167-740: Kerala State Motion Picture Academy is an autonomous non-profit institution based in Trivandrum , working under the Department of Cultural Affairs , Government of Kerala . It was founded in August 1998 for the promotion of cinema in Kerala , considering that cinema is the most popular art form in the state . The academy was first of its kind in India ; it was formed on the basis of the Karant committee report (1980), which proposed
334-541: A commissioner of police . The Thiruvananthapuram city police is a division of the Kerala Police , and the administrative control lies with the 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 is the oldest prison in Kerala and
501-528: A Ratha Yathra from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram in May 2018 campaigning against opening the sacred Kallara. Azhvanchery Thamprakkal , the supreme spiritual leader of Kerala Brahmins, while addressing a meeting held in connection with the Ratha Yathra, also demanded that faith should not be trampled upon by opening Kallara B. According to a report by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai, at least
668-512: A bad omen. The seven-member team will consult with some more experts on 8 July 2011, and may make a final decision on opening chamber B. An Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in the Temple to discern the will of the deity revealed that any attempts to open chamber B would cause divine displeasure, and that the holy articles in the other chambers were defiled in the inventorying process. The original petitioner (T. P. Sundarajan), whose court action led to
835-621: A certain 'Golden Temple' (Arituyil-Amardon) which is believed to be the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Gold had been panned from rivers as well as mined in Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur , Wayanad , Kollam , Palakkad and Malappuram districts for thousands of years. The Malabar region (as a part of the "Tamilakam" region of recorded history) had several centers of trade and commerce since the Sumerian period ranging from Vizhinjam in
1002-502: A change in administration by forming a 5-member committee and appointing Vinod Rai as auditor. The committee will include Thiruvananthapuram District judge K. P. Indira, Thantri and Nambi of the temple and two members to be decided in consultation with the Government of Kerala . Additionally, IAS officer and former administrator of the temple, K. N. Satish was appointed as executive officer. The Government of Kerala agreed to comply with
1169-529: A gift of ten thousand cows to holy men. Though the sannidhyam of Padmanabha has always been present in the holy land of Thiruvananthapuram, and it was a very ancient and renowned pilgrim spot even during the time of Balarama, the present-day temple for the deity came up later. The southwest part of the Chuttambalam was constructed at the holy spot where Balarama is believed to have donated cows to holy men. This portion came to be known as Mahabharatakonam and covered
1336-712: A gold sheaf weighing 500 kg (1,100 lb), a 36 kg (79 lb) golden veil, 1200 'Sarappalli' gold coin-chains that are encrusted with precious stones, and several sacks filled with golden artefacts, necklaces, diadems, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, gemstones, and objects made of other precious metals. Ceremonial attire for adorning the deity in the form of 16-part gold anki weighing almost 30 kilograms (66 lb), gold "coconut shells" studded with rubies and emeralds, and several 18th century Napoleonic era coins were found amongst many other objects. In early 2012, an expert committee had been appointed to investigate these objects, which include lakhs of golden coins of
1503-483: A lotus emanating from the deity's navel, hence the name, "Padmanabha", gold abhisheka moorthies of Padmanabha, Sridevi and Bhudevi, and silver utsava moorthi of Padmanabha through the second door; the deity's feet, and Bhudevi and Markandeya Muni in Katusarkara through the third door. The idols of two goddesses holding chamaram, Garuda , Narada , Tumburu , the divine forms of the six weapons of Vishnu, Surya , Chandra ,
1670-542: A railway terminal at Nemom railway station to reduce congestion at Thiruvananthapuram Central. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Traditional The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu in Thiruvananthapuram , the capital of the state of Kerala , India . It is one of the 108 Divya Desams which are considered the sacred abodes of Vishnu in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. The name of
1837-579: A rare though very inadequate primary source material on the temple and its rich traditions. The rest of these Mathilakam documents – segregated under 70 "heads" – is still lying idle with the Archives Department. According to Aswathi Thirunal Gouri Lakshmi Bayi, a member of the Travancore Royal Family and author of a book on the temple, from a very early period in recorded history the temple had employed two kinds of 'record writers'. One group
SECTION 10
#17328484813752004-426: A result of the annexation of neighbouring chiefdoms, 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 and Kunchan Nambiar amongst others served as his court poets. Travancore became
2171-548: A ritual bath in the sea, after the prescribed pujas . After this ceremony, the idols are taken back to the temple in a procession that is lit by traditional torches, marking the conclusion of the festival. A major annual festival related to Padmanabhaswamy temple is the Navaratri festival. The idols of Saraswati Amman, Mun Uditha Nangai ( Parasakti , who appeared before Saraswati , Lakshmi and Parvati to help them identify their husbands who had been transformed into infants by
2338-452: A separate jury is formed. The academy annually invites films for the award and the jury analyses the films that are submitted before deciding the winners. The awards intends to promote films with artistic values and encourage artistes and technicians. The awards are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Kerala. The emergence of Television as a popular medium found acceptance at
2505-459: A small part of them had been inventoried then. An "article" could be either an individual item, or collections of several items, examples of the latter being a cache of 1.95 lakh 'Rassappanams' (Gold coins) weighing 800 kg and sets of Navaratnas (collections of nine different kinds of diamonds). There are over 60,000 fully precious stones set as parts of larger pieces of gold jewellery among those items inventoried as of March 2013. The results of
2672-761: A stone Yantra from the nearby Marthandan Madhom Palace and did pooja on it for several days. The Tantries explained that the Yantram had no connection with the Padmanabhaswami Temple and that it was for the protection of the Palace. But the Amicus Curiae insisted on having it installed in the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple. Due to severe opposition from the Tantries the Yantram remains where it was. Every morning, Padmanabha
2839-603: A survey conducted by India Today . 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 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. The city takes its name from
3006-633: A temple). There are many festivals associated with this temple. The major festivals are bi-annual. The Aipasi festival and the Panguni festival in the Tamil month of aipasi (October/November) and Panguni (March/April) respectively, lasts for 10 days each. On the ninth day the Maharajah of the Travancore, in his capacity as Thrippappoor Mooppan, escorts the deities to the vettakkalam for Pallivetta. Centuries back,
3173-438: Is 34 °C (93 °F) and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C (70 °F). The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the monsoon season. Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city receives heavy rainfall of around 1,835 mm (72.2 in) per year. The city also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit
3340-495: Is a 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 project case studies from across
3507-416: Is a transhipment port under construction. Vizhinjam port's location is close to the international shipping routes and, it is just 10–12 nautical miles from the busy Persian Gulf - 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 TEU . Thiruvananthapuram
