India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [232]
Internet Access Hotels nowadays all provide access—most have Wi-Fi. If you’re stuck, though, look for the signs for Sify iway or Reliance Webworld—these Internet centers usually provide faster connections than most.
Police Dial 100. Thampanoor Police Station ( 0471/233-1843) is on Station Road. For road accidents, call the police help line at 98-4610-0100.
Post Office The General Post Office ( 0471/247-3071; Mon–Sat 8am–7pm, Sun 10am–4pm) is along M.G. Road.
WHAT TO SEE & DO IN TRIVANDRUM
With palm-lined beaches beckoning, Trivandrum is unlikely to detain you longer than it takes to arrange your transfer out of there, but it has a number of interesting buildings, including the stately Secretariat and Legislative Assembly, situated along Mahatma Gandhi Road, which is the main boulevard and center of activity through town. M.G. Road runs more or less north to south and links the two most significant areas of tourist interest: the Museum Complex, to the north of the city; and the Fort area, which houses Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Puthenmalika Palace Museum, to the south. It is possible to walk from one area to the other (about 45 min.), and there are numerous shops en route. Alternatively, auto-rickshaws continuously buzz along the road’s length, and you will have no trouble catching a ride from one area to the other. It’s worth wandering M.G. just to shop; if this is all you feel like doing, don’t bother with the sights and make a beeline for Natesan’s ( 0471/233-1594;www.natesansantiqarts.com), the city’s largest and most reputable antiques and art dealer, with original bronze, silver, teak, sandalwood, stone, and wood carvings as well as manufacturer’s replicas. Hastakala (Gandhariamman Kovil Rd.; 0484/233-1627) specializes in Kashmiri goods including hand-woven carpets, quality Pashminas, and Tibetan and tribal jewelry. For a uniquely Keralite souvenir, go to the SMSM Institute (off M.G. Rd., behind the Secretariat, near the British Library; 0471/233-0298) and pick up an Aranmula metal mirror (produced by combining herbs with molten metal to produce a dazzlingly reflective surface), or browse the Gram Sree Craft Centre. Book lovers could spend a day in DC Books, the biggest in Kerala (www.dcbooks.com); there are four branches in the city, but your best bet is to head to the one in Karimpanal Statue Avenue. And if you’re looking for clothing for all ages, Aiyappas, opposite the SL Theatre Complex ( 0484/233-1627; www.aiyappas.com), is a good place to start, while Karalkada ( 0471/247-4520;www.karalkada.com) has the most superb hand-woven cotton fabrics, saris, kavanis, kurthas, and dhotis, and is the place locals come to shop when looking to buy something special for an imminent wedding or religious ceremony.
Museum Complex Many of Trivandrum’s cultural sites are clustered in a huge formal public garden at the northern end of the city. Napier Museum occupies an early Indo-Saracenic building, created in 1880 in honor of the then-governor of Madras, Lord Napier. This priceless collection includes excellent 12th-century Chola bronzes, wood carvings, stone idols, and fascinating musical instruments, while more unique pieces include a temple chariot, a 400-year-old clock, and a royal cot made from herbal wood. Fine-art enthusiasts should visit Sri Chitra Art Gallery, which holds an assortment of miniature paintings from the Rajput, Moghul, and Tanjore schools, as well as more exotic works from Japan, China, Bali, and Tibet. One of the country’s foremost artists, Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1905), whose well-known oil paintings explore Hindu mythological themes, is represented here. K.C.S. Paniker Gallery is a wholly unnecessary diversion, as is the Natural History Museum (unless you want to see stuffed animals and dolls in traditional costumes)