Kerala • 4 monuments
Dedicated to Sree Padmanabhaswamy, a form of Lord Vishnu, Padmanabham Temple is among the wealthiest and most popular Hindu temples. The main attraction of the temple is the huge idol of Lord Padmanabhaswamy in the reclined pose over Anantha, the gigantic five-hood serpent. The idol also features a Shiva Lingam, Lord Brahma in Lotus and goddesses Sridevi and Bhudevi. It is believed that more than 12,000 shaligrams (aniconic form of Vishnu) were used to make the idol. The idol is so large that it can be viewed from three doors. The temple complex also accommodates shrines dedicated to other deities like Ramaswamy with Seeta and Lakshman; Narasimha Swamy, Vishwaksenan, Krishna Swamy, Ganapathi, Hanuman and Garuda. Flaunting superlative architecture, the temple boasts of exquisitely carved pillars, nine entrances, a seven-storey and 35 m. high Gopuram, an 80 ft. high golden flagstaff, a corridor with 365 and a one quarter monolithic pillars, magnificent murals, huge number of bells and a temple tank. Many popular festivals are celebrated at the temple. Only Hindus are allowed entry to the temple. The visitors must strictly follow the dress code (dhoti for men and sari for women).
Established in 1855, Napier Museum is no less than an icon in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Admirable for its Indo-Saracenic Architecture, featuring gothic roofs, minarets and outstanding ornamentation, the museum building in itself is an attraction worth exploring. The museum houses rare historical and archaeological collections of artefacts, ornaments, ivory and wood carvings, bronze idols, traditional musical instruments, temple chariot, textiles and a variety of handicrafts. The museum complex is also home to the Natural History Museum which exhibits the galleries of mammals and birds, skeleton galleries and fossil tree trunks. Yet another attraction in the premises is Sree Chitra Art Gallery, which has fine collections of oil paintings by Raja Ravi Verma and work of other eminent painters from China, Japan and other countries. Roerich paintings, murals and miniature paintings are other highlights of the venue. Napier Museum shares the premises with Trivandrum Zoo, another must-visit attraction to watch animals like Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, leopard, Asian elephants, Indian rhinoceros, zebra, giraffe, hippo and many more.
Painting a beautiful picture of the luxuriantly green Western Ghats, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is rich in diverse vegetations and treasures of wild animals. Dotted with forested hills and fed by the tributaries of River Karamana, the sanctuary offers natural habitat to the likes of tiger, leopard, elephant, sloth bear, wild dog, lion-tailed macaque, Malabar squirrel, Nilgiri langur, barking deer and bonnet macaque among others. The natural splendour of the sanctuary is enhanced by the forests of tropical evergreen, west coast semi-evergreen, southern moist mixed deciduous and hill valley swamp types. It is also a paradise for birdwatchers with frequently spotted species like egrets, kingfishers, darters, cormorants, Malabar hornbills and sunbirds. Butterflies and reptiles like python and cobra can also be explored here. Trekking is one of the best activities to do at Peppara. There are many mesmerizing waterfalls like Kalarkad and Vazahuvanthole that can be easily accessed. You may also like to explore the tribal settlements of the region.
Situated about 8 km. from the city, Shankhumukham Beach is one of the famous places to visit in Thiruvananthapuram. Full of interesting attractions, the beach is situated adjacent to the Thiruvananthapuram airport, making it even more popular. The beach has an eye-catching mermaid (MatsyaKanyaka) shaped white statue, which makes visiting the place wonderful. Some of the nearby attractions that make this beach more appealing to the visitors are Chacha Nehru Traffic Training Park, indoor recreational club and thestar fish shaped restaurant. Shankhumukham Beach is also known for its gorgeous sunset and ritual washing of temple idols during local festivals. Tourists to this beach can enjoy other nearby places like Veli Tourist Village, Zoological Park, Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram Observatory, Ponmudi and Agastyakoodam etc.
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