{"id":29979,"date":"2021-04-04T09:57:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-04T07:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/no-problem-mam.com\/?p=29979"},"modified":"2021-04-05T06:50:21","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T04:50:21","slug":"thiruvananthapuram-trivandrum-kerala","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/en\/thiruvananthapuram-trivandrum-kerala\/","title":{"rendered":"Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), capital of Kerala"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala. Its name means ‘city of Lord Anantha’ referring to Anantha, the mythical snake on which the god Vishnu reclines.This city has great appeal, with luxuriant vegetation, colourful harbours, beaches of fine sand and the legendary cool of Kerala. You might never leave!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Poovar beach near Trivandrum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Thiruvananthapuram is a very ancient town and is said to have been a flourishing port city and a trade hub for spices, sandalwood and ivory as far back as the 5th century BCE. Legend has it that King Solomon’s ships called there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thiruvananthapuram became powerful again after Marthanda Varma came to power as founder and ruler of the princely state of Travancore in 1729. The capital of Kerala<\/a> was moved from Padmanabhapuram (Kanyakumari district) to Thiruvananthapuram in 1745. The town then became a major centre of artistic and intellectual life. Its golden age was in the 19th century under the Swathi Thirunal and Ayilyam Thirunal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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King Ayilyam Thirunal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Festivals<\/strong> not to miss <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Swathi Sangeethotsavam, carnatic music<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The 2019 edition of the Swati Sangeetholsavam festival | Photo : imalayalee.org<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Swathi Sangeethotsavam or Swathi Music Festival is a grand musical event organized every year to pay tribute to Sri Swathi Thirunal, who has composed many brilliant pieces of music which still fascinate music lovers. This great connoisseur and composer has to his credit more than 400 compositions in Carnatic music <\/a>as well as Hindustani music. Held in the Kuthiramalika Palace, adjoining the famous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Trivandrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

www.swathithirunal.in<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nishagandhi dance and music Festival<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Nishagandhi festival | Photo : <\/em>imalayalee.org<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nishagandhi Dance <\/a>and music Festival popularly known as Nishagandhi Nritya Utsav is celebrated in the Nishagandhi Theatre, in Kanakunnu palace compound, in the city of Trivandrum or Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This festival is about a week long and witnesses participation from artisans all over the country. The artists who are keen on promoting the diverse Indian heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Attukal Pongal<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Attukal Pongal | Photo : The Hindu<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Attukal Pongal is a special version of the Pongal harvest festival that takes place each year at the Attukal Bhagavathy temple, 2km from Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) in Kerala.On the ninth day of the ten-day Attukal Pongal festival, nearly 3 million women converge to within a few kilometres of the temple \u2013 the largest gathering of women anywhere in the world. In the streets women of all castes and all social ranks prepare pongal together in small earthen pots on wood fires.<\/p>\n\n\nKNOW MORE ABOUT IT<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n

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And now, let’s visit Thiruvananthapuram!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Padmanabhaswamy temple is an iconic temple and pilgrimage centre in the centre of Thiruvananthapuram.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Padmanabhaswamy temple in the background and traditional houses in the foreground<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is built in the Dravidian architectural style<\/a> more common in neighbouring Tamil Nadu.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is India’s richest temple,<\/strong> even richer than Tirupati temple since \u20ac15 billion worth of gold and jewellery donated by devotees was found in a secret chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trivandrum is India’s richest temple, nearly \u20ac 15 billion treasure was discovered in secret chamber<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Padmanabha, the main deity, is seen in Anantha-Sayanam or “eternal yogic sleep” pose, lying on the snake Anantha.<\/strong> Vishnu’s consorts Sridevi (goddess of prosperity) and Bhudevi (Earth goddess), are beside him. The statue was made from 12,008 salagrama fossils from the banks of the Gandaki river in Nepal, covered with yogam Katusarkara<\/em>, a special Ayurvedic mixture of ingredients that works like plaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Representation of the statue of Vishnu from the Padmanabhaswamy temple<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NB:<\/strong> Unfortunately the temple is out of bounds to non-Hindus, and Hindus must comply with a strict dress code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Entrance to the temple \u2026 and that’s all you’ll see if you’re not an Indian<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Attukal Bhagavathy Temple<\/strong> (2 km)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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At Attukal Bhagavathy temple the main deity is the hindu goddess Kannaki (one of the names of Parvati).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Hindu goddess Kannaki, on one of the doors of the Attukal temple<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The temple is famous for its annual Attukal Pongala<\/strong> <\/a>festival, for which nearly three million women assemble to prepare pongal<\/em> (rice cooked with additional ingredients) in small pots as an offering to the goddess Kannaki…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Kairali backwaters, Poovar Island<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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The golden beach of Poovar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One very pleasant outing is a boat trip around the backwaters of Poovar.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poovar is a small coastal village in the Trivandrum at the southern tip of Trivandrum . This village has a beautiful beach and backwaters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Poovar backwaters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You’ll see a wide variety of birds, stop at a beautiful beach of fine sand and eat at one of the floating restaurants before coming back through the mangroves. The trip takes 2 hours in all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Brahminy Kite cooling off in the mangroves of Poovar<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Poovar Beach<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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One of my best memories of Trivandrum is the landing of the fish catch and the market that follows.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fishing boats<\/em>, early morning<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The fishermen bring their boats in with the day’s catch around 6am. There’s a whole art to pulling the boat up onto the beach (see video below) and the fish market is just as fascinating to watch. An absolute must-see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The auction on the beach of poovar<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n