Category: Our Voice

Setting up home is a major decision with many factors having to be kept in mind; the main factor however is location. If you are looking to settle in Kerala, then Thrissur is one of the best locations to settle down in. It is rich with cultural diversity, natural beauty, friendly people and an interesting history taking it back to 1000 BCE to 500 CE.

The city nestles around a 65-acre hillock known as the Thekkinkadu Maidaanam, which is the seat of the famous Vadakkunnathan temple. It is also the location of the famous 36-hour long Pooram festival which sees the city all decked up and flooded with thousands of domestic and international tourists pouring in to witness this grand annual affair.

History

Thrissur rose to prominence when Maharaja Sakthan Thampuran became the king (1769-1805) and made Thrissur the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. He invited Brahmins and Syrian Christians from adjoining areas to set up their trade in Thrissur and ensured it became a major commercial and financial hub in south India. Thrissur was also the point of contact for the Persian, Greeks, Romans, Portuguese, Assyrians, Dutch, Arab and the English.

Cultural Hub

With Thrissur having been the melting pot of so many cultures and religions over the centuries, it has a rich heritage of cultural diversity today and welcomes visitors with open arms. It is also home to numerous academies that support the traditional art practices of Kerala. Thrissur is also the venue of the Pooram festival, the most spectacular and colorful temple festival of Kerala which takes place in the month of April or May.

Religious Diversity

Though Thrissur is historically a Hindu-dominated district, it is also home to other world religions including Christianity, Judaism and Islam; these religions are said to have gained entrance into the country through Thrissur district and its surroundings. As per local belief, apostle St. Thomas, came to India through Muziris in 52 AD and set up the first church in the country in Palayur, Thrissur. It’s known as St. Thomas Major Archiepiscopal Church.

The first mosque to be built in India is also located in Thrissur and is called the Cheraman Juma Masjid which was constructed around 629 CE. The initial structure was similar to Hindu temple architecture, but has evolved over the centuries. Thrissur is well-known for its famous temples as well, including the Vadakkunnathan temple, Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna temple and of course the most-venerated and much-visited Guruvayur temple.

Financial Hub

Thrissur has traditionally been home to numerous finance houses and is said to have been the headquarters of 58 banks in the 1930’s – according to RBI. Still known as the business hub of Kerala, many banks and about 2000 Chit companies have their headquarters here. It is home to a thriving tile-producing industry, jewelry-making industry, Ayurveda medicines manufacturing hub as well as being famous for its textile showrooms.

Tourism

Thrissur witnesses the highest domestic tourist footfalls in Kerala and is famous for its stunning Athirappilly Waterfalls, Peechi dam, elephant sanctuary, trekking in the Western Ghats and of course the Vadakkunnathan and Guruvayur temples. This has led to a thriving hospitality industry here as well.

Aside from all these, Thrissur is also home to some of the best medical colleges and prestigious educational institutions of Kerala. Excellent infrastructure, low crime rates and easy availability of jobs and business prospects make Thrissur the best place to live in Kerala. What’s more, Thrissur enjoys excellent connectivity to the rest of Kerala as well as the country via an efficient railway network and highways. The nearest airports are at Kochi (58km away), Kozhikode (80km away) and Coimbatore (115km away).

With Thrissur still being a growing city, the real estate industry is thriving and more and more people are opting to buy homes and settle down here. Many elite builders have apartment and villa projects in this city, including Vishraam Builders. With over 21 years of excellent experience in building quality homes and numerous awards, Vishraam Builders are known for their beautifully-architected apartment and villa projects in niche areas of the city and its surroundings.

They provide living spaces that merge with Mother Nature and appreciated by those with discerning tastes. Fully-loaded with delightful amenities and luxurious facilities, every Vishraam home is built responsibly without harming the environment.

As cities run out of space, real estate is getting increasingly expensive. Homes are getting smaller even when budgets are getting larger. But having said that, living in the city up close to where all the facilities and amenities are easily available, is the best way to go, and apartments here make the most convenient homes.

Though they might be smaller on space, with a little bit of careful planning, you can still manage to fit in all your essentials. Thinking out of the box and going for smart furnishing will ensure that your home doesn’t appear cluttered and cramped up – you can still have space to move around in comfort without bumping into something first!

Here is a look at some innovative ways to create the illusion of space and actually save up on more space in your apartment:

Smart Storage

One of the most creative ways to make space in your apartment is with hidden storage areas. You can have neat boxes that slide under your bed to store your out of season clothes or extra towels and beddings, shoes, etc. Even the coffee table or ottoman can have hidden drawers to store books, magazines or other smaller items. You could even create storage spaces beneath sofas, chairs and window seats!

