147-590: Karamana is a river flowing through the city of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala , India . The river starts near the southern tip of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri Mountains) at Agastyar Koodam . The river flows 66 km westward and merges with the Arabian Sea at Panathura near Kovalam . The river gets its name from Karamana , a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram city, through which it flows. The catchment area
294-590: A Subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1795. The Prime Ministers ( Dalawas or Dewans ) started to take control of the kingdom beginning with Velu Thampi Dalawa (Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi) (1799–1809) who was appointed as the divan following the dismissal of Jayanthan Sankaran Nampoothiri (1798–1799). Initially, Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi and the English East India Company got along very well. When
441-610: 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
588-546: 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 the kingdoms of Attingal, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Poonjar and Ambalapuzha. In 1729, Marthanda Varma founded
735-430: 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 the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. The city developed into
882-544: A meeting of his supporters at Allan Memorial Hall, Nagercoil on 8 September 1947. In that meeting it was declared that they must achieve their objective through their political organisation, the T.T.N.C. And T.T.N.C started gaining strength and momentum in Kalkulam – Vilavancode Taluks. T.T.N.C won in 14 constituencies in the election to the State Legislative Assembly. Mr. A. Nesamony was elected as
1029-598: A minimum of 1 kazhanch (78.65 gm) of gold. In 1848 the Marquess of Dalhousie , then Governor-General of India , was apprised that the depressed condition of the finances in Travancore was due to the mahādanams by the rulers. Lord Dalhousie instructed Lord Harris , Governor of the Madras Presidency , to warn the then King of Travancore, Martanda Varma (Uttram Tirunal 1847–60) , that if he did not put
1176-506: 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 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
1323-516: A number of Rayasoms or clerks along with Kanakku Pillamars (accountants). Individual districts were run by Sarvadhikaris under the supervision of Diwan, while dealings with the neighbouring states and Europeans was under the purview of the Valia Sarvahi , who signed treaties and agreements. His heir is Revathi Thirunal Balagopal Varma – the titular Elayaraja ( Crown Prince ) (born 1953). (Monarch) Body (1948–49) In 1856,
1470-624: A railway terminal at Nemom railway station to reduce congestion at Thiruvananthapuram Central. Travancore The Kingdom of Travancore ( / ˈ t r æ v ə ŋ k ɔːr / ), also known as the Kingdom of Thiruvithamkoor ( Malayalam: [t̪iɾuʋid̪aːŋɡuːr] ) or later as Travancore State , was a kingdom that lasted from c. 1729 until 1949. It was ruled by the Travancore Royal Family from Padmanabhapuram , and later Thiruvananthapuram . At its zenith,
1617-626: A range of plants that are typical of the tropics. These include the wild cane , bamboo , mangroves , water lilies and coconut trees. The screw pine or pandanus is another common species along the river's banks. The Cerbera odollam , called Othalam in Malayalam, is found along the lower reaches of the river. Fish species found in the Karamana include Karimeen , Chekkaali , Kariyida , Paruminali , Cherumeen , Vaala , Nedumeen , Aaral , Maalavu and Paaval . The Karamana has been facing
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#17327724361121764-617: A section of the Travancore army mutinied in 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa , he sought refuge with the British Resident Colonel (later General) Colin Macaulay and later used English East India Company troops to crush the mutiny. Velu Thampi also played a key role in negotiating a new treaty between Travancore and the English East India Company. However, the demands of the East India Company for
1911-721: 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), the Observatory (1837), the General Hospital (1839), the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and the University College (1873). The first mental hospital in
2058-764: A south - southwest direction before flowing into the Arabian Sea. The largest tributary of the Karamana is the Killiyar, which flows for a distance of 24 kilometres. It has five anicuts on it which regulates the flow of water. Part of the water was diverted into the Kochar channel which in turn fed the Pathrakulam pond (no longer exists) adjacent to current Padmatheerthakulam outside the Padmanabhaswamy Temple . There are several temples located along
2205-535: A stamp on 6 Nov 1991, commemorating the reforms that marked his reign in Travancore. The State of Kerala came into existence on 1 November 1956, with a governor appointed by the president of India as the head of state instead of a king. The king was stripped of all political powers and of the right to receive privy purses , according to the twenty-sixth amendment of the Indian constitution act of 31 July 1971. He died on 20 July 1991. Tamils lived in large numbers in
