Trivandrum to Karunagapally
About Trivandrum
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The city of Trivandrum is probably one of the India's most ancient cities. Steeped in legends, myth and a royal past, the history of Trivandrum goes back to more than a thousand years before the birth of Christ. The city of Trivandrum is one of the cities in the country that still carries an unmistakable flavor of its regal and heritage drenched past. Also known as “Thiruvananthapuram”, the establishment of the city dates back to around the 1000 BC.
The city was then named after the dwelling place of the mythical serpent ‘Ananta‘– ‘Tiru Ananta Puram' – who serves as the Lord Vishnu's familiar. Literally translated it means, ‘the town of Lord Anantha'. A city constructed around seven hills; Trivandrum reached fame in sometime around the year 1750, when it became the famed capital city of the Raja of Travancore. However, even long before that, the city of Trivandrum was a popular trading post; mainly doing business in spices, ivory and sandalwood. Most of these business and trading transactions took place mostly with the traders from the Far East.
However, the city of Trivandrum began to reach for new heights with the ascension of the Marthanda Varma. He came into power in 1729 and founded the royal state that was named as “Trivancore” or “Thiruvithamkoor”. By the year 1745, Trivandrum had flourished and become a name and set as a benchmark in art, culture and intellectual capacity.Today Trivandrum stands as the capital of the state of Kerala. However, much of the city remained unchanged politically and socially until early in the 19 th century. What can be seen of Trivandrum today is the result of the joint efforts of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal. Together they changed the face of Trivandrum and made as it stands today. Also, the freedom movement had its own impact; finally resulting in the city as it stands today.
Tourist Attractions in Trivandrum White Gold Travels
Trivandrum India, Trivandrum, India, India Trivandrum, Tourism in Trivandrum India There are a number of tourist attractions in Trivandrum, India. A must on every tourist itinerary for Trivandrum, the Padmanabhaswami temple with its gopuram (tower) soaring majestically upwards, is believed to be one of the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnavites in India.
Besides this magnificent temple, Trivandrum offers a great deal more. There is the Observatory to start with, established over a hundred years ago in Trivandrum in India. Several kings have also built their palaces in and around the Trivandrum, India, each more impressive than the other. Despite a few attempts at modernity, Trivandrum retains its discreet, old-world charm.
In Trivandrum one can visit the Museum with its profusion of gables and turrets. A repository of fine works of art, the chief attraction here is the 250-year-old temple car made for Lord Vishnu, artistically designed and ornamented. Besides this, objects carved out of wood, models of temple, antique jewelry, etc., make the museum worth a visit.
Lying within the museum compound of Trivandrum, Sri Chitra Art Gallery proves to be an ideal place for art lovers. The piece de resistance is the large section devoted to the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, an Indian painter of distinction in the history of the country's modern art. Besides him, the Indian section also contains works of Rabindranath Tagore, Jamimi Roy, K. K. Hebar, miniatures from the Rajput and Mughal schools of painting and the famous Tanjore paintings encrusted with semi-precious stones. The gallery's collection also includes paintings from Indonesia, China, and Japan.
Then, of course, a trip to Trivandrum in India is incomplete without a boat-ride on its enchanting backwaters. These waterways of Trivandrum in India teem with life. One can be seduced by the panorama of beautiful landscapes, beaches and waterways, coconut palms and, of course, beautiful, friendly people of Trivandrum in India.
Two nearby places worth visiting while in Trivandrum, India are Veli and Shankhumuggam; the former has been converted into a superb tourist village while the latter boasts of lovely temples and a huge statue of a mermaid presently being worked upon by a famous sculptor.
An absolute must is Kovalam that lies barely 18 km away Trivandrum. The beach is considered one of the finest in the world and provides ingredients for an ideal holiday excursion from Trivandrum. Besides swimming, there are opportunities for surfing and water skiing-even an exhilarating catamaran ride into the sea.
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About Karunagapally
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Karunagappally White Gold Travels is a Taluk in Kollam district, Kerala, India and is situated 27 km north of Kollam. The taluk centre is Karunagappally town.
The place has beautiful backwaters, which connects it to Kollam and Alappuzha. Padanayarkulangara, which forms part of the town, was once the military station of the Kayamkulam Rajas.
Places of interest in Karunagapally White Gold Travels
1) Amritapuri, the main Ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi is located in Vallickavu (Parayakadavu), Karunagappally.
2) The Oachira Temple (8 km north from Karunagappally), dedicated to Parabrahamam attracts a large number of pilgrims, particularly during the festival called Oachirakkali in June-July. The Panthranduvilakku Mahotsavam (November-December) of this temple is also very famous. A festival named "Vriscikotsavam" is also held in Oachira Temple every November along with a small carnival.
3) The tourist Point of Alumkadavu in the Kollam-Alleppey National Water way is 3 km away from the main town. Sasthamkotta Lake is a perennial freshwater lake spread over 375 hectares situated close to Karunagappally. Sree Narayana Trophy Vallam Kali (Boat Race) in Pallickal River (Kannetty river) takes place in Karunagappally every year. There is a famous Mosque named Sheikh Masjid in Karunagapalli which resembles the famous monument Taj Mahal.
4) Karunagappally Taluk consists of 12 Panchayats Karunagappally, Thodiyoor, Panmana, Aalappad, Chavara, Neendakara, Thevalakkara, Thekkumbhagom, Kulasekharapuram, Thazhava, Clappana and Oachira
Place to Visit in Karunagapally.
