Kerala: Check out Trivandrum’s East Fort, a treat for heritage lovers

Thiruvananthapuram: The city’s historic East Fort area could easily pass off as the Shahjahanabad or Purani Dilli of Kerala, albeit on a much smaller scale.  Much like old Delhi, which is pivoted around Jama Masjid, the East Fort area is also centred around an imposing religious structure, the Padmanabha Swamy Temple, considered as the world’s richest temple.  The area is punctuated by a complex of ornate palaces and royal offices as well as the bustling Chalai Bazar, the Chandni Chowk of Trivandrum, though less crowded and more organised, but no less colourful.
Trivandrum’s East Fort area is centred around an imposing religious structure, the Padmanabha Swamy Temple, which is known as the world’s richest temple.
And like the Red Fort in Delhi, which was the seat of Mughal authority, the East Fort was the seat of the once powerful Travancore Kingdom that ruled most of southern Kerala and some parts of Tamil Nadu.  Developed in 1747 by King Marthanda Varma, the locality represents a fine synthesis of native and Dravidian construction styles that employed locally available material and artisans, with ample consideration for the local climate.
Helmed by two giant gates, the East Fort area is a treat for general travellers as well as heritage lovers. From bazaars and museums to palaces and eateries (banana chips, spiced-up fish delicacies et al), the locality is a microcosm of Kerala’s cultural landscape.