2352-560: A stop to this practice, the Madras Presidency would take over his state's administration. This led to the cessation of the practice of mahādanams. All Travancorean Kings including Sree Moolam Thirunal conducted the Hiranyagarbham and Tulapurushadaanam ceremonies. Maharaja Chithira Thirunal was the only King of Travancore not to have conducted these rituals as he considered them extremely costly. In Travancore,
2499-490: A union of feudal lords and establishing internal peace, he expanded the kingdom of Venad through a series of military campaigns from Kanyakumari in the south to the borders of Kochi in the north during his 29-year rule. This rule also included Travancore-Dutch War (1739–1753) between Travancore and the Dutch East India Company, which had been allied to some of these kingdoms. In 1741, Travancore won
2646-553: A whole." He made the famous Temple Entry Proclamation on 12 November 1936, which opened all the Kshetrams (Hindu temples in Kerala) in Travancore to backward communities. This act won him praise from across India, most notably from Mahatma Gandhi . The first public transport system (Thiruvananthapuram–Mavelikkara) and telecommunication system (Thiruvananthapuram Palace–Mavelikkara Palace) were launched during his reign. He also started
2793-438: 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
2940-666: 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 is a major tourist centre, known for the Padmanabhaswamy Temple , the beaches of Kovalam and Varkala ,
3087-507: 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
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#17327724361123234-416: 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
3381-487: 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
3528-428: 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
3675-454: 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
3822-546: 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 the Chola dynasty , The place names, the dialects of Malayalam spoken, and the customs that exist in Kerala today still reveal
3969-525: 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
4116-761: 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
4263-487: Is at Karamana itself, where the NH-66 crosses it. This was built by Lt Col. Horsley, the author of the earliest English treatise on history of Travancore , and inaugurated in 1853. Other important bridges are at Thrikkunnapuram, Mangattu Kadavu, Kundamon Kadavu - Peyad, Vellaikadavu - Puliyarakonam, Kulashekaram-Peyad, Jagathi bridge, Aryanad bridge, Aruvikkara (on the dam), Maruthoor kadavu. The Karamana river basin supports
4410-402: Is built across the Karamana river at Aruvikkara. Downstream the river enters the Travancore plains and passes towns like Irumpa, Nettayamam, Peyad , Karimankulam, Perukavu, Vilavoorkkal , Choozhattukotta , Pappanamcode , Nemom and Thiruvallam . At Thiruvallam, the Karamana river divides into two distributaries . The northern distributary empties into the Arabian Sea near Poonthura and
4557-536: 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 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
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4704-631: 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
4851-589: 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
4998-663: 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
5145-648: 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
5292-607: 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
5439-823: Is mostly forested, command area is under mixed dry land crops such as coconut, tapioca, pepper, plantain, rice, etc. The Karamana River originates from the Agasthya Mala in the Western Ghats part of the Thiruvananthapuram district . Karanamana initially flows through the Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary and into the Peppara reservoir . It then flows through several hilly eastern towns of Thiruvananthapuram district namely, Meenankal , Cherappally, Utharamcode, Aryanad , Uzhamalackal , Mundela, Perumkulam and Aruvikkara . The Aruvikkara dam
5586-560: 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, the glory of the Ays departed and almost all their territories became part of
5733-551: 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
5880-545: Is the capital city of 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,
6027-418: 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 ,
Karamana River - Misplaced Pages Continue
6174-478: 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
6321-493: Is under way to augment the water distribution network in the city. The Peppara Dam regulates the flow of water into the Aruvikkara Dam by unifying all the upper tributaries of the Karamana river. The Peppara Dam has played a crucial role in eliminating the floods that once used to characterized the Karamana. There is also a 3 MW hydel power station at Peppara. The Karamana river has several bridges across it. The largest
