Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the

capital Capital and its variations may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** Capital region, a metropolitan region containing the capital ** List of national capitals * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Econom ...

city of the Indian state of

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the largest and most populous city in Kerala. The larger

Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area Thiruvananthapuram Metropolitan Area is the area consisting of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and the municipalities of Attingal, Nedumangad and Neyyattinkara, 3 "outgrowths" and 24 census towns. The total population is 1,687,406, which incl ...

had over 1.7 million inhabitants within an area of 543 sq. km..Trivandrum is one of the few cities in India that functions as a capital city, a maritime city, an information technology city, a space research city,a defence city,a bioscience city a tourism city, and a city known for its research and development institutions. Located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland, Thiruvananthapuram is a port city located from a heavily trafficked East-West shipping channel. The city is home to India’s first deep-water trans-shipment port, the

Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram (, ), also known as Port of Trivandrum is India's first deep-water Entrepôt, transshipment port. Located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the port is designed to be a multi-purpose, all-we ...

. The city is characterised by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills. MSC IRINA TRIVANDRUM PORT HD

Thiruvananthapuram is also known for its cultural heritage, being associated with the musical contributions of

Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma III (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a great musician and composer who has to his credit over 400 classical compositions in both Carnatic and Hindustani st ...

and the artistic legacy of painter

Raja Ravi Varma Raja Ravi Varma () (29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist. His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. Especially, he was notable f ...

. Thiruvananthapuram has contributed to the development of Malayalam literature through individuals like Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer,

Kumaran Asan Mahakavi Kumaran Asan (12 April 1871 – 16 January 1924) was a poet of Malayalam literature, Indian social reformer and a philosopher. He is known to have initiated a revolution in Malayalam poetry during the first quarter of the 20th century, ...

, C. V. Raman Pillai and

Narayana Guru Sree Narayana Guru () (20 August 1856 – 20 September 1928) was a philosopher, Spiritual Leader, spiritual leader and Social Reformer, social reformer in India. He led a Kerala reformation movement, reform movement against the injustice in t ...

. The city is also known for Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, known as the richest temple in the world. The present regions that constitute Thiruvananthapuram were ruled by the Ays who were related to feudatories of the

Chera dynasty The Chera dynasty ( or Cēra, ), also known as Keralaputra, from the early historic or the Sangam period in Tamil-speaking southern India, ruled over parts of present-day states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Cheras, known as one of the mu-ventar ...

. In the 12th century, it was conquered by the Kingdom of Venad. In the 18th century, the king

Marthanda Varma Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (Malayalam: ; 1706 – 7 July 1758) was the founding monarch of the southern Indian Kingdom of Travancore (previously Venadu) from 1729 until his death in 1758. He was succeeded by Rama Varma ("Dharma Raja") ...

expanded the territory, founded the princely state of

Travancore The kingdom of Travancore (), also known as the kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor () or later as Travancore State, was a kingdom that lasted from until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram, and later Thiruvanan ...

and made Thiruvananthapuram its capital.

became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful

Zamorin The Samoothiri (Anglicised as Zamorin; Malayalam: , , Arabic: ''Sāmuri'', Portuguese: ''Samorim'', Dutch: ''Samorijn'', Chinese: ''Shamitihsi''Ma Huan's Ying-yai Sheng-lan: 'The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores' 433 Translated and Edi ...

Calicut Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

in the battle of

Purakkad Purakkad is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. The literal meaning of Purakkad is "out of forest". Following Indian independence movement, India's independence in 1947, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of

Travancore–Cochin Travancore–Cochin, officially the United State of Travancore and Cochin and later the State of Travancore–Cochin, was a short-lived States of India, state of India. It was formed through the merger of two former kingdoms, Travancore and Kin ...

state and remained so until the new Indian state of

was formed in 1956. Thiruvananthapuram is a notable academic and research hub and home to the

University of Kerala University of Kerala (formerly known as University of Travancore) is a state-run public university in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithi ...

APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) is a state public technological university headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. KTU is an All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grants Commission (UGC) ...

, the regional headquarters of

Indira Gandhi National Open University Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is a National university, public Open university (concept), open & Distance education, distance learning university located in Delhi, India. Named after the former Prime Minister of India, prime ...

, and many other schools and colleges. Thiruvananthapuram is also home to research centres such as the

National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology The National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST, formerly ''Regional Research Laboratory, Trivandrum'') is a constituent laboratory of CSIR, India, engaged in research and development activities in the field of agro ...

Indian Space Research Organisation The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO ) is India's national List of government space agencies, space agency, headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It serves as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space (DoS), ...

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) is a major space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), focusing on rocket and space vehicles for India's satellite programme. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram, in the India ...

, the

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a government-aided institute and deemed university for the study and research of space science in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. IIST was set up in 2007 by the Indian Space Resear ...

National Centre for Earth Science Studies The National Centre for Earth Science Studies(NCESS) (Malayalam: ദേശിയ ഭൗമ ശാസ്ത്ര പഠന കേന്ദ്രം) is an autonomous research centre to promote scientific and technological research and develop ...

and a campus of the

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) are a group of autonomous institutions established by the Government of India through the Ministry of Education for teaching and research in natural science and to provide collegi ...

. Thiruvananthapuram is where India's space program began, with the headquarters of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre located there. The city is home to media institutions like Toonz Animation India and Tata Elxsi Ltd, and also to Chitranjali Film Studio, one of the first film studios in

Malayalam Cinema Malayalam cinema, also referred to as Mollywood, is a segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to producing films in the Malayalam, Malayalam language, primarily spoken in Kerala and the Lakshadweep islands. It encompasses both th ...

, and Kinfra Film and Video Park at

Kazhakoottam Kazhakkoottam is a major urban area in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala state, India. The largest IT park in the country in terms of developed area, Technopark, along with Technocity-an upcoming integrated IT township-is situated ...

, which is India's first infotainment industrial park. In 2012, Thiruvananthapuram was named the best Kerala city to live in, by a field survey conducted by ''

The Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...

''. In 2013, the city was ranked the fifteenth best city to live in India, in a survey conducted by ''

India Today ''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media, Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' laun ...

