Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhias the "Evergreen city of India", the city is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills and busy commercial alleys. The city has a population of more than 750,000 inhabitants and a population of around 1.68 million in the urban agglomeration, Thiruvananthapuram is the largest and most populous city in Kerala. It is an IT hub of the state with over 80% of the state's software exports.

The city houses several central and state government offices and organizations. Apart from being the political nerve centre of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the University of Kerala, and to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET), Technopark, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala, Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER), the Centre for Development Studies, the International Centre forr Free and Open Source Software (ICFOSS), the Regional Research Laboratory, the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnologyand the Sree Chitira Thirunal Institute for Medical Science and Technology. It is also considered as one of the 10 greenest cities in India. Thiruvananthapuram was ranked as the best city in Kerala to live in by a recent Times of India survey. The city is also ranked as the best city in India for Housing and Transport by a survey conducted by India Today.

Tourism

Napier museum

Thiruvananthapuram is also a tourist destination for both domestic and international tourists. Being the capital of Kerala, often known as "God's own country", Thiruvananthapuram is also called as "God's own capital". There are many tourist destinations in or near the city including Kovalam beach, Sanghumukham Beach, Napier museum and Zoo (Yann Martel wrote his book Life of PI after studying a disabled lion, Simba for months together), Agasthyarkoodam peak, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Neyyar Dam, Kuthira Malika palace, Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple, Ponmudi, Poovar, Varkala Cliffs and beaches and many others. Thiruvananthapuram is also famous for being the Evergreen city of India.

Kanyakumari, Thiruvattar, Padmanabhapuram Palace and Tirpparappu waterfalls, are also near the city, in the adjoining Kanyakumari District (Nagercoil), in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The eponymous Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple circled by the East Fort is at the center of a busy shopping hub of the city. The temple attracts millions of visitors every year. Visitors are required to adhere to special dress code before entering the temple. Recent court battle challenges the custodianship of the Royal family over the temple. The controversy centers on the estimated properties of over $20 billion housed in the vaults of the temple.

Tourist Attaractions:

Thiruvananthapuram City (Trivandrum)

Kovalam Beach, Azhimala Beach, Museum and Zoo, Shanghumugham Beach, Thiruvallam, Veli Lagoon.

• Agastyakoodam.
• Akkulam
• Anchuthengu
• Aruvikkara
• Aruvippuram
• Balaramapuram
• Meenmutti and Kombaikani Waterfalls
• Neyyar Dam
• Neyyattinkara
• Peppara
• Ponmudi
• Poovar
• Sarkara
• Varkala
•  Vizhinjam

Transport

Road

The NH-47, which runs from Salem to Kanyakumari, passes through the city. It connects important southern cities such as Coimbatore and Salem in north direction and Nagercoil in south direction. The Main Central Road (MC Road) which is an arterial State Highway in Kerala and designated as SH 1 starts from NH-47 at Kesavadasapuram in the city. The Thiruvananthpuram Road Development Company Limited is an SPV to develop the road network in Thiruvananthapuram city. It is the first intra-city project in the country.

The intra-city public transport in the city is dominated by the state-owned KSRTC, though there are significant numbers of private buses plying within the city limits.

Within the city, city buses, taxis and autorickshaws provide means of transportation. Scooters, motorcycles and regular bicycles are the favored means of personal transportation. The intra-city public transport is dominated by the state-owned KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation). There are also bus service operated by private operators and provides access within city limits and beyond. The city services of KSRTC operate from six depots namely, the City depot, Vikas Bhavan, Peroorkada, Pappanamcode, Kaniyapuram and Vellanad. These services were revamped in 2005 with the introduction of modern buses and electronic ticketing mechanisms. The Central bus station is located Thampanoor, opposite Thiruvananthapuram Central Station. It connects Thiruvananthapuram with other parts of Kerala as well as other states. The central city bus terminal is located 1 km away at East Fort (Kizhakke kotta), near the Padmanabha Swamy temple.

Rail

Thiruvananthapuram comes under the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. There are five railway stations within the city limits including the Thiruvananthapuram central station. Thiruvananthapuram Pettah,Kochuveli and Veli stations are located towards north direction and Thiruvananthapuram Nemom is located in south direction from the central station. The Central railway station is located at Thampanoor in the heart of the city, and is about 5 km from the new international air terminal and nearly 8 km from the domestic air terminal. It is the largest and busiest railway station in the state. Kochuveli railway station is developed to ease congestion on central station and it act as satellite station to Thiruvananthapuram Central. Some of the long distance trains from the city operates from this station. The Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Expressconnects the city to New Delhi, the capital of India. The city is well connected by rail to almost all major cities in India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Thiruvananthapuram is also the first major South Indian city on the longest train route in India, Kanyakumari to Dibrugarh.