6468-527: The Aruvikkara Dam , built in the 1930s and the Peppara Dam which lies further upstream and was built in 1983. The Aruvikkara Dam was completed with the aim of providing piped drinking water to the city. The Trivandrum Water Works, inaugurated by and named after Lord Willingdon in 1933, is in charge of receiving and distributing the Karamana's waters to the city even today. A JICA funded project
6615-470: 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 was eventually expanded as the powerful kingdom of Travancore in 18th century CE. The Tamil -Dravidian kind of architecture
6762-726: 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
6909-630: 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 the Kingdom of Venad in the 12th century. Present-day Thiruvananthapuram city, district, and Kanyakumari district , were parts of
7056-518: The English East India Company in military conflicts. During Dharma Raja 's reign, Tipu Sultan , the de facto ruler of Mysore and the son of Hyder Ali , attacked Travancore in 1789 as a part of the Mysore invasion of Kerala . Dharma Raja had earlier refused to hand over the Hindu political refugees from the Mysore occupation of Malabar who had been given asylum in Travancore. The Mysore army entered
7203-544: 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 the first film studios in Malayalam Cinema , and Kinfra Film and Video Park at Kazhakoottom, which
7350-607: 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
7497-642: 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
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#17327724361127644-692: The Malabar Coast between Alappuzha in the south and Kasaragod in the north. The region around Coimbatore was ruled by the Cheras during the Sangam period roughly between the first and the fourth centuries CE and 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 the present-day Kerala state
7791-547: 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 the cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from
7938-560: The Thovalai , Agastheeswaram , Sengottai , Eraniel , Vilavancode , Kalkulam , Devikulam , Neyyattinkara , Thiruvananthapuram South and Thiruvananthapuram North taluks of erstwhile Travancore State. In the Tamil regions, Malayalam was the official language and there were only a few Tamil schools. So the Tamils met many hardships. The Travancore state government continued rejecting
8085-473: 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 the largest IT park in the geographical area, employing around 62,000 people in 450 companies. Thiruvananthapuram
8232-402: The Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram , as well as 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
8379-424: 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
8526-423: The 12th century, two branches of the Ay dynasty, the Thrippappur and Chirava, merged in the Venad family, which set up the tradition of designating the ruler of Venad as Chirava Moopan and the heir-apparent as Thrippappur Moopan . While the Chrirava Moopan had his residence at Kollam, the Thrippappur Moopan resided at his palace in Thrippappur, nine miles north of Thiruvananthapuram, and was vested with authority over
8673-437: 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
8820-449: 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 the Malayalam word thiru-anantha-puram ( തിരുവനന്തപുരം [t̪iɾuʋɐnɐn̪d̪ɐpuɾɐm] ), meaning "The City of Lord Ananta", referring to
8967-471: The Battle of Colachel against the Dutch East India Company , resulting in the complete eclipse of Dutch power in the region. In this battle, the Dutch Captain, Eustachius De Lannoy , was captured. He later defected to Travancore. De Lannoy was appointed captain of His Highness' bodyguard and later Senior Admiral ("Valiya kappittan") and modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery. From 1741 to 1758, De Lannoy remained in command of
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#17327724361129114-402: The Chera king, Rama Varma Kulasekara, to shift his capital to Kollam. Thus, Rama Varma Kulasekara, the last emperor of the Chera dynasty, was probably the founder of the Venad royal house, and the title of the Chera kings, Kulasekara , was thenceforth kept by the rulers of Venad. Thus the end of the Second Chera dynasty in the 12th century marks the independence of Venad. In the second half of
9261-421: The Cochin kingdom from Coimbatore in November 1789 and reached Thrissur in December. On 28 December 1789 Tipu Sultan attacked the Nedunkotta (Northern Lines) from the north, causing the Battle of Nedumkotta (1789) , and the defeat of the Mysore army. On Dharma Raja 's death in 1798, Balarama Varma (1798–1810), the weakest ruler of the dynasty, took over at the age of sixteen. A treaty brought Travancore under
9408-425: The Congress government for not showing enough care the struggle of the Tamils, T.T.N.C had broken away from the coalition and the Congress government lost the majority. So fresh elections were announced. In 1954 elections, T.T.N.C gained victory in 12 constituencies. Pattom Thanu Pillai was the chief minister for Thiru – Kochi legislative assembly. He engaged hard measures against the agitations of Tamils. Especially
