Sivagiri is a pilgrimage centre in Varkala municipality of Trivandrum where the tomb of the Bhagavan Sree Narayana Guru . The town is also the place where Guru believed himself to have become enlightened. His tomb attracts thousands of devotees every year during the Sivagiri Pilgrimage days, from 30 December to 1 January.
Narayana Guru (August 28, 1855 – September 20, 1928) was a spiritual leader and social reformer in India. Born into a family of the Ezhava caste in an era when people from such communities were regarded as Avarna. He led a reform movement in Kerala, against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritual enlightenment and social equality.
Karthika Deepam, Karthikai Vilakkidu or Thrikarthika is a festival of lights that is observed by Hindus of Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and Kerala. It falls in the month of Kārttikai (mid-November to mid-December) as per Tamil calendar. The full moon day of this Karthigai month is called Karthigai pournami. In Kerala, this festival is known as Thrikkarthika, celebrate to welcome Goddess Shakti. In the rest of India, a related festival called Kartik Purnima is celebrated in a different date. It is celebrated in the name of 'Thrikarthika Jyothi' in the Maruthwamala, Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu.
Chithram is a 1988 Indian Malayalam-language screwball comedy film written and directed by Priyadarshan. The film was produced by P. K. R. Pillai under his production house Shirdi Sai Creations, and stars Mohanlal, Ranjini, Nedumudi Venu, Poornam Vishwanathan, Sreenivasan, M. G. Soman, Sukumari, Lizy, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Shanavas, while Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair makes a cameo appearance. The songs were composed by Kannur Rajan and film score by Johnson. Mohanlal won the Kerala State Film Award - Special Jury Award for his performance in this film.
●Manichithrathazhu
Manichitrathazhu is a 1993 Indian Malayalam-language psychological thriller film directed by Fazil, written by Madhu Muttam, and produced by Swargachitra Appachan. The story is based on a tragedy that happened in the Alummoottil tharavad, a central Travancore family, in the 19th century. The film dealt with an unusual theme which was not common in Indian cinema at the time. The film became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever at the box-office and received widespread critical acclaim.
Directors Siddique-Lal, Priyadarshan, and Sibi Malayil served as second-unit directors. The cinematography was by Venu and it was edited by T. R. Shekar. The film has an ensemble cast featuring Mohanlal, Shobana, Suresh Gopi, Nedumudi Venu, Innocent, Vinaya Prasad, K. P. A. C. Lalitha, K. B. Ganesh Kumar, Sudheesh, and Thilakan in the main roles. The original songs featured in the movie were composed by M. G. Radhakrishnan, while the original score was composed by Johnson. The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Shobhana was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Ganga / Nagavalli.
●Kilukkam
Kilukkam is a 1991 Indian Malayalam-language musical romantic comedy film directed by Priyadarshan and written by Venu Nagavalli. The story set in Ooty revolves around tourist guide Joji (Mohanlal) and photographer Nishchal (Jagathy Sreekumar). They happen to meet a lavish tourist Nandini (Revathi), whom they bet their fortunes on. It also stars Thilakan, Innocent, K. B. Ganesh Kumar, Sukumari, and Sharat Saxena, with Murali and Jagadish making cameo appearances. The music was composed by S. P. Venkatesh. Places to visit in Trivandrum
Onam is an annual Harvest festival in the state of Kerala in India. Onam is a major annual event for Malayali people in and outside Kerala. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.Elaborate feasts, folk songs, elegant dances, energetic games, elephants, boat race and flowers (athapoovu) all are a part of this dynamic festival.
Top Ten Tourist Places To Visit In Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) district in the Indian state of Kerala promotes the area's hill stations, back waters, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife sanctuaries. The area is a tourism destination and receives chartered flights for medical tourism, as there are more than hundred recognised Ayurveda centres in and around the city. This is primarily due to Ayurveda's popularity in foreign countries. Medical tourism is further promoted by modern medicine hospitals in the city. Recuperation facilities are available at five star beach resorts and hill stations nearby.