''. Thiruvananthapuram was ranked the best Indian city for two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, according to the Annual Survey of India's City-Systems (ASICS) conducted by the

Janaagraha Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship is a non-profit trust, working towards the mission of transforming the quality of life in India's cities and towns. Founded in 2001 by Ramesh Ramanathan and Swati Ramanathan, it started as a movement to includ ...

Centre for Citizenship and Democracy. The city was also selected as the best governed city in India in a survey conducted by Janaagraha Centre for citizenship and democracy in 2017.

Etymology

The city takes its name from the

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

word ''thiru-anantha-puram'' ( ), meaning "The City of Lord Ananta", referring to the

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in the city. Thiruvananthapuram is also known in literature, and popular reference as ''Ananthapuri'', derived from the

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

word ''Syanandurapuram'', meaning "The City of Bliss" in Carnatic kirtanas composed by

Swathi Thirunal Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma III (16 April 1813 – 26 December 1846) was the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Travancore. He was a great musician and composer who has to his credit over 400 classical compositions in both Carnatic and Hindustani st ...

, erstwhile Maharaja of

. The city was officially referred to as ''Trivandrum'' until 1991 (Trivandrum being the anglicised name of the town), when the government decided to reinstate the city's original name Thiruvananthapuram.

History

Raja ravivarma painting 50 historic meeting

Pre Historic Period

Thiruvananthapuram is a relatively modern region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE. It is believed that the ships of

King Solomon King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a constitutional monarch if his power is restrained by f ...

landed in a port called

Ophir Ophir (; ) is a port or region mentioned in the Bible, famous for its wealth. Its existence is attested to by an inscribed pottery shard found at Tell Qasile (in modern-day Tel Aviv) in 1946, dating to the eighth century BC, which reads "''go ...

(now

Poovar Poovar is a tourist town in Neyyattinkara (tehsil) in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala state, South India. This village is almost at the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram while the next village, Pozhiyoor, marks the end of Kerala. ...

) in Thiruvananthapuram in 1036 BCE. The city was the trading post of

spices In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sanda ...

and

ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and Tooth, teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mamm ...

. However, the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala.

Ancient Period

The

governed the area of

Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast () is the southwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. It generally refers to the West Coast of India, western coastline of India stretching from Konkan to Kanyakumari. Geographically, it comprises one of the wettest regio ...

between

Alappuzha Alappuzha (, आलप्पुळ) or Alleppey is a municipality and town on the Laccadive Sea in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It is the district headquarters of the district, and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvana ...

in the south to

Kasaragod Kasaragod () is a municipal town and the administrative headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kera ...

in the north. This included

Palakkad Gap Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in the state of Kerala. It has an average elevation of with a width of . The pass is located between the ...

Coimbatore Coimbatore (Tamil: kōyamputtūr, ), also known as Kovai (), is one of the major Metropolitan cities of India, metropolitan cities in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyy ...

, Salem, and

Kolli Hills Kolli Malai also known as Kolli Hills, is a Town,Hill station and Kollimalai Taluk, Taluk in Namakkal district, in Tamil Nadu, India. Origin of the name The Mountain is named Kolli Malai after the name of Goddess Etukkai Amman (also known as Ko ...

. The region around

was ruled by the Cheras during

Sangam period The Sangam literature ( Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam''), historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' ( Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cāṉṟōr ceyyuḷ''), connote ...

between c. first and the fourth centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the

, the principal trade route between the

and

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

. However the southern region of present-day Kerala state (The coastal belt between Thiruvananthapuram and

) was under

Ay dynasty Ay dynasty (transliteration: Āy, ), also known as Kupaka in medieval period, was an Indian dynasty which controlled the south-western tip of the Indian peninsula, peninsula, from the early historic period up to the medieval period. The clan tr ...

, who was more related to the

Pandya dynasty The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...

Madurai Madurai ( , , ), formerly known as Madura, is a major city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District, which is ...

. The early rulers of the city were the Ays.

Vizhinjam Vizhinjam () is an area located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the state of Kerala in India. which belongs to Thiruvananthapuram Corporation . It is located 16 km south west from the city centre and 17 km south of Trivand ...

, which is now a region in the present-day Thiruvananthapuram, was the capital of the Ay dynasty. Vizhinjam was an important port city from as early as the second century BC. During the Ay dynasty's rule, Thiruvananthapuram witnessed many battles in which the

Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...

and

Pandyan The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...

dynasties attempted to capture the port town.

Middle Ages

After the death of king

Vikramaditya Varaguna Vikramaditya (r. c. 884—911/912 AD or 920 AD) — better known as Vikramaditya "Varaguna"— was the last historically attested ruler of the Ay dynasty in south India. His surname indicates that he was a vassal of the Pandya ruler Varaguna II ...

in 925 AD, the glory of the Ays departed and almost all their territories became part of the

. During the tenth century, the Cholas attacked and sacked Vizhinjam and surrounding regions. The port in Vizhinjam and the historic education center of Kanthalloor Sala were also destroyed by Cholas during this period. A branch of the Ay family, which had controlled the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, merged with the Kingdom of Venad in the 12th century. 1733 Homann Heirs Map of India - Geographicus - India-homannheirs-1733

1733 Homann Heirs Map of India - Geographicus - India-homannheirs-1733

Present-day Thiruvananthapuram city, district, and Kanyakumari district, were parts of the

during ancient and

medieval ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, in the southernmost part of the Indian subcontinent. Ay kingdom had experienced attacks and conquests by

Cholas The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...

and

Pandyas The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...

in various periods. Later it became a part of

Venad Venad was a medieval kingdom between the Western Ghat mountains of India with its capital at city of Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143 ...

in late Middle Ages, which was eventually expanded as the powerful kingdom of

in 18th century CE. The

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

-Dravidian kind of architecture is also found in Padmanabhaswamy temple, which makes it distinct and unique from the architectural style of temples in northern and central parts of

The official language of

, based at

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...

, was also identified as

, by the natives of Kerala in those times.Karashima, Noburu. 2014. 'The Fall of the Old States', in ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations'', ed. Noburu Karashima, pp. 172–73. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. and the

Chola dynasty The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...

,Majumdar (contains no mention of Maldives) The place names, the dialects of

spoken, and the customs that exist in Kerala today still reveal a close relationship with Tamil heritage.