SECTION 20
#17328484813753674-435: Is a major IT and ITES hub in India. The city contributes about 40-45% of Kerala's total software exports. Thiruvananthapuram houses major multinational Technology companies like Oracle Corporation , Nissan , Allianz Technology , Envestnet , Tata Consultancy Services , Infosys , UST Global , Ernst & Young , Flytxt, Navigant , Tata Elxsi , McKinsey & Company , RR Donnelly and Quest Global. Technopark
3841-538: Is a major tourist centre, known for the Padmanabhaswamy Temple , the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala , the backwaters of Poovar and Anchuthengu and its Western Ghats tracts of Ponmudi and the Agastya Mala . In 2012, Thiruvananthapuram was named the best Kerala city to live in, by a field survey conducted by The Times of India . In 2013, the city was ranked the fifteenth best city to live in India, in
4008-428: Is a major tourist hub in India. Kovalam and Varkala are popular beach towns near the city. Other important beaches include Poovar , Shankumugham Beach , Azhimala Beach, Vizhinjam Beach and Veli Beach. Other places of interest include Agasthyamala rain forests, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary , Kallar , Braemore, Ponmudi hills, Poovar , Anchuthengu backwaters, Varkala Cliffs and Kappil - Edava lakes. The city
4175-454: Is a significant economic sector. The presence of natural attractions like beaches, 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
4342-525: Is also known for its unique style of architecture involving Kerala Architecture with British and Dravidian influences. Napier museum , Thiruvanathapuram Zoo , Padmanabha Swamy temple , 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 Museum . Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve
4509-407: Is an annual documentary and short film festival conducted by Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, at the state capital Thiruvananthapuram . Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram ( / ˌ t ɪ r uː v ə ˌ n ʌ n t ə ˈ p ʊər ə m / TIRR -oo-və- NUN -təp- OOR -əm ; Malayalam: [t̪iɾuʋɐnɐn̪d̪ɐpuɾɐm] ), formerly known as Trivandrum , is the capital city of
4676-745: Is an officer appointed by the 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 Vizhinjam . The functions of
4843-453: Is around 1.68 million. Located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland, Thiruvananthapuram is a major information technology hub in Kerala and contributes 55% of the state's software exports as of 2016. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the "Evergreen city of India", the city is characterised by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills. The present regions that constitute Thiruvananthapuram were ruled by
5010-408: Is believed to have come in the guise of a little boy who was mischievous, yet charming. Due to this charm, the sage wished that the boy stay with him. Thus, the boy agreed with the condition that the boy be treated with utmost respect. If this was to be broken, the boy would immediately vanish. As a result, for a while, the sage tolerated all of the childish activities done by the child; however, one day
5177-631: Is developed to ease congestion on the central station and it acts as a satellite station to Thiruvananthapuram Central. Thiruvananthapuram Central is the busiest railway station in Kerala. Other railway stations in the city are Thiruvananthapuram Pettah , Nemom railway station , Veli railway station and Kazhakoottam railway station . Being the southernmost municipal corporation in India, many long train services of Indian Railways originate from Thiruvananthapuram like Trivandrum Rajdhani Express, Thiruvananthapuram - Silchar Superfast Express and Kochuveli - Amritsar Weekly Express . There are plans to develop
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy - Misplaced Pages Continue
5344-628: Is further aided by state institutions such as the 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 Library . Thiruvananthapuram has been a hub of classical music since the days of Maharaja of Travancore , Swathi Thirunal . Thiruvananthapuram
5511-679: 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 Kerala . The Soorya Festival features film festivals, theatre festivals, dance, music, painting and photography exhibitions. The Malayalam film Industry
5678-596: Is listed in UNESCO 's World Network of Biosphere Reserves . 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 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 Swathi Thirunal and Raja Ravi Varma hail from
5845-593: Is managed by the academy. The festival gives weightage to films from the Third World . It only allows films from Asia , Africa and Latin America in its competition section. The festival is always noted for its public support. The festival is perhaps the only one to have screenings for residents of a jail, a juvenile home (Poojappura Central Jail, Thiruvananthapuram) and a poor home (Sri Chitra Poor Home). The IDSFFK (International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala)
6012-538: 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
6179-561: Is placed over a Shiva lingam . Sridevi- Lakshmi , the Goddess of Prosperity and Bhudevi the Goddess of Earth, two consorts of Vishnu are by his side. Brahma emerges on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of the deity. The deity is made from 12,008 saligramams . These saligrams are from the banks of the Gandaki River in Nepal , and to commemorate this, certain rituals used to be performed at
6346-542: Is the tutelary deity of the Travancore royal family . The titular Maharaja of Travancore , Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma , is the current trustee of the temple. Several extant Hindu texts including the Vishnu Purana , Brahma Purana , Matsya Purana , Varaha Purana , Skanda Purana , Padma Purana , Vayu Purana , Bhagavata Purana and Mahabharata mention the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Temple has been referred to in
6513-418: 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 Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ,
6680-478: 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 , Bio 360 Life sciences park and Digital Science Park . Tourism
6847-691: Is to be awakened only by blowing the conch shell and chanting the Sripada Sooktham. But the Amicus Curiae introduced the daily rendering of Venkatesa Suprabhatam to awaken the deity. The Supreme Court requested the Tantri to take the final decision on whether the Suprabhatam could be sung. Following that, the Senior Tantri Nedumpilli Tharananalloor Parameswaran Namboothiripad directed the Temple authorities to stop
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy - Misplaced Pages Continue
7014-641: The Ays who were related to feudatories of the Chera dynasty . In the 12th century, it was conquered by the Kingdom of Venad . In the 18th century, the king Marthanda Varma expanded the territory, founded the princely state of Travancore and made Thiruvananthapuram its capital. Travancore became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Following India's independence in 1947, Thiruvananthapuram became
7181-692: 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 . The Kerala Water Authority supplies the city with water that is sourced from
7348-550: The Chiranjivis , Ganapati , Sasta , and Kshetrapala (who guards the temple). Grand idols of Garuda and Hanuman stand with folded hands in the Valiya balikkal area. The foundation of the present gopuram was laid in 1566. The temple has a 100-foot (30 m) high 7-tier gopuram built in the Pandyan style. The temple stands by the side of a tank , named Padma Theertham (meaning
7515-508: The Chola dynasty , The place names, the dialects of Malayalam spoken, and the customs that exist in Kerala today still reveal a close relationship with Tamil heritage. In the early 18th century CE, the Travancore royal family adopted some members from the royal family of Kolathunadu based at Kannur . Then, Marthanda Varma who inherited the Kingdom of Venad expanded the kingdom by conquering