Top Ten Tourist Places To Visit In Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the indigenous Kerala style and the Tamil style (kovil) of architecture associated with the temples located in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu,The Supreme Principal Deity Para brahman, Maha Vishnu/Adi Narayana is enshrined in the "Anantha Shayanam" posture, the eternal yogic sleep on the serpent Adisheshan. Sree Padmanabhaswamy is the tutelary deity of the royal family of Travancore.
Attukal Temple
The Attukal Bhagavathy Temple is a Hindu religious shrine at Attukal in Kerala, India. Goddess Bhadrakali (Kannaki), mounted over 'vethala', is the main deity in this temple. The temple is renowned for the annual Attukal Pongal festival, in which over three million women participate. A festival that has figured in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the single largest gathering of women for a religious activity, the Attukal Pongala continues to draw millions of women with each passing year. Kovalam beach
Kovalam is a beach town by the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area in Kerala, India, located around 18 km south of the city center.Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach.There are a large number of beach resorts in and around Kovalam.
Shankumugham Beach
Shankumugham Beach is a beach in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, south India. The beach is on the western side of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and very near to Trivandrum International Airport.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. Good food can be enjoyed at the Old Coffee House, just across the beach, which is also a vantage point for enjoying the sunset. Veli
Veli is a tourist place in Thiruvananthapuram district.Scenic backwaters, beach and facilities for watersport are available.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. The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo (also known as Trivandrum Zoo) is located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. It occupies 55 acres (22 ha) of woodland, lakes, and lawns.The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo is home to 82 species from around the world. Indigenous species at the zoo include lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, Indian rhinoceros, Asiatic lion, royal Bengal tiger, white tiger[4] and leopard, as well as nine Asian elephants (as of 31 March 2009). Animals from Africa include giraffes, hippos, zebras, and Cape buffaloes . The zoo also includes snakes and birds. It also houses 7 Anacondas too.
The Priyadarsini Planetarium
The Priyadarsini Planetarium is attached to the museum, functioning since 1994.The museum has ten galleries exhibiting more than 300 items. Each gallery contains items related a particular disciple of science or engineering. There are galleries for electrical, electronics, mechanical, automobile and bio-medical engineering. There is a special gallery for popular science and for solar energy.Mathematics, computer science and space science are the other disciplines having galleries of their own.
Ponmudi
Ponmudi (the Golden Peak) is a hill station in the Peringamala Panchayat of Trivandrum District of Kerala in India. Ponmudi is also called Kashmir of Kerala and is a popular honeymoon destination in South India. The normal temperature of Ponmudi is between 18°C to 25°C.Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a two lane highway (SH2 & SH 45). 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.
Neyyar dam
Neyyar dam is a gravity dam on the Neyyar River in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, South India, located on the foot of the Western Ghats about 30 km from Thiruvananthapuram.Wild life includes gaur, sloth bear, Nilgiri Tahr, jungle cat and Nilgiri langur, wild elephants and sambar deer.Attractions of Neyyardam are Lion safari park,Boating,Deer park,Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Center , Miniature wild life sanctuary, Lake garden, Swimming pool,Watch tower,Elephant riding
Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur
It is the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur in Trivandrum, which is a care centre for baby elephants rescued from the wild. The centre lies in the Agasthyavanam Biological Park Range.Accommodation is available in the cottages at the centre itself.
Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Jyothi Project in Kanyakumari
Sathya Sai Babis an Indian guru and a spiritual leader. He was believed by his followers to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. The Sathya Sai Organisation, founded by Sathya Sai Baba "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement",has over 1,200 Sathya Sai Centres (branches) in 126 countries. Through this organisation, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free hospitals, clinics, drinking water projects, auditoriums, ashrams and schools.
Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Jyothi (SSSVJ) is an All India Program that aims to inspire children by empowering schools. The selected schools are government schools located in rural or backward areas where the children come from families with less means and lack the basics of modern education, nutrition and medical treatments. The program gives the Sai Youth an opportunity to give the children Maths, Science, Computers and language coaching along with conducting fun-filled activities for the children involving arts, crafts, music, drama and sports. In areas where mal-nourishment is prevalent in children, Sai Protein is distributed. Medical, Dental and Vision checkups are conducted periodically in the schools to ensure the well-being of the children. In cases where the infrastructure in the school is inadequate, repairs are performed and required equipment is donated. The SSSVJ program combines worldly learning with spiritual learning. BalVikas classes are conducted weekly, where the children learn the importance of Human Values namely Satya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa (Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-Violence). The BalVikas gurus narrate stories from our ancient scriptures and conduct value based games and activities to inculcate Human Values in the children’s daily lives.