Late Modern Period

In the early 18th century CE, the

Travancore royal family The Travancore royal family was the ruling house of the Kingdom of Travancore. They signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authorit ...

adopted some members from the royal family of

Kolathunadu Kolattunādu () (Kola Swarupam, as Kingdom of Cannanore in foreign accounts, Chirakkal (Chericul) in later times) was one of the four most powerful kingdoms on the Malabar Coast during the arrival of the Portuguese Armadas in India, along w ...

based at

Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...

. Then,

who inherited the Kingdom of Venad expanded the kingdom by conquering the kingdoms of Kayamkulam, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Poonjar and Ambalapuzh

In 1729,

founded the princely state of Travancore, Thiruvithamkoor and Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital in 1795 after shifting the capital from

Padmanabhapuram Padmanabhapuram () is a town and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 21,342. Padmanabhapuram was the capital of Travancore state in the past. In 17 ...

Kanyakumari Kanyakumari (Tamil; / kəɳjɑkʊmɑɾiː/; referring to Devi Kanya Kumari, officially known as Kanniyakumari, formerly known as Cape Comorin) is a town and a municipality in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the ...

district. Thiruvananthapuram became a prominent city in Kerala under

. As a result of the annexation of neighbouring

chiefdom A chiefdom is a political organization of people representation (politics), represented or government, governed by a tribal chief, chief. Chiefdoms have been discussed, depending on their scope, as a stateless society, stateless, state (polity) ...

s, the artists and scholars from these places migrated to Thiruvananthapuram, turning it into a cultural center. Marthanda Varma gave patronage to different temple art forms including ''Koothu'', ''Padhakam'', ''Kathakali'', ''Thullal'', and ''Koodiyattam''. Noted artists such as

Ramapurathu Warrier Ramapurathu Warrier (1703–1753) is considered to be the pioneer of the " Vanchippattu" or Boat song form of poetry in Malayalam language. ''Vanchippattu'' is a poetic form of folk origin composed entirely in the Dravidian metre ''nathonnata''. ...

and

Kunchan Nambiar Kunchan Nambiar was a prominent Malayalam poet of the 18th century (1705-1770). Apart from being a prolific poet, Nambiar is also famous as the originator of the dance art form of Thullall, most of his works were written for use in Thullal per ...

amongst others served as his court poets. Travancore became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful

Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...

in the battle of

Purakkad Purakkad is a village in Alappuzha district in the Indian state of Kerala. The literal meaning of Purakkad is "out of forest". The city developed into a significant intellectual and artistic centre during this period. The city's golden age was during the mid-19th century under the reign of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the

Observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...

(1837), the General Hospital (1839), the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and the University College (1873). The first mental hospital in the state was started during the same period.

Sanskrit College Sanskrit College and University (erstwhile Sanskrit College) is a state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It focuses on liberal arts, offering both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Ancient Indian and world history, Be ...

, Ayurveda College,

Law College Legal education is the education of individuals in the principles, practices, and theory of law. It may be undertaken for several reasons, including to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for admission to legal practice in a particular j ...

and a second-grade college for women were started by

Moolam Thirunal Sir Sri Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma VI (1857–1924) was Maharajah of the princely state of Travancore between 1885 and 1924, succeeding his uncle Maharajah Visakham Thirunal (1880–1885). Moolam Thirunal is considered as the first in India ...

(1885–1924).

Contemporary Period

The early 20th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The

Sree Moolam Popular Assembly The Sree Moolam Popular Assembly in the erstwhile state of Travancore was the first popularly elected legislature in the history of India. Its predecessor legislative council was formed in Travancore in 1888 with eight appointed members. Sri Mu ...

, established in 1904, was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. Despite not being under the direct control of the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

at any time, the city featured prominently in India's freedom struggle. The

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a political parties in India, political party in India with deep roots in most regions of India. Founded on 28 December 1885, it was the first mo ...

had a very active presence in Thiruvananthapuram. A meeting of the

presided by Dr

Pattabhi Sitaramaiah Bhogaraju Pattabhi Sitaramayya (24 November 1880 – 17 December 1959) was an Indian independence activist and political leader in the state of Andhra Pradesh. He was also the first governor (1 November 1956 – 13 June 1957) of Madhya Pradesh ...

was held here in 1938. Palace of Trivandrum

The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality came into existence in 1920 as the first municipality in the

region. The municipality was converted into a corporation on 30 October 1940, during the period of Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, who took over in 1931. The city witnessed multi-faceted progress during his period. The promulgation of the "

Temple Entry Proclamation The Temple Entry Proclamation was issued by Maharaja Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma on November 12, 1936. The Proclamation abolished the ban on the backward and marginalised communities, from entering Hindu temples in the Princely State of ...

" (1936) was an act that underlined social emancipation. This era also saw the establishment of the

University of Travancore University of Kerala (formerly known as University of Travancore) is a state-run public university in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithira ...

in 1937, which later became

Kerala University University of Kerala (formerly known as University of Travancore) is a state-run public university in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital of Kerala, India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Chithira ...

Modern Period

With the end of British rule in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. The first popularly elected ministry, headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai, was installed in office on 24 March 1948. In 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi, the state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour, the

Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...

. The king of

, Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, became the

Rajpramukh Rajpramukh was an administrative title in India which existed from India's independence in 1947 until 1956. Rajpramukhs were the appointed governors of certain Indian provinces and states. Background The British Indian Empire, which incl ...

of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1 July 1949 until 31 October 1956. When the state of

was formed on 1 November 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became its capital. With the establishment of

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is India's first rocket launching station and was established on 21 November 1963. Operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it is located in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, which ...

(TERLS) in 1962, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the

(VSSC) in the outskirts of the city in 1963. Several establishments of the

(ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram. A significant milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment of Technopark—India's first IT park—in 1995. Technopark has developed into the largest IT park in the geographical area, employing around 62,000 people in 450 companies.

Geography and climate

Geography

Thiruvananthapuram is built on seven hills by the seashore and is at on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India. The city is on the west coast of India and is bounded by the

Laccadive Sea The Laccadive Sea ( ), also known as the Lakshadweep Sea, is a body of water bordering India (including its Lakshadweep islands), the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. It is located to the southwest of Karnataka, to the west of Kerala and to the south of ...

to its west and the Western Ghats to its east. The average elevation of the city is above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...