Air

Thiruvananthapuram is served by the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (IATA: TRV, ICAO: VOTV),which is the first international airport in India outside the four metropolitan cities then. It has direct connectivity to the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka and is a gateway to the tourism-rich state of Kerala. The airport is qualified for all-weather and night operations. One of the major advantage of the airport is the prevailing weather at the location that does not go to extremes, allowing flight operations without disruption year around. The International terminal of the airport is approximately 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) due west and the domestic terminal is approximately 8.0 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the central business district. The importance of the airport is also due to the fact that it is the southernmost airport in India and also the closest option for neighboring countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka, and the only option to Maldives from India. Also, apart from the regular scheduled flights, charter flights, primarily carrying tourists, also serve the airport.

Kannur

Kannur (Malayalam: കണ്ണൂര്‍), also known as Cannanore, is a cosmopolitan city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518 km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore (Land of lord Krishna), which is used only by the Indian Railway as of now. Kannur is the sixth largest city in Kerala, after Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kollam and Thrissur. It is the largest city of the North Malabar region. Kannur Municipality was established in 1867 and is one of the oldest municipalities in Kerala.

Kannur is one of the Million-Plus urban agglomerations in India with a population of 1,642,892 in 2011. Kannur is known as the Land of Looms and Lore, because of the loom industries functioning in the district and ritualistic folk arts held in temples. Kannur is famous for its pristine beaches, Theyyam, its native performing art, and its handloom industry.

Temples

There are many temples and divine shrines in the coastal region of Kannur. The Annapurneshwari temple is believed to be the most divine shrine, which came up from the sea centuries ago.Other temples are

• Kottiyoor Shiva Temple
• Kanhirangad Vaidyanatha Temple
• Parassinikadavu Sree Muthappan Temple
• Peralassery Subrahmanya Temple
• Ramanthali Sankaranarayana Temple
• Thayyil Sree Venkataramana Temple
• Kandamthalli Sreekrishna Temple
• Subramania Temple
• Trichambaram Temples
• Subramanya Temple

  

  • Parassinikadavu Sree Muthappan Temple

• Suryanarayana Temple
• Sree Vithobha Temple
• Andaloor Temple
• Thaliparambu Rajarajeswara Temple
• Kadalayi Sreekrishna Temple

Beaches

Kannur has several beaches, some of which are:

• Payyambalam Beach: It is the beach of the Kannur town. It has an unbroken coastline of a few kilometres. From the beach, one can see ships in transit along the Malabar Coast, that is, beyond Kozhikode and moving towards Mangalore, Goa and Mumbai. The well laid out garden and the massive landscaped sculpture of mother and child erected by noted sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman makes it extremely captivating.

• Baby Beach: It is so called as it is smaller than its bigger neighbourhood, Payyambalam Beach. The famous St. Angelo Fort is adjacent to it.

• Meenkunnu Beach: Situated at Azhikode, it is a few kilometres from the town.

• Mapila Bay: Situated near the St. Angelo’s Fort, the Mopila bay has a historical background. Centuries ago, it was the seat of Kolathiri Kings. The Kadalayi Fort and Sree Krishna Temple were quite famous. The remnants of the fort and the temple are still seen in Mopila Bay. A fishing harbour, built with Indo-Norwegian project assistance, can be seen at this bay.

• Kizhunna Ezhara Beach: 11 km from Kannur, is one of the most secluded beaches in Kerala.

• Muzhappilangad Drive-in Beach: is Kerala’s only drive-in beach, situated about 5 km north of Thalassery and 15 km from Kannur. There is an unpaved road winding through coconut groves, leading to the beach. The beach is about 5 kilometres long and curves in a wide area providing a good view of Kannur beach on the north. To the South and about 200 metres away from the beach there is a beautiful island called the "Green Island" which adds to the allure of the beach.

• Dharmadam Island: (100 metres away from the mainland at Dharmadam): The small 5 acre (20,000 m²) island covered with coconut palms and dense bushes is a beautiful sight from the Muzhappilangad beach. During low tide, one can walk to the island from the beach. It is surrounded by rivers and seas. Permission is required to enter this privately owned island. Dharmadam, earlier known as Dharmapattanam, was a Buddhist stronghold.

