KERALATHE LAND OF

COCONUTS

ARJUNPVIII.C

KVS.A.P

KERALA - AT A GLANCE

With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. An equable climate. A long shoreline with serene beaches. Tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters. Lush hill stations and exotic wildlife. Waterfalls. Sprawling plantations and paddy fields. Ayurvedic health holidays. Enchanting art forms. Magical festivals. Historic and cultural monuments. An exotic cuisine... All of which offer you a unique experience. And what's more, each of these charming destinations is only a two hour drive from the other - a singular advantage no other destination offers.

Kerala, India's most advanced society: With hundred percent literacy. World-class health care systems. India's lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates. The highest physical quality of life in India. Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is India's cleanest state.

DISTRICTS

For administrative purposes the State is divided into 14 revenue districts: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanadu, Kannur and Kasaragod.

On the basis of geographical, historical and cultural similarities, the districts are generally grouped into North Kerala (Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram) , Central Kerala (Palakkad, Thrissur, Eranakulam, Idukki) and South Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam).The districts have the same name as the important town or city in the district, the exception being Wayanad district.

The 14 districts are further divided into 21 Revenue divisions, 63 Taluks and 1453 Revenue Villages. There are 14 District Panchayats, 152 Block Panchayats, 978 Grama Panchayats, 60 Municipalities, 5 Corporations and 1 Township.

CULTURE

Kerala's culture is mainly Hindu in origin, deriving from a greater Tamil-heritage region known as Tamilakam. Later, Kerala's culture was elaborated on through centuries of contact with overseas cultures.Native performing arts include koodiyattom,kathakali—from katha and kali and its offshoot Kerala Natanam, koothu (akin to stand-up comedy),mohiniaattam thullal, padayani, and theyyam.

Other arts are more religion- and tribal-themed. These include chavittu nadakom, oppana , which combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and ishalvocalisations. However, many of these art forms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among most ordinary Keralites, who look to more contemporary art and performance styles, including those employing mimicry and parody. Additionally, a substantial Malayalam film industry effectively competes against both Bollywood and Hollywood.

HISTORY

Kerala's history is closely linked with its commerce,

which until recent times revolved around its spice

trade.

Celebrated as the Spice Coast of India, ancient

Kerala played host to travellers and traders from

across the world including the Greeks, Romans,

Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the

British. Almost all of them have left their imprint on

this land in some form or the other - architecture,

cuisine, literature.

GEOGRAPHY

With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western

Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and

networked by forty-four rivers, Kerala enjoys

diverse geographical features.

Kerala is divided into three geographical regions:

Highlands, which slope down from the Western

Ghats onto the Midlands of undulating hills and

valleys into an unbroken coastline with many

picturesque backwaters, interconnected with canals

and rivers. The Western Ghats are nowhere more

than 120 kms from the sea.

FESTIVALS

The major festival in Kerala is Onam. Kerala has a number of religious festivals. Thrissur Pooram and Chettikulangara Bharani are the major temple festivals in Kerala. The Thrissur Pooram is conducted at the Vadakumnathan temple, Thrissur. The ChettikulangaraBharani is another major attraction. The festival is conducted at the Chettikulangara temple near Mavelikkara.

The Sivarathri is also an important festival in Kerala. This festival is mainly celebrated in Aluva Temple and Padanilam Parabrahma Temple. Padanilam Temple is situated in Alappuzha district of Kerala, about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from Mavelikkara town.ParumalaPerunnal, Manarkadu Perunnal are the major festivals of Christians. Muslims also have many important festivals.

WILDLIFE

Most of Kerala, whose native habitat consists of wet evergreen rainforests at lower elevations and highland deciduous and semi-evergreen forests in the east, is subject to a humid tropical climate. However, significant variations in terrain and elevation have resulted in a land whose biodiversity registers as among the world’s most significant. Most of Kerala's significantly biodiverse tracts of wilderness lie in the evergreen forests of its easternmost districts. Kerala also hosts two of the world’s Ramsar Convention-listed wetlands: Lake Sasthamkotta and the Vembanad-Kol wetlands are noted as being wetlands of international importance.

There are also numerous protected conservation areas, including 1455.4 km2 of the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In turn, the forests play host to such majorfauna as Asian elephant (Elephasmaximus), Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), leopard (Pantherapardus), Nilgiri tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), and grizzled giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura). More remote preserves, including Silent Valley National Park in the Kundali Hills, harbour endangered species such as the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus),

BEACHES

Flanked on the western coast by the Arabian Sea, Kerala has a long coastline of 580 km (360 mi); all of which is virtually dotted with sandy beaches.

Boating at Paravur Lake nearKollam

Kovalam beach near Thiruvananthapuram was among the first beaches in Kerala to attract tourists. Rediscovered by back-packers and tan-seekers in the 1960s and followed by hordes of hippies in the 1970s, Kovalam is today the most visited beach in the state.

Other popularly visited beaches in the state include those at Kappad, Alappuzha, Nattika (Thrissur), Vadanappilly beach (Thrissur), Cherai Beach, Beyporebeach, Marari beach, Fort Kochi, and Varkala. The Muzhappilangad Beach beach at Kannur is the only drive-in beach in India.

BACKWATERS

The backwaters in Kerala are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast). Houseboat or Kettuvallam rides in the backwaters are a major tourist attraction. Backwater tourism is centered mostly around Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam. Boat races held during festival seasons are also a major tourist attraction in the backwater regions.

The backwater network includes large lakes such as the Ashtamudi Lake, the largest among them, linked by 1500 km of canals, both man-made and natural and fed by several rivers, and extending virtually the entire length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

HILL STATIONS

Eastern Kerala consists of land encroached upon by the Western Ghats; the region thus includes high mountains, gorges, and deep-cut valleys. The wildest lands are covered with dense forests, while other regions lie under tea and coffee plantations (established mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries) or other forms of cultivation.

The Western Ghats rise on average to 1500 m elevation above sea level. Some of the popular hill stations in the region are Munnar,Vagamon, Paithalmala, Wayanad, Nelliyampathi, Elapeedika, Peermade , Thekkady and Ponmudi.

SEASONS

Bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate

throughout the year, Kerala is a tropical land with

the coast running down its entire length and the

Western Ghats forming a protective barrier against

the dry winds from up north.

The monsoons (June-September & October-

November) and summer (February-May) are the

seasons markedly experienced here, while winter is

only a slight drop in temperature from the normal

range of 28-32°C.

PEOPLE AND LIFE

Kerala is one of India's most progressive states in

terms of social welfare and quality of life. The State

boasts of one of India's highest literacy rates,

highest life expectancy and lowest child mortality

rates.

The literacy rate for women is one of the highest in

all of Asia. Enjoying a unique cosmopolitan

viewpoint, the people of Kerala, at all levels of

society, have greater access to services and

opportunities - as well as a greater say in their

governance.

MAJOR CITIES AND INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT

Major Cities

Thiruvananthapuram

Kollam

Kochi

Thrissur

Kozhikode

Airports

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport

Cochin International Airport (CIAL), Nedumbassery

Calicut International Airport