Thiruvananthapuram - Stay - The Travancore Heritage - Facility

Facilities
Pool Mansions: The Travancore Heritage has 2 pool mansion suites with private pools set in independent villas, with air conditioned spacious bed room, a drawing room and sit-out or verandah with rich period furniture and all modern amenities of attached toilet with lavish fittings with 24 hours cold/hot water showers. It also has a private dip pool in open back-yard, completely walled in for privacy.

Heritage Villas: The Travancore Heritage has 43 elegant air conditioned rooms in heritage villas with all modern amenities like spacious toilets including garden baths with cold/hot water showers, with comfortable furniture and smooth interior lights.

Reception Lobby: The reception building, a 120-year-old Palace (the Valiamadom Kottaram) of a regional King of Edappally lineage is a replica of the beauty and grandeur of the old architectural style of the time. It houses the reception, lobby and front office. The guest activity center on the first floor has a small library, facilities for indoor games like chess and card games, satellite TV and an internet kiosk.

Conference/Banquet Hall: On the basement of the reception building is an air-conditioned conference/banquet hall which can accommodate 100 guests with adequate service foyer and all modern audio and video equipments for even blue chip conferences.

Swimming Pool : The main swimming pool is of 228 sq. mtrs, with a kid's pool and set of Jacuzzis. The pool has broad pool decks finished in natural dressed granite with poolside umbrellas and long reclining poolside cots. Beverages and light refreshments for the pool users will be served from the restaurant.

Travel Desk & Shopping: The Resort has a travel desk and car rental service. It also has a small shop selling essential cosmetics, toiletries, beachwear, ethnic hats and selected curios.

Dining
Restaurant: The restaurant is open on the front sides with arches and overlooks the pool. It has a wooden roof ceiling on its main hall which is some 100 years old with such exquisite decorative work, sourced from the marriage hall of a feudal chief in Tamilnadu. The restaurant offers multi-cuisine fare with the specialty of seafood and local ethnic cuisine and can serve 80 guests at a time.

Leisure
Beach Side Facility: The beach activity center is in an acre of land with lush green swaying coconut palms by the side of the beach with access from the main resort area on the cliff. The center serves snacks and beverages and also issues fresh beach towels. It has a few lockers, fresh water shower rooms, toilets and change rooms. Those guests who would like to have a splash in the sea can venture to do so when allowed by the coast guards of the resort or just loll up on the beach for the perfect suntan, under the beach umbrellas

Cultural Shows: Organized cultural performances by professional artists and groups of performing art forms like Mohiniyattom, Kathakali etc and classical music are arranged in the evenings giving a glimpse of the cultural richness and variety of Kerala

Tour Packages: Special daytime - sight seeing and shopping trips can also be organized on request at extra payment. The near by attractions include the Padmanabhapuram Palace - the ancient palace of the Travancore Kings, Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) - the tip of the Indian Peninsula, Country boat cruises along the backwaters, Srichitra art gallery and Napier museum. One can also go for a shopping spree for antiques, curios and handicrafts or garments and gold jewellery in city shops in Trivandrum.

Ayurveda & Yoga
Ayurveda Center: The Travancore Heritage has an Ayurveda Center which is managed by a young post graduate Ayurveda doctor couple to give Ayurvedic rejuvenation and purification therapy using time tested Ayurvedic herbal oils and medicaments.

Yoga & Meditation: The Travancore Heritage also has a full-fledged Yoga & Meditation center working under the guidance of experienced yoga teachers. Short term courses are also offered for those who wish to learn yoga during the time of their stay in the resort.

Location
Travancore Heritage is located just 23 kms from Trivandrum, the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala, known as 'god's own country' in the southern most part of India.

Access
The nearest international airport is Trivandrum. It is well connected with other parts of India as well as with many major cities of the world. Trivandrum is also well connected through Indian railways from all the important places in India and also by roadways from neighboring states. The resort is situated by the side of the Kovalam - Poovar road, and is only 30 minutes drive from the airport, 20 minutes from railway station and bus station.

Thiruvananthapuram - Stay - The Travancore Heritage - Profile

The Travancore Heritage is a sea side resort in 8 acres of lush green coconut garden and landscaped environs located at Chowara -South of Kovalam, near Trivandrum, Kerala. The resort stands on a high cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea and a long wide beach of powdery white sand. The Travancore Heritage is conceived and developed as a Heritage Property to bring to life the age-old traditional architectural splendor of the region with its typical timber houses and 'Nalukettu' with tiled roofing, which allow for living in communion with all the elements of Nature. The courtyard within the 'Nalukettu' in its center, around which the four wings of the house were built in timber, bring in the air, sunlight and the rain water right into the house making the inhabitants live in tune with Mother Nature. Travancore Heritage comprises of many such houses built at various periods in the past 60 - 100 years from several locations in Travancore, rebuilt at the site after being dismantled and transported with utmost care, with all their architectural grandeur with fine woodcarvings on the rafters, gables and the connecting timber members on the walls intact.