9555-477: The East India Company and was exiled to Madras and later to Benaras . The Company defeated forces under Velu Thampi Dalawa at battles near Nagercoil and Kollam, and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels, many of whom then deserted and went back home. The Maharajah of Travancore, who hitherto had not openly taken any part in the rebellion, now allied with the British and appointed one of Thampi's enemies as his prime minister. The allied East India Company army and
9702-404: The East India Company undertaking to serve the Rajah in cases of external and internal aggression. The Rajahs of Travancore had been conditionally promoted to Kshatriyahood with periodic performance of 16 mahādānams (great gifts in charity) such as Hiranya-garbhā , Hiranya-Kāmadhenu, and Hiranyāswaratā in each of which thousands of Brahmins had been given costly gifts apart from each getting
9849-431: The English to Travancore . In the course of time, the Ay clan , part of the Chera empire, which ruled the Thiruvazhumkode area, became an independent kingdom, and the land was called Aayi Desam or Aayi Rajyam , meaning 'Aayi territory'. The Aayis controlled the land from the present-day Kollam district in the north, through Thiruvananthapuram district to Kanyakumari district in the south. There were two capitals,
9996-466: The Indian Union; subsequently, an attempt was made on his life, following which he resigned and left for Madras, to be succeeded by Sri P.G.N. Unnithan . According to witnesses such as K. Aiyappan Pillai , constitutional adviser to the Maharaja and historians like A. Sreedhara Menon , the rioters and mob-attacks had no bearing on the decision of the Maharaja. After several rounds of discussion and negotiation between Sree Chithira Thirunal and V.P. Menon ,
10143-455: The Killiyar's banks, the most famous of which is the Attukal Temple. The Killiyar drains the Nedumangad forest and its basin is rich in avian fauna.Killiyar merges with Karamana river at Pallathukadavu near Thiruvallam.Karamana river merges with the Arabian Sea through the Pozhikkara estuary . In its final lap, the river runs parallel to the sea and the river here is known as the Edayar. The Karamana river has two important dams on it. These are
10290-400: The Singarathoppu jail, where the jailor Appaguru ended up as a disciple of Vaikundar. Vaikundar was later set at liberty by the King. After the death of Sree Moolam Thirunal in 1924, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi became regent (1924–1931), as the heir apparent, Sree Chithira Thirunal was then a minor, 12 years old. In 1935, Travancore joined the Indian State Forces Scheme and a Travancore unit
10437-400: 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
10584-570: The Tamils at Devikulam – Peermedu regions went through the atrocities of Travancore Police force. Condemning the attitude of the police, T.T.N.C leaders from Nagercoil went to Munnar and participated in agitations against the prohibitive orders. The leaders were arrested and an uncalm atmosphere prevailed in South Travancore. On 11 August, Liberation Day celebrations were held at many places in South Travancore. Public meetings and processions were organised. Communists also collaborated with
10731-517: The Travancore forces and was involved in annexation of small principalities. Travancore became the most dominant state in the Kerala region by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in the battle of Purakkad in 1755. Ramayyan Dalawa , the prime minister (1737–1756) of Marthanda Varma, also played an important role in this consolidation and expansion. On 3 January 1750, (5 Makaram , 925 Kollavarsham ), Marthanda Varma virtually "dedicated" Travancore to his tutelary deity Padmanabha , one of
10878-561: The Travancore soldiers camped in Pappanamcode, just outside Thiruvananthapuram . Velu Thampi Dalawa now organised a guerrilla struggle against the company, but committed suicide to avoid capture by the Travancore army. After the mutiny of 1805 against Velu Thampi Dalawa, most of the Nair army battalions of Travancore were disbanded, and after Velu Thampi Dalawa's uprising, almost all of the remaining Travancore forces were also disbanded, with
11025-475: The agitation programmes. Police opened fire at the processions in Thoduvetty (Martandam) and Puthukadai. Nine Tamil volunteers were killed and thousands of T.T.N.C and communist sympathizers were arrested in various parts of Tamil main land. At the end, Pattom Thanu Pillai's ministry was toppled and normalcy returned to the Tamil regions. The central government had appointed Fazal Ali Commission (1953 dec) for
11172-495: 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
11319-411: 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 was ruled by the Cheras during Sangam period between c. first and
11466-443: 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 was the trading post of spices , sandalwood and ivory . However,
11613-650: The aspects of the Hindu God Vishnu with a lotus issuing from his navel on which Brahma sits. From then on the rulers of Travancore ruled as the "servants of Padmanabha" (the Padmnabha-dasar). At the Battle of Ambalapuzha, Marthanda Varma defeated the union of the kings who had been deposed and the king of the Cochin kingdom . Marthanda Varma's successor Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (1758–1798), who