Dual-function Furniture

There are niche shops where you can buy multi-purpose furniture. The futuristic Murphy bed is a shining example. This wall bed is hinged at one end and folds away vertically into the wall when not in use. By closing the bed, you could be opening up a stylish sofa, a table or innovative storage spaces in the form of wall cabinets and shelves, on the exposed side. The extent of creativity is limitless with multifunctional furniture. And you end up saving on so much space!

Shelves

Why use up precious floor space for storage when you have so much vertical space available. Use the walls to hang readymade shelving units or customized shelves and cabinets to store or display things up the wall. Beautiful art pieces, books and even cookware can be put up on walls. This way, you not only save up on floor space but create the illusion of more space, by making the eye move up the walls.

Convenience in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the busiest part of your home, a place that the entire family frequents. It shouldn’t be cluttered and cramped, but appear inviting. Use vertical storage in the form of shelves, cabinets or wall hooks to hang your frequently used pots and pans. You could also use drawer organizers to further maximize space usage under the countertops, in a systematic way.

Corners

Don’t underestimate corners as useless spaces. You can actually use them to create study nooks or home office corners. And if that doesn’t work out, you could always install or buy corner shelves and use this nook for displaying your books, photos or art décor.

Lighting

Instead of taking up essential space with standing lamps or table lamps, why not go with pendant lamps. Aside from looking cool and stylish, they are also highly functional and work great for diffuse lighting or spot lighting. With hundreds of attractive designs to choose from, you can only compliment your décor style further by adding pendant lighting instead.

Scale Down

When moving into a smaller home, consider scaling down your furnishing and appliances. This way you can free up more space and still have all the things necessary for a functional home. By investing in a smaller dining table or sofa set, your home will appear more spacious. A smaller fridge in the kitchen would have the same effect too.

But if you are moving into a home by Vishraam Builders, you wouldn’t have to struggle so hard with space issues. Vishraam builders are known for crafting beautifully-architected homes that are smartly designed to maximize on space usage, giving homebuyers a luxurious treat for life.

What’s more, all Vishraam projects are located in niche areas of Thrissur and come fully-loaded with delightful amenities and luxurious facilities. Twenty one years of building homes responsibly without harming Mother Nature has also ensured numerous awards of excellence for Vishraam Builders, putting them in an elite class of their own. Come buy a Vishraam home today!

The southern state of Kerala is well-known for many things, including being home to a plethora of magnificent temples. While some became famous for their architectural beauty, others became popular for their richness and intriguing history.

The famous Guruvayur temple located in the culture-rich Thrissur district is one such temple that is famous for its historical significance. Also referred to as the ‘Dwaraka (birth place of Lord Krishna) of the South’, there are a number of interesting legends associated with this temple too. Here is a look at some interesting facts about the Guruvayur temple:

1. You cannot talk about Kerala’s history without mentioning this temple too. Also known as Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple, it is dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu and the young form of Lord Krishna. Amongst the many myths and documented historical events is the famous myth related to Lord Krishna. He is believed to have set his charioteer, Udhava, on a mission to save the idol of Lord Vishnu worshipped by him in Dwaraka. Udhava took the help of the ‘Guru’ of Gods and ‘Vayu’, the Lord of Winds and took the idol to far-away Kerala and installed it there. The place has since been known as ‘Guru-Vayu-ur’. It is also believed to have been known as the temple of the savior of mankind during troubled times.

2. Various art forms are celebrated in this temple. This includes the Sanskrit drama Krishnanttam. It is unique to this temple and depicts the life of Lord Krishna in eight episodes. It’s a combination of traditional music and pantomime with masked demons and other characters with painted faces. It’s a true representation of the region’s cultural heritage.

3. The Guruvayur temple is famous for its temple elephant festival when large crowds gather including foreign and domestic tourists. The elephants are dressed magnificently and paraded for various performances by their mahouts. The Guruvayur temple is famous for being home to a large population of captive male Asian elephants. These pachyderms live at the Punnathur Kotta elephant sanctuary which includes around 56 elephants. This sanctuary is located just around a couple of kilometers away from the most revered Guruvayur temple in Thrissur district. Tourists regularly flock to this sanctuary to visit the captive elephants. Some of these elephants have their own interesting legends attached to them!

