Trivandrum: Life, Culture, History, Greenery & Cityscapes

[Ajaypp]

Ulloor ----> Mayura Park (MP) - now on lease to CET!

I am a teetotaller, but still remember all these well coz' my friends used to frequent quite a few, and I have tasted the fresh lime soda/fresh juices at most of these joints!

Btw, all the 4/5 - stars now have swanky bars and the new ones like Taj Green Cove, Leela, Dodla Int'l, Muthoot Plaza expansion, Luciya etc are setting up full-blooded pubs as well!

[sudheeshnairs]

Rajesh....Good......

BTW, The bar at Luciya International is "Aqua"-the watering hole. It was my favourite place in the old days..Earlier it was a small place at First Floor, later shifted to a more roomier space in the basement. We used to take the advantage of happy hours till 7PM. You have to make the bill before 7 PM, so will order in advance.

"Panchali" (Restaurant) at East Fort was another destination of mine. When you have ladies with you, Panchali is better. Also Chola (Restaurant) at Aristo Jn is also good to go with family.

Some more that you have missed.

* Hotel Horizon . They have now expanded to a bigger facility near the Reception.
* Hotel Pallava, NH Bypass, Enchakkal.
* Highness Inn, Perunthanni (Between west fort and Enchakkal)
* Keerthi, Aristo Jn.


Apart from this, some beer/wine parlours of KTDC is also worth mentioning.

* Beer/wine Parlour, Karamana. (recent times, I used to go there often)
* Beer/wine parlour, Statue (Ananta mentioned it)
* Beer/wine parlour, Kazhakoottam.
* Beer/wine parlour, Ponmudi. ( Ponmudi has no bar at present, so unless you do not carry your reserves, this is the only option. Otherwise you have to 'fill the tank' from Vithura, some 20 kms downhill)

Originally Posted by rajeshdxb

Guess another dose of nostalgia has been served.

Of course with Arashammoodu and Sreekariyam Shaap's and Green Palace, CET was a lovely place to be. Guys, what about the fine bars of Trivandrum ?

An initial list:

1. Orbit (Residency) (Used to be my fav)
2. Maya (Pankaj)
3. Oakwood (South Park)
4. Green Palace (Taken on lease by CET)
5. Panchali (Fort)
6. Panchami
7. Mukkadans
8. Fort Palace
9. Highway Inn
10. Classic
11. Panchavadi
12. Mascot Hotel (do not recollect the name)
13. Luciya Hotel (do not recollect the name)
14. Amritha Hotel (do not recollect the name)
15. The near near the beach which was dismantled; Beach Palace ?
16. The one at Ulloor (Panchami ?)
17. Uttarayan (still there ?)
18. Libra (Medical College)
19. Chola (Aristo) Long distance bus travellers will know this well !
20. Xaviers (Nr. British Council)
21. Highness (Sasthamangalam)
22. Safari (Roof Top)
23. Safari (Ground Level)
24. Tripti

Rajesh

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

I am a teetotaller, but still remember....

Hey this is a "great blessing" for us, Ajay can be our "chauffeur" (hope he takes it in the right spirit ) for late night parties. Otherwise cops create much problem nowadays...

Infact he had taken me for the New Year bash in his Optra.. Thank god for giving me such a nice friend in 2005....

[Ajaypp]

Originally Posted by sudheeshnairs

Hey this is a "great blessing" for us, Ajay can be our "chauffeur" (hope he takes it in the right spirit ) for late night parties. Otherwise cops create much problem nowadays...

Infact he had taken me for the New Year bash in his Optra.. Thank god for giving me such a nice friend in 2005....

At ur service, mon amies!!

[rajeshdxb]

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

At ur service, mon amies!!

One more: City Bar near Murinjapalam

Looks like I'm going to have a great time with the SSC forumers at Trivandrum !

Btw, this thread now covers much more than Trivandrum Greenery - Heritage, Culture, Institutions and Lifestyle. Perhaps we need to rename the thread ?

Rajesh

[Ajaypp]

Maybe.....Trivandrum - Images, Culture and Lifestyle?

[sudheeshnairs]

Yes, this seems to be more appropriate...

Rajesh, welcome to the club.. Also others, Rajesh (China), Ananta Padmanabhan, Rajith, Hope we can have a bash here in Trivandrum one day when all of you are here..

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

Maybe.....Trivandrum - Images, Culture and Lifestyle?

[d_rk]

yes sure.... i am eagerly looking forward to that day...

Raj

[Rajith]

Originally Posted by sudheeshnairs

Also others, Rajesh (China), Ananta Padmanabhan, Rajith, Hope we can have a bash here in Trivandrum one day when all of you are here..

Thats coooool..... Sudheesh, you can arrange that..

BTW, here are some old pics which reveals the heritage of TVM

Old pic of Secreteriat building


New One

[sudheeshnairs]

With pleasure....