Thiruvananthapuram - Hotels - Hotel Lucia

Welcome to Thiruvananthapuram, the Capital City of Kerala and to Hotel Lucia. At Lucia, a premium business class hotel, we unravel a new dimension in luxury and hospitality. Here, at Lucia, a Government of India approved Four Star Hotel and member of the The International Hotel Association and The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India, you can feel and savor the tradition of Kerala hospitality, as nowhere else. With its luxurious accommodation and delightful cuisine, Lucia is the ideal choice for businessmen and tourists visiting Trivandrum.

Facilities

Lucia offers some of the best facilities available in Thiruvananthapuram for travelers- 100 centrally air-conditioned and superbly furnished rooms and suites. Luxury suites, executive suites, executive rooms and standard rooms. All rooms have 24 Hour Closed Circuit TV- where you can surf all the channels available on the cable network.

24 hours supply of hot and cold running water.

In-House Laundry and Dry Cleaning-forget all the worries about clean clothes.

Round the clock Room Service.

An Electronic Telephone Exchange which allows you to make International and National calls directly
from the room itself.

Safe Deposit facility.

Foreign Exchange-money changing facilities.

Secretarial Services.

And of course, your friendly doctor on call.

Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the State and the headquarters of the district, is connected by air, rail and road. Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple, the Kanakakkunnu Palace, the Observatory, Science and Technology Museum, the Government Secretariat, the Kowdiar Palace, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Tagore Centenary theatre and the Museum & zoo are some of the tourist attractions in the city.

Sree Chitra Art Gallery with its rich collection of exquisite paintings, is another attraction. The gallery has a special Ravi Varma section other than one for murals, water and oil painting. The S.M.S.M. Institute, Botanic Gardens at Palode and Chitranjali studios are added attractions.

The Raj Bhavan, Central Library, Victoria Jubilee Town Hall,University College, Residency, College of Fine Arts and the Wellington Water Works are but a few of the land marks that adorn the city.

There are three big stadia, namely; the University Stadium, the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and the Central Stadium, in the city. A velodrome at Kariavattom and the Jimmy George Indoor Stadium at Vellayambalam cater to sporting interests.

The neat and clean Shanghumughom beach is an attraction. The Aerodrome, the Government Engineering Workshop, the Trivandrum Rubber Works and the Travancore Titanium Products Ltd are situated in the vicinity of Shanghumughom beach.

Interesting places worth visiting in the neighbourhood of Thiruvananthapuram city are Aruvikkara Water Works, Kovalam Beach Resort and the resort of Ponmudi Hills, the Neyyardam at a distance of 29 kms also offers scenic splendour as well as opportunities for hikes, boating, camping and mountaineering

Kanyakumari, the land’s end of India now in Tamil Nadu, is only 87 kms. from Thiruvananthapuram.

On the way to Kanyakumari is Padmanabhapuram, the old capital of Travancore, where an ancient palace with antique murals is located.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Shanghumugham Beach

Shanghumugham Beach is very near to the International Airport and is easily accessible from the Kovalam Beach, Veli Tourist Village and Akkulam Tourist Village. Shanghumugham beach is noted for its cleanliness. The vast stretch of white sand and the serene atmosphere, away from the crowd in the city, provide all the ingredients for relaxation and for spending an ideal evening. There is also a “Star Fish Restaurant” with eating kiosks and open air theatre with car parking facilities.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Veli Lagoon

On the outskirts of Kerala’s capital, by the side of the placid waters of Veli lake, the Boat Club attracts the city people and tourists. Veli, developed as a major tourist spot by providing facilities for pedal-boating, row boating, swimming, get together, etc. is just the right place for an exciting outing.

The Youth Hostel at Veli which is hardly three kms, from the airport, provides inexpensive dormitory type accommodation. Veli, with its palm fringed lake is easily accessible by road.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Museum and Zoo

The Museum building itself is an architectural splendour. The Napier Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Reptile House and the Shri Chitra Art Gallery are all within the zoo complex amidst a well laid-out garden and park. There is a lake and a boat club jointly operated by the Department of Museums and Zoos and the District Tourism Promotion Council.

