Editing Thiruvananthapuram (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Thiruvananthapuram}}
{{See also|Merger of Kanyakumari with Madras State}}
[[File:Raja ravivarma painting 50 historic meeting.jpg|thumb|left|Painting by [[Raja Ravi Varma]] depicting [[Richard Temple-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos]] being greeted by [[Visakham Thirunal]], with [[Ayilyam Thirunal of Travancore]] looking on, during Buckingham's visit to Thiruvananthapuram in early 1880]]
[[File:TVM Padmanabhaswamy Temple.jpg|thumb|left|[[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]] is the richest temple in the world.]]
[[File:Padmanabhapuram Clock Tower.jpg|left|250px|thumbnail|[[Padmanabhapuram Palace]]]]
===Pre Historic Period===
Thiruvananthapuram is a relatively modern region with trading traditions dating back to 1000&nbsp;BCE.<ref>De Beth Hillel, David (1832). ''Travels'' ([[Madras]] publication).</ref><ref>Lord, James Henry (1977). ''The Jews in India and the Far East''; Greenwood Press Reprint; {{ISBN|0-8371-2615-0}}.</ref> It is believed that the ships of [[Solomon|King Solomon]] landed in a port called [[Ophir]] (now [[Poovar]]) in Thiruvananthapuram in 1036&nbsp;BCE.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Business Directory, Kerala |date=1972 |publisher=National Publishers |page=45}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The March of India, Volume 15, Issues 1–9 |date=1963 |publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AUD24pMsKvYC}}</ref> The city was the trading post of [[spices]], [[sandalwood]] and [[ivory]].<ref name="Ancient Trade in Thiruvananthapuram">
{{cite web |publisher=Technopark Kerala |work=About Thiruvananthapuram |url=http://www.technopark.org/abttvm01.htm |title=Ancient Trade in Thiruvananthapuram |access-date=17 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061003090427/http://www.technopark.org/abttvm01.htm |archive-date=3 October 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala.
===Ancient Period===
The [[Chera dynasty]] governed the area of [[Malabar Coast]] between [[Alappuzha]] in the south to [[Kasaragod]] in the north. This included [[Palakkad Gap]], [[Coimbatore]], [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]], and [[Kolli Hills]]. The region around [[Coimbatore]] was ruled by the Cheras during [[Sangam period]] between c. first and the fourth centuries CE and it served as the eastern entrance to the [[Palakkad Gap]], the principal trade route between the [[Malabar Coast]] and [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="Trade">{{cite news |last=Subramanian |first=T. S |title=Roman connection in Tamil Nadu |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007012800201800.htm&date=2007/01/28/&prd=th |access-date=28 October 2011 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |date=28 January 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919235748/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2007012800201800.htm&date=2007%2F01%2F28%2F&prd=th |archive-date=19 September 2013}}</ref> However the southern region of present-day Kerala state (The coastal belt between Thiruvananthapuram and [[Alappuzha]]) was under [[Ay dynasty]], who was more related to the [[Pandya dynasty]] of [[Madurai]].<ref>KA Nilakanta Sastri</ref>

The early rulers of the city were the [[Ay kingdom|Ays]]. [[Vizhinjam]], which is now a region in the present-day Thiruvananthapuram, was the capital of the Ay dynasty.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Woodcock |first1=George |title=Kerala: a portrait of the Malabar coast |date=1967 |publisher=Faber & Faber |page=[https://archive.org/details/keralaportraitof0000wood/page/65 65] |url=https://archive.org/details/keralaportraitof0000wood |url-access=registration |access-date=24 June 2018}}</ref> Vizhinjam was an important port city from as early as the second century BC.<ref name="vizhis">{{cite book |last1=Mathew |first1=K S |title=Imperial Rome, Indian Ocean Regions and Muziris: New Perspectives on Maritime Trade |date=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1351997522 |page=27 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8iUlDwAAQBAJ |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Nayar |first1=K Balachandran |title=In Quest of Kerala: Geography, places of interest, political history, social history, literature |date=1974 |publisher=Accent Publications |page=26 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EXIeAAAAMAAJ |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> During the Ay dynasty's rule, Thiruvananthapuram witnessed many battles in which the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]] and [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandyan]] dynasties attempted to capture the port town.