Memories of a languid city

Writing a travelogue about a place that you refer to as a second home — in the most casual way, mind you — is not impossible. It’s just something you’d rather postpone to a day when you are in a good mood, feel creative or don’t have anything better to do. But waking up to such a day is the stuff fantasies are made of and so you persevere, lose your sleep even, to ironically, write about the capital city of Kerala that at its worst, and most off-handed way, can be described as a sleepy town, and at its best, as a cozy quiet town where life passes you by at an easy pace and where every place is just 20 minutes away.

As a child, Thiruvananthapuram (when it was still officially Trivandrum) held a lot of excitement. It meant, I’d come back with stories of ‘where I went and what I did during vacations’. So, despite a 36-hour-long journey, we’d brave the crowded trains and the heat and dust to get to TVM, as the locals and anyone with a low patience threshold is wont to say. And truth be told, the Trivandrum of childhood days was a lot more fun. There were the rose apple trees heavily laden with juicy fruits to climb, there was all the pretend-driving on the narrow lanes of Kowdiar to do and there were even chameleons that’d laze in the sun, giving us a fright but hey, that was a cool story to tell back at school!

If Enid Blyton were a Malayali, the stories would be set in a place like this, we imagine in child-like innocence.Well, over time, as excitement of ‘summer holidays’ faded, Trivandrum became the place where you went to, because you didn’t have a better choice. This was a time of merely admiring how green the city looked unlike the urban jungle you were living in. And while the tropical heat was unbearable, the visits to the virginal Shanghumukham beach kind of made up for it.

Surprisingly, nothing much has changed about the city today. Not in a blatant, in-your-face way at least. Yes, there are the high-rise apartments that dot the skyline and more than a handful of fancy new restaurants, including a KFC outlet now, yet, the languidness of the city continues at its pace. Trivandrum is a city that’s so comfortable in its skin, it doesn’t see a reason to shake things up and ‘get a move on already’.

Yet, while the city and her people move on in a humdrum fashion and the buildings and beaches stay where they are, it takes one to open your eyes to see the city in a different light. The city does look pretty festooned with lights as she is during Onam but during this trip, even as we visited new places in TVM and revisited a few old favourites, the overriding feeling was of a need to explore the city that I’ve never bothered to see beyond the obvious...

Now, while that is a task for the future, here are a few places you must chalk down in your itinerary when you’re visiting Thiruvananthapuram:

Shangumukham Beach
Situated around 8-10km from the city centre and near the airport, it’s a smooth ride to Shangumukham — the name directly translates to Conch-faced beach. The smell of the sea hits you first before you arrive on this vast stretch of a largely unspoiled beach and the first sight of a clean shore is always a wonder. Despite crowds, Shangumukham is one of those few beaches in the country where you will not see the waves regurgitating plastic or glass. The waters are clean and during sunset, the sea and the sun play a game of ‘who’s the prettiest between us’ for your camera.

Of course, there’s also the notorious mermaid, Matsyakanyaka, who lies astride rather immodestly for the entire world to see. A creation by sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman, this gigantic statue continues to be a sight for roving eyes but considering she is the focus of every shutterbug there, who is to complain? 

Napier Museum
What strikes you the first time you visit the Napier museum and stays long after the visit, is the architecture of the building the museum is housed in. Designed by Robert Chisholm in striking Indo-Saracenic style, the museum was named after Lord Francis Napier, who was the governor of Madras Presidency. While the park in the museum has its regulars, the entrance to the museum can be misleading, almost giving you the feeling that it’s probably closed.

That’s the thing, you can let the lifelessness of the place bother you or you can just spend time admiring and clicking the understated architectural beauty. There are a few exhibits that will transport you back to a time long gone — like the sword of Velu Thampi Dalawa, who was prime minister of Travancore between 1802 and 1809 and also one of the earliest rebels against the British East India Company. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself pretending to hold a sword and flashing it around... things of historical import have had that effect on many of us. But besides the sword and a few sculptures, the Napier museum proved a bit of a dampener for us museum-enthusiasts. On a lighter note, the foremost marvel of the museum, aside from the artifacts is the cost of the ticket — a mere `5 per head! 

Pazhavangady Ganapathi Temple
Located in the centre of the city, near the busy East Fort area, this temple dedicated to the Elephant God is a customary stop for anyone who has a prayer on the lips and a desire in his or her soul because, if the legend has it true, prayers are heard here based on the number of coconuts you break! Regulars to the temple are known to break 100 coconuts in one visit and while you can brave the task on your own, the temple has a person solely appointed to do just that — break coconuts.That aside, the best time to visit the temple is in the evening during the evening worship when you can hear some good, heart-thumping Chenda music that is quite uplifting.

Sree Padmanabha Swamy Kshetram (temple)
Until last year, when it came under intense public gaze for the reserves of treasures that were discovered in the vaults, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Kshetram as the locals call it was a temple that quietly existed, with manageable crowds who’d line up to see the reigning deity — Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha, the serpent lord after whom the city is named, incidentally. Today, the temple’s turn of fortunes sees a larger turnout of people but that doesn’t take away from its historical or spiritual sheen. With antecedents that date back to the BC, the temple in Pazhavangadi, is steeped in an ancient history and mythology that the stone walls and floors would share with you, if they could, in the silence that pervades the early morning there.

The Trivandrum Quick Facts
To Go: All domestic carriers operate flights to the city from Bangalore. A quick one and half hour journey, opt for flying if you are strapped for time. If a comfortable journey at low cost is what your are looking for, then a train journey is the ideal choice. Trivandrum Mail and Island Express are the most popular trains that ply between Bangalore and Trivandrum. However, keeping in mind the sizeable Malayali population in Bangalore, you are advised to book tickets at least three months in advance!

If you are making a last minute trip to the city, then a private bus it is. There are many private bus services operating buses to TVM.

To stay: Thampanoor, near the railway station has a host of decent stays. Chaitram, a KTDC operated guest house comes recommended as do Highland Hotel, Arya Niwas and Hotel Pankaj.

Vivanta by Taj at Thenmala Road, Thycaud and The Leela Palace, Kovalam are high-end stay options.