. The

Geological Survey of India The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India. It was founded in 1851, as a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines, one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey ...

has identified Thiruvananthapuram as a moderately earthquake-prone urban centre and categorised the metropolis in the Seismic III Zone. Thiruvananthapuram lies on the shores of Karamana and Killi rivers.

Vellayani Vellayani is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. Location Vellayani is reached via Thiruvananthapuram Central Bus Station at Thampanoor (9 km) and from City Bus Depot at East Fort. It is connected by state ro ...

Thiruvallam Tourism in Thiruvananthapuram district in the Indian state of Kerala promotes the area's hill stations, backwaters, beaches, lagoons, and wildlife sanctuaries. The area is a tourism destination and receives chartered flights for medical tour ...

and Aakulam backwaters lie in the city. The soil type in the middle part of the city is a dark brown loamy laterite soil high in phosphates. Laterisation is a result of the heavy rainfall and humid conditions. In western coastal regions of the city,

sandy loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...

soil is found, and on hilly eastern parts of the district, rich dark brown loam of granite origin is found. The

Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, also known as Thiruvananthapuram Central, is the municipal corporation that administrates the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. The city corporation is spread over 214.86 km2 with ...

is spread over . The wider

comprises Thiruvananthapuram corporation, three municipalities and 27 panchayats, as of 2011. Being the largest city in India's southern tip region, it is essential for both military logistics and civil aviation in the southern part of the country. Thiruvananthapuram is the headquarters of the Southern Air Command (SAC) of the

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...

Climate

The city has a climate that lies on the border between a

tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Aw'') and a

tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...

(''Am''). As a result, its only distinct seasons relate to rainfall rather than temperature. The mean maximum temperature is and the mean minimum temperature is . The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in Atmosphere of Earth, atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annu ...

season. Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the

south-west monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...

s and gets its first showers in early June. The city receives heavy rainfall of around per year. The city also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the city by October. The dry season sets in by December. The lowest temperature recorded in the city core was on 6 January 1974 and the highest temperature was on 21 February 2019. At the airport, the lowest temperature recorded was on 15 January 1975 and the highest temperature was on 5 May 1998.

Demographics

According to provisional results of the 2011 national census, the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram, which occupies an area of , had a population of 957,730. The city's population density was . The Urban Agglomeration had a population of 1,687,406 in 2011. The sex ratio is 1,040 females for every 1,000 males, which is higher than the national average. Thiruvananthapuram's literacy rate of 93.72% exceeds the all-India average of 74%. It is a historical city where

Malayali The Malayali people (; also spelt Malayalee and sometimes known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala and Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India, occupying its south ...

form the vast majority of Thiruvananthapuram's population. There are also minorities like the

Tamils The Tamils ( ), also known by their endonym Tamilar, are a Dravidian peoples, Dravidian ethnic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. The Tamil language is o ...

and North Indians residing here. According to the 2011 census, 68.5% of the population is

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

, 16.7%

Christians A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

and 13.7%

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

. The remainder of the community includes

Jains Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and ...

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

s and other religions which account for 0.06% of the population; 0.85% did not state a belief in the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

, the official state language, is the dominant language in Thiruvananthapuram City: English is also used, mainly by the white-collar workforce.

has the most speakers after

. The city also has a few Tulu, Kannada, Konkani, Dhivehi,

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...

and Hindi speakers. As per the 2001 census, the population below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

in the city was 11,667. Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed massive immigration of workers from northern India, mainly Punjab, India, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh, and Eastern India, mainly West Bengal and Bihar, and from neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Administration

The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation, Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram or TMC oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city's 100 wards. Each ward elects a councillor to the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram. TMC has the power to act as the local government of the city. TMC is headed by the Mayor, who is elected from among the councillors. The Mayor is responsible for the overall supervision and control of the administrative functions of the TMC. The corporation discharges its services through standing committees. The corporation secretary is an officer appointed by the Government of Kerala, government, who serves as the administrative head of the TMC and implements the council's decisions based on the resolutions adopted by the council. The functions of the Municipal Corporation are managed by seven departments—engineering, health, general administration, council, accounts and revenue. For the decentralised role of TMC, eleven Zonal Offices are created. The zonal offices are in Fort, Kadakampally, Nemom, Ulloor, Attipra, Thiruvallom, Kazhakkuttom, Sreekaryam, Kudappanakunnu, Vattiyoorkavu and

. The functions of the TMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid-waste management, and building regulation. The Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority is responsible for the statutory planning and development of the Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area, greater Thiruvananthapuram region. As the seat of the Government of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram is home to not only the offices of the local governing agencies but also the Kerala Legislative Assembly and the state secretariat, which is housed in the Kerala Government Secretariat, Kerala Government Secretariat complex. Thiruvananthapuram has two parliamentary constituencies—Attingal (Lok Sabha constituency), Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram (Lok Sabha constituency), Thiruvananthapuram—and elects five Members of the Legislative Assembly (Member of the Legislative Assembly, MLAs) to the state legislature.

Law and order

The Thiruvananthapuram City Police is the main law-enforcement agency in the city. It is headed by a Police commissioner, commissioner of police. The Thiruvananthapuram city police is a division of the Kerala Police, and the administrative control lies with the Department of Home (Kerala), Kerala Home Ministry. Thiruvananthapuram city police is the largest police division in Kerala, and it consists of four subdivisional offices and 24 police stations and a sanctioned strength of 3,500 police personnel. The Central Prison, Poojappura, Central Prison is the oldest prison in Kerala and the headquarters of Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services.

Military and diplomatic establishments

The Southern Air Command of the

is headquartered in the city. There are two state armed police battalions and a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) based in Thiruvananthapuram. The CRPF has a Group Headquarters (GHQ) located at Pallippuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Pallipuram. In addition to this, three units of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sector Headquarters (SHQ) of the Border Security Force (BSF) are also present. Thiruvananthapuram also houses a large army cantonment in Pangode which houses some regiments of the Indian Army. In the city there is a Consulate of the United Arab Emirates, a Consulate of the Maldives, and Honorary Consulates of Sri Lanka, Russia and Germany.