1) Spacer in Karunagapally.
The place has beautiful back-waters, which connects it to Kollam and Alappuzha. Padanayarkulangara, which forms part of the town, was once the military station of the Kayamkulam Rajas. An idol of Buddha, recovered from a local tank here, has raised speculations that Karunagappally was once a centre of Buddhist teachings. It is now preserved in the Krishnapuram Palace, situated north of Oachira. The town has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, two old mosques and a Mar Thoma Church.
2) Amritapuri in Karunagapally.
The main Ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi is located in Vallickavu, Karunagappally,an international pilgrimage destination known for itsamruthapuri educational and medical institutes, is a major landmark here. Amritapuri located at 110 km from capital of Kerala. By bus or train , Karunagappally (10 km south) and Kayamkulam (12 km north of Amritapuri) are the major cities to reach. By air and taxi, The two closest airports are in Trivandrum (110 km south of Amritapuri) and in Cochin (140 km north).
3) Azheekal Beach- Karunagappally
Azheekal is situated at a distance of 10 kms from karunagappally. azheekal-beachThis is near to Amrithanandamayi Madom where a number of devotees coming day by day. This famous coastal area is located in Kollam district. In ancient days water way transportation from Kollam to Alleppey connects through azheekal port. The main source of living for the majority of people is fishing. There are a number of resorts and home stays available. The scenic beauty of beach can be viewed best during sun set and is of much importance.
4) Oachira Temple in Karunagapally.
Dedicated to Parabrahamam attracts a large number of pilgrims, particularly during the festival called Oachirakkali in June-July. The Panthranduvilakku Mahotsavam (November-December) of this temple is also very famous.Ochira is situated 8 km away from Karunagappally. There is no temple in the real sense. Around big trees in vast open area there are exposed small idols.oachira temple Some idols are of female forces attributed to Shakti (power) and the others are of Parabrahmam, the omnipresent. To the right of the idols surrounded trees is an Ayyappa swamy kshetram (temple) constructed similar to Sabarimala temple, and to the left is a mosque.Ochiria is also considered an omnipresent Shiva kshetra. The visitors can see the Ochira Kaala. The decorated Ochira bulls symbolize Shiva’s vehicle, the Nandi. There is a famous festival called Ochira kali festival in June. During this festival men dressed as warriors enact mock war standing in the lake. People of various religious faiths visit this omnipresent temple and the legend is that Buddha had once camped here.
5) Alumkadavu in Karunagapally.
Its a tourist Point in the Kollam-Alleppey National Water way is just 3 km from Karunagappally. Green Channel resort in Alumkadavu is another major tourist attraction.The first in India to build houseboats, the Kettuvallms. The method of its making is interesting to watch. The craftsmen require strong noses as a mix of cashew and fish oil is used as a coating in the manufacturing process. This is to shield from decaying in the water – saline and non saline. After the raw boat work is over, the next step is thatch-roofing. In the final process the raw floor will be transformed like an apartment. The whole process will take few months by about 7 to 8 craftsmen.
6) Sasthamkotta Lake in Karunagapally.
Its the one and only freshwater lake in Kerala, spread over a huge area of 375 hectares situated close to Karunagappally. The highlight of this lake is that it neither gets frozen during the winter season nor does it dries up in the summers. Throughout the year, the freshwater of this lake provides clean drinking water for around 10 million people.
7) Twin Temples, Cheriazheeakal in Karunagapally.
The Sri Kashi Viswanathar Temple is also known as Deccan Kashi Temple. cheriazheekkal templeThe legend behind the twin temples is interesting. A priest who went to Kashi chanced upon a Shivalingam when he dipped in the Gages. He brought back the Lingam and installed here. There is another legend. There was a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu 2000 years ago at the same site. This temple was washed away by the sea and a new one was built about 150 years ago. And today two temples at a site existed as reality.Mahashivaratri is celebrated for 10 days to appease Lord Shiva in one temple and Sri Krishna Jayanti to appease Lord Sri Krishna in the other temple.Cheriazheekal is located west to Amritapuri.
8) Wadekkenadayil Bhagawathi Temple in Karunagapally.
This 1800 years old temple is just opposite to the twin temples. The original temple was taken away by sea and the present one was built 10 years ago. Kannagi is the deity here. The idol was brought from the now sea-eaten Chola city of Kaveri Poompattinam off the east-coast of Tamilnadu. In the 2nd week of May a 10-day long Thottampattu Utsavam is celebrated when Kannagi’s story enshrined in the Tamil epic Silppadhikaram is enacted.
9) Devi Temple at Thevalakkara in Karunagapally.
This 1000 years old temple is situated about 14 km from Alumkadavu. There is an interesting story behind the temple. Portuguese attempted to rob the temple, but their attempt resulted futile. When they tried to leave the area their ship did not move. Sensing trouble they apologised for their misdeed and put their repentance in writing on black stone. The writing is still visible. In between the sanctum sanctorum and the main door the inscription can be seen.Outside the temple there is a papal and palm tree which grow together. A yakshi (lady demon) lives on top of the palm, the locals believe.
10) Dharmasasftha Temple at Sasthamkotta in Karunagapally.
The deity here is Lord Ayyappa. Here the temple roof is of corrugated GI sheets as against tiles in most of the shrines in Kerala. This is just to save the roof from the wrath of monkeys in large number as if they are the devotees. The custom here is that devotees have to step on the droppings of the primate. The temple is close to Sasthamkotta lake which meets the drinking water needs of the entire district.
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