The zoo offers a rare opportunity for the visitors to experience an unparalleled, picturesque and panoramic sylvan landscape with a wide range of animal collections. The zoo has 75 different species of animals not only from India but also from abroad. It has several species of animals and birds from Ethiopian and Australian zoological regions. The Lion-tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, Nilgiri Tahr, Manipur deer, Indian Rhino, Asiatic Lion and the Royal Bengal Tiger are prominent among the indigenous endangered fauna, while giraffe, hippo, zebra and cape buffalo are guests from the African region. A new era will be ushered in with the completion of the ongoing modernisation work in the zoo which will provide for thrilling encounters with the animals out in their open air landscapes.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Kovalam

This beach, 12 kms. south of Thiruvananthapuram, is one of the finest beaches in India. A high rocky promontory jutting into the sea has created a beautiful bay of calm waters for sea bathing. The India Tourism Development Corporation had developed Kovalam as an integrated seaside resort.

Hotel Samudra, run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is also nearby. Besides, there are numerous hotels managed by private agencies.

The resort has 198 rooms with the four presidential suits in the Halcyon Castle, the Summer Retreat of the erstwhile Maharaja.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Thiruvallam

Thiruvallam is about six kms. south of the city, on the Thiruvananthapuram-Kovalam road. There is an ancient temple here on the banks of the Karamana River, which is dedicated to the Trimurthis of the Hindu pantheon. A shrine of Parasurama, built entirely of granite is found in this temple.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Varkala

Fourty one kms. north of Thiruvananthapuram by rail and 51 kms. by road, Varkala is a pilgrim centre. The Samadhi of Sree Narayana Guru, the great social reformer and philosopher, attracts devotees in thousands. The cliffs and mineral water springs at the ‘Papanasam beach’ are worth a visit. The inland waterways system connecting Kollam in the north with Thiruvananthapuram in the south, passes through two tunnels in the hills. The Janardhana Swamy Temple here attracts many devotees.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Sarkara

Sarkara is 35 kms. north of Thiruvananthapuram and six kms. west of Attingal. There is a famous temple which is dedicated to Goddess Bhagavathi. A grand festival, Sarkara Bharani, is conducted in this temple during March-April.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Vizhinjam

About two kms. south of Kovalam, Vizhinjam is believed to have been an ancient port. The Portuguese and the Dutch had commercial establishments here. Vizhinjam is a harbour, with a light house. This place is being developed into an International Deep Water Container Transhipment Terminal.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Poovar

Poovar is 29 kms. from the city. It was a trading centre in early days and one of the ancient ports of the district. It is said that the legendary Jesuit Missionary, St. Francis Xavier, visited the place in the 16th century.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Ponmudi

A pleasant resort with an elevation of 912 M above sea level, Ponmudi is reached by road from Thiruvananthapuram. There are several tea and rubber estates around the hills. A hill tribe called Kani live in the surrounding areas. Ponmudi is fast developing as a hill resort with room and dormitory accommodation facilities, hill-trails for hiking, a collection of flowering trees and a deer park. Ponmudi is 61 kms. from Thiruvananthapuram.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Peypara

Peypara is 50 kms. from the city on the way to Ponmudi. The sanctuary there, with its rich mammalian fauna and avis is emerging as a big attraction to wild life enthusiasts and ornithologists. It was established in 1938 over an area of 53 sq. kms. on the western ghats. Elephants, sambar, leopard, lion-tailed macaque and cormorant are commonly seen here.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Neyyattinkara

Neyyattinkara is an ancient town, situated about 20 kms. South-east of Thiruvananthapuram. The Sree Krishna Swami temple, founded by King Marthanda Varma (1729-1758), is of historical importance. Within the premises of the temple, there is a historic jack tree, known as Ammachi Plavu, in the hollow of which Marthanda Varma is believed to have hid himself and escaped death at the hands of his enemies.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Neyyar Dam

Lying amidst the southern low hills of the Western Ghats, 29 kms. from the city, the catchment area offers facilities for boating and mountaineering. A three-hour climb over the hills across the reservoir affords the thrill of hiking. There are two beautiful waterfalls on the way. A Lion Safari Park and a Crocodile Rearing Centre have also been set up in the reservoir.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Meenmutti and Kombaikani Waterfalls

These are two magnificent waterfalls on the upper reaches of the Neyyar reservoir. A trek of two kms, through dense forests, would take one to Meenmutti waterfalls and a further two kms, to the Kombaikani waterfalls. The waterfalls and forests around them are worth experiencing.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Balaramapuram

Balaramapuram is famous for its hand-spun cloth. Weaving is a cottage industry here with cooperative activity. It is 13 kms. south of the city towards Kanyakumari on National Highway 47.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Aruvippuram