Utility services

The Kerala Water Authority supplies the city with water that is sourced from the Karamana River; most of it is drawn from the Aruvikkara and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Peppara reservoirs, and it is treated and purified at the Aruvikkara pumping stations. The Wellington Water Works, commissioned in 1933, is one of the oldest city water supply schemes in India. The sewage water is treated at Muttathara sewage-treatment plant, which handles 32 million litres per day. The city area is divided into seven blocks for the execution of the sewage system. Electricity is supplied by the Kerala State Electricity Board. Fire services are handled by the Kerala Fire And Rescue Services.

Economy

Thiruvananthapuram is strategically located just 10 nautical miles (19 km; 12 mi) away from the crucial Suez to Singapore Far East international shipping route, placing it in close proximity to key global maritime traffic. This advantageous location, combined with the availability of reliable electricity, fresh water, and a long coastline, has accelerated industrial growth in the city. Thiruvananthapuram's economy comprises Information Technology, education, plantations, aerospace, commerce and tourism. Thiruvananthapuram district contributes 10.31%, of the state's GDP. With an economic growth rate of 13.83%, Thiruvananthapuram is the fastest-growing district in Kerala. Thiruvananthapuram was listed as one of the top ten cities in India on Vibrancy and Consumption Index by a study conducted by global financial services firm Morgan Stanley. State- and central-government employees make up a large percentage of the city's workforce. Thiruvananthapuram is a major aerospace research centre in India. The

, the most significant and leading centre of Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO, and several space-related, state-owned Indian Space Research Organisation#Organisation structure, ISRO centres such as

, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The BrahMos Aerospace, BrahMos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited is one of the leading missile integration and defence production units in India. Other enterprises include Travancore Titanium Products, Kerala Automobiles Limited, Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, MILMA, English Indian Clays, KELTRON, Keltron, Trivandrum Rubber Works and HLL Lifecare, HLL Lifecare Limited. Lulumalltrivandrum

Thiruvananthapuram is a major Information Technology, IT and Information technology enabled services, ITES hub in India. The city contributes about 40-45% of Kerala's total software exports. Thiruvananthapuram houses major Multinational corporation, multinational Technology company, Technology companies like Oracle Corporation, Nissan, Allianz, Allianz Technology, Envestnet, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, UST Global, Ernst & Young, Flytxt, Guidehouse, Tata Elxsi, McKinsey & Company, RR Donnelley and Quest Global. Technopark, Trivandrum, Technopark is the largest information-technology park in India in terms of built-up area. It is the largest employment base campus in Kerala with 52,000 IT/ITES professionals and about 400 companies. Other IT, media and industrial campuses include Kinfra Film and Video Park, Kinfra Apparel Park, B-HUB and Chithranjali Film Complex. Other major IT, biotechnology and industrial campuses include Technocity, Thiruvananthapuram, Technocity, Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Bio 360 Life sciences park and Digital Science Park, Thiruvananthapuram, Digital Science Park. Tourism is a significant economic sector. The presence of natural attractions like beaches, Kerala backwaters, backwaters, hills, and plantations and attractions like heritage, history, Ayurveda, medical tourism and knowledge centres attract many tourists. The city experienced a surge of investment in the real estate, infrastructure and retail sectors in 2016–17. Port-related activity is low mainly due to the underdevelopment of ports. Vizhinjam International Seaport is India's first deep-water transshipment Port. Vizhinjam port's location is close to the international shipping routes and, it is just 10–12 nautical miles from the busy Persian Gulf-Strait of Malacca, Malacca shipping lane. The port also has a natural depth of 18 to 20 metres which can accommodate huge container ships. The berths at Vizhinjam port are designed to cater to vessels of up to 24,000 Twenty-foot equivalent unit, TEU.

Tourism

Thiruvananthapuram is a major tourist hub in India. Kovalam and Varkala are popular beach towns near the city. Other important beaches include

, Shankumugham Beach, Azhimala Beach,

Beach and Veli Beach. Other places of interest include Agasthyamala rain forests, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kallar, Trivandrum, Kallar, Braemore, Ponmudi hills,

, Anchuthengu backwaters, Varkala Cliffs and Kappil, Thiruvananthapuram, Kappil-Edava lakes. The city is also known for its unique style of architecture involving Architecture of Kerala, Kerala Architecture with British and Dravidian influences. Napier museum, Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, Thiruvanathapuram Zoo, Padmanabha Swamy temple, Kuthira Malika, Kuthira Malika palace, Kilimanoor palace and The Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club heritage building are examples of this. The main museums include Kerala Science and Technology Museum (with its attached Priyadarsini Planetarium), Napier Museum, Kerala Soil Museum and Koyikkal Palace, Koyikkal Palace Museum. Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve is listed in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

Culture

Napier_Museum_Thiruvananthapuran_DSW_New

Thiruvananthapuram is known as the "Evergreen City of India" because of its green landscapes and the presence of many public parks. Thiruvananthapuram has historically been a cultural hub in South India, Southern India due to the development of arts, architecture and liberal customs by the rulers of erstwhile Thiruvananthapuram. As a testimony to this, renowned artists like Maharaja

and

hail from the city. Prominent social reformers such as Narayana Guru, Sri Narayana Guru, Chattampi Swamikal, Ayyankali, Vakkom Moulavi and C. V. Raman Pillai also are from Thiruvananthapuram. Two of the three Malayalam triumvirate poets, Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer and

are from Thiruvananthapuram. Annual literature festivals like the Kovalam Literary Festival, are held in the city. Literary development is further aided by state institutions such as the State Central Library, Kerala, State Central Library, one of the oldest public libraries in India, which was established in 1829, and other major libraries including the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Central library, and the Kerala University, Kerala University Library. Thiruvananthapuram has been a hub of Indian classical music, classical music since the days of List of maharajas of Travancore, Maharaja of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, Swathi Thirunal. Thiruvananthapuram is known for many music festivals like the Navarathri Music Festival, one of the oldest festivals of its kind in South India, Swathi Sangeethotsavam, Soorya Music fest, Neelakanta Sivan Music Fest and many other music festivals are organised by various cultural groups. The 111-day-long Soorya Festival is the biggest art and cultural event in

. The Soorya Festival features film festivals, theatre festivals, dance, music, painting and photography exhibitions. Iffk 2011 DSCN4617-crop