<ref name="vizhis1">{{cite news |last1=Babu George |first1=Sarath |title=Vizhinjam in historical perspective |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/vizhinjam-in-historical-perspective/article7468781.ece |access-date=9 July 2018 |newspaper=The Hindu |date=27 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="vizhis2">{{cite news |last1=Mahadevan |first1=G |title=Shedding light on Vizhinjam's golden past |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/shedding-light-on-vizhinjams-golden-past/article5981994.ece |access-date=9 July 2018 |newspaper=The Hindu |date=6 May 2014}}</ref>
===Middle Ages ===
After the death of king [[Vikramaditya Varaguna]] in 925 AD, the glory of the Ays departed and almost all their territories became part of the [[Chera dynasty]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Proceedings – Indian History Congress |date=1987 |publisher=Indian History Congress |page=187 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=POltAAAAMAAJ |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref><ref name="vizhis3"/> During the tenth century, the Cholas attacked and sacked Vizhinjam and surrounding regions.<ref name="vizhis3"/> The port in Vizhinjam and the historic education center of Kanthalloor Sala were also destroyed by Cholas during this period.<ref name="kanthalloor">{{cite news |last1=Haridas |first1=Aathira |title=Chronicles of Kanthalloor Sala which got lost in the mists of time |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2018/apr/17/chronicles-of-kanthalloor-sala-which-got-lost-in-the-mists-of-time-1802832.html |access-date=9 July 2018 |newspaper=The Times of India |date=17 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Roy |first1=Kaushik |title=Military Manpower, Armies and Warfare in South Asia |date=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317321279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GpNECgAAQBAJ |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> A branch of the Ay family, which had controlled the [[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]], merged with the [[Venad|Kingdom of Venad]] in the 12th century.<ref name="vizhis3">{{cite book |last1=Sreedhara Menon |first1=A |title=Kerala History and its Makers |date=2011 |publisher=D C Books |isbn=9788126437825 |page=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wnAjqjhc1VcC |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref>
[[File:1733 Homann Heirs Map of India - Geographicus - India-homannheirs-1733.jpg|left|thumb|A map of [[Malabar Coast]] drawn by Homann Heirs in 1733. At that time, Travancore was only a small territory wedged between [[Kollam]] and [[Kanyakumari]], as shown in the map (Present-day districts of [[Thiruvananthapuram district|Thiruvananthapuram]] and Kanyakumari only).
===Early Modern Period===
It was in the latter half of the 18th century, that Travancore inherited the kingdoms up to [[Kingdom of Cochin|Cochin]] and became a powerful kingdom, and Thiruvananthapuram became a major city of Kerala.]]
Present-day Thiruvananthapuram city, district, and [[Kanyakumari district]], were parts of the [[Ay dynasty]] during ancient and [[Middle Ages|medieval ages]], which was a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] kingdom based in the southernmost part of the Indian subcontinent.<ref name="askh">{{cite book |last1=Sreedhara Menon |first1=A. |title=A Survey of Kerala History |year=2007 |publisher=DC Books |location=Kottayam |isbn=9788126415786 |edition=2007 |url=https://dcbookstore.com/books/a-survey-of-kerala-history}}</ref> Ay kingdom had experienced attacks and conquests by [[Chola dynasty|Cholas]] and [[Pandya dynasty|Pandyas]] in various periods.<ref name="askh"/> Later it became a part of [[Venad]] in late Middle Ages, which was eventually expanded as the powerful kingdom of [[Travancore]] in 18th century CE.<ref name="askh"/> The [[Tamil people|Tamil]]-Dravidian kind of architecture is also found in Padmanabhaswamy temple, which makes it distinct and unique from the architectural style of temples in northern and central parts of [[Kerala]].<ref name="askh"/>
[[File:Thambiran Vanakkam 1578.JPG|left|thumbnail|''[[Thambiran Vanakkam]]'' was printed at Kollam, the capital of [[Venad]] in 1578, during the Portuguese Era. It holds the record of the first book printed in any Indian language. It was written in the language ''[[Lingua Malabar Tamul]]'' which was spoken in [[Kerala]] during the medieval period.]]