The place is about seven kms. from Neyyattinkara. There is a small waterfall here. A Siva temple founded by Sree Narayana Guru attracts a large number of worshippers during the Sivarathri festival. It is a beautiful spot for holiday seekers.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Aruvikkara

Sixteen kms. north of Thiruvananthapuram, gifted with lavish scenic beauty is Aruvikkara. Thiruvananthapuram gets its water supply from the Aruvikkara reservoir. There is an ancient temple dedicated to Durga, on the banks of the river.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Anchuthengu

Situated 40 kms. north of Thiruvananthapuram, along the sea coast, Anchuthengu is a place of historic importance. It was here that the first settlement of the English East India Company was established in 1864 A.D. Historically, the limits of area where five coconut palms stood (Anchuthengu, corrupted as Anjengo) was given on lease to the Company by the King of Travancore for trade purposes. The remains of the old English Fort, which had withstood many a siege, can be seen here even today.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Akkulam

Akkulam is one of the beautiful picnic spots, in the suburbs of Thiruvananthapuram city. This place is only 10 kms. away and is easily accessible by road. The spot is developed on the banks of Akulam Lake, which is an extension of the Veli Lake. The calm and serene atmosphere and its unique natural beauty are a fascination for tourists.

The Boat Club, which started functioning in 1989, now operates speed, safari, pedal and row boats from Akkulam to Veli Tourist Village. A traditional style Kettuvallom is also available for overnight stay. The swimming pool at Akkulam is equipped with glider and other playing facilities. The Children’s Park is a unique amusement spot. The newly commissioned musical fountain is an added attraction.

Thiruvananthapuram - Place to visit - Agasthyakoodam

About 1869 meters above sea level, Agasthyakoodam is the highest peak in the Western Ghats, next only to Anamudi. Tradition says that the great sage Agasthya, had his abode in this peak. The place is also noted for its abundant ayurvedic herbs.

Thiruvananthapuram - Strategic Importance

Apart from being the capital of India’s most literate and socially developed state, Thiruvananthapuram is a strategically important city in Southern India. Being the largest city in India’s deep south, it is important for both military logistics and civil aviation in the southern part of the country. It is the headquarters of the Southern Air Command(SAC) of the Indian Air Force. The city is very close to the international shipping route and East-West shipping axis. Also, it falls under the international air route. Due to the strategic importance of the city, the Indian Air Force authorities have planned to make an aerospace command in SAC. The plan for setting up a new "Tri-Service Command", which will integrate all the three forces under a single command, is also in the pipeline.

Being the Indian city with the closest air link to the small island-country of Maldives and also Sri Lanka, the city’s medical and health infrastructure caters to patients from both countries, especially Maldives. Exports of perishables and medicines from Trivandrum Airport run to full capacity on everyday flights to Maldives and Sri Lanka because of this nearness. Thiruvananthapuram also provides a key link in movement of goods and passengers to and from southern Tamilnadu into Kerala, the state border being just 30 km away. The city is also important for people from around the world seeking help through Ayurveda medicine and therapy. Ayurveda resorts are coming up at a rapid pace along the International Beach of Kovalam and Varkala coast.

Thiruvananthapuram - Sports

The most popular sports are football and cricket. Basketball, badminton and volleyball are also popular, mostly in schools. The Kerala Cricket Association(KCA) is Head Quartered in Thiruvananthapuram. The HQ complex of KCA, have advance facilities including two practice turfs with nets, bowling machines, gymnasium with multi-gym and equipment for aerobic training, lecture hall and library, an astro-turf indoor coaching facility, fully furnished accommodation for coaches and players, a physiotherapy clinic, functional office facilities and guest rooms. KCA has decided to establish an international cricket stadium in the city suburbs. The Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium is a prominent football stadium and has hosted both national and international level matches. The University stadium has hosted two international cricket matches. This stadium is under University of Kerala and is equipped with synthetic tracks for athletics games. The Jimmy George Sports Complex, the GV Raja Sports School and Lakshmi Bhai National College for Physical Education (LNCPE) are the other major sports establishments in the city. The city also has a Golf Club, one of the oldest in India, and a Tennis Club (Trivandrum Tennis Club/TTC)both located at Kawdiar.The city fields two football clubs SBT-Trivandrum, and Titanium, in the second division of the National Football League.

Thiruvananthapuram - Media

Daily newspapers are available in English and Malayalam. The English newspapers with editions from Thiruvananthapuram are The New Indian Express and The Hindu. The major Malayalam newspapers are Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Kerala Kaumudi, Desabhimani, Madhyamam and Mangalam.