11760-519: 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 a survey conducted by India Today . Thiruvananthapuram was ranked the best Indian city for two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, according to
11907-408: The capital had been moved in 1601 to Padmanabhapuram , near Kalkulam. The Chera empire had dissolved by around 1100 and thereafter the territory comprised numerous small kingdoms until the time of Marthanda Varma who, as king of Venad from 1729, employed brutal methods to unify them. During his reign, Thiruvithamkoor (Anglicized as Travancore) became the official name. The Kingdom of Travancore
12054-474: The caste system was more rigorously enforced than in many other parts of India up to the mid-1800s. The hierarchical caste order was deeply entrenched in the social system and was supported by the government, which transformed this caste-based social system into a religious institution. In such a context, the belief in Ayyavazhi , apart from being a religious system, served also as a reform movement in uplifting
12201-451: 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
12348-545: 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
12495-429: 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 the largest city in India's southern tip region, it
12642-495: 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
12789-826: 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
12936-611: 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
13083-618: The colonisation project. As a victory of the Colonisation project done by post-independence Travancore, these two Taluks and a larger portion of Cardamom Hills retained in the state of Kerala , after States Reorganisation Act, 1956 . Under the direct control of the King, Travancore's administration was headed by a Dewan assisted by the Neetezhutthu Pillay or secretary, Rayasom Pillay (assistant or under-secretary) and
13230-631: 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
13377-594: 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 was officially referred to as Trivandrum until 1991 (Trivandrum being
13524-751: The development of music in Kerala. Some of the singers, instrumentalists and composers who are associated with the river include Irayimman Thampi , Vadivelu , Neelakanta Sivan and K S Chitra . Besides, the composer-king Swathi Thirunal was also influenced by the river's scenic beauty. Over a dozen of his court musicians hailed from the Karamana village on the banks of the river. 8°25′29″N 76°57′26″E / 8.42472°N 76.95722°E / 8.42472; 76.95722 Thiruvananthapuram 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 ,
13671-628: 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 was held here in 1938. The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality came into existence in 1920 as the first municipality in the Travancore region. The municipality
13818-506: The downtrodden of society, both socially and religiously. The rituals of Ayyavazhi constituted a social discourse. Its beliefs, mode of worship, and religious organisation seem to have enabled the Ayyavazhi group to negotiate, cope with, and resist the imposition of authority. The hard tone of Vaikundar towards this was perceived as a revolution against the government. So King Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma initially imprisoned Vaikundar in
13965-465: The end of British rule in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. The first popularly elected ministry, headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai , was installed in office on 24 March 1948. In 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi , the state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour, the Kochi . The king of Travancore , Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma , became
14112-596: 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
14259-558: 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
14406-676: The first time, an Art Advisor to the Government, Dr. G. H. Cousins. He also established a new form of University Training Corps, viz. Labour Corps , preceding the N.C.C, in the educational institutions. The expenses of the university were to be met fully by the government. Sree Chithira Thirunal also built a beautiful palace named Kowdiar Palace , finished in 1934, which was previously an old Naluektu , given by Sree Moolam Thirunal to his mother Sethu Parvathi Bayi in 1915. A famine in 1943 claimed approximately 90,000 lives in Travancore. However, his prime minister, Sir C. P. Ramaswami Iyer ,
14553-585: 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 the city were the Ays . Vizhinjam , which
14700-634: 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
14847-504: The industrialisation of the state, enhancing the role of the public sector. He introduced heavy industry in the state and established giant public sector undertakings. As many as twenty industries were established, mostly for utilizing the local raw materials such as rubber, ceramics, and minerals. A majority of the premier industries in Kerala even today, were established by Sree Chithira Thirunal. He patronized musicians, artists, dancers, and Vedic scholars. Sree Chithira Thirunal appointed, for
