Hotels in Attingal

Sivagiri Mutt The hilly andquaint reaches of Varkala are home to one among the holiest sites inall of God's Own Country, the Sivagiri Mutt. Here lies theheadquarters of the SreeNarayana Dharma Sangham, an organisationbuilt by Sree Narayana Guru's disciples and followers, honouring oneamong the world's finest social reformers and crusader for justice.Spread over 200 acres, its location on an elevated plateau, alongwith the very structure and functioning of the place, has providedspiritual succour to thousands of people over the years.Itis said that SreeNarayana Guru himself fell in love with the overallambience at Varkala and decided to build a hermitage atop the SivagriHill. This is where the pilgrim centre we see today lies, and it alsohas the Samadhi of the Guru. The Guru set up an elementary schoolhere, inviting people across caste lines. He built a new temple atthe site and dedicated it to the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswathi.Thus, the Saradha (Saraswathi

Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur The morning sun in its juvenile drive draws countless figures in the water reservoir to which the black beauties, both big and small, plunge in for their joyful dip and redraw the figures in the water. To watch these jumbos having their ceremonious bath is not enough for the spectators. Some of them cheerfully get into the water to help the mahouts in scrubbing the tough skin of this peace-loving mammals. This is not an intro of a fairy tale that we are discussing here, these are some of the routine visuals that one will come across in the Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur near Kappukadu in Thiruvananthapuram district. From time immemorial elephants have been an integral part of history, tradition, myth and culture of India and Kerala in particular. One cannot imagine a festival in Kerala without the presence of an elephant. Flanked by the water of the Neyyar reservoir and the moist deciduous forest and grasslands, the

SHANGHUMUGHAM BEACH Shanghumugham is a city beach, the beach of the capital. Conveniently located 8 Kilometres from Trivandrum city centre, city folks reach here to find much needed solace. Shanghumugham (also  Shamghumugham ) evenings are magical. Multitude of red in multiple shades spreads brilliance over the horizon. Gentle breeze sends cool comfort, as darker waves continue to splash over the sands in the backdrop of a sinking sun.  The long stretch of golden sands ideal for a stroll or beach side relaxation is however not a good swimming spot. Water here is simply not suitable for bathing. The beach is usually clean thanks to the efforts of local authorities. Still a fishing hamlet, Shamghumugham is similar to other fishing villages along Kerala shore line. Wooden boats and canoes can be seen resting on golden sands while not busy in action out in the sea. Beach side attractions Beach side attractions are  the mermaid, star fish restaurant, i

Varkala Beach Location: 51 km north of Thiruvananthapuram city in Thiruvananthapuram district and 37 km south of Kollam, south Kerala. Varkala, a calm and quiet hamlet, lies on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram district. It has several tourist attractions that include a beautiful beach, a 2000-year-old Vishnu Temple and the Ashramam - Sivagiri Mutt a little distance from the beach. The Papanasam Beach (also called as Varkala Beach), which is ten kilometers away from Varkala, is renowned for a natural spring. Which is considered to have medicinal and curative properties. A dip in the holy waters at this beach is believed to purge the body of impurities and the soul of all sins; hence the name 'Papanasam Beach'. A two thousand-year-old shrine the Janardhanaswamy Temple stands on the cliffs overlooking the beach, a short distance away. The Sivagiri Mutt, founded by the great religious reformer and philosopher Sree Narayana Guru (1856 - 1928) is also close by. The S

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram Located inside the East Fort in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the State of Kerala in India is the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture. It is believed to be the world’s richest temple. The history of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple dates back to 8th century. It is one of the 108 sacred Vishnu temples or Divya Desams in India.  Divya Desams  are the holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu that are mentioned in the works of the Tamil Azhvars (saints). The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Vishnu, reclining on  Anantha , the hooded Serpent. Marthanda Varma,  noted among Travancore kings, did a major renovation to the temple and it resulted in the present day structure of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It was Marthanda Varma who introduced the  Murajapam  and  Bhadra Deepam  festivals in the temple.  Murajapam , which literally