Most Malayalam TV channels are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The government owned Doordarshan began broadcasting from here in 1981. Asianet was the first private Malayalam channel and began operations in 1991. The other channels now based in Thiruvananthapuram are Surya TV, Amrita TV, Kairali TV, Kiran TV (Youth channel of Surya TV) Asianet Plus (Youth channel of Asianet) and People (News and current affairs channel of Kairali TV). The local cable services are provided by Asianet Satellite Communications Limited(Cable TV Services wing of Asianet). and Siti Cable and they provide a bouquet of local channels in addition to all the Indian channels. DTH services are available through Doordarshan Direct Plus and Dish TV. All India Radio has an AM (1161 MHz) and an FM (101.9 MHz) station for the city. The first private FM channel, "Radio DC" has commenced operations recently.

There are over 20 cinema halls which screen movies in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. There are also two movie studios in the city, Chithranjali and Merryland. The Kinfra Film and Video Park is located near Technopark and is one of the most advanced film and animation production facilities in India. Leading firms like Prasad Labs have their facilities here. The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is held in November every year and is acknowledged as one of the leading such events in India.

The basic telephone services are provided by BSNL, Reliance and Tata Indicom. The cellular networks operating in the city are BSNL CellOne, Airtel, Idea Cellular, Hutch (all GSM) and Reliance (CDMA). The number of mobile phone connections have increased exponentially since the late 90s. Broadband internet services are provided by Asianet Dataline, Siti Cable and BSNL DataOne. The major dial-up internet providers are BSNL NetOne, Kerala Online and KelNet among others. Thiruvananthapuram also holds the distinction of having been the first 100% Digital SSA in India.

Thiruvananthapuram - Science and Technology

Thiruvananthapuram is a Research and Development hub in the fields of space science, information technology, bio-technology, medicine and so on. It is home to a cluster of research centres, which include Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre(LPSC), Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station(TERLS), Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Bio Technology, Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute, ER&DC – CDAC, CSIR – Regional Research Laboratory (RRL), Free Software Foundation (FSF), Regional Cancer Centre(RCC), Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Centre for Earth Science Studies (CESS), Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), Priyadarsini Planetarium, Centre for Development Studies, The Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, Kerala Highway Research Institute, Kerala Fisheries Research Institute, etc.

Thiruvanthapuram - Education

Thiruvananthapuram is a major academic hub. The University of Kerala is located here. The city also has several professional education colleges including fifteen engineering colleges, three medical colleges, three Ayurveda colleges, two Homeopathy colleges, six other medical related colleges, and some law colleges. Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, the premier health institute of the state is also one of the finest in the country. It is being upgraded to the status of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS). The College of Engineering, Trivandrum is one of the prominent engineering institutions in the country. The Asian School of Business and IIITM-K are two of the other premier management study institutions in the city, both situated inside Technopark. The Government of India has announced that an IIT or the new campus of IIT-Madras will be setup in Thiruvananthapuram. 250 acres of land in the hill resort of Ponmudi have been identified for the purpose.

The schools in the city are classified as Aided, Unaided and Government schools. The government schools are run directly by the state government and follow the syllabus prescribed by the state government. The aided schools also follow the state syllabus. In addition to this there are also four Kendriya Vidyalayas run directly by the Central government which follow the CBSE syllabus and private schools run by educational trusts or boards which follow CBSE and/or ICSE syllabus and/or state syllabus. The fist International school in Kerala, The Trivandrum International School, was started in Thiruvananthapuram on August 2003. The literacy rate in Thiruvananthapuram, according to the 2001 census, is 89.36 percent; 92.68 percent among males and 86.26 percent among females.

Thiruvananthapuram - Culture

The people of Thiruvananthapuram are now sometimes referred to as "Trivandrumites", though the word is not in common use. Thiruvananthapuram has a rich cultural background, with the rulers of erstwhile Travancore taking an active interest in development of arts and culture. Thiruvananthapuram has produced several great artists, the most famous ones being Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Raja Ravi Varma.

Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was a great composer and played a vital role in the development of Carnatic music. A music college in his name exists today in the city. Raja Ravi Varma was an illustrious painter with global recognition. His contributions to Indian art are substantial. Most of his famous paintings are preserved at the Sree Chithra Art Gallery in the city. The Padmanabha Swamy Temple and the fort surrounding it, the Napier Museum and Zoo, the VJT hall, Palayam Mosque and Church are among the prominent heritage buildings in the city. The Veli lake and Shankumugham beach are home to various sculptures of noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman.

