Is the stress and strain of daily life catching up with you? Take a trip to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of God?s own Country, Kerala. If the mere sight of lush greens, picturesque backwaters and idyllic beaches do not relax you, check into the various ayurveda treatment centres across the city. Indulge. Let the expert masseurs brush off all the stress and strain with a gentle sweep of their hands. Walk down the beach at Kovalam and join the other monsoon watchers, for it?s through here that monsoon magic enters the country. Or just walk along the busy streets. This city has been home to artist kings. And now, it is patronized by progressive leaders. Find people who go out of their way to help anyone with a smile playing on their lips. Welcome to Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram as it is known now.

History
The founding of Thiruvananthapuram is the story of God, lost and found. Divakara Muni?some say it was Vilwamangalam Swami, a saint who peeps out of almost all lores of Kerala, who has played God in the city?s growth?was so devoted to Vishnu that the lord used to play with him as a toddler. Annoyed by the toddler?s antics, the saint shooed him away, and lost Him. The distraught saint pleaded with the Divine. Vishnu assured the saint that He would be found in the ?Forest of Anantha?. The saint wandered looking for the forest; he found it in the far south, where the Lord revealed himself not as a playful child, but in His cosmic form reclining on the endless coils of the mythical snake Anantha. Hence Thiru-anantha-puram, the city of the cosmic snake Anantha.

Triruvanthapuram became the capital of the Raja of Travancore in 1750 when the then Raja moved from Padmanabhapuram. The kings of Travancore, the princely state, of which Thiruvananthapuram was a part, were great patrons of art and literature. And they had laid down their absolute power to the presiding deity, Padmanabaswamy, and had ruled the land as a representative of the lord. Maharaja Swati Tirunal was a great composer and has several compositions to his credit; Raja Ravi Varma, also of the same family, was a master painter. The kings of Travancore started colleges for music and fine arts in Thiruvananthapuram, which are still up and running. After Independence, Travancore and Kochi were integrated to form the state of Thiru-Kochi, with Thiruvananthapuram as the capital. When Kerala was formed in 1956, the city retained its capital status.

How to Reach
Air
Thiruvananthapuram airport is about 7 km from the city. The international terminal sees daily flights to the Middle East and Singapore. Within the country, the seaside city is connected to Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa and Delhi.

Rail
Trains to the metros as well as important southern cities are accessible from Thiruvananthapuram Central and Thiruvananthapuram Pettah railway stations. Trains journeying all the way from Kanyakumari to Kashmir make a stop at Thiruvananthapuram.
Road
The inter-state bus depot is the KSRTC Central Bus Stand in Thampanoor. City services start from East Fort.

How to Get Around
Auto rickshaws are the preferred mode of transport, but make sure the meter is working or the drivers tend to fleece you. They charge a minimum of Rs.6.50. There are several private taxis and rentals. They charge by the hour.

What to see
Thiruvananthapuram is just another Indian city at first glance. Bustling, noisy and ever changing. But once you take a closer look, the remains of the colonial rule just pop out in every other place. Old buildings, some well planned streets, places of worship just around the corners, the undulating landscape, shopping places speak of by gone days. The city has a relaxed pace. And a person on a visit just imbibes it.
• Shankhumugham
This is the preferred beach for local residents. One can spend hours watching the planes take off from the international airport and watch the ships sail by on the horizon. There is a huge cement statue of a reclining mermaid on the beach. The sunrise and sunset is a big draw. There are small shops which sprout across the beach on a regular basis once evening sets in. You can get hot sizzling vadas, shawarma?s (a type of meat roll) and red hot chilli bajjis, in addition to roasted peanuts.
• Kovalam
Is a brand. It was one of those very special beaches which sort of catapulted Thiruvananthapuram on to the international tourist arena. A beach of international repute, it is about 14km from the city centre. But as with other must see tourist destinations, Kovalam is highly commercialized. It is advisable to strike a rapport with a local and explore the beaches nearby if you like to discover quieter beaches.
• Vizhinjam
Just 2 km from Kovalam, it is an ancient port. The tetra pods, put out on the strip of beach to prevent erosion, in a way make a trip to the beach a bit tedious. While at Vijinjam, check out the lighthouse. The steady beam from the lighthouse still guides ships and smaller sea faring vessels from crashing on to the rocks under water.
• Velli Tourist Village
It was developed to be a proper tourist village, complete with cottages et al, a couple of years ago. About 10 km from the city, it is somewhat a lagoon. Come monsoon, and the narrow band of land separating the sea and the Velli Lake is cut open. You can hire boats at the jetty and go rowing out on your own. Paddle boats are a hit with the honeymooners and speed boats for the more adventurous.

Padmanabha Swamy Temple
The city?s most famous and stunning landmark is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The gopuram stand high over the other structures in the area. Take a walk up the seven storied gopuram for Rs 10. It offers you a bird?s eye view of the city. It is not for the elderly, as the steps are rather steep. Make sure you follow the dress code -dhoti for men and no shirt; sarees for women or long skirts with half or full sleeve shirts. If you are not dressed this way, do not feel discouraged. There is a lending point/ cloak room just outside the main steps where you can rent dhotis. Women can wrap this around their salwars/jeans to make it look like a skirt. The temple is still patronized by the royalty who ceaded the kingdom to the Indian Union during independence. It is not open to public when the king comes to offer his prayers every morning between 8 am to 10am. Please do note that it is strictly open only to those who follow Hinduism.

Attukal Temple
Situated about 5 kms from East Fort, is this temple which is dedicated to the mother goddess. What makes this temple unique is the annual Pongala festival (February). It is one day when the common women folk gather together and make a rice dish offering called the pongala to the deity. Usually you offer pongala to the deity, as a thanksgiving offering. The festival sees people from all walks of life and from across cities converging in the 5kms perimeter of the temple for this. Do not be surprised if you see French and English ladies making pongala on the roads!

Shangumugham Temple
located between the Shangumugham beach and the international airport, the presiding deity here is the consort of Sri Padmanabha Swamy. The silence of the temple premises is marred by planes.

Sri Varaham temple
Dedicated to Varaha Murthy, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, this temple has a pond nearby which comes to life during the annual Onam festival. It is about a kilometer from Padmanabhaswamy temple.

St Joseph's Church
Step into one of the oldest churches in Thiruvananthapuram, located opposite the Juma Masjid. It is a strong testimony to the city?s religious tolerance.

Charachira Juma Masjid
Yet another landmark, it is regarded by many as the oldest mosque in the country. It is next to the Palayam Market.