Flora and fauna

Kannur district is very rich in vegetation. Natural vegetation, except in some coastal regions, consists of different types of forests. But, in spite of generally favourable climatic conditions, vegetation is not uniform. In restricted regions, with their own micro climate or special edaphic features, plant formations assume different characters. Thus, plant communities, ranging from psammophytes and mangroves to evergreen forests are seen in this district.
The coastal region is a comparatively narrow zone, characterised by secondary soil which is rather lose and sandy. The sterile sandy tract supports only a poor vegetation of the psammophyte type. Plants are few and mostly prostrate. Erect species are small and short. Owing to very poor water holding capacity of the soil, these plants are provided with special xerophytic adaptations. Another conspicuous feature of this area is the mangrove vegetation, found at the estuaries of rivers and backwaters, and often extending to the interior along their banks. Human interference has much changed the vegetation of the coastal region.
Major part of the district comes under midland region with numerous hills and dales and it presents an undulating surface gradually ascending and merging into the slopes of Western Ghats. Soil is secondary and lateritic with underlying rock of laterite or disintegrated gneiss. Typical flora of this area is deciduous forest consisting of a mixture of evergreen and deciduous trees. Undergrowth consists of a variety of annuals and perennials.
The mountains are a continuation of the midland region, gradually ascending to the main ridge of the Western Ghats. Soil in the western slopes is a ferruginous red, sandy loam. Vegetation over the whole area is of the forest type. Irregular distribution of teak, localised areas of bamboo dominance, change of good quality forest into open grass lands, etc. are characteristic.

BEKAL FORT

Bekal Fort: (Malayalam:‍ബേക്കൽ കോട്ട), is the largest fort in Kerala, situated at Kasarargod district, North Kerala, spreading over 40 acres (160,000 m²). Some important features of this fort are the water-tank with its flight of steps, the tunnel opening towards the south, the magazine for keeping ammunition and the broad steps leading to the Observation Tower, which is a rarity. From there one has an ample view of towns in the vicinity like Kanhangad, Pallikkara, Bekal, Kottikkulam, Uduma etc. The nearest railway stations are Pallikare, Kottikkulam, Kanhangad, and Kasaragod. This observation center had strategic significance in discovering even the smallest movements of the enemy and ensuring the safety of the Fort.

The Fort appears to have been built up from the sea since almost three fourths of its exterior is drenched and the waves continually stroke the citadel. The Mukhyaprana Temple of Hanuman and the ancient Muslim mosque nearby bear testimony to the age-old religious harmony that prevailed in the area. The zigzag entrance and the trenches around the fort show the defence strategy inherent in the fort.

Unlike most other Indian forts, Bekal Fort was not a center of administration, for no remains of any palace; mansion or such buildings are found within the fort. Arguably the fort was built especially for fulfilling defence requirements. The holes on the outer walls of the fort are specially designed to defend the fort effectively. The holes at top were meant for aiming at the farthest points; the holes below for striking when the enemy was nearer and the holes underneath facilitated attacking when the enemy was very near to the fort. This is remarkable evidence of technology in defence strategy.

Recorded history

Sivappa Nayaka of Bednore constructed the Bekal Fort in 1650AD. During the Perumal Age Bekal was a part of Mahodayapuram. The Kodavalam inscription (Pullur, 7 km from Kanhangad) of Bhasakara Ravi II (the King of Mahodayapuram) illustrate the undisputed political sway of Mahodayapuram over this region. Following the political decline of Mahodayapuram Perumals by the 12th century AD, North Kerala including Bekal, came under the sovereignty of Mushika or Kolathiri or Chirakkal Royal Family (who were a secondary royal family at that point to the Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas). The maritime importance of Bekal increased much under the Kolathiris and it became an important port town of Tulunadu and Malabar.

It was usual in older days for every royal palace to be protected by a fort. The Bekal fort might have, therefore, existed even from early days of the Chirakkal Rajas. While writing a description of the Kolathiri Kingdom in his Kerala History, K.P. Padmanabha Menon writes: "The eldest of the male members reigned as sovereign Kolathiri. The next in succession, the heir apparent, was the Thekkelamkur. The residence assigned to him was the Vadakara fort. The third in succession was the Vadakkelamkur in charge of Vekkolath fort. This V(B)ekkolath fort is identified by some scholars as the present Bekal."

H.A. Stuart, in his Handbook of South Canara (1985), makes this observation: "Several forts were built by the Shivappa Nayaks of Badnore between 1650 and 1670. The two forts of Bekal and Chandragiri were originally under the Kolathiri or Chirakkal Rajas until the time of Shivappa Nayaka's invasion. Perhaps, the Bednore rulers might have rebuilt and improved it."

