Confluence of religions [193] The Attakulangara School's curriculum is in the Malayalam and Tamil languages. [165] It was one of the 12 Public-private partnership project case studies from across the world which fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030. Battle of Quilon [58] Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The early 20th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. A meeting of the Indian National Congress presided by Dr Pattabhi Sitaramaiah was held here in 1938. [257] The Trivandrum Marathon is a marathon organised by the Trivandrum runners club every year. The whole system is controlled by Kerala Water Authority now. The two kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin joined the Union of India after independence in 1947. 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 the north. [58] Thus, Rama Varma Kulasekara, the last emperor of Chera dynasty, is probably the founder of the Venad royal house, and the title of Chera kings, Kulasekara, was thenceforth adopted by the rulers of Venad. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2011. Major Malayalam newspapers available are Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Kerala Kaumudi, Deshabhimani, Madhyamam, Janmabhumi, Chandrika, Thejas, Siraj Daily, Deepika and Rashtra Deepika. The term Kerala was first epigraphically recorded as Ketalaputo in a 3rd-century BCE rock inscription by emperor Ashoka of Magadha. The first mental hospital in the state was started during the same period. [222] Kerala University also ranked top in overall institution rankings in Kerala. * Bindu Malieckal (2005) Muslims, Matriliny, and A Midsummer Night's Dream: European Encounters with the Mappilas of Malabar, India; The Muslim World Volume 95 Issue 2, To corroborate his assertion that Eradi was in fact a favourite of the last Later Chera, M.G.S. [159] The roads in the city are maintained by the Trivandrum Roads Development Company Limited (TRDCL) and Kerala PWD. [179] IAF has an exclusive apron to handle all their operations. [181] A cruise terminal is under construction at Vizhinjam Transshipment Terminal. [98] The BrahMos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited is one of the leading missile integration and defence production units in India. The city has facilities to host most type of sports. Least Corrupt Indian State. The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality came into existence in 1920. [170] The Mahatma Gandhi Road is the main arterial road in the city. Kerala has the highest sex ratio, lowest population growth rate, highest literacy rate,... 2. As in other parts of ancient India, Buddhism and Jainism co-existed with early Hindu beliefs during the first five centuries. Most of the people have access to the internet, TVs, newspapers, and books. [261] The major sports training and coaching institutions include the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), TOSS Academy and the Tenvic Sports Coaching Academy at the Sports Hub. [57] The most powerful kingdom of Kerala during the colonial period, Travancore, was developed through the expansion of Venad by Mahahrajah Marthanda Varma, a member of the Thrippappur branch of the Ay Dynasty who ascended to the throne in the 18th century. The city also has a few Tulu, Kannada, Konkani, Dhivehi, Telugu and Hindi speakers. [85][86], The Kerala Water Authority supplies the city with water that is sourced from the Karamana River;[87] most of it drawn from Aruvikkara and Peppara reservoirs and is treated and purified at the Aruvikkara pumping stations. Which party was in power in Kerala State Assembly from the early 1980s? Their capital was at Kollam. The main opponent in his work is the Mimamsa school of thought, though he also offers arguments against the views of some other schools like Samkhya and certain schools of Buddhism. He also established the importance of monastic life as sanctioned in the Upanishads and Brahma Sutra, in a time when the Mimamsa school established strict ritualism and ridiculed monasticism. [197], The Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is the first and a premier medical school in Kerala, founded in 1951. Namboodiripad. [21] Another view suggests the reign of Cheras from multiple capitals. The Madras Presidency was reorganised to form Madras State in 1947. [59] 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. Lakhs of farms were owned by large establishments, companies and estate owners. [85] As of the 2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the LDF has a majority in the state assembly seats (91/140). Kerala is the least corrupt Indian state; as per the Transparency International’s survey. "Back from Shingly: Revisiting the premodern history of Jews in Kerala. [229] The other Malayalam channels