14994-409: 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 the capital of Travancore–Cochin state and remained so until
15141-468: The king agreed that the Kingdom should accede to the Indian Union on 12 August 1947. On 1 July 1949 the Kingdom of Travancore was merged with the Kingdom of Cochin and the short-lived state of Travancore-Kochi was formed. On 11 July 1991, Maharaja Sree Chithira Thirunal suffered a stroke and was admitted to a hospital, where he died on 20 July. He had ruled Travancore for 67 years and at his death
15288-512: The kingdom covered most of the south of modern-day Kerala ( Idukki , Kottayam , Alappuzha , Pathanamthitta , Kollam , and Thiruvananthapuram districts, major portions of Ernakulam district , Puthenchira village of Thrissur district ) and the southernmost part of modern-day Tamil Nadu ( Kanyakumari district and some parts of Tenkasi district ) with the Thachudaya Kaimal 's enclave of Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in
15435-518: The land of proper Malayalis . The former state of Venad at the tip of the Indian subcontinent, traditionally ruled by rajas known as the Venattadis. Until the end of the 11th century AD, it was a small principality in the Ay Kingdom. The Ays were the earliest ruling dynasty in southern Kerala, who, at their zenith, ruled over a region from Nagercoil in the south to Thiruvananthapuram in
15582-419: The legislative leader of the party. Then under his leadership, the awakened Tamil population was prepared to undergo any sacrifice to achieve their goal. In 1950, a meeting was held at Palayamkottai to make compromises between state congress and T.T.N.C. The meeting met with failure and Mr. Sam Nathaniel resigned from the post of president of T.T.N.C Mr. P. Ramasamy Pillai, a strong follower of Mr. A. Nesamony
15729-456: 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,
15876-543: The major one at Kollam ( Venad Swaroopam or Desinganadu ) and a subsidiary one at Thrippapur ( Thrippapur Swaroopam or Nanjinad ). The kingdom was thus also called Venad . Kings of Venad had, built residential palaces in Thiruvithamcode and Kalkulam . Thiruvithamcode became the capital of the Thrippapur Swaroopam, and the country was referred to as Thiruvithamcode by Europeans even after
16023-547: The merger of Tamil regions in Travancore with Tamil Nadu. During the election campaign, clashes occurred between the Tamil Nadar community and the Malayali Nair community in Kalkulam – Vilavancode taluks. The police force suppressed the agitating Nadars. In February 1948 police opened fire and two Tamil-speaking Nadars were killed. In the working committee meeting of Tamilian congress at Eraviputhur on 30 June 1946,
16170-594: 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
16317-460: 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 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
16464-551: The name of the political party was changed to Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress (T.T.N.C). T.T.N.C was popular among the Tamils living in Thovalai and Agateeswaram taluks. Ma. Po. Sivagnanam ( Ma.Po.Si ) was the only leader from Tamil Nadu who acted in favour of T.T.N.C. After the independence of India, State Assembly elections were announced in Travancore. As a consequence, T.T.N.C improved its popularity among Tamils. A popular and leading advocate from Vilavancode, A. Nesamony organised
16611-471: The neighbouring Kingdom of Cochin . However Tangasseri area of Kollam city and Anchuthengu near Attingal in Thiruvananthapuram were parts of British India . Malabar District of Madras Presidency to the north, Madurai and Tirunelveli districts of Pandya Nadu region in Madras Presidency to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south, and the Arabian Sea to the west. Travancore
16758-632: 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 the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology , Indian Space Research Organisation 's Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ,
16905-456: The north. Their capital during the first Sangam age was in Aykudi and later, towards the end of the eighth century AD, at Quilon (Kollam) . Though a series of attacks by the resurgent Pandyas between the seventh and eighth centuries caused the decline of the Ays, the dynasty was powerful until the beginning of the tenth century. Sulaiman al-Tajir , a Persian merchant who visited Kerala during
17052-474: The oldest available inscription written in Old Malayalam. Later, the northern regions of Thiruvananthapuram , Kollam , Alapuzha , and Pathanamthitta districts became proper Malayalam-speaking populations in Kerala , while the other districts showed influences from Arabic , Tamil and Kannada languages. During the period of Pattom Thanu Pillai , Travancore was referred to as Malayalam state or
