Legend

As with everything in this country - India , Kerala too has a legend associated with it. According to the legend, warrior sage Parasurama, sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, raised the land crust that forms the State from the depths of the Ocean. He had waged an epic series of vengeful wars on the Kshatriyas and there came a moment when he was struck by remorse at the wanton annihilation he had wrought. He offered severe penance atop of mountain. In a mood of profound atonement, the sage heaved his mighty axe into the midst of the distant Ocean. The Ocean receded and a prawn-shaped piece of land extending from Gokarnam to Kanyakumari surfaced from the depths of the sea to form the state. So Kerala is also called Parasuramakshethra, the land of Parasurama . According to some geologists, there are indications that most of the land that forms the state was once under the sea, and might have surfaced gradually by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.

Land

Kerala is a small state tucked away in the southern most corner of India . The area of Kerala is 38,864 km, which is 1.03 percent of India 's total area. Kerala has 3.43 percent of the total population of the country.

Kerala can be divided into three geographical regions: highlands, midlands, and lowlands. The forest, thick with a wide variety of flora and fauna form about 27.45 percent of the total area of Kerala. Spices, sandalwood, oil-seeds, tea, coffee, rubber etc are extensively cultivated in the mountainous areas. Even today, these hill products bring considerable foreign exchange to the country. The midland has fertile reddish hills and valleys with wide variety of cultivated vegetation – tapioca, banana, coconut, arecanut, mango, plantain, pepper, ginger, paddy etc.

The sandy coastal region is picturesque with extensive coconut groves, paddy fields, backwaters and sea. Kerala has a large number of backwaters in closely linked to the sea. The Vembanadu Lake is the largest, about 207 sq km in area. The Sasthamkotta Lake is an extensive fresh water lake.

Climate

Kerala experiences a moderate climate throughout the year. In the hilly regions it is quiet cold but it is warmer in the plains and along the sea coast. Two monsoon visit Kerala, bringing plenty of rain. The South West monsoon starts in May – June and continues up to July – August. The North East monsoon is from August – September to October – November. From March to June, it is warm and humid.

For the tourist, Kerala is a land where the ‘season' never ends. While the tourist season in India usually runs from November to March, Kerala welcomes tourists during the monsoon months (June – September) too, with its hugely popular Ayurveda health holidays and beautiful sights of nature.

Culture

Kerala has a composite culture enriched through the ages with the contributions of various people and races.

Its peculiar geographical position has helped the process of cultural synthesis. Its history unfolds the romantic and fascinating story of a unique process of cultural and social assimilation. In response to every challenge, Kerala has demonstrated through the ages, its genius for adaptation and fusion of old traditions and new values in all shapes of human thought and endeavour.

Among those who have enriched Indian cultural heritage and helped the cause of national integration, the people of the Kerala have a place of honour. Kerala culture is in fact, an integral part of Indian culture and like the Indian subcontinent, the state can claim to have a culture, the history of which runs into the dim recesses of antiquity.

The culture of Kerala has persisted through the ages precisely for the reasons of antiquity, unity, continuity and universality. In its widest sense, it embraces the highest achievements of the human spirit in every sphere of life. Thus, in its totality, it represents the quintessence of the collective achievements of a people in the fields of religion and philosophy, language and literature, art and architecture, education and learning economic and social organisation.

History

The early inhabitants of Kerala were Negritoes, Protoastroloids, and people who came from Mediteranean. It is believe that they lived here in the 10 th century BC and spoke an archaic form of Tamil.