based in the city include Asianet News, Amrita TV, Kappa TV, Kairali TV, Kairali We, Mathrubhumi News, Kaumudy TV, JaiHind TV, News18 Kerala and People TV. In 1741, Mahé de La Bourdonnais retook the town after a period of occupation by the Marathas. Facts About Kerala – Kerala God’s Own Country is socially the most advanced state in India. Is there any information of Simon Britto and whether he is a legislative assembly member? [255] Thiruvananthapuram was one of the main venues for the 2015 National Games of India. Kerala, southwestern coastal state of India. Bose, Satheese Chandra and Varughese, Shiju Sam (eds.) In the 8th century, Adi Shankara was born at Kalady in central Kerala. "Documents of Investiture Ceremonies" in K. K. N. Kurup, Edit., "India's Naval Traditions". [32] Jews arrived in Kerala as early as 573 BCE. [68][69], The maritime spice trade monopoly in the Indian Ocean stayed with the Arabs during the High and Late Middle Ages. ", Jeffrey, Robin. The early Cheras collapsed after repeated attacks from the neighboring Cholas and Rashtrakutas. The Cheras were mentioned as Ketalaputo (Keralaputra) on an inscribed edict of emperor Ashoka of the Magadha Empire in the 3rd century BCE,[2] as Cerobothra by the Greek Periplus of the Erythraean Sea and as Celebothras in the Roman encyclopedia Natural History by Pliny the Elder. [42] The city witnessed multi-faceted progress during his period. The average literacy rate in Kerala is about 93%. [17], Kerala's dominant rulers of the early historic period were the Cheras, a Tamil dynasty with its headquarters located in Vanchi. They co-existed harmoniously with each other and with local Hindu society, aided by the commercial benefit from such association. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram. "Indian communism and the Kerala experience of coalition government, 1967–69. The Samoothiri Maharaja of Kozhikode permitted the Portuguese to trade with his subjects. Vizhinjam, which is now a region in the present-day Thiruvananthapuram, was the capital of the Ay dynasty. [20] 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 Sports Hub, University Stadium,[245] St Xavier's College Ground,[246] KCA Cricket Stadium Mangalapuram,[247] Medical College ground[248] and Vellyani Agricultural College Ground[249] are the main cricket grounds in the city. [162][163] TRCIP 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. [132] J. C. Daniel is considered the father of Malayalam film industry. Web. Distinctive geographical features such as an interconnected stream of backwaters, tea-covered hills of the Western Ghats, beaches and waterfalls offer us soulful experiences that last long. In 1779, the Anglo-French war broke out, resulting in the French loss of Mahé, India. ", "IFFK 2017: A celebration of cinema from across the globe", "A week-long theatre extravaganza in Kerala capital", "A film on the life and work of Laurie Baker", "Review meeting of arrangements for Attukal pongala held", "Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple fest begins", "In Kerala, a festival that marks the world's largest gathering of women", "Water Princess' to bring awareness on water conservation", "Authentic Kerala cuisine and ayurvedic massage bowl over Ind and NZ teams", "Private bus strike shows signs of failure", "Pre-paid auto drivers oppose fee for parking", "App-based taxi service at rly station from tomorrow", "New metro policy to affect Kazhakoootam-Kesavadasapuram stretch", "Mr Minister, prove charges or retract statement: TRDCL", "Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project to tackle congestion", "Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement", "2015 Global Road Achievement Awards Book of Winning Projects", "United Nations finds Kerala's road is a model", "Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project – The UN Recognition for achieving sustainable development goals", "Case 25 India Road Sector Thiruvananthapuram City Improvement", "Soil testing for Kazhakuttam flyover begins", "Green spaces that are the breathing lungs of Trivandrum", "Thiruvananthapuram Central to be made a world-class station", "Railway to give priority to Nemom terminal: Ashwani Lohani", "Kerala celebrates 75th anniversary of civil aviation", "Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology gets its wings back", "Master plan for Vizhinjam Seaport released", "Cruise terminal being planned at Vizhinjam", "Immigration check-post facility for Vizhinjam", "NCERT survey: Gaping holes visible in Kerala education system", "A song for a better earth by 12,000 children", "List of High schools in Thiruvananthapuram District", "About Government Law College, Thiruvananthapuram", "Kerala Technological University List of Affiliated Courses 2015–16", "List of colleges affiliated to the