Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala state. This ancient city was the spiritual centre of Travancore kings since 11th century and became their capital in 1750 AD. Thiruvananthapuram is ranked top in the number of foreign tourists visiting Kerala and is a beautiful destination for holidaymakers.
Trivandrum, the capital of the state of Kerala, the God's Own Country, now known by the name.Thiruvananthapuram, literally translates into the "abode of Lord Anantha". The Sri PadmanabhaswamyTemple, a highly venerated temple for Keralites, in the heart of the city is devoted to the deity Lord Anantha. The city of Thiruvananthapuram is located in the South of the state and bordered by Tiruneveli in the East, Kanyakumari to the South and Kollam district located to its North. The city is a must on the itinerary of any visitor to the South India.
The city being the capital is the center spot for the political activities of the State. The people of Kerala known for their leftist leanings have always supported the Marxist precepts of the CPI(M) or the Communist Party of India. The city is the hub of all the political upheavals in the state and is considered to be the most politically active. No wonder polls draw more than ninety percent of the polling percentage on a regular basis.
Thiruvananthapuram is one of the oldest cities in India, with periodic references in many Greek and Roman literatures. However the city's position came forefront when the Venad Dynasty came into power of Southern regions, after the Great Partition of Kerala Empire of Cheras in 14th century. Though Venad rulers had their capital at Kollam (70kms north of Thiruvananthapuram), the town was well considered as a major trading centre. The rise of new Venad King, Maharaja Marthanada Varma and subsequently formation of Travancore Kingdom in late 17th century proved a turning point for the city. The Raja, after formation of the kingdom by annexing many small states and feudal principalites, dedicated the entire kingdom to Lord Padmanabha, the presiding deity of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple and crowned as Emperor, making the royal family to rule in the name of the lord. This resulted in making Thiruvananthapuram as the capital of new kingdom and the city started growing around the temple. In 19th century, the entire administration was brought to Thiruvananthapuram city from the Royal headquarters of Sree Padmanabhapuram Fort (50kms from Thiruvananthapuram city), which marked completion of first phase of Thiruvananthapuram city.
How To Reach :
By Road/Bus :
Thiruvananthapuram is connected with Kollam (1½ hours), Alappuzha (3¼ hours), Ernakulam (5 hours), Trichur (6¾ hours), Chennai (17 hours), Madurai (10 hours), and Pondicherry (16 hours) by road. We would provide you all tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too.
By Plane/Air :
Being the capital of Kerala state, Thiruvananthapuram is well connected to other major cities of and the neighboring countries. There are direct flights to Bangalore , Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi . Cities in the neighboring countries such as Colombo , Malé and cities of Arabian Gulf are connected by the international airlines.
By Train/Rail :
Thiruvananthapuram is connected to other important cities of and Kerala by trains. Regular trains are available for the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. For the tourists heading towards North India and Delhi , Himsagar Express is the perfect choice.