The Malayalam film Industry was started in Thiruvananthapuram. The first Malayalam feature film, Vigathakumaran directed by J. C. Daniel was released in Thiruvananthapuram. J. C. Daniel is considered the father of Malayalam film industry. He also established the first film studio in Kerala, the Travancore National Pictures at Thiruvananthapuram in 1926. The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), which is held every year in December, is one of Asia's largest film festivals in terms of viewer participation. In addition to various film festivals, the presence of the Central Board of Film Certification's regional office, many movie studios and production facilities like the Uma Studio, Chitranjali Studio, Merryland Studio, Kinfra Film and Video Park and Vismayas Max contribute to the growth of Thiruvananthapuram as a centre of cinema. Apart from the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the city's architecture is championed by the Napier Museum and Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in India. Other architectural landmarks include Kuthira Malika, Kuthira Malika Palace, Kowdiar Palace, Attukal temple, Beemapally, Beemapally Mosque, Connemara Market, and the Mateer Memorial Church. Thiruvananthapuram was the main centre of Laurie Baker's architecture. Along with the major festivals of Onam, Vishu, Deepavali, and Navaratri, Christian and Islamic festivals like Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, Eid ul-Fitr, Bakrid and Mawlid, Milad-e-sheriff, the diverse ethnic populace of the city celebrates several local festivals like Attukal Temple, Attukal Pongala, Beemapally, Beemapally Uroos, Mother of God Church, Vettukad, Vettukaad Church Festival, Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Padmanabhaswamy Temple Aaraattu and Lakshadeepam festival. During the Onam festival, the state government conducts several cultural events for a week in the city. The Attukal Temple, Attukal Pongala festival attracts millions of women devotees from across India and abroad. It is the largest gathering of women in the world. Germany's Goethe Zentrum, France's Alliance Française and Russia's Gorky Bhavan centres host a wide range of events and programmes throughout the year.

Cuisine

Trivandrum’s cuisine reflects local food traditions shaped by its historical and cultural background, including influences from the former Travancore royal kitchens, coastal trade, and religious diversity. The city’s food culture includes a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, with rice, coconut, and spices forming the basis of most meals. *Trivandrum Sadhya, a vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf, especially during festivals such as Onam and Vishu. It typically consists of multiple dishes including ''sambar'', ''kalan'', ''avial'', ''olan'', ''pachadi'', and varieties of ''payasam''. * Trivandrum Boli, a traditional sweet dish made with lentils and flour, often served alongside desserts like ''payasam''. * Kethel Chicken Fry, from the year 1940, known for its preparation of deep-fried chicken served with small chapatis and onion salad. * Vizhinjam Chicken Fry, a dish from the Vizhinjam area, characterized by its use of local spices and cooking methods. * Travancore Biryani, a rice-based dish that combines regional ingredients with culinary influences from Mughal cuisine. Street food in Trivandrum includes items such as ''kappa'' (tapioca) with fish curry, ''parippu vada'', ''banana chips'', and ''unniyappam''. Small eateries and roadside vendors are widespread throughout the city.The general cuisine of the people is Kerala cuisine, Keralite cuisine, which is generally characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices. Other South Indian culture#Cuisine, South Indian cuisines, as well as Chinese cuisine, Chinese and Indian cuisine, North Indian cuisines, are popular. Thiruvananthapuram has many restaurants offering Arab cuisine, Arabic, Italian cuisine, Italian, Thai cuisine, Thai and Mexican cuisine, Mexican cuisines.

Health Care

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, has a robust healthcare system, with both government and private medical institutions offering comprehensive services. The Government Medical College, one of the oldest medical colleges in India, is a prominent center for medical education and healthcare. The Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) is a well-known institution specializing in cardiology, neurology, and biomedical research. Other significant medical institutions include Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), which focuses on advanced biotechnological research, and Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), known for its multi-specialty services. Private hospitals like NIMS Hospital, Aster capital, and Lord's Hospital provide advanced care across various specialties, including cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics. Additionally, Ayurvedic treatment centers are prevalent in the city, offering traditional healing methods. The city also provides palliative care services, with initiatives like the Arike Home Daycare Program, which supports patients in need of end-of-life. care at home. Other major hospitals in Trivandrum include Ananthapuri Hospitals and Research Institutes (AHRI), SP Fort Hospital, Aster Capitol, Trivandrum International Medical Center, PRS Hospital, NIMS

Transport

Public transport

The majority of bus services are conducted by government operators. There are also private operators. The city buses operated by Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) are an important and reliable means of public transport available in the city. The main bus stations in the city are the Central Bus Station Thiruvananthapuram, Central Bus Station in Thampanoor, where most of the long-distance buses ply from, and the city bus station in East Fort, where most city buses ply from. Three-wheeled, yellow and black auto-rickshaws and taxis, are other popular forms of public transport. Thiruvananthapuram Metro is a fully elevated Medium-capacity rail system, metro rail – rapid transit system planned to ease the congestion in the city.

Road

Thiruvananthapuram has a well-developed road transport infrastructure. The roads in the city are maintained by the Thiruvananthapuram Roads Development Company Limited (TRDCL) and Kerala Public Works Department, Kerala PWD. TRDCL manages the 42 km city roads which come under the Thiruvananthapuram City Roads Improvement Project (TRCIP), which is the first urban road project in India. TRCIP is a Public–private partnership, Public-private partnership project to improve and maintain the existing road network in the city to cater to the needs of rapid urbanisation. TRCIP has won the International Road Federation's Global Road Achievement Awards in 2015. TCRIP has also been selected by United Nations as a replicable Public Private Partnership model. It was one of the 12 Public–private partnership, Public-private partnership project case studies from across the world which fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030. In 2024, Thiruvananthapuram became the first Indian city to win the UN global sustainability award. Thiruvananthapuram is served by National Highway 66 (India), National Highway 66 of India's National Highway (India), National Highways system. The city is connected to the North–South and East–West Corridor, North-South Corridor of the National Highway system at Aralvaimozhi, which is 80 km south of the city. The State Highway 1 (Kerala), State Highway 1, which commonly known as the Main Central Road is an arterial highway in the city. Other major highways in the city are State Highway 2 (Kerala), State Highway 2 and State Highway 45 (Kerala), State Highway 45. The Mahatma Gandhi Road (Thiruvananthapuram), Mahatma Gandhi Road is the main arterial road in the city. Another important road is the Kowdiar Road, which is also known as the Royal Road, as it leads to the Kowdiar Palace.

