Go Slow. Review on Thiruvananthapuram

Hi Folks, Let me wite something on my hometown -Trivandrum alias Thiruvananthapuram..

Regarding the different aspects of this place I will specify those which might be of interest to the traveller in you. It's a place wher everything and everyone seems to be laid back... I have been to many towns and villages and I haven't yet come across any place where people seem to be so easy going - yet efficient. Out here even the private buses and autorikshaws ply at a easy pace when compared to other towns I have been to. You go shopping - you are not pulled inside and throw nat you items you never wished or dreamed of buying.. Take your time and select what you want.. It's modern - it has got an old world town feel, it's a city - it has the charm of a village, it has beaches - it has hill stations, it has back waters - it has paddy fields .. You can almost find any range of accomodation and food.

Places To Go :

Beaches : Kovalam - The first beach that comes up when you think about Kerala.. It has become so much unlike Kerala that you feel a foreign ambience prevailing all over the place . It has become a crowded place - so many shops , so much neon lights, all kinda people . it has become busy like the city itself... The difference of looking towards the sea and backwards is too much.. Sprawling clean blue water and white sand on one side and sprawling number of shops and crowd on the other side.. Those who like to meet people come here. It's party time????

Varkala - Papanasham - It's a serene beach. Thank God it hasn't yet lost the natural charm.. With a long cliff on one side and clean blue water on the other side it's a total get away.. The spring that gushes out from the bottom of the Cliff is said to be so much enriched with minerals that all sorts of skin diseases will be cured if you take a bathe in it.. You can find all sort of accomodation here - Five star to Budget Shacks.

Shankhu Mukham - It's within the city limits and it's where the local populace go in the evenings. Saturday nights it's so crowded you wonder which counts more - sand or men.

Backwaters : Veli - This one is the closest to the city and there's an estuary where the backwater meets the arabian sea during monsoon. It's a nice cool place to take a walk in the evenings or in the mornings.. There's a swamp like area of land(dunno exact terminology though) overlooking the backwater and it has got a mystic look with all sorts of birds flying in and out of it.. Quite good if you would like to let your thoughts meander. For the fun loving you can take a horse ride(that's what they call those sad looking animals), go for boating, have a swim in the pool(if you are below 15). Sad part is that the old world charm of this place is about to face the guillotine due to a decision taken by the authorities to get it renovated.. Till now this place sported buildings that were built during the reign of Maharajas and soon they would be a memory of past.. Gosh I can't stand a day when I have to get out of my office and drive to this place to see more buildings with plastered walls and in the worst case buildings covered with glass. (May be I can take a photograph of the swamp reflected off the glass)..

Aakkulam - This place not as big as Veli but a quieter place to be. It's adjacent to the Southern Air Command and has a hill from where you can get a birds eye view of the surroundings. Good to be here during sunset since you can get a clear view of sun going down.. Poetic ones please be here..Any one can wade in the pool here. This place is also undergoing some make up and I am waiting to get back to Trivandrum to see what new features they have installed there.. I'll update you.. Please be patient..I know you are... (:-)

Velayani - It's a primitive sort of place.. Not much of building and people there except the local populace- the rural folk.. and you might get a curious glance or two..It's adjacent to Agricultural college and many areas are owned by Government. When you reach here the questions are where should I sit, what should I do.. Cuz I get this absolutely lost feeling when I am here... It's the plain old nature - water, greenery, sky and me - the numero uno.. All sorts of creative guys.. Be here now(with all due regards to Oasis)..

I can write about maybe 2 or 3 more but I don't waste time since they will be kind of hidden in the haystack for a tourist. They include Kappil, Kayapuram which are close to varkala.

Hillstations:Ponmudi - The best place to getaway from a hectic corporate atmosphere. It's cool, it's high, it's refreshing and it's a long drive - around 50kms. 23 hairpin curves are there on the way.. Don't worry .. the roads are quite good in Indian standards..It's got a KTDC restaurant and rooms for staying. It's 1000mts high and was inhabited by wildlife some time back..Infact it still is .. Elephants, leopards, bears , bison are said to be there but I haven't seen one yet. May be they have become wise to keep the distance with us. You can see deers cuz ther's a deer park...There are some primitive temples inside the forests in the vicnity and people have great beleif in the strength of these gods.. I have even seen people worshipping a huge tree(Paala Tree- which is said to be inhabited by souls of beautiful looking ladies -Yakshi). Vithura is the last town on the way to Ponmudi and there are some resorts to stay. There is a tourist information point at the bottom of Ponmudi(Kallar) where you can find a guide and go trekking to the waterfall or have jungle walk.. The adventurous ones be here.. But WATCH YOUR STEP... cuz so many young fellas have lost their stint on earth to flash floods.. Remember.. listen and understand the words of the natives.. it can save your life..

Agasthyar Koodam - It's a very mystic place I guess.. I haven't been there yet. Agasthyar is the name of a great scholar in the field of Ayurveda. It's a highly protected area since a lot of flora important to Ayurveda is found here.. You need to get permission from DFO to enter this place. It's 1869 mtrs above sea leavel and every year a pilgrimage is organised by the Government to a rock deep in the jungle on the other side of the hill which lasts for a week or so. I hope to be there once..

Neyyar: It is a man made lake and it's on the foothills of western ghats(Ponmudi, Agastyar Koodam....). It has got a lion safari park and you can go for boating or go safari in the tourist departments caged bus.. It's funny to see the lions watching us inside the cage.. KTDC has got accomodation and restaurant facilities.. There is a crocodile farm and some of them have escaped into the reservoire and encounters between crocodile and locale people going for bathing or washing clothes occure every year. T

here are places like Bonacaud Tea Estate - Plagued by poverty due to closure of the estate - and Thenmala eco tourism project where you might have a stroll..

Culture and History :......Am I going too much .. Isn't it a review.. Ayway I'll write the rest soon.. It's time to have some rest now..Please be Patient......