University of Kerala", "Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala (IIITM-K)", "Experts brainstorm over ways to tackle viruses", "University College joins the big league", "Competition Commission orders probe against Star India", "DDK Trivandrum ends analogue terrestrial TV transmission", "Thiruvananthapuram all set for T20 international cricket match", "TVPM to host India-NZ T20 on November 7", "Greenfield Stadium Touching New Heights", "SAFF Cup final, as it happened: Chhetri the match-winner as India reclaim title from Afghans", "Titanium football club to turn professional; plans to establish fan club", "Back in the game: Kerala Blasters and the second football revolution in Kerala", "Trivandrum Marathon on December 9 midnight", "Run to raise funds for cancer treatment", "Junior badminton league on July 30 at Greenfield", "Kazhakootam Sainik School wins basketball tournament", "National surfing contest begins at Kovalam", "Kovalam Surf Club: No school, no surfing", "5 Exquisite Places for your Next Solo Trip to South India! … [66], Malayalam, the official state language, is the dominant language in Thiruvananthapuram City: English is also used, mainly by the white-collar workforce. [223] In engineering, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is ranked as the best in Kerala and College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) is ranked third in Kerala. [61][62] M.G.S. [137][138], Apart from the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple, the city's architecture is championed by the Napier Museum and Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in India. The main bus stations in the city are the Central Bus Station in Thampanoor, where most of the long-distance buses ply from, and city bus station in East Fort, where most city buses ply from. 26 December 2011. Buddhism and Jainism disappeared from the land. [118], Thiruvananthapuram is known as the "Evergreen City of India" because of its green landscapes and the presence of many public parks. India was believed to be a home to the wondrous Ayurvedic practices … His entire kingdom was then a land of immense prosperity and happiness. [46], A significant milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment of Technopark—India's first IT park—in 1995. The capital is Thiruvananthapuram. 3. Modern politics in Kerala is dominated by two political fronts: the Communist-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Indian National Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) since the late 1970s. ", Hunter, Thelma. 5. Politics in Kerala is characterised by continually shifting alliances, party mergers and splits, factionalism within the coalitions and within political parties, and numerous splinter groups.[85]. Nehru was reluctant but when his daughter Indira Gandhi, the national head of the Congress Party, joined in, he finally did so. [52] The Geological Survey of India has identified Thiruvananthapuram as a moderately earthquake-prone urban centre and categorised the metropolis in the Seismic III Zone. [citation needed] After his death, in the absence of a strong central power, the state was fractured into about thirty small warring principalities under Nair Chieftains; most powerful of them were the kingdom of Samuthiri in the north, Venad in the south and Kochi in the middle.[49][50]. The Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority is responsible for the statutory planning and development of greater Thiruvananthapuram region. [2] Thiruvananthapuram's literacy rate of 93.72%[64] exceeds the all-India average of 74%. The opposition called on Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to seize control of the state government. Sanskrit College, Ayurveda College, Law College and a second-grade college for women were started by Moolam Thirunal (1885–1924).[39]. [82], In the city there is a Consulate of the United Arab Emirates,[83] a Consulate of the Maldives,[84] and Honorary Consulates of Sri Lanka, Russia and Germany. [103][104] Several new IT, biotechnology and industrial campuses like Technocity and Bio 360 Life sciences park are under construction. The dolmens of Marayur are a testimony of the stone age inhabitants. [93] Fire services are handled by the Kerala Fire And Rescue Services.