Trivandrum

Capital of the State of Kerala, Trivandrum is a large city with the broad avenues. One will appreciate the remarkable public buildings, of 19 2nd century a colonial style: The Museum (Government Museum, formerly called Napier Museum) is located in a beautiful wooded park. Its visit constitutes certainly a good introduction (or conclusion) with a voyage in the area.

One admires completely remarkable bronze statues there Hindu divinities (a series of Shiva Natarâja, the goddess Pârvatî etc), ivories very finely carved like lace, stone statues of a beautiful invoice, interesting mannequins of traditional characters of the representations of Kathakali, beautiful bronze lamps of temples, musical instruments. The whole is presented in a remarkable room good enlightened.

 Trivandrum, one will also quote the temple of Padmanabhaswami, of which the top gopuram underlines the style dravidien, if different from the style keralite. Unfortunately, the not-Hindus are not allowed to penetrate there. To see only outside of it, one can say that the interest to go there is extremely limited.

Trivandrum, which is called now Tiruvanantapuram, is thus especially known travellers for his airport and its proximity (25 km) of the balneal agglomeration of Kovalam.

Kovalam

With less than 30 km of Trivandrum (Thiruvanantapuram), capital of the State of Kerala, is spread, on the coast of the Hefty fellow, this beautiful beach whose attractions were devoted by abundant customers of tourists, among which many Westerners. Hotels of all categories propose their services there.

The fair coconuts, sands and always hot water of the sea of Oman constitute the assets of this destination where one can come to rest a few days.

Padmanabhapuram

Administratively, Padmanabhapuram is attached to Tamil Nadu, the limit with Kerala being very close. However, the majority of the visitors come up to now starting from Kovalam, balneal agglomeration, itself near to Trivandrum, the capital of Kerala.

Padmanabhapuram was dedicated formerly to the Padmanabha Lord "That which is Né from the flower of the lotus", another name given to the Vishnu god, by kings de Travancore who controlled this area until the 18 2nd century, before it is conquered by the English.

Elegant Palais of Padmanabhapuram, whose three stages evoke the shapes of the Far-Eastern pagodas, is a superb example of architecture keralite wood. Other elements betray a Chinese or Japanese influence, probably because of the trade which existed between Travancore and these countries: reasons for ceiling, dragon). The parts of the palate are decorated with beautiful woodworks (boxes worked of flowers of lotus on the ceilings, jig-sawn pillars, etc.) out of invaluable gasolines like the mahogany tree, the bois de rose, teak. Enormous columns are made out of wood of jacquier. The ceiling of the immense room of refectory, which could accomodate 1000 Brahmans invited by the king, is supported by gigantic teak beams. In the royal parts, the splendid, black and polished grounds, result from a particular glossing obtained by using egg white, coconut hulls burned, and other ingredients according to an old technique.

The room of prayers of the King is generally closed with the public. One can try to ask for the access of them, but the authorization is not inevitably granted.

It is admirably decorated with a score of splendid mural frescos, more beautiful the ones than the others. One sees Ganesh venerated by Brahmans there, like another scene of Ganesh, with his Kartikeya brother, presenting oneself in front of his parents Shiva and Pârvatî. Further, large laid down Vishnu, Sûrya and Chandra being held at its sides. And still Bhikshatana Shiva (form of Shiva as a wandering monk), complétement naked, Sudarshana Vishnu, holding up its multiple arms of a savage air, very beautiful Narasimha, the couple of Râmâ and Sîtâ, or playing Krishna of the flute in the medium of the gopi (vachères), a group of Devadâsî.

The temple of the Sarasvatî goddess is announced only by the pillars of its open hall (mandapa).

At the outside of the palate, in a nearby building, an interesting museum is installed which exposes stone sculptures, weapons, some oil lamps and photographs in sorry state of the frescos described above.

Padmanabhapuram, it easy and is advised to carry on its road towards the Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari, 35 km), with Tamil Nadu, the extreme southern point of the Indian continent. The road reserves beautiful landscapes, different from those of Kerala. On the way, one can stop with the temple of Thanumalavan with Suchindram, which gives the advisability of visiting a large typical temple of Nadu Tamil, of nothing comparable with those Kerala.

Varkala

With an about sixty km in the north of Trivandrum on the coast, Varkala is a small balneal agglomeration too quickly grown by the surge of the tourists, especially of type baba cool, before a hotel of great standing has the idea to settle here. The framework is charming. The beach is bordered of a photogenic red clay cliff. A source of hot water gently runs all with its foot, directly on the beach.

As always in India, people of the corner do not bathe; they come to take the expenses at the end of the afternoon and the majority remain equipped. The young people disfigure like curious animals the foreigners in shirt, especially the women obviously.