Thrissur - Cultural Capital at Thrissur Kerala , is the name derived from 'Tiru-Shiva-Perur' (the town with the name of Lord
Shiva), is the cultural capital of Kerala. The town is built around a
hillock. Its most prominent feature is the Vadakkumnathan Kshetram or temple
which has Shiva as its presiding deity. Though almost in the center of
Kerala in its southeast corner it is bounded by Tamil Nadu and the mountains
of Machad, Paravattani, Palapalli, Kodeswary and Athirapalli. The Periyar,
The Chalakudy, The Karuvannur and The Ponnani (Bharatha Puzha) are the
rivers that crisscross through this territory.
Visit to Thrissur Cultural Campital at kerala - sAt A Glance
Thrissur is a land of flowing rivers and lush greenery, its tropical rain
forests are filled with charming waterfalls. Geographically, Thrissur is in
the center of Kerala, here the south meets the north, balancing in harmony
the diverse cultural and religious practices. Visit to Thrissur Cultural
Campital at kerala is the Land of Kathakali,
Acharyas of Ayurveda and the Kalamandalam which gave birth to innumerable
artists and encouraged creativity in dance, drama and music. Thrissur is the
land of the Pooram - the festival which is a yearly extravaganza of art,
colour, light and sound. The culture of this festival district has been
shaped by its many rulers and dynasties starting with the Zamorins, Tipu
Sultan, the Dutch and the British. A cultural center, the Kerala
Kalamandalam, the Kerala Sahitya Academy and Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy
are located here.
Tourist Attractions of Thrissur
» Thrissur pooram Festival - Visit to Thrissur
Cultural Campital at kerala and it is tshe Pooram Festival celebrated
in the month of April/ May sees the town come alive with a spectacular
procession of decorated elephants, cultural shows, dance and music
competitions, prayer, worship, percussion performances and other colorful
fiestas. The two rival groups representing the two divisions of Thrissur
Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi viy with each other in making the display of
fireworks grander and more colourful. Each group is allowed to display a
maximum of fifteen elephants and all efforts are made by each party to
secure the best elephants in South India and the most artistic parasols,
several kinds of which are raised on the elephants during the display. The
celebrations begin early in the morning and carry on till the wee hours of
the next day. The melodious effect of the Panchavadyam, a combination of
five percussion and wind instruments is truly wonderful as it captures the
essence of the land, its people and culture.
»
Anakkayam - Anakkayam at a distance of 20 kms from Chalakudy on the
Sholayar Peringalkuthu route is famous for its azure lake. Set amidst rugged
rocks and lush greenery it is a soothing oasis with its calm and placid
waters.
» Athirapally and Vazhachal Waterfalls - On the edge
of the Sholayar forest ranges, are the beautiful waterfalls of Athirapally
and Vazhachal. These falls cascade down the rocks from a height of 80 feet,
their pleasant gurgling and the sound of the waters rushing over rocks
creates a wonderful ambiance. The greens of the forest are beautifully
highlighted by the white waters of the falls.
» Thrissur Zoo - The Thrissur Zoo is straight out of
Yann Martel's book, 'Life of Pi', 2km from the city center and occupying13.5
acres of land it houses a variety of fauna including the lion tailed
macaque, sloth bear, various species of birds and deer. The snake park has a
reptilian collection of King Cobras, Kraits, Vipers and Rat Snakes.
» The Art Museum - Within the zoo compound is the
small Art Museum which has a good collection of wood carvings metal
sculptures, Kathakali figures, and ancient jewellery. There is also a
wonderful collection of traditional Kerala lamps
» Cheruthuruthy - Cheruthuruthy
(Kerala Kalamandalam) lies in the north of Thrissur. It is considered the
place that keeps Kerala's priceless age-old traditional art forms alive. It
is here that the best of Kerala's Kathakali performers get rigorous
training. The institution also offers training in music, drama, and other
dance forms including Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam and Ottam Thullal.
» Peechi Dam - Peechi Dam, 23km fromThrissur is an
irrigation project site which offers boating facilities at the reservoir.
Situated amidst natural surrounds here one can easily spot a wild tusker or
two on the forested banks, which are also a part of the125 sq. km Peechi
Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary.
» Vadakkumnathan - Vadakkumnathan Temple is a
classic example of the Kerala style of architectrue. The temple contains the
sacred shrines of Paramashiva, Parvathy, Sankaranarayana, Ganapathy, Sri
Rama and Sri Krishna. The central shrines and Koothambalam exhibit exquisite
vignettes carved in wood. According to legend this temple was built by
Pasurama. The grand Pooram festival is celebrated here in April -May every
year.
Shopping
Thrissur
is famous for its silk. Its other famous handicrafts include textiles, brass
work, bell metal curios and exquisitely crafted ornaments and jewellery in
gold.
Climate
Thrissur has a typical tropical climate, oppressively hot summers and
plenty of seasonal rainfall. The hot season from March to May is followed by
the southwest monsoon season from June to September. From December to
February the northeast monsoon sets in. The best time to be here is between
October and March.
Accommodation
Thrissur offers good quality accommodation for all kinds of budgets, from
luxury hotels to simple bed and breakfasts. Some of the best options for the
tourists are - Siddharth Regency, Casino Hotel, Luciya Palace, Yatri Niwas
and Hotel Spring Valley.
Getting there
» Air - Nearest international airport is at
Nedumbassery, 58kms away. Cochin airport is also not too far since it is 78
kms away.
» Rail - Thrissur is an important railhead of the
Southern Railways. The station is connected to all the major cities of India
by the rail network.
» Road - Good motorable roads connect Thrissur with
all the major towns and cities of India.