The Battle of Talikota in 1565 led to the decline of the mighty Vijayanagara Empire and many feudatory chieftains rose in political prominence including the Keladi Nayakas (Ikkeri Nayaks). The Nayakas realized the political and economic importance of Tulunadu (which is the region comprising modern-day Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts along with the Northernmost part of Kasargod District) and attacked and annexed the region. Bekal served as a nucleus in establishing the dominance of the Nayakas in Malabar. The economic importance of the port town prompted the Nayakas to fortify Bekal subsequently. Hiriya Venkatappa Nayaka initiated the construction of the fort and it was completed during the period of Shivappa Nayaka. The speedy completion of the port was aimed at the defense of the fort from overseas attack and to strengthen their attack on Malabar. Chandragiri fort near Kasargod was also constructed during this period.

Somashekhara Nayak captured Manjeswar and Taliparamba and built a fort at Kanhangad called Hosdurg which literally means 'New Fort' in Kannada/Tulu. The other forts found in Kasargod are constructed on the coastal region and on the route to Madikeri (Mercara in Coorg). It is believed that the 'Koteyar'/'Ramakshatriya' community found in Bekal, Panayal and other places in Kasargod were brought to this land by the Nayaks to strengthen and defend the fort. There was a prolonged struggle between the Kolathiries and Nayaks to recapture and maintain their hold over this area. These battles came to an end with the rise of Hyder Ali who conquered the Nayakas. Subsequently Bekal fell into the hands of Mysore kings.

Bekal served as an important military station of Tipu Sultan when he led the great military expedition to capture Malabar. The coins and other artifacts unearthed by the archaeological excavation conducted recently at Bekal fort is a manifestation of the strong presence of the Mysore Sulthans. The death of Tipu Sulthan in Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 saw the end of Mysorean control and subsequently the fort came under the British East India Company.

During the reign of the Company Bekal became the headquarters of the newly organized Bekal Taluk of South Canara District in Bombay presidency. South Canara became a part of the Madras presidency in 1799 and Kasargod Taluk was up in the place of Bekal Taluk. Gradually the political and economic importance of Bekal and its port declined considerably. Kasargod became part of Kerala with the state reorganization in 1956.

Its solid construction resembles the St. Angelo Fort at Kannur built by Portuguese and also the Thalassery Fort. The Ikkeri Nayakas had not developed guns to defend themselves from the invaders approaching from the Arabean sea route. But the western part of the fort is built in a solid manner with numerous slits on the walls for defending the fort from the naval power of other rulers. So it is believed that the present look of fort was the outcome of the conflict between European powers. Modification to the fort was made by all the rulers who ruled the land from before the time of the Ikkeri Nayakas. Moreover a number of forts built by the Ikkeri Nayakas have failed to stand the test of time and perished. Located at the centre of the fort is an Observation Tower built by Tipu Sultan, which offers a breathtaking view of the coastline. Also in existence is a rest-house built by the British Government. Presently the protection and preservation of Bekal fort has been entrusted to the Archaeological Survey of India.

Tourism

In 1992 the Government of India declared Bekal Fort as a special tourism area. In the year 1995 the government formed Bekal Tourism Development Corporation for transforming Bekal Fort into international tourism centre. Tourism promotion activities have been taking place of late in the areas surrounding the fort, under the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC). The song 'Uyire' (Tamil) from the movie 'Bombay' directed by Mani Ratnam has been shot at Bekal Fort. Many such films, music albums, commercial advertisements etc., are being shot at Bekal Fort.

Access

Nearest towns are Kanhangad – 8 km and Kasargod 18 km.

These towns are well connected to nearby cities by bus and train.

Nearest airports

Mangalore International Airport – 60 km.

Karipur International Airport – 180 km.

Kasaragod

Kasaragod is one of the most beautiful districts in Kerala state endowed with 9 rivers (out of a total of the 44 rivers that flow in Kerala), hills, beaches, backwaters, as well as temples, churches, mosques and forts.

Tourist attractions

·         Bakal Fort:- It is the biggest fort in Kerala today and is 14  km from Kanhangad and 15  km from Kasaragod town. The nearest railway station is Pallikere railway station, which is now called the Bekal Fort Railway Station, and the nearest airport is Mangalore Airport.

·         Ananthapura Lake Temple:- an ancient and attractive-looking temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

·         Mallikarjuna Temple is another temple in the heart of Kasargod Town and is dedicated to Sri Shiva.