4. Interestingly, even though the Guruvayur temple is one of the most-visited temples in Kerala and an important pilgrimage spot for Hindus, it wasn’t open to the lower caste Hindus till the early 1930’s. Even the streets around the temple were considered sacred with the lower caste Hindus not allowed anywhere near them! It took a Satyagraha (inspired by Gandhiji’s movement) when political greats took to leadership to fight for the rights of the lower caste Hindus. In spite of various compromises reached, it was only after independence that Guruvayur temple finally opened its doors to all classes of Hindus.

5. Every great event in history has been recorded extensively in writing or in storytelling. According to ancient texts, the main shrine of Guruvayur temple was rebuilt in 1630s after having been repeatedly plundered by the Dutch and Tipu Sultan. All this changed when the temple came under the administration of the Zamorin of Calicut in 1298. Since then, the temple has been flourishing with many well-known devotees writing extensively in Malayalam about the many miracles that have taken place here. Manaveda, the Zamorin of Calicut even authored a drama in Sanskrit to bring devotees closer to their God.

If you are intrigued and want to visit the Guruvayur temple, plan on spending the whole day. Getting here is easy as there are many trains plying to-and-fro from Guruvayur to Thrissur and further onwards. The closest airport is in Kochi.

Premium realtors like Vishraam builders have a number of delightful apartment projects in and around the temple town of Guruvayur. Fully-loaded with delightful amenities, these apartments enjoy the added benefit of being located in a safe neighborhood with easy access to important infrastructure and pollution-free living.

What’s more, every Vishraam home is constructed responsibly, without harming the environment. Do have a look at them.

It’s a dream come true to own the home you have always wanted. As a prospective home buyer, you think about two things: a pretty home and a not-so-pretty, usually inevitable home loan. Qualifying for a mortgage is most important. A lender must assess your ability to repay the loan, which is determined primarily on the basis of your earnings, expenses, savings, work profile, financial capability, and repayment history of any loans and other debt. Here are 4 important tips to check before you go for a home loan:

1. Check Your Credit Score: Your credit score helps determine how easy it will be to get a home loan. The score you receive depends on how frequently you pay your EMIs and credit card dues. In simple terms, your credit report (CIR), which contains your credit score, is the history of your borrowings from various institutions, such as banks or non-bank financial companies (NBFCs) or housing finance companies (HFCs). A trusted credit bureau prepares and maintains your credit records and shares it with the banks/lenders whenever an enquiry is made by the loan provider. The higher the credit score, the higher the chances of the loan getting approved. And also once can expect the best rate of interest on the home loan as a bonus. Ensure you check your credit score at least six months, preferably 12 months, before you plan to buy a home.

2. You need to determine your budget for buying a home, how much money you can use for a down payment, and how much of a home loan you will need. As a rule, you can get 80% of the value of the property as a home loan if your income is sufficient. You must identify the EMI range that you are comfortable with in order to decide on the loan tenure. You can play around with various options in helping you here using online EMI calculators. You can consider adding your parents or spouse as co-borrowers if your income isn’t sufficient.

3. Home Loan Document Requirements: Before you proceed with a home loan application, it is necessary to know the documentation that is required and ensure that it is in place before you approach a bank or housing finance company. You will need the following documents:

• Income Tax Returns or Form 16 for past 2-3 years make sure all taxes are filed
• PAN Card – Verifying the validity of the PAN will be done by the lender
• Aadhar Card – the bank would also do an Aadhaar verification to verify your identity
• Bank Statements for past 6-12 months for a bank account where your income and expenses reflect. Make sure you maintain a reasonable balance in this account over past 6 months.
• Last 3 Months Salary Slips if you are salaried
• Application Form with Photograph Duly Signed

4. Choose the right banks and lenders: Avoid applying to many lenders at the same time, as many credit inquiries can negatively impact your credit score. Select the banks or housing finance companies where you have good relations and the most important thing is to be in touch with the institution who already approved the property you intend to buy. Understand the eligibility criteria of such lenders in terms of the cutoff for credit score and the loan scheme (processing fees, the rate of interest etc.). Considering all of the above factors will help you prepare for your home loan and increase your chances of receiving a swift approval. If you’re considering co-borrowers, make sure you tell them to verify their credit score and maintain their documentation.

Property is a massive phrase that encompasses real estate, such as buildings and the land that surrounds them, as well as stores, flats, and other structures. This tax is distinct from the tax that falls under the purview of the Income Tax Act. The income earned from such owned property is only taxed under the Income Tax Act, not the property itself. Let’s not get mixed up about two taxes because they are completely different.