[94]. During the early part of Kulasekhara period, the southern region from Nagercoil to Thiruvananthapuram was ruled by Ay kings, who lost their power in the 10th century and thus the region became a part of the Cheras. [12], The present regions that constitute Thiruvananthapuram were ruled by the Ays until their fall in the 10th century. [250] Thiruvananthapuram hosted the 2015 SAFF Championship at the Greenfield Stadium. The British concluded treaties of subsidiary alliance with the rulers of Cochin (1791) and Travancore (1795), and these became princely states of British India, maintaining local autonomy in return for a fixed annual tribute to the British. [7], There are legends dealing with the origins of Kerala geographically and culturally. The Kerala Police is the law enforcement agency for the Indian state of Kerala; Kerala Police facts. Thiruvananthapuram is a major educational and research hub with various institutions in the fields of space science, information technology, physical science, biotechnology, engineering and medicine. On 16 August 2018, severe floods affected the south Indian state Kerala, due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season. The cuisine of Kerala, a state in the south of India, is linked to its history, geography, demography and culture. [259] Trivand Run is another marathon conducted every January in the city. Kerala is the most literate state in India with a literacy rate of 93.91% while the literacy rate of the country stands at a mere 74.04% according to the census of 2011. The Sree Moolam Popular Assembly, established in 1904, was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. Tamilakam Tamil has the most speakers after Malayalam. Communism in Kerala. In 1919, consequent to their victory in World War I, the British abolished the Islamic Caliphate and dismembered the Ottoman Empire. [111], Port-related activity is low mainly due to the underdevelopment of ports. Kerala is popular for Kalaripayattu, a martial arts form and Kathakali Kathakali, a Hindu performance art. Gamliel, Ophira. Ayurveda Hub. Geography. The first Malayalam feature film, Vigathakumaran directed by J. C. Daniel was released in Thiruvananthapuram. [79] It was the first time a Communist government was democratically elected to power anywhere in the world. Veluthat, Kesavan. 28,811. Cheras [14] Following India's independence in 1947, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Travancore-Cochin state and remained so till the new Indian state of Kerala was formed in 1956. The Kerala … 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. That is no mean feat. Thiruvananthapuram (IPA: [t̪iruʋənən̪t̪əpurəm] (listen)), commonly known by its former name Trivandrum,[8] is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. ", Jeffrey, Robin. Thiruvananthapuram also houses a large army cantonment in Pangode which houses some regiments of the Indian Army. Please provide some background on the Democratic Indira Congress and Mr. Karunakaran in Kerala. [24], Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE. [4] The Urban Agglomeration had a population of 1,687,406 in 2011. First in Tourism. The average elevation of the city is 16 ft (4.9 m) above sea level. It is headed by a commissioner of police. [21], The city takes its name from the Malayalam word thiru-anantha-puram IPA: [t̪iruʋənən̪t̪əpurəm] (listen), meaning "The City of Lord Ananta",[22] referring to the deity of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple located in the city. [178] Being one of the gateways to the state, it has direct connectivity to all the major cities in India as well as the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. There were harbours of Naura near Kannur, Tyndis near Koyilandy, and Bacare near Alappuzha which were also trading with Rome and Palakkad pass (churam) facilitated migration and trade. The city also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the city by October. Kerala lying in the South is one of the most peaceful and pristine states in India. Kerala stretches for about 360 miles along the Malabar Coast, varying in width from roughly 20 to 75 miles. cites a stone inscription discovered at, Varier, M. R. Raghava. Thiruvananthapuram (IPA: [t̪iruʋənən̪t̪əpurəm] ()), commonly known by its former name Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala.It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. Revolution and martyrs in the making of a political tradition in Kerala.". The first popularly elected ministry, headed by Pattom Thanu Pillai, was installed in office on 24 March 1948. Malabar and South Kanara districts were part of British India's Madras Presidency. Kerala also witnessed several social reforms movements directed at the eradication of social evils such as untouchability among the Hindus, pioneered by reformists like Srinarayana guru and Chattambiswami among others. Fun fact: The state of Karnataka, which borders Kerala to the north also shares it’s foundation birth and birthday with Kerala. [195] The city also houses two Institutes of National Importance; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). A special 2 km fun run is also organised for public participation. [92] Electricity is supplied by the Kerala State Electricity Board. Thiruvananthapuram is a major aerospace research centre in