http://avxhome.se/blogs/crazy-slim

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subsequent kings took the title of “Sri Padmanabhadasa”, translated as

the servant of the deity, and the kingdom was considered the property of

Sri Padmanabhaswamy. This has endured over the years and Kerala is

known today as “God’s Own Country”.

The name Thiruvananthapuram – a compound of the wordsthiru

(deity),anantha(referencing Sri Padmanabhaswamy) andpuram(city),

reflects the centrality of this deity and his temple, recently determined as

the wealthiest temple in the world.

Lost in the beauty of the sculptures and pillars of the Padmanab-

haswamy Temple, I have found inspiration for my art. Being close to

Nature and Nature-inspired art always engenders insight for an artist,

and Thiruvananthapuram has much to offer in that space. Performing for

various temple festivals here and watching Kathakali dances during such

festivals has enriched my art a lot more than words can express.

Wandering through the sprawling grounds of Kanakakunnu Palace

remains one of my most cherished moments in the city. Amidst the

greenery of the grounds, I have spent many an hour listening to the

musical splendour woven by Ustad Bismillah Khan’sshehnai(a kind

of double reed oboe) and T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai’snadhaswaram

(another double reed wind instrument). The divine music emanating

from an otherwise-silent edifice has always aroused me. The yearly flower

shows held at the Kanakakunnu grounds bring an ethereal semblance

to Thiruvananthapuram. I still recall tasting sugarcane juice for the first

time here with my mother, at a flower show.

The Nishagandhi Auditorium at Kanakakunnu is another favourite

spot for me. As a child, I loved giving violin concerts at Nishagandhi due

to its beautiful, open-air atmosphere. Many inspiring legends, including

Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Ustad Zakir Hussain, compelled my

family and I to spend late nights here listening to their music under the

stars and marvelling at the artistes’ ambience-induced inspiration.

Sitting by the steps of Napier Museum and reading books has

been another well-loved pastime of mine. The Indo-Saracenic structure

with rich collections of artefacts adds to the building’s glory. Reading

the works of Vaikom Mohammad Basheer, a humanist, freedom fighter

and fiction writer from Kerala, I have spent many moments here

laughing out loud.

Kuthiramalika, a palace built by musician and king Swathi Tirunal, is

one of the most beautiful architectural creations in Thiruvananthapuram.

The palace gets its name from the 122 horses that are carved into the

wooden wall brackets that support the southern roof. The concert venue

in this palace is another beloved location, while the palace museum

is an eye opener to many a different era. I have often wondered at the

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Fly to Thiruvananthapuram International

Airport from Singapore’s Changi Airport on

SilkAir, from Dubai International Airport on

Emirates, and from London Heathrow Airport

on Jet Airways.

HOTELS:

Vivanta by Taj

http://www.vivantabytaj.com/trivandrum-kerala/

overview.html

Maurya Rajadhani

http://www.mauryarajadhani.com

The Leela Kovalam

http://www.theleela.com/locations/kovalam

CURRENCY:

Indian rupee (US$1 = INR62.6)

GETTING TO

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

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Earl & Nazima Kowall/Corbis

Balan Madhavan/Robert Harding World Imager y/Corbis