ITINERARY

Places that you visit

1   Padmanabha Swamy Temple

2   The Napier Museum

3   Sree Chithra Art Gallery

4   Puthenmalika (Kuthiramalika) Palace

5    Kanakakunnu Palace

6     Astronomical Observatory

7      Trivandrum Zoo

8     Veli Lake and Tourist Village

9      Shangumugham Beach

10     Kovalam Beach

11     Vizhinjam lighthouse

12     Marine Aquarium

13    Fishing Harbour Vizhinjam

14   Local Markets  Trivandrum

Details of the  Places Covered:-

PADMANABHA SWAMY TEMPLE  :- A blend of Kerala and Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is noted for its mural paintings and stone carvings. One among the 108 sacred Vishnu temples in India, the presiding deity here is Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha, the Serpent. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple in prescribed dress code. Spread over an area of 2,400 sq. metres, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is believed to be over 260 years old. The temple with its gopuram (tower) towering majestically is believed to be among the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnav in India.

Declared in 2011 as the richest temple in the world, the 260 year old Padmanabha Swamy Temple is one of the 108 sacred shrines or Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Besides its spiritual achievement, the temple is also known for its fine blend of Kerala and Dravidian architectural styles featuring extensive usage of mural painting and stone carvings.

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Darshan Timings

THE NAPIER MUSEUM :- A visit to the Napier Museum complex reveals a glimpse of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage. An exceptional piece of architecture, the Museum is named after the former Madras Governor General, John Napier. The Napier Museum is also called the Government Art Museum. The Museum building is a combination of the Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian architectural styles.

This 19th century Napier Museum is housed in a wooded charm of Kerala, designed and developed with a natural air conditioning system. The museum’s rare attractions include a collection of bronzes, Buddhist sculptures, ivory carvings, ancient ornaments, etc.

SREE CHITHRA ART GALLERY :- Located near Napier, this art gallery is known for featuring selected paintings from the celebrated painter of the region, Raja Ravi Varma. Besides this collection, the gallery also has paintings from Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore art schools.

The Sree Chithra Art Gallery near the Napier Museum was opened in 1935 by the then Maharaja of Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal, displays rare collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich; exquisite works from the Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art. An oriental collection consisting of paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Bali offers a visual treat and are a tribute to the art and culture of these countries. The collection also includes unique copies of Indian mural paintings from pre-historic times down to the 18th Century.

PUTHENMALIKA (Kuthiramalika) PALACE :- Kuthiramalika Palace Museum or Puthenmalika Palace Museum is a beautiful two-storeyed palace situated near the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Also known as horse palace it houses numerous artefacts. The palace courtyard also becomes live during the yearly music festival conducts in the courtyard, Swathi Sangeethotsavam. A music festival commemorating the legacy of Swathi Thirunal and is conducted from 4 to 13 January every year.

This palace was built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma – the King of Travancore, who was a great poet, musician,