7682-787: The Ettara Yogam (King and Council of Eight) with the assistance of Ettuveetil Pillamar ("Lords of the Eight Houses"). The Ettara Yogam consists of the Pushpanjali Swamiyar, the six member Thiruvananthapurathu Sabha, the Sabhanjithan (Secretary) and the Arachan (Maharaja of Travancore). The Thiruvananthapurathu Sabha was primarily responsible for the administration of the Temple. Koopakkara Potti, Vanchiyoor Athiyara Potti, Kollur Athiyara Potti, Muttavila Potti, Karuva Potti and Neythasseri Potti are
7849-415: The Gandaki River , north of Benares (now known as Varanasi ) to the temple. These were used in the reconsecration of Padmanabha. To perform darshan and puja , devotees has to ascend to the mandapam . The deity is visible through three doors – the visage of the reclining Padmanabha and Siva Linga underneath his hand is seen through the first door; Sridevi and Bhrigu Muni in Katusarkara, Brahma seated on
8016-588: The Karamana River ; most of it is drawn from the Aruvikkara and 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
8183-610: The Kerala Legislative Assembly and the state secretariat, which is housed in the Kerala Government Secretariat complex . Thiruvananthapuram has two parliamentary constituencies— Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram —and elects five Members of the Legislative Assembly ( MLAs ) to the state legislature. The Thiruvananthapuram City Police is the main law-enforcement agency in the city. It is headed by
8350-524: The Kingdom of Venad in the 12th century. Present-day Thiruvananthapuram city, district, and Kanyakumari district , were parts of the Ay dynasty during ancient and medieval ages, which was a Tamil kingdom based in the southernmost part of the Indian subcontinent. Ay kingdom had experienced attacks and conquests by Cholas and Pandyas in various periods. Later it became a part of Venad in late Middle Ages, which
8517-615: The Laccadive Sea , he heard a pulaya lady warning her child that she would throw him in Ananthankadu. The moment the Swami heard the word Ananthankadu he was delighted. He proceeded to Ananthankadu based on the directions of the lady of whom he enquired. The sage reached Ananthankadu searching for the boy. There he saw the boy merging into an iluppa tree (Indian butter tree). The tree fell down and became Anantha Sayana Moorti (Vishnu reclining on
SECTION 50
#17328484813758684-707: The Malayalam word thiru-anantha-puram ( തിരുവനന്തപുരം [t̪iɾuʋɐnɐn̪d̪ɐpuɾɐm] ), meaning "The City of Lord Ananta", referring to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in the city. Thiruvananthapuram is also known in literature, and popular reference as Ananthapuri , derived from the Sanskrit word Syanandurapuram , meaning "The City of Bliss" in Carnatic kirtanas composed by Swathi Thirunal , erstwhile Maharaja of Travancore . The city
8851-629: The National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology , Indian Space Research Organisation 's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre , the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology , National Centre for Earth Science Studies and a campus of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research . The city is home to media institutions like Toonz Animation India and Tata Elxsi Ltd , and also to Chitranjali Film Studio , one of
9018-686: The Observatory (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 , Ayurveda College, Law College and a second-grade college for women were started by Moolam Thirunal (1885–1924). The early 20th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in
9185-399: The Pashupatinath Temple . The deity of Padmanabha is covered with, "Katusarkara yogam", a special ayurvedic mix which is made of 108 natural materials collected from all over India and forms a coat-like protection that keeps the deity clean. The platforms in front of the vimanam and where the deity rests are both carved out of a single massive stone and hence called "Ottakkal-mandapam". On
9352-411: The Roman Empire , that were found in Kottayam, in Kannur District. According to Vinod Rai , the former Comptroller-and-Auditor-General (CAG) of India, who had audited some of the Temple records from 1990, in August 2014, in the already opened vault A, there is an 800 kg (1,800 lb) hoard of gold coins dating to around 200 BCE, each coin priced at over ₹ 2.7 crore (US$ 320,000). Also found
9519-430: The Saptarshi , Madhu, and Kaitabha are also in the Sanctum. Only the King of Travancore may prostrate on the "Ottakkal Mandapam" It is traditionally held that anybody who prostrates on the mandapam has surrendered all that he possesses to the deity. Since the ruler has already done that, he is permitted to prostrate on this mandapam. Inside the Temple, there are two other important shrines, Thekkedom and Thiruvambadi, for
9686-596: The Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple , known as the richest temple in the world. Thiruvananthapuram is where India's space program began, with the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the headquarters of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre located here. Thiruvananthapuram is also known for its cultural heritage, being associated with the musical contributions of Swathi Thirunal Rama varma and the artistic legacy of painter Raja Ravi Varma .Notable beaches in Thiruvananthapuram include Kovalam , Varkala , Shankumugham Beach ,and Poovar .The encompassing urban agglomeration population
9853-408: The Western Ghats to its east. The average elevation of the city is 16 ft (4.9 m) above sea level. The Geological Survey of India 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 , Thiruvallam and Aakulam backwaters lie in
10020-424: The poverty line in the city was 11,667. Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed massive immigration of workers from northern India, mainly 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 . The Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram or TMC oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of
10187-442: The (only recorded) Sangam period literature several times. Many conventional historians and scholars are of the opinion that one of the names that the Temple had, "The Golden Temple", was in cognisance of the Temple being already unimaginably wealthy by that point (early Sangam period). Many extant pieces of Sangam Tamil literature and poetry as well as later works of the 9th century of Tamil poet–saints like Nammalwar refer to
SECTION 60
#173284848137510354-567: The 13 Divya Desam in Malai Nadu (corresponding to present-day Kerala with Kanyakumari District). The 8th century Tamil poet Alvar Nammalvar sang the glories of Padmanabha. It is believed that Parasurama purified and venerated the idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy in Dvapara Yuga . Parasurama entrusted 'Kshethra karyam' (Administration of the Temple) with seven Potti families – Koopakkara Potti, Vanchiyoor Athiyara Potti, Kollur Athiyara Potti, Muttavila Potti, Karuva Potti, Neythasseri Potti and Sreekaryathu Potti. King Adithya Vikrama of Vanchi (Venad)
10521-508: The 1880s, when the inventory and estimate were last updated, was INR 1.8 per gram (The price of gold was about US$ 18 for an ounce in the 1880s when the dollar was 3.3 to the rupee ). It is highly unlikely that Kallara B was opened after the 1880s. An article by Emily Gilchriest Hatch, a visiting Englishwoman in the 1933, recalls in her book 'Travancore: A Guide Book for the Visitor' (Oxford University Press, 1933) about an unsuccessful attempt to open one Kallara in 1908: "About 25 years ago, when
10688-437: The 2011 national census, the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram, which occupies an area of 214 km (83 sq mi), had a population of 957,730. The city's population density was 4,454/km (11,540/sq mi). 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
10855-603: The Chief Priests of the Temple. Two Nambies – Periya Nambi and Panchagavyathu Nambi – are allotted to Padmanabha and one Nambi each to Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami. The Nambies hail from either side of the Chandragiri River. In line with the Temple Entry Proclamation , only those who profess the Hindu faith are permitted entry to the temple and devotees have to strictly follow the dress code. Men wear "vesti" with "angavastram" (the South Indian version of dhoti and shawl, both plain white in color) and women wear sari. The Padmanabhaswamy Temple and its property were controlled by