Rail

Thiruvananthapuram is a Thiruvananthapuram railway division, divisional headquarters in the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. Long-distance trains originate from Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, Thiruvananthapuram Central and Thiruvananthapuram North railway station, Thiruvananthapuram North railway terminals. Kochuveli railway terminal is developed to ease congestion on the central station and it acts as a satellite station to Thiruvananthapuram Central. Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, Thiruvananthapuram Central is the busiest railway station in Kerala. Other railway stations in the city are Thiruvananthapuram North railway station, Thiruvananthapuram North, Thiruvananthapuram Pettah, Nemom railway station, Thiruvananthapuram South railway station, Veli railway station and Kazhakoottam railway station. Being the southernmost Municipal Corporations in India, municipal corporation in India, many long train services of Indian Railways originate from Thiruvananthapuram like Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express, Thiruvananthapuram - Silchar Superfast Express and Kochuveli - Amritsar Weekly Express, Thiruvananthapuram North - Amritsar Weekly Express. There are plans to develop a railway terminal at Nemom railway station, Thiruvananthapuram South railway station to reduce congestion at Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, Thiruvananthapuram Central. * (Indicates that its currently under construction)

Air

Thiruvananthapuram is served by the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, located at Chakai, only from the city centre. The airport started operations in 1935 and is the first airport in

. Being one of the gateways to the state, it has direct connectivity to all the major cities in India as well as the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. As the city is headquarters of the Southern Air Command (SAC) of the

, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport caters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Coast Guard for their strategic operations. IAF has an exclusive apron to handle all their operations. The airport also caters to the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology which carries out pilot-training activities.

Sea

Small cruise ships often dock at Vizhinjam Harbour. A Ferry terminal, cruise terminal is under trial run at Vizhinjam International Seaport, Vizhinjam Transshipment Terminal and some of the world's largest container vessels had already docked here. Vizhinjam seaport has been designated by the government as an authorised immigration check-post for entry and exit from India for international ships and cruises.

Metro

The Thiruvananthapuram Metro is a proposed 42.1 km Conventional Metro rail system with 37 stations. With 2 primary lines connecting key hubs like Kazhakuttom and Karamana. The idea of the Thiruvananthapuram Metro was first proposed in the early 2000s to cater to the growing population.

Education

Primary and secondary education

Schools in Thiruvananthapuram are classified as aided, unaided and Government schools. The government schools are run directly by the Kerala State Education Board and follow the syllabus prescribed by the state government. The aided schools also follow the Kerala State Education Board, state syllabus.

and English are the primary languages of instruction;

and Hindi are also used. The schools are affiliated with Kerala State Education Board, The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). In the National Achievement Survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Thiruvananthapuram is ranked as the best city in

. The notable schools in the city include St. Mary's Higher Secondary School (Thiruvananthapuram), St. Mary's Higher Secondary School, which is considered one of the largest schools in Asia, with the total number of students exceeding 12,000, Government Model Boys Higher Secondary School, Government Higher Secondary School for Girls, Holy Angel's Convent Trivandrum, SMV High School, Thiruvananthapuram, SMV School, Trivandrum International School, Chinmaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram, Loyola School, Christ Nagar School, Thiruvananthapuram, Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Trivandrum, Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Nirmala Bhavan Higher Secondary School, Arya Central School, Jyothi Nilayam School, St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram, St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, St. Thomas Residential School, The Oxford School, Trivandrum, The Oxford School and VSSC Central School.

Higher education and research

Thiruvananthapuram is a major educational and research hub with various institutions in the fields of space science, information technology, Outline of physical science, physical science, bio-technology, biotechnology, engineering and medicine. There are three universities in Thiruvananthapuram: two State university (India), state universities and one deemed university. The state universities are the

and

(IIST), is a government-aided institute and deemed university. IIST is the first of its kind in the country, to offer Academic degree, graduate courses and research in space sciences, space technology and space applications. The city also houses two List of Institutes of National Importance, Institutes of National Importance; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). Thiruvananthapuram is one of the regional headquarters of

(IGNOU). The Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is the first and a premier medical school in Kerala, founded in 1951. Other notable medical schools apart from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, SCTIMST (which provides super-specialty courses in cardiac and neuroscience) and Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram (which provides PG courses in radiotherapy and pathology, and super-specialty courses) includes SUT Academy of Medical Sciences, Sree Gokulam Medical College and Government Ayurveda College. The city houses several prominent Law school, legal education institutions. The Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram, Government Law College, formed in 1875, is one of the oldest legal education institutions in India. The Kerala Law Academy Law College, Kerala Law Academy is another major legal education institution. The major Business schools include Asian School of Business, College of Engineering, Trivandrum#Masters of Business Administration, CET School of Management and Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK). There are over 23 engineering education institutions in Thiruvananthapuram. Apart from Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, IIST and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram, IISER, the other major engineering education institutions include College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET), which is the first engineering college in

, Government Engineering College, Trivandrum, Government Engineering College BartonHill (GEC), Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering (SCT), C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram#ER & DCI Institute of Technology, ER & DCI Institute of Technology, University College of Engineering, Kariavattom, University College of Engineering, Mohandas college of Engineering and Technology and Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology. The University College Thiruvananthapuram established in 1866 and Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, H.H. The Maharaja's College for Women established in 1864 are two of the oldest institutions of higher education in India. Other prominent undergraduate and postgraduate colleges include the Government Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram, Government Arts College, Mahatma Gandhi College, Mar Ivanios College, Government Sanskrit College, Thiruvananthapuram, Government Sanskrit College, Loyola College of Social Sciences, St. Xavier's College, Thumba, St. Xavier's College and All Saints College, Thiruvananthapuram, All Saints College. Major fine arts colleges are Swathi Thirunal College of Music, which is the first music academy in Kerala and College of Fine Arts Trivandrum. The Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education is one of the two physical education academic institutes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The premier research institutes in Thiruvananthapuram include: Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Kerala (IIITMK), National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH), Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-Dit), Centre for Development Studies (CDS), Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute,

(NCESS), C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library.

is ranked as the best university in Kerala according to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, MHRD's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). Kerala University also ranked top in overall institution rankings in Kerala. In engineering,

(IIST) is ranked as the best in Kerala and College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) is ranked third in Kerala. College of Engineering, Trivandrum is also ranked fourth in India and first in Kerala in architecture institution rankings. The University College Thiruvananthapuram, University College is listed as the best college in Kerala.