India. [173], Thiruvananthapuram is a divisional headquarters in the Southern Railway zone of the Indian Railways. [74][75] A group of pirates known as the Pirates of Tangasseri formerly lived at the Cemetery. [13] The port in Vizhinjam and the historic education center of Kanthalloor Sala were also destroyed by Cholas during this period. [72] The functions of the TMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid-waste management, and building regulation. [174] Long-distance trains originate from Thiruvananthapuram Central and Kochuveli railway terminal. The city is also known for its unique style of architecture involving Kerala Architecture with British and Dravidian influences. The Treaty of Mavelikkara was signed by the Dutch and Travancore in 1753, according to which the Dutch were compelled to detach from all political involvements in the region. [24], The region of Kerala was possibly engaged in trading activities from the 3rd millennium BCE with Sumerians and Babylonians. [108] Kovalam and Varkala are popular beach towns near the city. [110] The city experienced a surge of investment in the real estate, infrastructure and retail sectors in 2016–17. [256] Athletic competitions are usually held at the University Stadium, Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and Central Stadium. Sangam period Maritime contacts ", Jeffrey, Robin. The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the monsoon season. Much more controversial was an effort to impose state control on private schools, such as those run by the Christians and the NSS, which enrolled 40% of the students. The Kulasekhara dynasty was finally subjugated in 1102 by the combined attack of the Pandyas and Cholas. It proclaims that Parasurama, an Avatar of Mahavishnu, threw His battle axe into the sea. These two parties have alternating in power since 1982. [23] The city 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. To add to the abundance of the variety in … As a testimony to this, renowned artists like Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Raja Ravi Varma hail from the city. Al-Biruni (AD 973 - 1048) must have been the first writer to call this state Malabar. The end of Second Chera dynasty in the 12th century marks the independence of the Venad. [266] Paragliding is another adventure sport usually seen in Varkala Beach. 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). [10] However, foreign cultural contacts have assisted this cultural formation. Thiruvananthapuram is a major tourist hub in India. Nearly 81% of its population identifies itself as Hindu. Later, the unknown author of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea notes that "both Muziris and Nelcynda are now busy places". [77] In 1757, to check the invasion of the Zamorin of Calicut, the Palakkad Raja sought the help of Hyder Ali of Mysore. Here Kerala means the modern day Kerala state and the name is used to indicate the geographical area. The Sports Hub, Trivandrum, commonly known as Greenfield Stadium is one of the largest cricket and football stadiums in India. [113] The port also has a natural depth of 18 to 20 metres which can accommodate huge container ships. [80][81], It refused to nationalise the large estates but did provide reforms to protect manual labourers and farm workers, and invited capitalists to set up industry. [146][147] 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. [14][15][16] Historian M. R. Raghava Varier of the Kerala state archaeology department identified a sign of "a man with jar cup" in the engravings, which is the most distinct motif of the Indus valley civilisation. It is … Muziris, Berkarai, and Nelcynda were among the principal trading port centres of the Chera kingdom. [27][28] The city was the trading post of spices, sandalwood and ivory. [33][34] The Cochin Jews believe that their ancestors came to the west coast of India as refugees following the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century CE. [64][65] Ibn Battuta (1342–1347), who visited the city of Kozhikode six times, gives the earliest glimpses of life in the city. 2. He was forced to shift his capital (c. CE 1405) further south. Employees make up a large army cantonment in Pangode which houses some of... Jose, Thomas Sebastian, m Rajeev Kumar and Ganeshan of Middle East traders was challenged the. Second Chera dynasty will be two main races ; a half marathon of 21 km and divided seven... Power since 1982 paradise of Ayurveda India radio also airs an FM radio known... Trade, Conversion and the Mahabharata 's world Network of Biosphere Reserves prominent football players from Thiruvananthapuram Central the. To handle all their operations are various theories regarding the origin of the city Authority.. 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