Zoological Garden, Thiruvananthapuram TheThiruvananthapuram Zoo is the oldest zoo in India continuing to existing its original location in the heart of the temple cityThiruvananthapuram. Similarly the Museum and Botanical Gardens are also the oldest of their kind in the country. Swathi ThirunalMaharaja (1816-1846), illustrious King and Music composer who had ruled Travancore during 1830-1846 is said to be the visionary behind the establishment of the Thiruvananthapuram Museum and Zoo. He had a good collection of animals including elephants in his horse breeding center. To the Trivandrum stables he incorporated a menagerie and kept tigers, panthers cheetahs, deer, bears and a lioness there. It was however left to his brother Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma and the then British Resident General Cullen which resulted in the establishment of Museum and Zoo in Thiruvananthapuram. A committee was formed in 1855 with the Maharaja of Travancore as Patron, GeneralCullen as Presiden

Kallar Situated en route to the popular hill station of Ponmudi,Kallar gets its name from the River Kallar, which flows through the region. Kallu means stone and Aru means river, hence the name Kallar. The river is well known for its abundance of attractive, round-shaped boulders and pebbles, especially in the upper reaches and middle portion of its course. Kallar is about 50 kms from the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, and is an idyllic location. It is a favourite haunt for picnickers and attracts many with an interest in trekking, angling and bird watching. At Kallar, the main attractions are the nearby Golden Valley, and the Meenmutti waterfall. Unlike the Meenmutti waterfall, the Golden Valley is easily accessible form the main road. Here one can take a dip in the crystal clear waters to cool off, and also watch the many rapids and small pools that dot a good part of the river in this area. Waterfall & wildlife Apart from Golden Valley, those with

Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is slowly turning into a location frequented by wildlife enthusiasts. Herds of elephants, gaur, sambar, barking deer, and wild boar can be seen here. People stop by this destination on the way to Ponmudi and are enchanted by the splendor of nature on display. Endemic species like the Malabar Grey Hornbill, White-bellied Treepie, and the Small Sunbird have also been sighted here. Peppara Dam is where the sanctuary got its name from and the trek here gives one a gorgeous panoramic view of the entire valley.It is a quaint little picnic spot that is attracting more visitors with each passing year. Trekto Vazhvanthol falls Peppara Wildlife Sancutaryoffer one of the best trekking options in the capital city. This trek starts from Kaanithara, near Vithura and the initial trek, through eucalyptus plantations could be easy. This 5 km not so hard trekking to Vazhvanthol is an amazing experience. A guide will accompany you for this one-day trekking program.  Gett

Attingal Palace The Attingal Palace had an important role in the history of Kerala. It played a significant role in the growth of the Tranvancore Dynasty. The Attingal Palace gained prominence in the 14th century when Udaya Marthanda Varma ascended the throne of Travancore. He adopted two princesses from the royal family of the Kolathiris of North Malabar. A palace for each one of them was built by the king at Attingal and Kunnummel. The palace witnessed the first ever united rebellion against the British. The walls of the palace are adorned with some of the most beautiful murals. The main edifice of the palace is now under the control of the Devaswom Board. Kumaran Asan Smarakam Kumaran Asan is one of the famoues poet in Malayalam and he wrote splendid poetries. Kumaran Asan smarakam is situated at Thonnakkal, 4 km from attingal. It is the birth place of Vakkom Moulavi, one of the greatest renaissance leaders of Kerala. Sarkara Devi T

It is beleived that Attingal town was built 800 years ago. During ancient times Attingal was known to be "Chittattinkara" as it is encircled on three sides by the rivers "Vamana puram river" and "Mamom river". Historically, Attingal has been the residence of the women of the Venad royal family. The Attingal Palace dates to 1305 C.E. Attingal and the surrounding areas were a principality within the Travancore kingdom, and were ruled by their queens. By the colonial period, trade flourished with Portuguese and Dutch traders. In 1735, Marthanda Varma, the king of Travancore, took Attingal. Feudal status The mother of the Maharaja of Travancore and her sister received the principality of Attingal in joint appanage. They were consequently styled the Senior and Junior Rani (the female form of Raja or Rana) of Attingal, respectively. Their husbands, known as Koil Tampurans, came from one of four or five princely houses who were closely related