The official language of [[Kerala]], based at [[Kollam]], was also identified as [[Tamils|Tamil]], by the natives of Kerala in those times.<ref name=":302">Karashima, Noburu. 2014. 'The Fall of the Old States', in ''A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations'', ed. Noburu Karashima, pp. 172–73. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |title=Pandya dynasty {{!}} Indian dynasty |language=en |work=Encyclopedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pandya-dynasty |access-date=2017-09-21}}</ref> and the [[Chola dynasty]],<ref>{{cite book |first=John |last=Keay |title=India: A History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0IquM4BrJ4YC |year=2011 |publisher=Open Road + Grove/Atlantic |isbn=978-0-8021-9550-0 |page=215}}</ref><ref name=majumdar407>Majumdar (contains no mention of Maldives)</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Ganesh |first=K.N. |date=June 2009 |title=Historical Geography of Natu in South India with Special Reference to Kerala |journal=Indian Historical Review |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=3–21 |doi=10.1177/037698360903600102 |s2cid=145359607 |issn=0376-9836}}</ref> The place names, the dialects of [[Malayalam]] spoken, and the customs that exist in Kerala today still reveal a close relationship with Tamil heritage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2010/jun/26/keralas-tamil-connection-126586.amp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603134225/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2010/jun/26/keralas-tamil-connection-126586.amp |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 June 2021 |title=Kerala's Tamil Connection |date=26 June 2010 |publisher=The New Indian Express}}</ref>
===Late Modern Period===
In the early 18th century CE, the [[Travancore royal family]] adopted some members from the royal family of [[Kolathunadu]] based at [[Kannur]].<ref>Travancore State Manual</ref> Then, [[Marthanda Varma]] who inherited the Kingdom of Venad expanded the kingdom by conquering the kingdoms of Attingal, Kollam, Kayamkulam, Kottarakara, Kottayam, Changanassery, Meenachil, Poonjar and Ambalapuzha. In 1729, [[Marthanda Varma]] founded the princely state of [[Travancore|Thiruvithamkoor]] and Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital in 1795 after shifting the capital from [[Padmanabhapuram]] in [[Kanyakumari]] district.<ref name="district history">{{cite web |title=History |url=https://trivandrum.gov.in/history/ |website=District Administration Thiruvananthapuram |publisher=National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India |access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref> Thiruvananthapuram became a prominent city in Kerala under [[Marthanda Varma]].<ref name="Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc 2013">{{Britannica|606138|Thiruvananthapuram}}</ref> 
[[File:A language map of India prepared for the missionary projects at Serampore, 1822.jpg|thumbnail|A language map of India prepared in 1822.]]
As a result of the annexation of neighbouring [[chiefdom]]s, the artists and scholars from these places migrated to Thiruvananthapuram, turning it into a cultural center. Marthanda Varma gave patronage to different temple art forms including ''Koothu'', ''Padhakam'', ''Kathakali'', ''Thullal'', and ''Koodiyattam''. Noted artists such as [[Ramapurathu Warrier]] and [[Kunchan Nambiar]] amongst others served as his court poets.<ref name="Gauri Lakshmi Bayi 1998 152–168">{{cite book |last=Gauri Lakshmi Bayi |first=Aswathi Thirunal |title=Sreepadmanabhaswami Kshetram |year=1998 |publisher=The State Institute Of Languages |location=Thiruvananthapuram |isbn=978-81-7638-028-7 |pages=152–168}}</ref> Travancore became the most dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful [[Zamorin]] of [[History of Kozhikode|Kozhikode]] in the battle of [[Purakkad]] in 1755.<ref name="AHoT 162"/>

The city developed into a significant intellectual and artistic centre during this period. The city's golden age was during the mid-19th century under the reign of [[Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma|Maharaja Swathi Thirunal]] and [[Ayilyam Thirunal|Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal]]. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the [[Trivandrum Observatory|Observatory]] (1837), the General Hospital (1839), [[the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library]] and the University College (1873). The first mental hospital in the state was started during the same period. [[Sanskrit College]], Ayurveda College, [[Law College]] and a second-grade college for women were started by [[Moolam Thirunal]] (1885–1924).<ref name="History of Thiruvananthapuram">{{cite web |publisher=Govt. of Kerala |url=http://www.corporationoftrivandrum.in/about-corporation |title=About Corporation |access-date=17 May 2017}}</ref>
===Contemporary Period===
The early 20th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The [[Sree Moolam Popular Assembly]], established in 1904, was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of legislative bodies in Kerala-- Sri Mulam Popular Assembly |url=http://keralaassembly.org/history/popular.html |publisher=Keralaassembly |access-date=17 May 2017}}</ref> Despite not being under the direct control of the [[British Empire]] at any time, the city featured prominently in [[Indian independence movement|India's freedom struggle]]. The [[Indian National Congress]] had a very active presence in Thiruvananthapuram. A meeting of the [[Indian National Congress]] presided by Dr [[Pattabhi Sitaramaiah]] was held here in 1938.
