veli Lake meets the Arabian Sea provides for unique boating and picnicking opportunities. Visitors can hire pedal boats or paddleboats as per their convenience. One can also roam the gardens and have a nice picnic or choose to employ the boats for the entire duration of the trip. The view and feel of the place is extremely unique, considering it is merely 12 kms from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. Children are known to have a lot of fun climbing the sculptures here and the speedboat ride across the waters. A separate Children’s Park and Floating Cafe run by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) are added incentives to visit this unique village.
Veli tourist village is a popular picnic destination in Thiruvananthapuram district. It consists of a large garden on the southern banks of Veli lagoon. A floating bridge connects this garden to the Veli beach. This picnic destination offers a wide range of attractions such as play areas for children, various boat rides in Veli lake, games, horse rides, swimming pool, shopping stalls, cafeterias, a floating restaurant, a long walkway connecting to Aakulam lake, stone and grass sculptures by Kanayi Kunhiraman which dots the garden landscape, a collection of pet birds such as pigeons and swans, small ponds with fish and tortoises and more!
