Kerala’s capital city Thiruvananthapuram may be a mouthful for visitors, but fortunately it usually goes by its Anglicised name, Trivandrum. There is a wide selection of cultural attractions in the city with two main tourist centres that punctuate the ends of Trivandrum’s main thoroughfare, Mahatma Ghandi street (MG street).

At one end lies the Museum Complex, a cluster of cultural highlights surrounding a large and pleasant public park. The very impressive Napier Museum is the venue not to miss here, but the Sri Chitra Art Gallery is also worth a visit. At the other end of MG street, an interesting 45-minute walk full of local life, is the historic Fort district where you won’t want to miss exploring the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Puthin Malika Palace Museum. Between these two hubs, there are a handful of other interesting sites around Trivandrum; however, many visitors will find the surrounding countryside much more rewarding.

Trivandrum is truly an ancient city, with trading roots stretching back as far as 1036 BC, when King Solomon supposedly sailed into the nearby port of Poovar to trade for local spices, sandalwood and ivory. The Trivandrum district of South Kerala also has a long tradition of folklore, literature and politics, a legacy which is reflected in the modern city’s blend of religions and cultures.

The early centuries in Thiruvananthapuram were ruled first by the Ays until the 10th century, and then by the Venad up to the arrival of the first Europeans. The Portuguese, and later the Dutch, both tried and failed to establish themselves in the area. It was the English in 1684 and their domineering East India Company who finally got a foothold in Trivandrum that lasted.

Trivandrum’s political progression continued unabated up through the end of English colonial rule in 1947. The state of Kerala was formed in 1956 and Trivandrum was made its capital. In the 1960s the city became the centre of India’s burgeoning rocket and space exploration industry. India’s first IT park was also established here in 1995, adding another pioneering accolade to Trivandrum’s list of achievements. Today, the vibrant capital of Kerala continues to lead the pack in India’s emerging economy and serves as a tourism hub for the surrounding attractions.