Property tax is a yearly sum paid by the property/land owner to the local governing body or Municipal Corporation. The following are examples of ‘property’ that may be subject to property tax liability:

• Residential House – Self-Occupied/Let Out
• Office or factory building
• Warehouses
• Flats/Apartments
• Commercial establishments/shops

In India, who is responsible for collecting Property Tax?

As previously said, the Municipality of any given region is the one who is entitled to assess, impose, and collect the property tax on an annual or semi-annual basis.

What is the foundation for property tax calculation?

Property taxes in India are calculated on the basis of ‘Annual Value.’ After determining the area, construction, property size, kind of building, and other relevant parameters, this annual value is estimated. As a result, the value varies from property to property. Lighting, drainage, and water taxes are all included in the property tax. Let out property and self-occupied property are the two primary categories under which it is calculated.

Allowable Deductions while estimating Property Tax

Deductions allowed for calculating property taxes Interest on a loan used to build, purchase, or repair the property

For repairs and upkeep of the property, a deduction of up to 30% is allowed.

The maximum interest payable is Rs.1,50,000 (if the loan is obtained on or after April 1, 1999) and Rs.30,000 (if the loan is taken before April 1, 1999). (if loan taken is after 1st April,1999)

Exemptions from Property Tax

The following properties are not subject to the Indian Property Tax: –

• The Central Government owns a number of properties.
• Vacant property of a certain type, such as a building or a block of land;
• Religious places of worship, philanthropic institutions, educational institutions,   historical monuments, cremation grounds/graveyards, trade union offices, free   recreational buildings, and so on.
• Unauthorized structures that are not registered with the municipality.

Buying a home is a major investment that requires a lot of dedicated research and financial input. It is a venture where you want to ensure that everything goes just right and you go all out to achieve it.

The principles of Vastu Shastra is an important feature that you will want to include into your new home. Even the younger generation understands the importance of this discipline and its significance in maintaining peace, positivity and prosperity in a home. For some, inculcating Vastu is a matter of traditional beliefs, while for others it’s a mandatory practice.

What is Vastu Shastra?

Vastu Shastra is an ancient traditional Indian system of architecture that deals with the basic principles of design, measurements and space arrangements. Contrary to popular opinion, this science of architectural principles has nothing to do with religion or mythology, but has more to do with creating a positive ‘Way of Living’.

Even if you find that your home is unaligned to the guidelines of Vastu, you can easily remodel the faults with minor alterations and alignments. By incorporating different geometric patterns, Vastu provides a collection of positive layouts for creating more suitable habitats. Vastu guidelines can not only be applied to homes, but also to offices, places of learning as well as of worship. Here are some Vastu tips for homes:

Main Entrance

In accordance with Vastu, the main entrance to your home is the point from which positive energy gains entry. The main door should ideally be facing the north-eastern side. The front door should always open in a clockwise manner. There should be no bathrooms located on this side of the house either. Ensure that there are no structures like wall corners that could obstruct the flow of positive energy into your home.

Living Room

This is the most important room as it is meant for activity and mingling. It should provide ample seating and be kept clutter-free. All large pieces of furniture should be placed along the south-western direction. All reflective items should find a home on the northern wall. Your living room is also the ideal place to display your Vastu-compliant plants and promote positivity in the room.

Kitchen

This all-important room is where your food is prepared. To ensure it is free of negativity, your kitchen should be in the south-eastern direction. Your cooking stove and ovens should also be placed in this direction. For prosperity, your food and grains should always be stored in the south-western part of the kitchen.

Prayer Room

This is another important part of your home where you commune spiritually with your maker. Your prayer room should ideally be in the north-eastern part of your home and painted in pale yellow or light blue colors.

Master Bedroom

You retire to your bedroom for rest and rejuvenation. Avoid adding elements into this room that would distract from this purpose. The bedroom should ideally be located in the south-western direction and so should the bed. Use light, neutral shades of wall color in this room along with gentle mood lighting, to create a restful atmosphere. For those who like to keep a TV in the bedroom, do not place it opposite the bed. Same goes for mirrors.

Kids’ Room

To create a child-friendly room that’s ideal for their upbringing and physical and mental growth, ensure that the study table is in the north-eastern direction. Their room should be bright and airy with cross-ventilation and plenty of sunlight. According to Vastu, the color of your child’s room should be green as it’s a soothing color that inspires the thinking ability of your child. You should also ensure that the room is free of bulky furnishing, pillars and beams. If the room has an attached bathroom, the bed shouldn’t be placed directly opposite the bathroom door. This is because bathrooms are believed to suck away positive energy from the child’s room.

