THRISSUR

Athirappilly Falls stands as the ever shining pride of Kerala and is often called as “Niagra of India” . It is the largest waterfall in Kerala standing at feet of 1000 above sea level at a height of ‎25 m (82 feet) with 4 drops and 100 M (330 feet) wide. Situated at the border of Ernakulum district and Thrissur district, it is a major tourist attraction in Kerala which allures a wide range of tourists each season. The waterfall comes down to the 80 feet level through several streams. It originates from the upper parts of Western Ghats at the entrance of the Sholayar region. The Athirappilly waterfalls flow through the verdant greenery of the Vazhachal forest toward the Arabian Sea, creating a spectacular vista of scintillating water, emerald jungles, and azure sky. The magnanimous waterfalls are worth your vacation.

This is one of the largest Bhagavathy temples in Kerala, located in the outskirts of the Vadakumnathan temple ground, Paramekkavu, in Thrissur District. The main deity of this temple is Devi Vaishnavy, an incarnation of Goddess Durga, who believed to have come here along with Kuruppal (head of an aristocratic Nair family) from Thirumadhamkunnu, on his umbrella. This is considered as one of the largest Devi temples in Kerala and is also one of the participating temples of the famous Thrissur Pooram festival. This ceremony has a procession of fifteen decorated elephants, who walk from Paramekkavu to the Vadakkumnathan temple, where the Pooram festival is celebrated. A large number of tourists visit this place to witness this auspicious event, which is truly captivating and exciting. This temple can be easily visited by tourists from the Thrissur railway station, which is only 2 km from the main temple ground. The Cochin International Airport is only 52 km from this temple and the tourists can easily commute here through a taxi or bus.

The Dolours Basilica, or the Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours (as the full name goes), is a distinct building in the city of Thrissur. You can easily recognize this grand church from its white facade. Smack in the middle of a lush green valley, this basilica is known for narrating quite a number of stories of love and faith. Spread in an area of about 25,000 sq feet, Dolours Basilica is the third tallest church in Asia and the largest church in the country with double storeyed aisles.

Vilangan Kunnu is a hill spread over 5 acres in Thrissur and is a perfect spot for a picnic. You can reach the place by taxi and trek to the top of the hill. From the top of the hill, you can have a panoramic view of the city. Vilangan Kunnu is called the oxygen jar of the city because the place is covered with green dense forests. There is an amusement park where people can enjoy several rides

Not so far away from the Guruvayoor Temple lies one of the best Thrissur tourist places. An Elephant Sanctuary, the Punnathur Kotta was initially a palace belonging to a local ruler. It was then converted to a house of elephants and now has the highest number captive elephant, about 59 of them. This is where these beasts are trained to participate in several festivals. Apart from this, the Punnathur Kotta also has a training centre for Elephant Riders (Mahouts), and temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Bhagavati.

Smack in the middle of the city is one of the most alive and beautiful of all Thrissur Tourist Places. Also known as the State Museum & Zoo, the Thrissur Zoo is located at about 2 km from the city centre, the zoo is more than just a place for showcasing the beautiful flora and fauna of the region. There is also a natural history museum and an art museum that have exhibits capturing the social and cultural heritage of Thrissur. With it being one of the two Zoological Parks in Kerala, the zoo experiences a good number of visitors every year.

A University of Art and Culture, Kerala Kalamandir is a Government of India recognized institution dedicated to providing learning in the many performing arts native to India. Their main focus has always been on the arts that have been developed in Southern India. The Kerala Kalamandalam was what gave three main arts of Kerala a new life, namely Kathakali, Kudiyattam, and Mohiniyattam. For the sake of performing arts, and if you are someone who is a fanatic for them, this is definitely the place to be. The best part is that the institute is housed on the banks of the Bharathapuzha River.

Another great waterfall located in the Athirappilly region of Thrissur, the Vazhachal Waterfall has located just 5 km from the famous Athirappilly waterfalls. The milky colour of the water is what really attracts visitors from all over to come and witness the majesty of the falls situated on the west flowing Chalakudy River. Owing to the beauty and the nature of this location, there are a lot of water parks and natural gardens nearby, which combined make monsoons the best time to visit this place.