Hearitage

  Kerala has some of the most iconic structures along its length & breadth, some well preserved & some in a dilapidated state. The coastline of Kerala is what attracted all the foreign powers to start their colonies here. It is also to be known that Kerala was the entry point for new religions & trade from foreign lands to South  east Asia. The first colonists who ruled these parts were the Portuguese who came in the start of the 16th century & ruled for over a century until the Dutch took over. The Portuguese built many forts, structures along the coast. One among them is the St Thomas fort or commonly called Thangasseri fort. The Portuguese established a good trade relation with the Cochin Rajah after the altercation of Vasco Da Gama with the Zamorins, making them move south. The trade of the Cochin region was controlled by the Jews & the Portuguese had to establish their supremacy. The responsibility was given to Afonso De Albuquerque who became the second Govern

  For anyone who comes to Trivandrum, a visit to Padmanabhaswamy temple is a must but what completes the visit is breaking a coconut at the revered Pazhavangady Ganapati temple. This activity along with the origin of the temple is one that takes you back to the time of the Travancore Kings & one that compels you to believe in human endurance & faith. The Pazhavangadi temple is a landmark in the East fort area & one that can never be missed by anyone. The temple stands on a small land & is said to have been built on the walls of the East Fort which does not exist anymore. The temple, idol & its rituals all have stories of their own. The story of the temple starts in the 18th century.  The old capital of Travancore was Padmanabhapuram & the palace complex there was protected by a large fort which was secured by the Nair Brigade. There was a Kavu near the wall dedicated to Melankottu Yakshi who was a fierce dispensation. The soldiers were afraid to patrol in the ni