Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram: A Guide to PIN Code 695001
Everything you need to know about Thiruvananthapuram in Thiruvananthapuram - from local landmarks and street food to the stories behind the pincode.
Kerala begins here. The southernmost major city in India, Thiruvananthapuram - or Trivandrum as most people call it - is where the Arabian Sea meets the Western Ghats, where ancient temples stand next to modern buildings, and where Ayurveda has been practised for thousands of years. This is PIN code 695001, the capital of God's Own Country.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple - the temple of treasures
The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is not just a temple. It is a mystery. In 2011, when the underground vaults of the temple were opened, they revealed treasures worth an estimated $22 billion - gold ornaments, diamond-studded crowns, ancient coins, and a solid gold idol of Vishnu. The temple itself, with its Dravidian gopuram and Kerala-style architecture, is over 260 years old, though the deity inside is believed to have been worshipped for much longer.
Thiruvananthapuram is the kind of city where you can visit a billion-dollar temple in the morning and have your feet washed in Ayurvedic oil in the afternoon. That range is what makes it special.
Kovalam Beach
Kovalam, about 16 kilometres from the city, is one of the most famous beaches in India. The lighthouse beach, named after the 30-metre lighthouse that overlooks the bay, is the most popular. The crescent-shaped beach, the gentle waves, and the coconut palms swaying in the breeze make it a picture-perfect tropical setting. Ayurvedic massage centres along the beach offer treatments that have been practised in Kerala for centuries.
Backwaters and houseboats
The Kerala backwaters are a network of lagoons, lakes and canals that run parallel to the Arabian Sea coast. A houseboat ride through these waters is a quintessential Kerala experience. You glide past paddy fields, villages, and churches, watching life unfold on the banks. The Poovar backwaters near the city are quieter and less touristy than the more famous Alleppey backwaters.
Ayurveda and wellness
Kerala is the birthplace of Ayurveda, and Thiruvananthapuram has some of the best Ayurvedic centres in the world. Traditional Panchakarma treatments, herbal massages and wellness programmes attract visitors from around the globe. The treatments are based on ancient texts and use natural herbs and oils prepared according to traditional recipes.
695001 is where Kerala begins, where a temple holds billion-dollar secrets, where the backwaters whisper, and where Ayurveda reminds you that healing is an ancient art.