Thiruvananthapuram easily disguises itself as a laid back quiet city to the casual observer. However, beneath it, there is a humdrum of cultural activity. The city comes to life during the festival season of Onam in August/September, and during the tourist season later in the year. The state government conducts the tourism week celebrations every year during Onam with cultural events taking place at various centres in the city. The other major events include the annual flower show, the Attukal Pongala, the Aaraat of Padmanabha Swamy Temple, the Beemapally Uroos, Vettucaud Perunaal etc. The CVN Kalari at East Fort, is world renowned centre for training in Kerala's own martial art the Kalaripayattu. The Margi centre offers training in many of Kerala's traditional arts including Kathakali.
The general cuisine of the people is Keralite cuisine, which is generally characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices. Other South Indian cuisines, as well as Chinese and North Indian cuisines are popular. Fast food culture is also very prominent in the city.

Thiruvananthapuram has numerous libraries, the prominent ones being the State Central Library (Trivandrum Public library, Est. 1829), the University Library, Trivandrum Children's Library, Manuscripts Library and the Centre for Development Studies Library. The British Council and Library (Est. 1964) is located very near the Government Secretariat adjacent to the YMCA Hostel.

Thiruvananthapuram - Demographics

The city has a population of 889,191 according to the 2001 census (crossing 1 million on Jan 2006). Within the city, the density of population is about 3,500 people per square kilometer. The district has a literacy rate of 90%. With the sex ratio being 1,037 females to every 1,000 males, there are more women in Thiruvananthapuram than men. The wider urban agglomeration registered a population of about one million in 2001.

Hindus comprise of 65% of the population, Christians are about 18% and Muslims about 15%. The major language spoken is Malayalam. English and Hindi are also widely understood. There is also a prominent minority of Tamil speakers and a few Tulu and Konkani speakers.

The city is fully electrified by Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). The district is divided in to three circles namely; Transmission circle, Thiruvananthapuram city and Kattakkada. Domestic consumers consumes 43% of the total power consumption which account to 90 million units per month. The non-domestic consumption is higher by 57%. Thiruvananthapuram district has one 220 kV, nine 110&nbspkV and six 66 kV electrical sub stations. A 400&nbspkV substation has just been commissioned by the Power Grid Corporation and will ensure high quality power supply to the city. The water supply schemes cover 100% within the city limits. It is 83.86% of the urban and 68.99% of the rural population, when the district is considered. Peppara and Aruvikkara dams are the main sources of water for distribution in the capital city. The new project plan for improving the water supply with Japan aid covers Thiruvananthapuram city and six suburban panchayats having urban characteristics. The sewerage system in the city was implemented at the time of the Travancore Kingdom. The system was modernised in 1938. This scheme for the disposal of sullage and sewage is an underground system. The whole system is controlled by Kerala Water Authority now. The city area is divided in to seven blocks for the execution of the sewerage system, out of which two blocks were commissioned in 1990s and two blocks after 2000. The sewerage is pumped to the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) located at Valiyathura. The sewage is pumped to the stilling chamber here, and is disposed through sewage farming. Diary Development Department maintains this sewage farm and fodder cultivation is done here. There is no revenue generation from this scheme, and the sewerage system in the city is a service provided to the residents.

Unemployment is a serious issue in Thiruvananthapuram. The increase in the unemployment rate was from 8.8(1998) to 34.3(2003), thus registering a 25.5% absolute and a 289.7% relative increase. Thiruvananthapuram taluk ranked third in Kerala with 36.3% of its population unemployed. The in-migration of unemployed from other districts also boost this high unemployment rate. Thiruvananthapuram has a high suicide rate in the state, which went up from 17.2 per lakh to 38.5 per lakh during 1995 to 2002. In 2004, the rate slightly came down to 36.6 per lakh.

Thiruvananthapuram - Transport

Within the city, city buses and autorickshaws provide means of transportation. Two-wheelers, especially scooters and motorcycles are the favoured means of personal transportation on the roads.
The intra-city public transport is dominated by the state-owned KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation). There are also private bus services, but are limited in number. The city services of KSRTC operate from six depots namely, the City depot, Vikas Bhavan, Peroorkada, Pappanamcode, Kaniyapuram and Vellanad. These services were revamped in 2005 with the introduction of modern buses and electronic ticketing mechanisms. The central city bus terminal is located at East Fort, near the Padmanabha Swamy temple. The Central and Inter State bus station is located 1 km away at Thampanoor. Buses from it go to all major towns and villages in the State as well as big cities in India such as Bangalore and Chennai.

The Central railway station is also located at Thampanoor in the heart of the city, 8 km from the airport. It is a very important terminus which handles over 50 trains daily. The city is well connected by rail to almost all major cities in India. Thiruvananthapuram is the first major city from south along the second longest train route in the world, Kanyakumari to Jammu. A second satellite station was opened in 2005 at Kochuveli, near the International Airport.