11022-478: The Deities, Ugra Narasimha and Krishna Swami respectively. Centuries back, several families of Vrishni Kshatriyas travelled to the south, carrying with them idols of Balarama and Krishna . When they reached the hallowed land of Sree Padmanabha, they gave the idol of Balarama, also known as Bhaktadasa, to Neythasseri Potti. Neythasseri Potti built a Temple at Budhapuram in the present day Kanyakumari District and had this idol installed there. The Vrishnis gifted
11189-455: The Indian state of Kerala . It is the largest and most populous city in Kerala and it is also a major port city. Thiruvananthapuram is where Asia's first space university, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology located, and India's first IT park, Technopark Trivandrum is in Thiruvananthapuram. The city also includes India’s first deep-water trans-shipment port, the Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram , as well as
11356-609: The Mathikalam had been donated later to the Archives Department in 1867 at the time of the formation of the latter. Each of these Cadjan leaf-records, which have been compiled over thousands of years, contains 10,000 documentations according to R. Nagaswamy , noted archaeologist and historian, totalling over 30 crores of records. Despite their cultural value, only a minuscule portion of these grantas (bundles) of cadjan leaf records, written mostly in ancient scripts of proto- Tamil and archaic-Malayalam, have been deciphered. The translations of this section of manuscripts by some scholars serve as
11523-532: The Pallivetta procession was said to pass through Kaithamukku, Kuthiravattom (Kunnumpuram), Pazhaya Sreekanteswaram and Putharikkandam. The festivals culminate with the Aarat (holy bath) procession to the Shankumugham Beach . The word Aarat refers to the purificatory immersion of the deities of the temple in sea. This event takes place in the evening. The Maharajah of Travancore escorts the Aarat procession on foot. The festival idols "Utsava Vigrahas" of Padmanabhaswamy, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami are given
11690-399: The Perumal which he obtained from the pulaya woman. The spot where the Sage had darsan of the deity belonged to Koopakkara Potti and Karuva Potti. With the assistance of the reigning King and some Brahmin households a temple was constructed. The Ananthankadu Nagaraja Temple still exists to the northwest of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The samadhi (final resting place) of the swamiyar exists to
11857-428: The Sangam Tamil literature (500 BC to 300 AD wherein it was referred to as the "Golden Temple" on account of its then unimaginable wealth), and the treasures consist of countless artefacts dating back to the Chera, Pandya, Greek, and Roman epochs. The ancient late-Tamil-Sangam epic Silappatikaram (c 100 AD to 300 AD at the latest) speaks of the then Chera King Cenkuttuvan receiving gifts of gold and precious stones from
12024-641: The State needed additional money, it was thought expedient to open these chests and use the wealth they contained." "A group of people" got together and attempted to enter the vaults with torches. When they found the vaults "infested with cobras" they "fled for their lives. In 2011, the antechamber to Kallara B was opened by the Observers appointed by the Supreme Court of India. But the Observers could not open Kallara B. However, Gopal Subramanium in his report submitted to
12191-681: The Supreme Court in April 2014, recommended its opening after conducting another Devaprasnam. The two Pushpanjali Swamiyars are the highest spiritual dignitaries of Padmanabhaswamy Temple. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar of Naduvil Madhom sent letters to the Chairperson of the Administrative Committee and the Executive Officer on 8 February 2016 expressing his strong opposition to the opening of Kallara B. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar of Munchira Madhom led
12358-817: The Supreme court order. Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma remains the trustee of the temple and still does the ritual duties as the titular Maharaja of Travancore , but has no responsibility regarding the temple management after the interim ruling by the Supreme Court The report also found the existence of two more vaults that were never even made mention of or hitherto spoken about. The report named them Vault 'G' and Vault 'H'. Like Vault 'B' and all its antechambers, both these vaults and their antechambers were yet to be opened as of May 2014. The report also mentions that Mr. Subramanian found several large trunks filled with artefacts made of precious metals and precious stones outside of
12525-686: The Swamiyars of the Naduvil Madhom were appointed as Pushpanjali Swamiyars by the Maharaja of Travancore . Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma curtailed the authority of Ettara Yogam and liquidated the powerful Ettuveetil Pillamar. Ettara Yogam became an advisory and assenting body thereafter. Besides the Naduvil Madhom, the Munchira Madhom got the right to appoint Pushpanjali Swamiyars during his reign. In
12692-400: 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 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
12859-499: The Temple). This ceremony took place at Kulasekhara Mandapam in Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma , grandson of Maharani Regent Pooradom Thirunal Sethu Lakshmi Bayi , is the titular Elayaraja of Travancore. The temple and its assets belong to the deity, Lord Padmanabhaswamy, and are for a long time have been controlled by a trust which is headed by the Travancore royal family . T P Sundararajan's litigations changed
13026-655: The Travancore Kingdom, a distinction was always made between the Government (State) Treasury (Karuvelam), the Royal Family Treasury (Chellam), and the Temple Treasury (Thiruvara Bhandaram or Sri Bhandaram). During the reign of Maharani Gowri Lakshmi Bayi , hundreds of temples that were mismanaged in the Kerala region, were brought under the Government. The excess ornaments in these temples were also transferred to
13193-556: The Vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Instead the funds of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple were utilised for the daily upkeep of these temples. On 4 July 2011, the seven-member expert team tasked with taking stock of the temple assets decided to postpone opening of chamber B. This chamber is sealed with an iron door, with the image of a cobra on it, and has not been opened due to the belief that opening it would result in much misfortune. The royal family has also said that opening chamber B could be
13360-608: The academy as separate awards were constituted for Television programmes also. The academy organises the Kerala State Television Awards since 1993, which are given away yearly for the achievements in Malayalam Television. The awards are declared by the Minister for Cultural Affairs , Govt. of Kerala . The IFFK (International Film Festival of Kerala) is one of the prominent film festivals hosted in India, and it
13527-491: The all-India average of 74%. It is a historical city where Malayalees form the vast majority of Thiruvananthapuram's population. There are also minorities like the Tamils and North Indians residing here. According to the 2011 census, 68.5% of the population is Hindu , 16.7% Christians and 13.7% Muslims . The remainder of the community includes Jains , Jews , Sikhs , Buddhists and other religions which account for 0.06% of
13694-553: The allegations. The objectives and functions of the academy are: The academy organises the Kerala State Film Awards, which are given away yearly for the achievements in Malayalam films . The awardees are decided by an independent jury formed by the academy and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of Kerala . The jury usually consists of eminent personalities from the film field. For the awards for literature on cinema
13861-408: The articles inside, while Vaults A and B would be opened only for the purpose of making an inventory of the articles and then closed. The review of the temple's underground vaults was undertaken by a seven-member panel appointed by the Supreme Court to generate an inventory, leading to the enumeration of a vast collection of articles that are traditionally kept under lock and key. A detailed inventory of
