Stutzfamily.com>Travel Pictures

India

Kerala - Trivandrum

Fort Kochi - Kathakali dance - Backwaters - Alleppey - Ferry Ride - Varkala - Kovalam - Fishermen - Trivandrum

Entering the city of Trivandrum (officially Thiruvananthapuram, but that is simply too much for us to say) on our way to the airport home, we were greeted by a spotless white ox pulling a cart piled high with baskets and the same coconut weave rope we had seen at the start of our trip. It seemed an auspicious bookend to the vacation, and the sights we had in town were no letdown either. We had arranged our ride to the airport to swing by the biggest temple in the region, and we were wowed by its size and appearance.

The Padmanabhaswamy temple, dating from the 1700s, is one of the largest temples in the region and chief residence of Lord Vishnu. As non-Hindus, we were not allowed inside, but we were able to walk around the side to see the ornate carvings in the roof, the detailed woodwork outside the front entrance, and the worshippers who changed into the simplest of coverings before entering.

A detail from the roof carvings

There was s little workshop off to the side of the temple itself, where men were working on small wooden carvings of the various deities worshipped inside.

They gave us a quick tour and explanation of the different types of wood being used. The most memorable was sandalwood, noted for a very distinctive (and pleasant) smell.

In front of the temple, giant statues were being assembled. We never found out what the occasion was, but they were colorful and enormous and fantastic to see!

Walking around, we saw the temple reflected in the "Lotus Spring" out front. It was a pretty spectacular sight, as we noticed worshippers rinsing off before going any further in. With the temple, the palm trees, the water, and the red roofed buildings completing the scene, we headed off to the airport and our ride home to Mumbai. Another successful vacation under our belt.

Fort Kochi - Kathakali dance - Backwaters - Alleppey - Ferry Ride - Varkala - Kovalam - Fishermen - Trivandrum

To the main India page

To the Stutz's Welcome Page