17199-670: The payment of compensation for their involvement in the Travancore-Mysore War (1791) on behalf of Travancore, led to tension between the Diwan and Colonel Macaulay. Velu Thampi and the diwan of Cochin kingdom, Paliath Achan Govindan Menon, who was unhappy with Macaulay for granting asylum to his enemy Kunhi Krishna Menon, declared "war" on the East India Company. The East India Company army defeated Paliath Achan's army in Cochin on 27 February 1809. Paliath Achan surrendered to
17346-558: 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
17493-491: 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
17640-540: The presence of the Western Ghats mountain ranges lying parallel to the coast, the population and language spoken in Kerala differed from those in neighboring states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka . According to the religious text " Keralolpathi " by the Nambudhiri Brahmins , the region from Gokharna to Kanyakumari district was created when Parashurama threw his axe and claimed this land, known as Parashuramakshetra. The Chera dynasty governed
17787-473: The present-day Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu . The region had many small independent kingdoms. Later, at the peak of the Chera - Chola - Pandya , this region became part of the Chera Kingdom (except for the Ay kingdom, which always remained independent). When the region was part of the Chera empire , it was still known as Thiruvazhumkode . It was contracted to Thiruvankode , and anglicised by
17934-458: 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 a result of the annexation of neighbouring chiefdoms, the artists and scholars from these places migrated to Thiruvananthapuram, turning it into
18081-415: The problems of pollution, acidification and fish kill in recent years. The causes for the deterioration in the river's water quality include the discharge of untreated sewage and domestic and industrial effluents into the river and the unregulated development of tourism in the river basin area. This has resulted in the lowering of dissolved oxygen levels in the river's water and caused fish kill downstream of
18228-564: The reign of Sthanu Ravi Varma (9th century CE), records that there was extensive trade between Kerala and China at that time, based at the port of Kollam. When the Ay diminished, Venad became the southernmost principality of the Second Chera Kingdom . An invasion of the Cholas into Venad caused the destruction of Kollam in 1096. However, the Chera capital, Mahodayapuram , also fell in the subsequent Chola attack, which compelled
18375-505: The requests of Tamils. During that period the Travancore State Congress favoured the idea of uniting all the Malayalam speaking regions and forming a "Unified Kerala". In protest against this idea, many Tamil leaders vacated the party. Tamils gathered together at Nagercoil on 16 December 1945 under the leadership of Sam Nathaniel and formed the new political party All Travancore Tamilian Congress. That party pushed for
18522-467: The river. Illegal mining of river sand is another significant threat being faced by the river. The beauty of the Karamana and the fact that it wound through forests earned the river the name Vanamala, the garland of the forest, in Sanskrit . It is referred to as the ‘Makaraakara’ river in the Jain ascetic Udyodana Suri's 8th century Prakrit text Kuvalayamaala . The Karamana river also closely influenced
18669-650: The small feudal state of Venad in 1723, and built it into Travancore. Marthanda Varma led the Travancorean forces during the Travancore-Dutch War of 1739–46, which culminated in the Battle of Colachel . The defeat of the Dutch by Travancore is considered the earliest example of an organised power from Asia overcoming European military technology and tactics. Marthanda Varma went on to conquer most of
18816-539: The smaller principalities of the native rulers. The Travancore royal family signed a treaty with the British in 1788, thereby adopting British dominance. Later, in 1805, they revised the treaty, leading to a diminution of royal authority and the loss of political independence for Travancore. They had to give up their ruling rights over the common people in 1949 when Travancore were forced to merge with Independent India. The kingdom takes its name from Thiruvithamcode in
18963-607: The southern distributary flows into the Pozhikkara estuary. The Edayar Island is situated between the two distributaries. The Karamana rises in the vicinity of the Agasthiarkoodam about 1600 m above the sea level. The peaks of origin of the river are today known as Chemmunji Motta and Aathiramala and its upper tributary rivers are the Kaaviyaar, Attayaar, Vaiyappadyaar and Thodayaar. The river flows for 66 kilometers in
19110-463: 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
19257-434: 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 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
19404-410: 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 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,
19551-529: The states reorganisation based on language. It submitted its report on 10 August 1955. Based on this report, Devikulam – Peermedu and Neyyattinkara Taluks were merged with Kerala state . On 1 November 1956 – four Taluks Thovalai, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam, Vilavancode were recognised to form the New Kanyakumari District and merged with Tamil Nadu State. Half of Sengottai Taluk was merged with Tirunelveli District . The main demand of T.T.N.C