14028-429: The articles recovered from Vault A and its antechambers. Even with only the five smaller of the reported eight vaults being opened (the larger three vaults and all their ante-chambers still remaining closed), the treasure found so far, is considered to be by far the largest collection of items of gold and fully precious stones in the recorded history of the world. The valuables are believed to have been accumulated in
14195-461: The boy defiled the idol which was kept for puja. The sage became enraged at this and chased away the boy who disappeared before him. Realising the boy was no ordinary mortal, the sage wept for forgiveness and asked for another darshan as a sign. He heard a voice say "If you want to see me come to the Anathavana (the unending forest or Ananthakadu). After a long search, when he was walking on the banks of
14362-479: The capital of Travancore–Cochin state and remained so until the new Indian state of Kerala was formed in 1956. Thiruvananthapuram is a notable academic and research hub and home to the University of Kerala , APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University , the regional headquarters of Indira Gandhi National Open University , and many other schools and colleges. Thiruvananthapuram is also home to research centers such as
14529-414: The celestial snake Anantha ). But the edifice that the deity assumed was of an extraordinarily large size, with His head at Thiruvattar near Thuckalay , Tamil Nadu , body or udal at Thiruvananthapuram, and lotus-feet at Thrippadapuram near Kulathoor and Technopark (Thrippappur), making him some eight miles in length. The sage requested the deity to shrink to a smaller proportion that would be thrice
14696-407: The chanting of Suprabhatam forthwith, as it was causing 'Anya Mantra Yajana Dosham' (affliction due to worshipping the deity with incompatible mantras) to the presiding deity and the Temple. As atonement for this dosham, the Tantri wants Vedic scholars to chant 12 'muras' each of Rig Veda and Yajur Veda. In his first report to the Supreme Court, the Amicus Curiae directed the Tantries to examine whether
14863-451: The city by October. The dry season sets in by December. The lowest temperature recorded in the city core was 17.8 °C (64.0 °F) on 6 January 1974 and the highest temperature was 38.2 °C (100.8 °F) on 21 February 2019. At the airport, the lowest temperature recorded was 16.4 °C (61.5 °F) on 15 January 1975 and the highest temperature was 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) on 5 May 1998. According to provisional results of
15030-617: The city of 'Thiruvananthapuram' in Malayalam and Tamil translates to "The City of Ananta" (Ananta being a form of Vishnu). The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the Kerala style and the Dravidian style of architecture, featuring high walls, and a 16th-century gopuram . While as per some traditions the Ananthapura Temple in Kumbla in Kasaragod district in Kerala is considered as
15197-474: The city were the Ays . Vizhinjam , 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 and Pandyan dynasties attempted to capture the port town. After the death of king Vikramaditya Varaguna in 925 AD,
15364-535: 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
15531-484: The city. Prominent social reformers such as 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 Kumaran Asan are from Thiruvananthapuram. Annual literature festivals like the Kovalam Literary Festival, are held in the city. Literary development
15698-590: 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 soil is found, and on hilly eastern parts of the district, rich dark brown loam of granite origin is found. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is spread over 214.86 km (82.96 sq mi). The wider Thiruvananthapuram metropolitan area comprises Thiruvananthapuram corporation, three municipalities and 27 panchayats, as of 2011. Being
15865-792: The city. Other major highways in the city are State Highway 2 and State Highway 45 . The 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. Thiruvananthapuram is a divisional headquarters in the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways . Long-distance trains originate from Thiruvananthapuram Central and Kochuveli railway terminals . Kochuveli railway terminal
16032-569: The city. The Sree Moolam Popular Assembly , 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 at any time, the city featured prominently in India's freedom struggle . The Indian National Congress had a very active presence in Thiruvananthapuram. A meeting of the Indian National Congress presided by Dr Pattabhi Sitaramaiah
16199-591: The city. The main bus stations in the city are the 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 Light Metro is a fully elevated metro rail – rapid transit system planned to ease
16366-592: The congestion in the city. 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 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
16533-612: The cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) in the outskirts of the city in 1963. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organisation (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
16700-682: The deity also dwell in this Kallara. Kanjirottu Yakshi , whose enchanting and ferocious forms are painted on the south-west part of the main Sanctum, resides in this Kallara worshipping Narasimha. Holy objects like Sreechakram were installed beneath this Kallara to enhance the potency of the principal deity. Ugra Narasimha of Thekkedom is said to be the Protector of Kallara B. There is a serpent's image on Kallara B indicating danger to anyone who opens it. A four-day Ashtamangala Devaprasnam conducted in August 2011 declared Kallara B as "forbidden zone". One of
16867-508: The eight vaults and their antechambers. The CBI and the Intelligence Bureau have red-flagged the appointment of Gopal Subramanium as a Judge in the Supreme Court. The IB cites Mr Subramaniam's report on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as one of the instances where he relied heavily on his spiritual instincts rather than rational logic and hard facts. In his second report on Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Mr Subramaniam himself reveals that "It
17034-571: 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 . 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
17201-541: 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 Palace , Kowdiar Palace , Attukal temple , Beemapally Mosque , Connemara Market , and the Mateer Memorial Church . Thiruvananthapuram was the main centre of Laurie Baker 's architecture. Along with
17368-686: The first film studios in Malayalam Cinema , and Kinfra Film and Video Park at Kazhakoottom, which is India's first Infotainment industrial park. Being India's largest city in the deep south, it is strategically prominent and hosts the Southern Air Command headquarters of the Indian Air Force , the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station and the upcoming Vizhinjam International Seaport . Thiruvananthapuram
17535-604: The formation of a national film academy. Under the leadership of T. K. Ramakrishnan, The Minister for Cultural Affairs appointed Shaji N. Karun as its first chairman. In August 2024, Ranjith , the then-chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, resigned following a sexual harassment allegation made by Bengali film actress Sreelekha Mitra . Despite the subsequent release of the Hema Committee report, Renjith has not publicly admitted to nor apologised for
17702-558: The glory of the Ays departed and almost all their territories became part of the Chera dynasty . 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
17869-470: The ground underneath which both Kallara B and Kallara A were situated. According to a popular legend, many devas and sages devoted to Balarama, visited him on the banks of Padmateertham. They requested him that they may be permitted to reside there worshipping the lord. Balarama granted them their wish. It is believed that these devas and sages reside in Kallara B worshipping the deity. Naga Devathas devoted to