If you are looking for Vastu-compliant homes, then go with Vishraam builders who have over 20 years of experience building premium villas and apartments in Thrissur area. What’s more, every Vishraam home is constructed responsibly without harming Mother Nature. Do check them out!

Interior decoration doesn’t have to be expensive or a luxury meant for the affluent only. With a few design ideas and subtle smart hacks, you can create a classy look for your apartment on a budget too.

Get the best of interior decoration for your dream home using simple decorative features that don’t necessarily have to cost an arm or a leg! It’s their unique placement that makes your home stand out and become your neighbor’s envy.While interior decoration might appear a little daunting for the first-timer, it all comes down to planning out the color palette, design patterns and features that you would love to showcase in your apartment. It’s your home and you are the best person to decorate it with the things that you love.

Here’s a simple guide to get you started on the exciting journey of decorating your apartment, within your budget:

Wall

The walls are your biggest canvas to play with when decorating your interiors. It’s always better to go with neutral, pastel shades as they never go out of style. You could consider using a paint that has gloss finishing as it reflects light and brightens up your interior spaces, making them look larger instantly.

Wallpapers

And if you are someone who loves wallpaper, choose a design that blends in with the design pattern of your apartment. It shouldn’t be too retro and take your apartment’s décor back a notch either. Choose glossy wallpaper on highlight walls to add interest to your room, while livening it up too. Choose the patterns depending on the room where they are to be used.

Curtains

Doing away with your tired curtains and replacing them with new ones is a great way of adding life to your room and its interior decor. Do ensure that they complement the colors of the walls and furnishing. Another way to add elegance to your room décor is by raising the height of your curtains. When they fall from the ceiling level, it automatically adds an illusion of height to your room along with great elegance.

Mirrors

Add visual space as well as an element of décor by strategically placing mirrors in key areas of your apartment, so they reflect the space and light. This will make it appear larger than it actually is. A floor-length mirror would look even better! Choose mirrors with interesting frames to add greater grandeur.

Floor

You can easily add beauty into a room with the element of rugs in shades and designs that complement its surroundings. Rugs can also be used to demarcate different functional spaces in open-design apartments. Amp up your décor with style and elegance by grouping furniture around an eye-catching rug.

Greenery

The green shades of fresh plants is a balm to the eyes, and makes elegant interior décor features in any room that they are placed in. Pair them up with pretty pots and you end up with enviable and affordable décor items. Plants such as peace lily, money plant, rubber tree, spider lily, bamboo palm, etc., grow well indoors and complement and liven up any space they occupy.

Furniture

Liven up your old, boring furniture by giving it a fresh lick of paint and watch it take on an entirely new personality! You could also consider changing the fabric on your soft furnishings such as sofas and chairs. Fluffy, new-looking furniture that complements the colors of your walls is another simple way of transforming your apartment’s décor. This is aside from prolonging the life of your furniture too!

Lights

Wall sconces are practical sources of light in a room. You could add a further element of interest to your room by adding overhead suspended lights too. Modern takes on the traditional chandelier aren’t necessarily expensive, but do make an elegant décor item in any room!

Premium realtors like Vishraam builders have a number of beautifully-architected apartment projects in Thrissur that are a delight to decorate. All these projects are located in niche localities and come fully loaded with delightful amenities and luxurious facilities. What’s more, all Vishraam homes are constructed responsibly, without harming the environment. Do have a look at them.

Thrissur – the very name brings up images of grandeur and elegance.

To live in Thrissur is to be surrounded by history, culture, richness and traditions. Even during the pre-independence era, trade flourished. Businesses prospered, and today, the city offers a heady mix of job and business opportunities. The city has grown, and the cityscape is now dotted with tall apartment complexes. We take a look at why you need an apartment in Thrissur and where the best locations are.

The Social Infrastructure

In terms of investment, Thrissur is a fast-growing city with unlimited potential. The proximity to Kochi and Palakkad helps too. This has led to more developments throughout the city, attracting investors and driving up property prices in many parts. Given the likelihood of future developments, and with land going to be a scarce resource, more people are deciding to move into the apartments.

The Cost of Living

Thrissur is a major hub, with proximity to Kochi and the border states, the cost of living is quite low when compared to the rest of the state. However, there are certain pockets where the investment value will be more.

