Sojourning Through Kerala’s Cultural Capital – Thrissur

For the culturally intrigued traveler, we have today a beautiful place located in central Kerala. With its rich history, abundant cultural heritage, and archaeological wealth, Thrissur is rightfully termed the ‘Cultural Capital of Kerala.’ Read on for the ultimate travel guide to Thrissur. 

With a strong influence of Indian, European, and Arab cultures through the medieval and colonial times, it is no surprise just how culturally dense Thrissur is. The Thrissur International Film Festival is the city’s very own film festival hosted among numerous other cultural events throughout the year. It has been stated that the city was founded by Lord Parsurama himself. 

The city’s name – Thrissur – came to be due to the city’s most notable feature: the Vadakkumnathan Temple, whose presiding deity is Shiva. It is a short form of the Malayalam word Thirusshivaperoor. Trichur was the anglicized name of the city up until 1990. before the government decided to replace it with the Malayalam name. 

The cuisine also has a great influence from the city’s rich history, geography, demography, and culture. Rice is the staple food here. Snacks commonly found here are Achappam, Kuzhalappam, Vatteppam, Unniyappam, and Pazham Pori. another dish that is special to the city is Vellayappam, a kind of rice hopper. Another popular street food here is vellayappam angadi. 

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Thrissur’s climate is tropical which just means that the city has a hot and humid weather throughout most of the year. From June to September, the city sees a monsoon season, and heavy rainfall is experienced, especially during July. But the best time to visit would be winters when the mercury drops to 22°C making the weather pleasant. The winter here begins in December and lasts till mid-February. The temperatures remain between 22°C to 30°C. During this time, you can take undue advantage of the pleasant weather to enjoy a slew of activities and go sightseeing. 

Kerala

The city is a focal point for energetic festivities. Not just that, Thrissur also hosts its very own film festival.

REASONS TO VISIT

We’ve already mentioned that Thrissur is a culturally dense city. That is not all it has to offer. Thrissur is pretty much the whole package – from historical monuments to worship places, to parks to places of natural beauty – the city has it all. Along with being called the cultural capital of Kerala, it is also often called the Golden city of India. It is the land of festivals and has one of Asia’s largest temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. All year round, some festival celebration can be seen. The city has a total of 32 hotels and resorts, some of which are luxury at its best. The amalgamation of temples, museums, beaches, churches, picnic spots, zoos, palaces, etc. make sure Thrissur earned the well-deserved tag of a must-visit place.

PLACES TO VISIT

Kerala

Thrissur is also home to some stunningly ethereal waterfalls. 

  • The Athirappilly Waterfalls exude an ethereal and serene vibe. Located about 60 km from Thrissur, it is the perfect picnic spot. The Vazhachal waterfalls can be found nearby which is another beautiful and must-visit place. 
Kerala

If the locals are to be believed, this is the very first temple built by Lord Parasurama himself.

  • Your journey to Thrissur will be considered incomplete if you leave without visiting the famous Vadakkumnathan Temple. It is an 1100-year-old temple and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The great art and architecture reflect Kerala’s ancient style and the place is serene and peaceful to visit. 
Kerala

The establishment of the park came about due to a public controversy over the habitat of the lion-tailed macaque.

  • The Silent Valley National Park makes for another great tourist destination. It is an extremely beautiful forest and boasts a variety of flora and fauna. 
Kerala

Located near the Guruvayur Temple, one can see elephants receive baths, massages, and food here. 

  • Another place you cannot miss is the Punnathur Kotta Elephant Sanctuary. It is home to more than 60 elephants and is located in Punnathur Kotta, approx. 3 km from the Guruvayur Temple. You can feed them bananas and click pictures with the popular elephants of the sanctuary. 

HOW TO REACH

There are quite a few ways to reach this beautiful city. It can be reached easily through the neighboring districts of Ernakulam, Palakkad, and Malappuram. You can travel by road, rail, and even by air. 

Kerala

 

 

 Thrissur is easily accessible by road, air, and even rail. 

  • By Road

Thrissur is easily accessible by road through the neighboring districts of Ernakulam, Palakkad, and Malappuram. The National Highway 47 passes through Mannuthy which is 6km away from Thrissur city. There is also availability of numerous private buses and KSRTC buses that operate on this route.

  • By Rail

The Thrissur Railway Station is one of the major railway stations in the country. Although, there is another station called Poonkunnam North of Thrissur, where passenger and express trains often make stops. The most eminent place of worship in Kerala is located in Thrissur which is well-connected through rail.

  • By Air

Since Thrissur does not have any airport of its own, the nearest airport to Thrissur is the Cochin International Airport which is located at Nedumbassery. The airport lies at a distance of about 50 km from Thrissur, so the travel to and from could easily take around 1-2 hours. You can easily avail buses, AC Volvo buses, taxis, or even rental cars to reach Thrissur.

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