Kerala had sea trade relations with the Indus Valley Civilisation. The Aryans formed the earliest ruling dynasty in South Kerala . They ruled over an extensive area stretching from Nagercoil (in Tamil Nadu) in the south to Thiruvalla in the north, including the Sahyadri ranges in the east. Their capital was Ayakudi. The Cheras, one of the three flourishing Kingdom of South India , established themselves as a dominant power in Kerala in the early centuries of the Christian era. The Cheras ruled over the central portion of the present day Kerala and had their capital at Vanchi. By the end of the 03 rd century, the early Chera kingdom declined. After the disintegration of the second Chera Empire, a number of independent states (Swarupams) arose in different parts of Kerala. Among these, Venad, Kochi , Kozhikode and Kolathunad played important roles in shaping the medieval history of Kerala. The political condition of Kerala at the close of the 15 th century, before the advent of the Portuguese presented a complex feudal scene. The whole region was divided into a number of petty principalities, each under a Raja. These chiefs enjoyed unfettered independence in internal affairs, but were bounded by nominal allegiance to one of the major rulers. The landing of Vasco da Gamma at Kappad (near Kozhikode ) in 1498 marked the beginning of new epoch in the history of Kerala. Vasco da Gamma accepted the invitation of the Kolathiri Raja (ruler of Kannur) who offered the Portuguese all facilities for trade. Vasco da Gamma's second visit in 1502 laid importance on establishing Portuguese supremacy in the region. He teamed up with the Kochi ruler in a ware against the Zamorin of Kozhikode. The grateful Kochi Raja gave the Portuguese permission to erect a fort at Cochin to safeguard the interest of their factory and trade.

Portuguese relations with Kerala lasted for over a period of 150 years. Their contact had significant effects on the whole life of Kerala. It changed the course of Kerala history, introduced new factors in its economics life and altered social conditions. Politically, the arrival of the Portuguese checked the advance of the Zamorin and prevented the unification of Kerala under him. Portuguese influence in matters of education and culture is noteworthy. The Portuguese introduced printing in Kerala. After the defeat of the Spanish Aramada in 1588, the Dutch were emboldened to challenge the monopoly of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean . The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1592. The arrival of the Dutch on the Kerala coast changed the whole political situation in Malabar. The Dutch were more comfortably placed in Kerala than the Portuguese. However many factors contributed to the disappearance of the Dutch from Kerala. A major reason was the rise of Travancore as a powerful military state under Marthanda Varma. The emergence of other European powers like the English and the French upset Dutch plans for supremacy. The victory of the British over the Spanish Armada stimulated British maritime enterprise and urged them to attempt colonial expansion. The English turned their attention towards the east during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. In 1600 A.D, the English East India Company was formed. In 1615, Captian Kneeling brought a letter from James I, to the Zamorin who then gave the British freedom to trade in his dominion. The British promised to help the Zamorin in expelling the Portuguese from Kodungallur and Kochi . But the treaty withered away. The English left the coast, leaving behind them, ten men to open warehouses at Ponnani and Kozhikode .

The English secured their foothold in Kerala in 1682. In 1694 they settled at Achuthengu in Travancore. In 1741 Marthanda Varma, King of Travancore defeated the Dutch in the battle of Kulachal. In 1807, Veluthampi Dalava issued a historic proclamation at Kundara calling upon people to rise against the British, but his rebellion failed and in 1809 he committed suicide.

By 1812, Malabar, Kochi , and Travancore came under British control. When the whole of India fought against British, Kerala too joined the brigade. She too had her share of sathyagrahas and agitiations. Later when India became free, Travancore joined Indian Union and the first ministry under Pattom Thanu Pillai was installed in 1948. In 1956, the new state of Kerala formally came into being.

Cuisine

Kerala has a distinctive cuisine, very unusual and different from the rest of India . Cooking in Kerala is all about discovery, aroma and colour. Kerala cuisine is very hot and spicy and offers several gastronomic opportunities to those willing to experiment with the local dishes.

The typical Keralite loves his rice, especially the rich, unpolished brown variety called Chembavu. Rice is, in fact, the staple food of Kerala. Apart from being consumed boiled along with a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, rice is pounded into flour and used to make delicacies like puttu, idilli, dosas, the round spongy vattayappam, the lacy-edged palappam, the pancake like kallappam, the sweet uniappam, the idiappam that looks like fine noodles, and the stuffed ball called Kozhukotta. And then, there is the pathiri, chapatti – like bread that comes in different sizes, shapes and tastes. The thin plain variety is called vattipathiri, the box type if pettipathiri and a sweet cake, Chattipathiri. There are also pathiris stuffed with beef, chicken, mutton and fish. Except for the Brahmins who are strict vegetarians, most Keralities eat meat and fish.