A Futuristic City

Thrissur as envisioned by Sakthan Thampuran, was futuristic. Now, it has become even more so with the advent of many new projects. The proximity with Kochi adds to its appeal. A well-laid-out network of roads, a well-defined central business hub around the Swaraj Ground, it a well-planned city to live in.

The Best Places to Set Up a Home

The key location to look for properties in neighbourhoods will be those that are seeing an upward trend in prices. When you invest in places like that they bring you future appreciation prospects. The location should provide ease of connectivity to your workplace as well as be close to basic infrastructural needs. Aside from being close to social amenities and facilities, it should also be accessible to public transport. Areas like Ayyanthole, Amala Nagar, Adat, Poonkunnam, Puzhakkal, and Patturaikal are some of the good locations to look into in Thrissur. Most of these localities are easily accessible areas that eventually connect with the central Swaraj Round.

With a legacy of over 20 years, Vishraam Builders is one of the pioneering companies that has redefined the real estate industry in Thrissur. Click here to know more about our projects: https://www.vishraam.com/

Buying a home is not like a visit to the grocery store. For one, it costs a neat sum of money which is traditionally paid by availing of a home loan. When applying for a home loan the lender bank will want to know your loan history and your capacity to repay. This is also why you are asked to submit a long list of documents including your bank statements, salary slips and income tax returns.

They also look for your credit score, which is a 3-figure number and denotes your creditworthiness. A score higher than 750 is preferable. This makes you eligible for higher loan amounts, lower interest rates, lower EMIs and longer repayment tenures. Hence, having a good credit score that’s closer to 900 will work in your favor when applying for a home loan. If your credit score is anywhere below 675, you might want to first improve your credit score before thinking of taking a loan.

Here are some reasons why loaner banks need to take your credit scores into account:

Capacity to Repay

Before approving your home loan, your bank will first want to check for your capacity to repay back the loan. Your word doesn’t suffice here as banks need to know your income proof through relevant documents. If your bank statements don’t comply with the minimum income requirement, your loan application may get rejected. Ensure a healthy bank balance is being maintained.

Credit history

Different loans you have taken in the past as well as your management of credit cards give loaner banks an insight into your ability to handle credit. They will also go through your repayment history of previous loans, any loans that you are repaying currently, and if there is any history of default.

Ongoing credits

If you have an ongoing loan while applying for a high-value home loan, it’s considered risky by banks as you will then have a greater responsibility of repaying two loans. Aided by your credit score, banks can easily calculate if you are eligible for a high-value loan.

Your best move is to clear off any pending loans before applying for a home loan.

Well-known for its religious sites, colorful festivals and places of natural beauty, Thrissur has a plethora of attractive tourism spots to enthrall domestic and foreign visitors alike. These attractions make great weekend getaways for the inhabitants of this ancient city too. Here’s a look at some of the best places to visit in Thrissur:

Guruvayur Temple

This ancient temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a rich history taking it many millennia back. It boasts of traditional Kerala-style architecture and is beautifully adorned. Due to its popularity, it’s always teeming with devotees and tourists alike.

Punnathur Kotta

Thrissur is famous for its love of elephants. Enjoy a one-of-its-kind experience at this elephant sanctuary located a short distance from the Guruvayur temple. And if you are lucky, you could even participate in the bathing ritual of the elephants here!

Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours

If you are looking for a quiet break, then head to this towering church, also known as the white gem of Thrissur. It’s beautiful architectural beauty surrounded by lush greenery makes it a true haven of peace and tranquility.

Athirapally Waterfalls

Often compared with the Niagara Falls, visit the astounding Athirapally Waterfalls. Those visiting in the summer can enjoy bathing in its peaceful waters just before it plunges downward. During the monsoon months, bathing isn’t allowed as the falls are in full swing with its thunderous roar heard from far away!

Vadakkunnathan Temple

This is an ancient shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is decked out in gold and has beautiful wooden carvings and ancient murals depicting scenes from the Mahabharata. The huge centrally-located Thekkinkadu Maidan encircling this temple is used for the famous Thrissur Pooram festival.

Shakthan Thampuran Palace

This palace was built in 1795 by Rama Varma Sakthan Thampuran of the Princely State of Cochin. Showcasing a variety of antiques and relics that would surely pique your interest, it’s built in the Kerala-Dutch fusion style of architecture and stands out in its gleaming white glory.

Aside from this, there are numerous other attractions too including Chavakkad beach, Chettuva backwaters, etc. Attracted by its culture and beauty, people increasingly prefer to buy homes in Thrissur and settle down here.