18036-609: The headquarters of Kerala Prisons and Correctional Services . The Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force 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 Pallipuram . In addition to this, three units of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Sector Headquarters (SHQ) of
18203-591: The historical relationship between the Maharaja and the temple: "That no deviation whatsoever should be made in regard to the dedication of the kingdom to Padmanabhaswamy and that all future territorial acquisitions should be made over to the Devaswom." In the Garbhagriha , Padmanabha reclines on the serpent Anantha or Adi Sesha . The serpent has five hoods facing inwards, signifying contemplation. The deity's right hand
18370-488: The idol of Krishna to Maharaja Udaya Marthanda Varma of Venad. The Maharaja constructed a separate shrine, known as Thiruvambadi, in the premises of Padmanabhaswamy Temple for this idol. The Thiruvambadi shrine enjoys an independent status. Thiruvambadi has its own namaskara mandapam, bali stones and flagmast. The deity of Thiruvambadi is Parthasarathi, the Divine Charioteer of Arjuna , who is the warrior prince and one of
18537-497: The inventory are not to be released until the completion of the whole process by order of the Supreme Court of India. In April 2014, Amicus Curiae advocate Gopal Subramanium filed a 577-page report to the Supreme court of India alleging malpractices in the administration of the temple. According to him, the authorities failed to perform their ethical duties by opening many bank accounts, trusts and also not filing Income Tax returns for
18704-524: The inventory, died in July 2011, adding credence to the folklore around the temple. Prior to this now-famous incident in July 2011, one of the several vaults in the temple which was not vaults B (untouched after the 1880s), G, or H (both rediscovered supposedly by the Amicus Curie only in mid-2014), was opened in 1931. This was possibly an antechamber of vaults A, C, D, E, or F that may not have been opened yet. This
18871-489: The items in vaults C, D, E, and F were completed (in August 2012) and formal inventorying of vault A had commenced. Several hundred pots and other items made of gold, that are used for daily rituals or intermittently for ceremonies in the Temple, were not inventoried as the Temple-priests expressed strong objections. Over 1.02 lakh "articles" had been retrieved from Vault A and its ante-chambers, until that point, though only
19038-415: The kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa . Since then, the name of every Travancore king was preceded by the title 'Sree Padmanabha Dasa'; the female members of the royal family were called 'Sree Padmanabha Sevini' both meaning the servant to Padmanabhaswamy; . The donation of the king to Padmanabhaswamy was known as Thrippadi-danam. The final wishes of Anizham Thirunal on his passing at the age of 53 clearly delineated
19205-462: The kingdoms of Attingal, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Poonjar and Ambalapuzha. In 1729, Marthanda Varma founded the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor and Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital in 1795 after shifting the capital from Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari district. Thiruvananthapuram became a prominent city in Kerala under Marthanda Varma . As
19372-410: The largest IT park in the geographical area, employing around 62,000 people in 450 companies. Thiruvananthapuram is built on seven hills by the seashore and is at 8°30′N 76°54′E / 8.5°N 76.9°E / 8.5; 76.9 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 to its west and
19539-624: 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 city has a climate that lies on the border between a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen Aw ) and a tropical monsoon climate ( Am ). As a result, its only distinct seasons relate to rainfall rather than temperature. The mean maximum temperature
19706-482: The last day, hundred thousand oil lamps are lit in and around the temple premises. Temples where 'Swamiyar Pushpanjali' is conducted are claimants to extra sanctity. Sannyasins from Naduvil Madhom and Munchira Madhom do Pushpanjali (flower worship) daily to Padmanabha, Narasimha Moorthi and Krishna Swami. Tharananallur Nambuthiripads of Iranjalakkuda are the Tantris of the Temple. The Nambies, altogether four in number, are
19873-402: The length of his staff. Immediately the deity shrank to the form of the idol that is seen at present in the Temple. But even then many iluppa trees obstructed a complete vision of the deity. The sage saw the deity in three parts – thirumukham, thiruvudal and thrippadam. The swami prayed to Padmanabha to be forgiven. He offered rice kanji and uppumanga (salted mango pieces) in a coconut shell to
20040-486: The lotus spring). The temple has a corridor with 365 and one-quarter sculptured granite-stone pillars with elaborate carvings which stands out to be an ultimate testimonial for the Vishvakarma sthapathis in sculpting this architectural masterpiece. This corridor extends from the eastern side into the sanctum sanctorum. An 80-foot (24 m) flagstaff stands in front of the main entry from the prakaram (closed precincts of
20207-666: The main protagonists that appear in the story of Mahabharata . The two-armed granite idol, with one hand holding the whip and the other resting on the left thigh holding the conch close to it, is in standing posture. On Ekadashi days, the deity is dressed and decorated as Mohini . The Vrishnies who came to Venad and settled there are known as Krishnan Vakakkar as they belong to the lineage of Krishna. There are also shrines for Rama accompanied by his consort Sita , brother Lakshmana and Hanuman , Vishvaksena (the Nirmalyadhari of Vishnu and Remover of Obstacles), Vyasa and Ashwatthama
20374-452: The major festivals of Onam , Vishu , Deepavali , and Navaratri , Christian and Islamic festivals like Christmas , Eid ul-Fitr , Bakrid and Milad-e-sheriff , the diverse ethnic populace of the city celebrates several local festivals like Attukal Pongala , Beemapally Uroos , Vettukaad Church Festival , Padmanabhaswamy Temple Aaraattu and Lakshadeepam festival. During the Onam festival,
20541-461: The members of the Sabha. The Pushpanjali Swamiyar presides over the meetings of the Sabha. Sreekaryathu Potti is the Sabhanjithan of the Sabha. Any decision taken by the Sabha can be implemented only if the Maharaja of Travancore approves of it. It is believed that eight members of Ettara Yogam (seven Potties and the Maharaja of Travancore) received their rights from Parashurama Himself. In the past, only
20708-436: The mercenaries did not proceed with the misadventure. A pertinent event in the long history of the temple was the construction of a "granta-pura" (record-room) within the temple compound itself around 1425 A.D. by the then Venad King Veera Iravi Iravi Varma, to store the "Mathilakam" (within-the-walls) records, as the then existing temple records were known. A major portion of those records (over 3000 'Cadjan' leaf-records) from
20875-415: The most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. 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 Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal . This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834),
21042-594: The most significant and leading centre of ISRO , and several space-related, state-owned ISRO centres such as Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station , Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre , and ISRO Inertial Systems Unit are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The 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 , MILMA , English Indian Clays , Keltron , Trivandrum Rubber Works and HLL Lifecare Limited . Thiruvananthapuram
21209-434: The much smaller cellars that have been opened, date back to long before the institution of the so-called Travancore Kingdom, e.g. the 800 kg (1,800 lb) hoard of gold coins from 200 B.C that was mentioned by Vinod Rai. Noted archaeologist and historian R. Nagaswamy has also stated that several records exist in Kerala, of offerings made to the deity, from several parts of Kerala. Lastly, it has to be remembered that in