·         Ranipuram:- A conglomerate of grassy hills near Panathady Town and linked to Kanhangad by Kanhangad-Panathur state highway.

·         Kottancheri Hills:-  Located near Talakaveri which is the starting point of the Kaveri river. It is 36  km from Kanhangad Town.

·         Valiyaparamba Backwaters.

·         Adhur, one of the natural spot in Kasaragod with large diversity of Flaura and fauna. Located on the shore of Payaswini River.

·         Kareem's Forest park (32 acres) India's first private sanctuary which spreads across 32 acres (130,000 m²) and rich in diverse species of trees, medicinal plants, birds, insets, reptiles, amphibians, small wild animals, microorganisms and so on. People from different walks of life environmentalists, scientists, University and Ayurveda students, and laymen, all over the country visit his forest park for practical experience and study purpose. He is also multiplying and distributing the seeds and saplings of forest trees and medicinal plants and help our mother earth and help the nation to convert waste lands into thick forests by replicating his efforts without involving additional coasts.

Other tourist attractions are Chandragiri Fort, Anandashramam, and Nithyanandashramam.

Pilgrim centres

·         Mallik Deenar Mosque, one of the first masjid in India built during the period of the prophet Muhammad by swahabi 'Malik-ibn-Deenar', is located approximately 3 km from kasaragod railway station in the shore of Arabia See. Hundreds of people visit this place every day.

·         Ananthapura Lake Temple an ancient and attractive-looking temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

·         Madhur Ganapathy Temple is an architecturally impressive structure.

·         Mallikarjuna Temple is another temple in the heart of Kasargod Town and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

·         Palakunnu Bhagavathi temple.

·         Mallam Temple.

·         Bela Church, also known as Our Lady of Sorrows Church, is a Roman Catholic church located 14 km north of Kasaragod and 50 km south of Mangalore. It was built in 1890 and is thus the oldest extant church in the district. This Gothic Revival Roman Catholic church, which is under the Mangalore Diocese, recently celebrated its centenary when it was also renovated. Bela Catholic Parish is also one of the oldest existing parishes of the Diocese of Mangalore. The mother tongue of the Catholics is Konkani.

·         Kammadam Bhagavathi temple is most famous for Theyyam Kaliyattam in Dhanu and attract hundreds of people in "Samkramam" day of every month to visit and pray in sacred grove. The Temple is dedicated to Kammadath Bhagavathi and Chamundi(Raktheshwari).This temple is located 25 km east from Nileshwaram town and 5 km East from Chittarikkal Kunnumkai.

Transport

The National Highway 66(formerly NH17) enters Kerala in Talapady of Kasargod district. The highway form a backbone of the road network for the district from Talapady, covering major towns like Uppala, Kumbala, Kasargod, Kanhangad, Nileshwar and Cheruvathur. The NH exits the district in Kalikadavu (pilicode).

Other Major Roads: Kasargod-Sullia, Kasargod-Puttur, Kanhangad-Panathur, Kasargod-Bekal-Kanhangad, Nileshwar-Malom-Konnakkad

Major Railway Stations:Kasargod,Kanhangad,Manjeshwar,Nileshwar,Cheruvathur.

• Dt. Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC)             256450
• Dt. Tourism Office , Old Busstand, Kasaragod     04994  221886
• Womens Cell, SP Office, Kasaragod                   230461
• Tourisum Police -                                             9497935769/9497964328
• Collectorate(General)                                        04994  255010  
• Doordarshan Relay Kendra                                230811
• Fire and Rescue Station, Kasaragod                   04994  230101,101
• Guest House, Kasaragod                                  04994  230666,230876
• Hospital (District) Causality                              04672  204047
• Hospital (General) Kasaragod                            04994  230080,222999
• Hostel District Panchayath ,Udayagiri                 04994  257086
• Information Office, Civilstation                         04994  255145
• Informatics Office (NIC), Civilstation                04994  256205
• Janasevana Kendram (Friends)                          04994  227411
• Police - Superintendent of Police (Off.)              04994 255461,257401
• Railway Enquiry, Kasaragod                              04994  230200
• Railway Divil.Manager, Palakkad                       0491 555296,255115

Accommodations available at

Raj Residency, Kanhangad                                                    0467 2208444

Gokulam Nalanda Resort Nileswaram                                     0467 228 2662

Hotel Bekal International, Kanhangad                                     0467 2202017                      

The Lalit Resort & Spa Bekal                                                011 4444 7474