Thiruvananthapuram's international airport, with direct flights from the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka is the gateway to the tourism-rich state of Kerala. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Deccan and Air Sahara are the domestic airlines operating from here. Air India, Gulf Air, Oman Air, Kuwait Airways, Silkair, Srilankan Airlines and Emirates operate international flights. There are also two military airports one near the civilian airport and the other at the Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force in Akkulam. Apart from regular scheduled flights, many chartered flights from Europe like First Choice Airways from London Gatwick and Monarch, operating with big jets, land here during the peak tourist season (around December); with Kerala fast becoming a prime tourist destination in India. Thiruvanthapuram airport's importance is also due to the fact that it is the southernmost airport in India and also the closest (and thus cheapest option) for neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The construction of the mega Deep Water Container Trans-shipment Port at Vizhinjam is expected to begin in 2007. It is to be built in three phases, and expected to be a key competitor in the ports business (especially for container transhipment), with the international shipping lanes between Europe and the Far East very close to the port, and also with major ports like Colombo, Kochi and Tuticorin in close proximity.

The exponential growth of the services and IT based sectors coupled with its prominence as the state capital and tourist centre has caused considerable strain on the transport infrastructure of the city. To tackle this crisis, several multi-million dollar construction projects are now underway including the construction of several new underpasses and flyovers, scheduled to be completed by early 2007. In the first phase, 42 km of six-lane and four-lane dual carriage ways are being built.

Thiruvananthapuram - Government and politics

The city is administered by the Trivandrum Corporation headed by the Mayor. The city council is democratically elected and comprises of 84 members representing the different city wards. Several agencies work under or in partnership with the Corporation including the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) and Trivandrum Road Development Corporation.

Kerala Legislative Assembly Building

Most of the city comes under the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. Some northern wards of the city come under the Chirayinkeezhu constituency. The city contributes to six legislative assembly seats namely Kazhakoottam, Thiruvananthapuram North, Thiruvananthapuram West, Thiruvananthapuram East, Nemom and Kovalam.

The city police is headed by a Police Commissioner an officer of IPS rank. The city is divided three police sub-divisions headed by Assistant Commissioners. There are also two traffic sub-divisions. A women's cell and a narcotics control cell also operate in the city. The other units of Thiruvananthapuram city police includes Crime Detachment, City Special Branch, Dog Squad, Mounted Police, District Crime Records Bureau, Foreigners Registration Office (FRO), Tourist Police and District Armed Reserve. There are two state Armed Police Battalions and a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) based in Thiruvananthapuram. The CRPF has a Group Head Quarters (GHQ) located at Pallipuram. There is also a large army cantonment in Pangode where some regiments of the Indian Army are based.

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala and hence the state legislative assembly and Secretariat are located here. The city is also the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram district. The only foreign mission in the city is the Consulate of Maldives.

Thiruvananthapuram - Economy

The economy of Thiruvananthapuram city was earlier based on the tertiary sector with about 60% of the workforce being employed as government servants. Large scale industrial establishments are low compared to other south Indian state capitals like Chennai and Bangalore. At present the economy is growing with the contributions from more professionals in the fields of IT, and Medical/Bio-Technology. The city contributes 80% of software exports from the state. The opening of many private Television channels in the state, made Thiruvananthapuram the home of several studios and related industries.

Since the establishment of Technopark in 1995, Thiruvananthapuram has steadily grown into a competitive IT centre. The city was rated as the best 2nd tier metro with IT/ITES infrastructure, and second in terms of availability of human talent. Technopark houses global majors like Infosys, TCS, McKinsey & Co., Ernst & Young, Allianz Cornhill, Toonz, US Technologies, M-Squared etc. The park has around 110 companies employing over 12,500 professionals. With the expansion plans to be completed in 2007–08, this figure is to rise to about 30,000. The work in progress include 600,000 ft² Thejaswini, 400,000 ft² TCS Peepul Park and TCS Development Centre. Thejaswini is almost complete as is Peepul Park, which is partly operational. Work on the 460,000 ft² Leela IT building and IBS Campus has commenced while that on the US Tech Campus and Infosys campus is due to commence shortly.

Tourism has also contributed heavily to the economy of Thiruvananthapuram. Foreign tourists are flocking to Thiruvananthapuram, a major destination for chartered flights to India for Medical tourism, as there are more than fifty recognised Ayurveda centres in and around the city. This is primarily due to Ayurveda's immense popularity in the West. Medical tourism is further promoted by the recuperation facilities available at the beach resorts and hill stations nearby.
There are around 20 government owned and 60 privately owned medium and large scale industrial units in Thiruvanathapuram. The major employers are the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), Keltron, Travancore Titanium and Hindustan Latex, all government owned. There are also about 30,000 small scale industrial units employing around 115,000 people. Traditional industries include handloom and coir.