21376-522: The oldest existing estimates with respect to only Vault B, as per the Temple priests, was by the Travancore Royal Family themselves in the 1880s (when an older existing inventory and estimate were last updated). Then, the Gold in Vault B which is by far the largest and the only vault (of the reported six) that is unopened so far since the 1880s, was worth INR 12,000 Crores in the then (1880s') terms. The price of gold in
21543-536: The orders of Marthanda Varma (1706–58), the Ottakkal-mandapam was cut out of a rock at Thirumala, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of the temple. It measured 20 square feet (1.9 m ; 190 dm ; 19,000 cm ) in area by 2.5 feet (30 in; 7.6 dm; 76 cm) thick and was placed in front of the deity in the month of Edavom 906 M.E. (1731 CE). At the same time, Marthanda Varma also brought 12,000 shaligrams, aniconic representations of Vishnu , from
21710-491: The organized extraction by persons belonging to the highest echelons. There appears to be resistance on the part of the entire State apparatus in effectively addressing the said issues. The lack of adequate investigation by the police is a telling sign that although Thiruvananthapuram is a city in the State of Kerala, parallelism based on monarchic rule appears to predominate the social psyche." The Supreme court bench comprising justice R. M. Lodha and justice A. K. Patnaik ordered
21877-675: The original spiritual seat of the deity ("Mulasthanam"), architecturally to some extent, the temple is a replica of the Adikesava Perumal Temple in Thiruvattar in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu . It is widely considered the world's richest temple. The principal deity is Padmanabhaswamy ( Sanskrit : पद्मनाभस्वामि, IAST : Padmanābhasvāmi ), a form of Vishnu enshrined in the "Anantashayana" posture, engaged in eternal yogic sleep on his serpent mount named Shesha . Padmanabhaswamy
22044-484: The outer door (antechamber) to Kallara B has been opened a number of times in recent decades - twice in 1991 and five times in 2002. Once Vinod Rai's report was out, Princess Aswathi Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bayi clarified that Mr Rai was referring to the antechamber to Kallara B, and that that antechamber was opened even in 2011 by the Supreme Court-appointed observers. The Kerala High Court ruled in 2011 that
22211-400: The past ten years. He alleged that Vault B was opened despite a previous ruling of the Supreme court prohibiting the same. The report states – "The large amount of gold and silver, the discovery of which was a shock to the Amicus Curiae, is a singular instance of mismanagement. The presence of a gold plating machine is also yet another unexplained circumstance. This discovery raises a doubt of
22378-558: The people is Keralite cuisine , which is generally characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices . Other South Indian cuisines, as well as Chinese and North Indian cuisines, are popular. Thiruvananthapuram has many restaurants offering Arabic , Italian , Thai and Mexican cuisines. 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
22545-478: The population; 0.85% did not state a belief in the census. Malayalam , the official state language, is the dominant language in Thiruvananthapuram City: English is also used, mainly by the white-collar workforce. Tamil has the most speakers after Malayalam . The city also has a few Tulu , Kannada, Konkani , Dhivehi , Telugu and Hindi speakers. As per the 2001 census, the population below
22712-604: The power of chastity of Anasuya ) and Kumara Swami ( Murugan ) are brought from the Padmanabhapuram Palace , Suchindram , and Kumarakovil respectively to the Kuthira malika palace in front of Padmanabhaswamy temple as a procession. This festival lasts for 9 days. The famous Swathi Sangeethotsavam music festival is held every year during this festival in the Navratri mandapam and in some other surrounding temples. The festival
22879-512: The recent past, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma gave Pushpanjali rights to the Swamiyars of Thrikkaikattu Madhom and Thekke Madhom as well. Though the Maharaja is the appointing authority of the Pushpanjali Swamiyar, the former must do a Vechu Namaskaram when he sees the Swamiyar. With the passing away of Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma in December 2013, his nephew Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma became
23046-472: The rule). The last major renovation of the Padmanabhaswamy temple commenced immediately after Anizham Thirunal's accession to the throne and the idol was reconsecrated in 906 ME (1731 CE). On 17 January 1750, Anizham Thirunal surrendered the Kingdom of Travancore to Padmanabhaswamy, the main deity at the temple, and pledged that he and his descendants would be vassals or agents of the deity who would serve
23213-550: The south to Mangalore in the north. Also, at times like the invasion by Mysore in the late 1700s, the other related royal families (of the Travancore Royal Family) in Kerala and the far south, like the Kolathiris, took refuge in Thiruvananthapuram and stored their temple-wealth for safekeeping in the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Also, much of the treasures housed in the much larger and as-yet-unopened vaults, as well as in
23380-464: The state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour, the Kochi . The king of Travancore , Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma , became the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1 July 1949 until 31 October 1956. When the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became its capital. With the establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) in 1962, Thiruvananthapuram became
23547-408: The state government conducts several cultural events for a week in the city. The 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. The general cuisine of
23714-420: The state government should take over the control of the temple and its assets, but the Travancore royal family appealed to the Supreme Court. An independent report was commissioned, and was completed in November 2012, finding no evidence that the royal family were expropriating the treasures. As of April 2016, vaults B, G, and H along with their several ante-chambers were yet to be opened; while inventorying of
23881-431: The temple and the city as having walls of pure gold. Both the temple and the entire city are often eulogised as being made of gold and the temple as heaven. The temple is one of the 108 principal Divya Desams ("Holy Abodes") in Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and eighth centuries C.E and is glorified in the Divya Prabandha . The Divya Prabandha glorifies this shrine as being among
24048-495: The temple assets, consisting of gold, jewels, and other valuables is yet to be made. While vault B (as also presumably Vault G and Vault H) remains unopened (since the 1880s), vaults A, C, D, E and F were opened along with some of their antechambers. Among the reported findings, are a 1.1 metres (3.5 ft) tall solid pure golden idol of Mahavishnu , studded with hundreds of diamonds and rubies and other precious stones. Also found were an 5.5-metre (18 ft)-long pure gold chain,
24215-407: The temple over several thousand years, having been donated to the deity (and subsequently stored there), by various dynasties like the Cheras , the Pandyas , the Travancore Royal Family , the Kolathiris , the Pallavas , the Cholas and many other kings in the recorded history of both South India and beyond, and from the rulers and traders of Mesopotamia , Jerusalem , Greece , Rome , and later,
24382-548: The temple. In the first half of the 18th century, in line with matrilineal customs , Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma , succeeded his uncle Rama Varma as king at the age of 23. He successfully suppressed the 700-year-old stranglehold of the Ettuveetil Pillamar ("Lords of the Eight Houses") and his cousins following the discovery of conspiracies which the lords were involved in against the royal house of Travancore (There are various legends and disputes about these mostly apocryphal stories, but overall, he took control and centralised
24549-504: The titular Maharaja of Travancore in January 2014. Like his predecessors, Moolam Thirunal also got concurrence from the Ettara Yogam before assuming the title 'Maharaja'. In the presence of the Maharaja designate, the Yogathil Pottimar and the Tantri, the Pushpanjali Swamiyar Maravanchery Thekkedathu Neelakanta Bharatikal signed on the Neettu (Order) of the Ettara Yogam accepting Moolam Thirunal as Chirava Mootha Thiruvadi (Maharaja of Travancore) and Thrippappoor Mootha Thiruvadi (Protector of
