About:

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is 3 or 4 miles away from the Thiruvananathapuram Central Railway Station, Trivendrum, Kerala. This is an architectural wonder and a magnificent temple that is sure to amaze you. Situated in the heart of the city, The famous Arattu Festival is held here. Arattu festival is celebrated as a closing ceremony of a 10-day festival in Kerala. The Arattu festival in Kerala is celebrated twice a year, once in the months of October-November and one more time in the months of March-April. The previous night, there is a procession called pallivetta inside the fort encircling the temple.The uniqueness of the Arattu at Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple is that the head of the royal family of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom still escorts the idols during the procession.

On the day of the Arattu, His Highness the Ex-Maharaja enters the corridor of the temple, and after some rituals, the procession takes out through the eastern gate with the accompaniment of nagaswaram, drum etc. His Highness with sword in hand and escorted by armed guards, infantry, mounted police, officers etc. leads the procession to the Sanghumugham beach.A caparisoned elephant goes in front with drum on its back which is beaten to indicate that the God is coming in procession. Six more caparisoned elephants follow. The procession leaves the temple gate at about 5 PM and takes about an hour to reach the seashore. As the procession leaves the ramparts of the fort, a salute of 21 guns is made. On reaching the beach the ceremonial bath is taken in the sea. The Same Arattu festival is also done in the Sree Krishnaswamy temple at Ambalapuzha dedicated to Parthasarathy.

Location info:

History:

Interesting things to do:

Interesting things to Visit:

Pozhikara Beach:

Pozhikara Beach is a nearby haunt beloved by tourists. The Karamana and Parvathy Puthanaar Rivers empty into the Arabian Sea at this spot.

Flora and Fauna:

Brilliantly colored flowers, striking in variety beauty, the dense green foliage, the natural vegetation, the exotic water birds and others flora and fauna make your tour on the Thiruvallam Backwaters an unending bag of pleasant surprises

Veli tourist Village:

The Veli Tourist Village is sandwiched between the Veli Lagoon and the Arabian Sea. The lagoon here is separated from the sea by a narrow sand bar. Facilities at the village include water sports in the lagoon and 18 acre waterfront park with a floating bridge that connects the village to the beach.

Canoe Rides:

Tourists enjoy canoe rides and capture breathtaking views of the country life on Thiruvallam backwaters tours.

Temples:

Tourists can make a visit to the famous temple dedicated to the Sri Parasurma, the mythological creator of Kerala. The temple has gained immense popularity in the last few years and is visited by thousands of tourists every year. Legends say that when Parasurma threw his axe northward from Kanyakumari, a land was created where his axe fell and that particular land was named as the 'Land of Parasurma'.

The Akulam Boat Club:

Its just 8 kms away from Thiruvananthapuram is another famed tourist attraction. The club provides boating cruises on the nearby Akulam Lake. A bat ride from here to the Karamana River will cost approximately . It also houses an amusement park and a swimming pool for children. Tourists often visit this Club to picnic with friends and family.

Kanakakunnu Palace:

The Kanakakunnu Palace is sited adjacent to the Napier Museum in Trivandrum. The Kanakakunnu Palace was built during the rule of the Travancore King. Royal banquets viewed the palace as the main venue. Later Sree Chithira Tirunal altered the palace and built tennis courts inside the palace premises.

Napier museum:

The Napier museum is located in the capital city of Kerala at Trivandrum. The architecture of the museum building is amazing. The best time to visit this museum is in the months of October to march.

Mobile range info:

Tips & Suggestions:

You can watch whole Arattu festival in Padmanabhaswamy temple, Accomodation will provided by the temple community.

Help Line/Phone Number:

Police Station:

Pothencode Police Station
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Vizhinjam Police Station
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Nedumangad Police Station
Nedumangad
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Mangalapuram Police Station
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Nearest Hospital:

KIMS Hospital
Trivandrum, Kerala
Tel: 0471 2447575.

Chaithanya Eye Hospital
Kesavadasapuram, Trivandrum
Kerala 695004
Tel: 0471 2447183.

Sree Ramakrishna Mission Hospital
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Tel: 0471 2722125.

Medical College Hospital
TrivandrumKerala-
Tel: 0471 2444270.

ROY MEDICAL CENTRE
Thycaud Hospital Road, Opp. Amritha Hotel
Trivandrum, Kerala 695014
Tel: 09387809779.

Divya Prabha Eye Hospital
Nalumukku Medical College Rd
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695011
Tel: 0471 2442050.

Useful Links:

http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2009/02/ettumanoor-mahadeva-temple-arattu.html
http://kayskaleidoscope.blogspot.com/2007/12/arattu-festival-at-trivandrum.html
http://dishyum.blogspot.com/2006/04/festival-of-gods.html
http://smilingdreamz.blogspot.com/2009/09/thiruvananthapuram_17.html