Commercial activity is quite low mainly due to the under-development of ports. However, this is expected to change with the construction of the proposed mega Deep Water Container Transshipment Port at Vizhinjam. Situated close to the city, Vizhinjam is very close to international shipping routes and the East-West shipping axis and hardly require maintenance dredging. Other major organizations of economic interest are the Chithranjali Film Complex, Kinfra Apparel Park, Kinfra Film and Video Park, Kerala High-tech Industries (KELTECH), Kerala Automobiles and the English Indian Clays Ltd.

Thiruvananthapuram - Climate

The city has a tropical climate and therefore does not experience distinct seasons. The mean maximum temperature 34 °C and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C. The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the monsoon season. Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city gets heavy rainfall of around 1700 mm per year. The city also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the city by October. The dry season sets in by December. December, January and February are the coldest months while March, April and May are the hottest. The winter temperature comes down to about 20 °C and summer temperatures can sometimes go as high as 35 °C.

Thiruvananthapuram - Geography

Thiruvananthapuram is built on hills by the sea shore and is located at 8.5° N 76.9° E on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India. The city covers an area of about 250 square kilometers, sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The average elevation is at sea level.

The area can be divided into two geographical regions, the midlands and the lowlands. The midland region comprises of low hills and valleys adjoining the Ghats. The lowland is a narrow stretch comprising of shorelines, rivers and deltas, dotted with coconut palms. Vellayani lake, biggest fresh water lake in the district is in the suburbs of the city. The major rivers that flow through the city are the Karamana river, and the Killi river.

There are highlands, which form the eastern suburbs of the city. The highest point in the district is the Agasthyarkoodam which rises 1890 m above sea level. Ponmudi and Mukkunimala are hill-resorts near the city.

Thiruvanavthapuram - History

Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient city with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BC. It is believed that the ships of King Solomon landed in a port called Ophir (now Poovar) in Thiruvananthapuram in 1036 BC.The city was the trading post of spices, sandalwood and ivory. However, the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. The early rulers of the city were the Ays. With their fall in the 10th century, the city was taken over by the rulers of Venad.
The rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began with accession of Marthanda Varma in 1729 as the founding ruler of the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor (Travancore). Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore in 1745. The city developed into a major intellectual and artistic centre during this period. The golden age in the city's history was during the mid 19th century during the reign of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the Observatory (1837), the General Hospital (1839), the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and the University College (1873). The first Lunatic Asylum in the state was also started in the same period. Sanskrit College, Ayurveda College, Law College and a second grade college for women were started by Moolam Thirunal (1885–1924).
The early 19th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The Sree Moolam Assembly, established in 1904 was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. Despite not being under direct control of the British Empire at anytime, the city however featured prominently in India's freedom struggle. The Indian National Congress had a very active presence in the city. A meeting of the Indian National Congress presided by Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramaiah was held here in 1938.
The period of Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, who took over in 1931, witnessed many-sided progress. The promulgation of "Temple Entry Proclamation" (1936) was an act that underlined social emancipation. This era also saw the establishment of the University of Travancore in 1937, which later became the Kerala University.
With the end of the British rule in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. The first popular ministry headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai was installed in office on 24 March 1948. In 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi, the state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour Kochi. The king of Travancore, Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma became the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from July 1, 1949 until October 31, 1956. When the state of Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of the new state.
With the establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in the outskirts of the city in 1963. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram.
A major milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment of Technopark—India's first IT park—in 1995.[7] Technopark has developed into the largest IT Park in India and is home to IT giants like Infosys and TCS, employing around 12,500 people in close to 110 companies.This placed Thiruvananthapuram on the IT map of India and it is today one of the most promising in the country in terms of competitiveness and capability.

Thiruvananthapuram

Trivandrum in English language, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. It is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills with wide, clean roads and busy commercial alleys. Mahatma Gandhi had referred to this beach side city, built on hills as the "ever green city of India". With almost 745,000 inhabitants at the 2001 census, it is the largest and most populous city in Kerala; the wider urban agglomeration has a population of about one million.The city is the state capital and houses many central and state government offices, organizations and companies. Apart from being the political nerve centre of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub in the state and is home to several educational institutions including the Kerala University, and to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). The city also has the first Information technology park of its kind and first Biotechnology Centre, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) of its kind in India. Situated near Kazhakoottam, Technopark is home to many of the leading information technology companies.