24716-421: The various colonial powers from Europe , and other countries as well. Some people have suggested that a part of the stored riches reached the Travancore kings in the later years in the form of tax as well as conquered wealth of other South Indian kingdoms. Most scholars however believe that this was accumulated over thousands of years, given the mention of the deity and the Temple in several extant Hindu Texts,
24883-577: The way the world looked at the Temple. In June 2011, the Supreme Court of India directed the authorities from the archaeology department and the fire services to open the secret chambers of the temple for inspection of the items kept inside. The temple has six hitherto known vaults (nilavaras), labelled as A to F, for bookkeeping purpose by the Court. (Since, however, an Amicus Curie Report by Gopal Subramanium , in April 2014, reportedly found two more further subterranean vaults that have been named G and H.) While vault B has been unopened over centuries, A
25050-431: The west of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple. A Krishna temple was built over the samadhi. This temple, known as Vilvamangalam Sri Krishna Swami Temple, belongs to Thrissur Naduvil Madhom . Mukilan , a Muslim marauder, invaded vast chunks of Venad in 1680 AD. He destroyed Budhapuram Bhaktadasa Perumal Temple owned by Neythasseri Potti. Mukilan had plans to plunder the vaults of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and destroy it. But he
25217-418: The world which fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030. Thiruvananthapuram is served by National Highway 66 of India's National Highways system . The city is connected to the North-South Corridor of the National Highway system at Aralvaimozhi , which is 80 km south of the city. The State Highway 1 , which commonly known as the Main Central Road is an arterial highway in
25384-554: Was a larger chest fixed to the ground with six sections in it. They were full of gold jewelry encrusted with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Besides these, there were four more chests of old coins (not of gold), and they were carried back to the Palace and state treasuries for counting. The Vault B, its original name being "Mahabharata Kallara", is by far the largest cellar. The Bhagavata Purana says that Balarama visited Phalgunam (more commonly known as Thiruvananthapuram), took bath in Panchapsaras (Padmateertham) and made
25551-541: Was a pure golden throne, studded with hundreds of diamonds and other precious stones, meant for the 5.5-metre (18 ft)-long deity. As per one of the men, who was among those that went inside this Vault A, several of the largest diamonds were as large as a full-grown man's thumb. According to varying reports, at least three, if not more, of solid gold crowns have been found, studded with diamonds and other precious stones. Some other media reports also mention hundreds of pure gold chairs, thousands of gold pots and jars, among
25718-428: Was an act that underlined social emancipation. This era also saw the establishment of the University of Travancore in 1937, which later became Kerala University . 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 ,
25885-530: Was directed by Parasurama to do 'Paripalanam' (Protection) of the Temple. Parasurama gave the Tantram of the Temple to Tharananallur Namboothiripad. This legend is narrated in detail in the Kerala Mahathmyam which forms part of the Brahmanda Puranam. Another version regarding the consecration of the principal idol of the Temple relates to the legendary sage Vilvamangalathu Swamiyar. Swamiyar, who resided near Ananthapuram Temple in Kasaragod District, prayed to Vishnu for his darshan or "auspicious sight". The deity
26052-527: Was dissuaded from doing so by local Muslims loyal to the royals of Venad. Padmanabhan Thampi, arch rival of Anizhom Thirunal Marthanda Varma, marched to Thiruvananthapuram with his forces and tried to loot the vaults of the Temple. Thampi stayed at Sri Varaham and sent his mercenaries to Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. It is said that divine serpents materialised in hundreds and scared away Thampi's men. Emboldened by this heavenly intervention, Pallichal Pillai and local people opposed Padmanabhan Thampi and ensured that
26219-425: Was eventually expanded as the powerful kingdom of Travancore in 18th century CE. The Tamil -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 Kerala . The official language of Kerala , based at Kollam , was also identified as Tamil , by the natives of Kerala in those times. and
26386-414: Was held here in 1938. The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality came into existence in 1920 as the first municipality in the Travancore 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 " (1936)
26553-406: Was his morning ritual of [shutting] his mind and seeking guidance, which resulted in discoveries in this direction." The Amicus Curiae has also been accused of conducting poojas in the Temple in violation of its customs. He performed poojas at the Thevarappura in the Temple and in front of the Vedavyasa Shrine. Despite opposition from the Royal Family and the Tantries of the Temple, he pulled out
26720-419: Was named in honour of the Maharajah of Travancore, Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma and is organized by his descendant in the Royal Family, Prince Rama Varma . The biggest festival in this temple is laksha deepam which means hundred thousand (or one lakh ) lamps. This festival commences once in 6 years. Prior to this festival, chanting of prayers and recitation of three vedas is done for 56 days (Murajapam). On
26887-418: Was necessitated due to the severe economic depression that India was going through. The Palace and State Treasuries had run almost dry. The small group of people, including the king and the priests, found a granary-sized structure almost full with mostly gold and some silver coins and jewels. Surmounted on top of it were hundreds of pure gold pots. There were four coffers filled with gold coins as well. Also found
27054-445: 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. Thiruvananthapuram is a relatively modern region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE. It is believed that the ships of King Solomon landed in a port called Ophir (now Poovar ) in Thiruvananthapuram in 1036 BCE. The city
27221-412: Was possibly opened in the 1930s, and vaults C to F have been opened from time to time over recent years. The two priests of the temple, the 'Periya Nambi' and the 'Thekkedathu Nambi', are the custodians of the four vaults, C to F, which are opened periodically. The Supreme Court had directed that "the existing practices, procedures, and rituals" of the temple be followed while opening vaults C to F and using
27388-449: Was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between c. first and the fourth centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the Palakkad Gap , the principal trade route between the Malabar Coast and Tamil Nadu . However the southern region of present-day Kerala state (The coastal belt between Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha ) was under Ay dynasty , who was more related to the Pandya dynasty of Madurai . The early rulers of
27555-424: 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,
27722-412: Was the trading post of spices , sandalwood and ivory . However, the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. The Chera dynasty governed the area of Malabar Coast between Alappuzha in the south to Kasaragod in the north. This included Palakkad Gap , Coimbatore , Salem , and Kolli Hills . The region around Coimbatore
27889-416: Was to record the proceedings and transactions of the Ettarayogam, a council of temple administrators, that included the then king. The other was to write and preserve the records of the day-to-day functioning of the temple, maintain correct accounts of the temple-treasury, and of temple-revenue-collections and temple-expenditure and as well as to note down all the other records, connected with the functioning of
#374625