Space and Aerospace

Thiruvananthapuram is the birthplace of India's space operations. The first rocket launch in India occurred in Thiruvananthapuram in 1963 at the

(TERLS). Since then, the city has emerged as a major hub for space research, institutions, and companies.

International Relations

Trivandrum is the location of the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates and the Consulate of the Maldives. The city also has the Honorary Consulates of Sri Lanka, Russia, and Germany, facilitating diplomatic and cultural engagements.

Media

Thiruvananthapuram has numerous newspaper publications, television and radio stations. Most of the media houses in Media in Kerala, Kerala are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The first Malayalam channel, DD Malayalam, Doordarshan Malayalam began broadcasting from the city in 1981. Asianet (TV channel), Asianet, the first private channel in Malayalam, also started its telecasting from the city in 1993. The other List of Malayalam-language television channels, Malayalam channels based in the city include Asianet News, Amrita TV, Kappa TV, Kairali TV, WE TV, Kairali We, Mathrubhumi News, Kaumudy TV, JaiHind TV, News18, News18 Kerala and People TV. All major Malayalam channels, including Asianet (TV channel), Asianet, Janam TV, Jeevan TV, MediaOne TV and Manorama News have production facilities or offices in the city. TV channels are accessible via Cable television, cable subscription, Direct-broadcast satellite, direct-broadcast satellite services, or IPTV, internet-based television. Prominent Satellite television, Direct-to-Home (DTH) entertainment services in Thiruvananthapuram include Sun Direct DTH, DD Direct+, Dish TV, Airtel digital TV and Tata Sky, Tata Play. Major List of Malayalam-language newspapers, Malayalam newspapers available are ''Mathrubhumi'', ''Malayala Manorama'', ''Kerala Kaumudi'', ''Deshabhimani'', Madhyamam, ''Janmabhumi'', ''Chandrika (newspaper), Chandrika'', ''Thejas'', ''Siraj Daily'', ''Deepika (newspaper), Deepika'' and ''Deepika (newspaper)#Rashtra Deepika, Rashtra Deepika''. The English language newspapers with editions from Thiruvananthapuram are ''The New Indian Express'', ''The Hindu'', ''The Deccan Chronicle'' and ''

''. All India Radio, the national state-owned radio broadcaster, airs Medium wave and Shortwave radio stations in the city. The Vividh Bharati of All India Radio also airs an FM broadcasting, FM radio station known as Ananthapuri FM. Other FM radio channels broadcast from Thiruvananthapuram are Big FM (Indian radio station), Big FM 92.7 MHz, Club FM 94.3 MHz, Radio Mirchi 98.3 MHz, Red FM 93.5 MHz and Radio DC 90.4 MHz.

Sports

Greenfield International Stadium Kerala 2

The most popular sports in Thiruvananthapuram are cricket and Association football, football. The city hosted the first international cricket match in Kerala at the University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), University Stadium in 1984. The city also hosted the first Twenty20 International cricket match in Kerala. The Kerala Cricket Association is headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram. Prominent cricketers from Thiruvananthapuram include Sanju Samson, Raiphi Gomez, Ryan Ninan, Aneil Nambiar, K. N. Ananthapadmanabhan, Rohan Prem, Udiramala Subramaniam, P. M. K. Mohandas, Bhaskar Pillai and Padmanabhan Prasanth. The Sports Hub, University Stadium, St Xavier's College Ground, KCA Cricket Stadium Mangalapuram, Medical College ground and Vellyani Agricultural College Ground are the main cricket grounds in the city. The Sports Hub, Trivandrum, commonly known as Greenfield Stadium is one of the List of stadiums in India, largest cricket and football stadiums in India. Thiruvananthapuram hosted the 2015 SAFF Championship at the Greenfield Stadium. SBI Kerala (Football Club), SBI Kerala, Titanium FC, Kerala State Electricity Board, KSEB, Kovalam FC and Travancore Royals FC are the major football clubs based in Thiruvananthapuram. Football is usually played in the Greenfield International Stadium, Greenfield International Stadium(The Sports Hub), Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), University Stadium. Prominent football players from Thiruvananthapuram include Jobby Justin, Vinu Jose, Thomas Sebastian, M Rajeev Kumar and Ganeshan. The city has facilities to host most types of sports. Thiruvananthapuram was one of the main venues for the 2015 National Games of India. Athletic competitions are usually held at the University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), University Stadium, Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and Central Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), Central Stadium. The Trivandrum Marathon is a marathon organised by the Trivandrum runners club every year. There will be two main races; a half marathon of 21 km and a full marathon of 42.19 km. A special 2 km fun run is also organised for public participation. Trivand Run is another marathon conducted every January in the city. Jimmy George Indoor Stadium is a major indoor stadium in the state. It is used for conducting basketball, volleyball, table tennis, gymnastics, List of water sports, aquatics and martial arts. The stadium has the first altitude-simulated training facility in South India, known as Astra. The major sports training and coaching institutions include the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), TOSS Academy and the Tenvic Sports Coaching Academy at the Sports Hub. Basketball tournaments are usually conducted by the schools in the city. Thiruvananthapuram hosted the 61st National Shooting Championship at the Vattiyoorkavu Shooting Range. Surfing is also a popular sport on the beaches. Many surfing and standup paddleboarding tournaments are held in the city. The surf competitions are usually held on Kovalam Beach and Varkala Beach. Paragliding is another Extreme sport, adventure sport usually seen on Varkala Beach. The Thiruvananthapuram Golf Club, SAI Trivandrum golf club, established in 1850, is one of the oldest golf courses in India. It is leased to the Sports Authority of India.

Defense and Security Forces

Notes

References

External links

Official District website

{{Authority control Thiruvananthapuram, Metropolitan cities in India Cities and towns in Thiruvananthapuram district Indian capital cities Populated coastal places in India Port cities in India Kingdom of Travancore Former capital cities in India Tourism in Kerala