19698-524: The temples of Venad kingdom, especially the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple . In the early 18th century CE, the Travancore royal family adopted some members from the royal family of Kolathunadu based at Kannur , and Parappanad in present-day Malappuram district . The history of Travancore began with Marthanda Varma, who inherited the kingdom of Venad (Thrippappur), and expanded it into Travancore during his reign (1729–1758). After defeating
19845-763: 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
19992-429: 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) 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
20139-405: Was divided into five divisions: Padmanabhapuram , Trivandrum , Quilon , Kottayam , and Devikulam , of which Padmanabhapuram and Devikulam was predominantly Tamil speaking region with small Malayalam speaking minorities. The divisions of Trivandrum , Kollam , Kottayam was predominantly Malayalam speaking region with small Tamil speaking Minority. King Marthanda Varma inherited
20286-627: Was elected as the New President. The first general election of Independent India was held on 1952. T.T.N.C won 8 legislative assembly seats. Mr. A. Chidambaranathan became the minister on behalf of T.T.N.C in the coalition state government formed by the Congress. In the parliamentary Constituency Mr. A. Nesamony was elected as M.P. and in the Rajyasabha seat. Mr. A. Abdul Razak was elected as M.P. on behalf of T.T.N.C. In due course, accusing
20433-457: Was located at the extreme southern tip of the Indian subcontinent . Geographically, Travancore was divided into three climatically distinct regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool mountainous terrain), the central midlands (rolling hills), and the western lowlands (coastal plains). Due to the geographical isolation of the Malabar Coast from the rest of the Indian peninsula, attributed to
20580-508: Was named 1st Travancore Nair Infantry , Travancore State Forces . The unit was reorganised as an Indian State Infantry Battalion by Lieutenant Colonel H S Steward, who was appointed commandant of the Travancore State Forces. The last ruling king of Travancore, Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma , reigned from 1931 to 1949. "His reign marked revolutionary progress in the fields of education, defence, economy and society as
20727-710: Was one of the few surviving rulers of a first-class princely state in the old British Raj . He was also the last surviving Knight Grand Commander of both the Order of the Star of India and of the Order of the Indian Empire . He was succeeded as head of the Royal House as well as the Titular Maharajah of Travancore by his younger brother, Uthradom Thirunal Marthanda Varma . The Government of India issued
20874-444: Was popularly known as Dharma Raja , shifted the capital in 1795 from Padmanabhapuram to Thiruvananthapuram . Dharma Raja 's period is considered a Golden Age in the history of Travancore. He not only retained the territorial gains of his predecessor, but also improved and encouraged social development. He was greatly assisted by a very efficient administrator, Raja Kesavadas , the Diwan of Travancore. Travancore often allied with
21021-563: 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,
21168-453: Was the first prime minister of Travancore, that they retained in the modern-state of Kerala . Pattom came up with a colonisation project to re-engineer the demography of Cardamom Hills . His colonisation project was to relocate 8,000 Malayalam -speaking families into the Taluks of Devikulam and Peermade . About 50,000 acres in these Taluks, which were Tamil-majority area, were chosen for
21315-429: Was to merger the Tamil regions with Tamil Nadu and major part of its demand was realised. So T.T.N.C was dissolved thereafter. Apart from Kanyakumari district , the Taluks of Devikulam and Peermade in present-day Idukki district also had a Tamil -majority until late 1940's. The T.T.N.C had also requested to merge these Taluks with Madras State . However it was due to some decisions of Pattom Thanu Pillai , who
21462-443: Was under the Ay dynasty . During the Ay dynasty, they spoke a language known as Middle Tamil , which differed from Tamil spoken in Tamil Nadu. Later Ay dynasty, conquered and succeeded by the Kulashekara Perumals , based in Kollam (later known as Venad ), during the period of the Chera Kulashekara Perumal (Keralaputras) dynasty, the language evolved into Old-Malayalam . The Quilon copper plates (849/850 CE) are considered
21609-402: Was unpopular among the communists of Travancore. The tension between the Communists and Iyer led to minor riots. In one such riot in Punnapra-Vayalar in 1946, the Communist rioters established their own government in the area. This was put down by the Travancore Army and Navy. The prime minister issued a statement in June 1947 that Travancore would remain an independent country instead of joining
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