[QUOTE=Rajith]Thats coooool..... Sudheesh, you can arrange that..

/QUOTE]

[Ajaypp]

Count me in guys!

[Rajith]

The Thiruvananthapuram Observatory stands on a hill, about 60 feet high, and 200 feet above the level of sea.
The geographical situation of the Observatory is 8 degree 30 min northern latitude and 76 degree 59 min eastern longitude.

The observatory commenced its operations in 1837 by the King HH Sri Swati Tirunal; and is one of the oldest of its kind in modern India.

A formal proposal for the establishment of an Observatory was put up to the Maharaja by Mr.John Caldecott through Col. Fraser the British Resident and it was sanctioned by the Maharaja who was "desirous that his country should partake with European nations in scientific investigation".
Mr.Caldecott was appointed as the Director of the Observatory.
After the death of Mr.Caldecott, Mr.John Allan Broun.F.R.S was appointed Director of the Observatory in 1851, and he took charge of the institution in 1852. Before he came to India he was for seven years Director of the magnetic Observatory at Makerstoun on southern Scotland, and had an excellent record of work published by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Several Internationally acclaimed research were done here at that time.







In 1927, the work of the Observatory was divided into two sections, Astronomical and Meteorological, under the charge of the Government Astronomer Dr.H.Subramani Iyer and the Government Meteorologist Mr. Sivaramakrishna Iyer then Director respectively.

In 1931 Government sanctioned the construction of a new building adjacent to high level reservior for locating the Observatory.
The old building is noted for its architectural splendour. The emblem of the erstwhile Travancore could be seen in all rooms. The single-storey building with traditional sloping roof is made of timber and tiles and walls with lime mortar. The small tiles used for the roof as well as the floor tiles are exquisite.

On August 17, 1939 the Observatory was transferred to the control of the University of Travancore(which is University of Kerala now).





The Thiruvananthapuram Observatory captured international attention when Dr.H.Subramony Iyer sighted a new comet 1941-C at the Observatory on the morning of 23rd January 1941.
In 1951, the meteorology section of the Observatory was taken over by Government of India and Astronomical section by the State Government.
On January 1, 1976 the Government of Kerala decided to transfer the Observatory back to the control of the University of Kerala.

The Observatory functions today as part of the Department of Physics, University of Kerala.
The sky watching programmes for students, teachers and the public in the evenings is being conducted on all working days

[Rajith]

Hi guys.....

See this beautiful building...
a good example of Victorian Style Architecture....
Guess which one is this ?

[sudheeshnairs]

This is the Old PMG, the junction also got this name because of this building.
Next to Science & Technology Musuem

I think now "Directorate of Technical Education" is functioning there..

[Rajith]

You said rite.... That was the Office of the Post Master General.

Some more in the queue.......


See the emblem in the building

[anant_padmanabhan]

Sure Guys.

Originally Posted by sudheeshnairs

Yes, this seems to be more appropriate...

Rajesh, welcome to the club.. Also others, Rajesh (China), Ananta Padmanabhan, Rajith, Hope we can have a bash here in Trivandrum one day when all of you are here..

[Ajaypp]

Rajith, guess you forgot to mention but a state-of-the-art meterological observatory of the Indian Meterological Dept. (IMD) now functions on Observatory Hill, right next to the old one.

It's one of the most important such facilities in India. As the first city to receive the Monsoon each year, Trivandrum has special significance. A variety of data from radiosondes, remote monitoring stations and satellites is collected and analysed here. The Weather Station also issues the meterological bulletins for the state and one can hear "forecast from the Weather Station, Trivandrum" in all the regional channels.

Incidentally, Trivandrum also has the only sounding rocket launch station in India, and one of a few in the world. The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), part of VSSC, launches "RH" sounding rockets. Earlier, they used to be quite regualr, on every Wednesday in fact. I guess, we were the only city, which witnessed a rocket launch a week, at a time when most cities didn't even have an airport!

I had been to a few launches, when my dad worked as a doc with ISRO! Quite a show!

[karunakaranashok]

In fact I remember the sky getting colored during the night times (during the seventies when I was a school student in TVM) after the rocket launch every week. That used to be a wonderful sight those days.

Ashok

[sudheeshnairs]

Originally Posted by Ajaypp

I had been to a few launches, when my dad worked as a doc with ISRO! Quite a show!

Me too, Ajay, as a Kid, I had once gone for a visit to VSSC & TERLS organised by the society of Accountant General's Office where my mom was an Accounts Officer. Evening we were taken to the beach to witness the "Rocket Launch". Still that sight is in my mind and I ran thinking the rocket is coming towards me..

Sudheesh

[Rajith]

Giant Mermaid in Shangumughom Beach...
Great work by Kanai




Watch closely.... and admire ...




a distant view now... mermaid in a grean sea!!