The teaches from the adopted SSSVJ schools are also given the training needed to become BalVikas gurus themselves so that they may include Human Values teaching as part of the normal curriculum teaching they give to the students daily.
Counseling is provided to parents of the children and village adults where there are problems prevalent. All stakeholders involved in the upbringing of the child namely Teachers, School Administrators, Parents, Village elders (Panchayat) are kept informed of the SSSVJ activities and support is provided where needed. Vallamkali - " Rhythm of Kerala"
The Thiruvananthapuram Zoo (also known as Trivandrum Zoo) is located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. It occupies 55 acres (22 ha) of woodland, lakes, and lawns.
The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus, previously known as Selenarctos thibetanus), also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear and the white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia and largely adapted to arboreal life.It lives in the Himalayas, in the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian Far East, the Honshū and Shikoku islands of Japan, and Taiwan. It is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), mostly because of deforestation and hunting for its body parts.
Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere. Bears are found on the continents of North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. Common characteristics of modern bears include large bodies with stocky legs, long snouts, small rounded ears, shaggy hair, plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws, and short tails.
Kathakali is one of the major forms of classical Indian dance. It is a "story play" genre of art, but one distinguished by the elaborately colorful make-up, costumes and facemasks that the traditionally male actor-dancers wear. Kathakali primarily developed as a Hindu performance art in the Malayalam-speaking southwestern region of India (Kerala).
Kathakali's roots are unclear. The fully developed style of Kathakali originated around the 17th century, but its roots are in the temple and folk arts (such as Kutiyattam and religious drama of the southwestern Indian peninsula), which are traceable to at least the 1st millennium CE. A Kathakali performance, like all classical dance arts of India, synthesizes music, vocal performers, choreography and hand and facial gestures together to express ideas. However, Kathakali differs in that it also incorporates movements from ancient Indian martial arts and athletic traditions of South India.
Kathakali also differs in that the structure and details of its art form developed in the courts and theatres of Hindu principalities, unlike other classical Indian dances which primarily developed in Hindu temples and monastic schools.
The traditional themes of the Kathakali are folk mythologies, religious legends and spiritual ideas from the Hindu epics and the Puranas. The vocal performance has traditionally been performed in Sanskritised Malayalam. In modern compositions, Indian Kathakali troupes have included women artists, as well as adapted Western stories and plays such as those by Shakespeare and from Christianity.
Vallam Kaliis a hindu traditional boat race in kerala.Every year It is mainly conducted during the season of the harvestfestival onam.The boats participating in the race are primarily 'Chundanvallom' or snake boats that are 100-120 feet long.The Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali or Aranmula Boat Race is the most ancient and revered boat races of Kerala.Vanchipattu is the form of poetry in Malayalam language used during vallam kali.
The Aranmula Uthrittathi Vallamkali or Aranmula Boat Race is the most ancient and famous boat race in Kerala, the south western State of India is held during Onam (August–September)
Aranmula is a heritage village lies in the banks of the river Pampa in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala. Legend says that a devout Brahmin promised to provide all the requirements for the Thiruvona Sadya (feast held on the Thiruvonam asterism). These were to be delivered to Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy Temple in a boat called the Thiruvona Thoni. The boat was attacked by enemy factions during its voyage. However, snake boats from the surrounding area came to its rescue and it is from here that the grand tradition of the special snake boat race in the area was born. The snake boat race in itself is an offering to Lord Krishna of Sree Parthasarathy Temple.
In 1972, snake boat races were also added to the program of the festival. Thousands of people gather on the banks of the river Pampa to watch the snake boat races. In 2009 forty one snake boats or chundan vallams had participated in the festival. The oarsmen sing traditional boat songs and wear white mundu and turbans. The golden lace at the head of the boat, the flag and the ornamental umbrella at the center make it a show of pageantry too.