[[File:Palace of Trivandrum.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kowdiar Palace]] built-in 1915 was the official residence of the [[Travancore Royal Family]].<ref name="Kowdiar">{{cite web |title=Kowdiar palace |url=http://www.zonkerala.com/tourism/Kowdiar-Palace-9.html |work=About Kowdiar palace |publisher=Zonkerala |access-date=25 June 2010}}</ref>]]
The Thiruvananthapuram Municipality came into existence in 1920 as the first municipality in the [[Travancore]] region. The municipality was converted into a corporation on 30 October 1940, during the period of [[Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma]], who took over in 1931.<ref name="ThiruvananthapuramHistoryIntro">{{cite web |title=Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation |url=http://www.corporationoftrivandrum.org/ |work=Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation Introduction |publisher=Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Government of Kerala |access-date=3 January 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916043822/http://www.corporationoftrivandrum.org/ |archive-date=16 September 2010}}</ref> The city witnessed multi-faceted progress during his period. The promulgation of the "[[Temple Entry Proclamation]]" (1936) was an act that underlined social emancipation. This era also saw the establishment of the [[Kerala University|University of Travancore]] in 1937, which later became [[Kerala University]].<ref name="University of Kerala History">{{cite web |title=A Brief History of the University |url=https://keralauniversity.ac.in/history |publisher=University of Kerala |access-date=17 May 2017}}</ref>
===Modern Period===
With the end of British rule in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. The first popularly elected ministry, headed by [[Pattom Thanu Pillai]], was installed in office on 24 March 1948. In 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of [[Travancore-Cochin|Thiru-Kochi]], the state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour, the [[Kingdom of Cochin|Kochi]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Criminal Justice India Series: Kerala, 2001 |author=West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences |year=2002 |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=978-81-7764-391-6 |page=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_2r8cLTkmA8C&pg=PA5}}</ref> The king of [[Travancore]], [[Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma]], became the [[Rajpramukh]] of the [[Travancore-Cochin|Travancore-Cochin Union]] from 1 July 1949 until 31 October 1956. When the state of [[Kerala]] was formed on 1 November 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became its capital.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Movement for a United (Aikya) Kerala |url=https://kerala.gov.in/web/guest/united-kerala |website=State Portal of Kerala |publisher=Information & Public Relations Department, Kerala State IT Mission (KSITM), Government of Kerala |access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref>

With the establishment of [[Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station]] (TERLS) in 1962, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India's ambitious space programme. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the [[Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre]] (VSSC) in the outskirts of the city in 1963. Several establishments of the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram.<ref name="VSSC Thiruvananthapuram">{{cite web |publisher=Indian Space Research Organisation |url=http://www.isro.org/centers/cen_vssc.htm |title=VSSC Thiruvananthapuram |access-date=23 May 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060426233653/http://www.isro.org/centers/cen_vssc.htm |archive-date=26 April 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A significant milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment of [[Technopark Kerala|Technopark]]—India's first IT park—in 1995.<ref name="Technopark Thiruvananthapuram">{{cite web |publisher=Kerala State IT Mission |url=http://www.keralaitmission.org |title=First IT Park in Kerala |access-date=25 August 2006 |archive-date=3 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103110342/http://www.keralaitmission.org/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Technopark has developed into the largest IT park in the geographical area,<ref>{{cite book |title=The digital challenge: information technology in the development context |year=2003 |publisher=S. Krishna, Shirin Madon by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. |page=350 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GVhMzNSMsLYC&pg=PA350 |isbn=9780754634454}}</ref> employing around 62,000 people in 450 companies.<ref>{{Cite news  |date=2020-07-29 |title=Technopark bags high CRISIL rating |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/technopark-bags-high-crisil-rating/article32225885.ece |access-date=2020-09-07 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>