ALAPPUZHA | COCHIN | KERALA BACKWATERS | KOTTAYAM | KOVALAM | KOZHIKODE | MUNNAR | TRICHUR | TRIVANDRUM |
Kerala is a state in Southern India, famous for its culture, spices, beaches and
backwaters. It is also one of the most literate and prosperous states in India.
Malayalees call their state "God's own country" and it is blessed with tropical forests,
a fertile coastal plain, fishing, tourism and a relatively stable political situation.
According to a Brahminical myth, Kerala was created by Parasurama (an avatar of
God) when he tossed his axe dripping with the blood of his mother, over the Western
Ghats Mountain into the sea. He was asked to decapitate his mother by his father
over an allegation of adultery. Parasurama chopped off his mother's head and this
pleased his father so much that he granted him any wish he wanted. He promptly
asked for his mother to be brought back to life and it was granted. However
Parasurama felt so bad after this that he tossed his favorite weapon to the sea and
renounced violence once and for all. However the sea which is depicted as a
Goddess didn't want to receive the spooky axe and receded creating the land of
Kerala.
During Neolithic times, humans largely avoided Kerala's rainforests and wetlands.
There is evidence of the emergence of prehistoric pottery and granite burial
monuments in the 10th century BCE that resemble their counterparts in Western
Europe and the rest of Asia. These were produced by speakers of a proto-Tamil
language.
The ancient Cherans, whose mother tongue and court language was Tamil, ruled
Kerala from their capital at Vanchi and was the first major recorded kingdom. Allied
with the Pallavas, they continually warred against the neighbouring Chola and
Pandya kingdoms. A Keralite identity—distinct from the Tamils and associated with
the second Chera empire—and the development of Malayalam evolved between the
8th and 14th centuries. In written records, Kerala was first mentioned in the Sanskrit
epic Aitareya Aranyaka. Later, figures such as Katyayana, Patanjali, Pliny the Elder,
and the unknown author of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea displayed familiarity
with Kerala.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Time zone - IST (UTC+5:30)
Area - 38,863 km² (15,005 sq mi)
Capital - Thiruvananthapuram
Largest city - Thiruvananthapuram
Largest metro - Kochi metropolitan area
District(s) - 14
Population - 31,838,619 (12th) (2001)
Density - 819/km² (2,121/sq mi)
Language(s) - Malayalam
HOW TO REACH
By plane - There are three airports in Kerala, with flights to domestic and international destinations. The airports are at Kozhikode, Kochi,Nedumbasseri and Thiruvananthapuram. The airports have several carriers operating international flights around the world. Most carriers offer connection flights to one of the airports in Kerala. Domestic destinations accessible by direct flights from these airports include Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Agatti, Hyderabad,Mangalore,Goa and Delhi.
By train - Indian Railways operates several trains to and from (and within) Kerala. Trains into Kerala start from all the neighbouring states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc. Long-haul direct train services from cities like Delhi and Mumbai are also available.
Log on to the Indian Railways booking site to book tickets online or you can walk up to any railway station to book tickets between any two destinations in India. Be aware that trains are the most popular method of transport and almost all trains in Kerala originate or terminate in Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam and are usually heavily booked. Buy your tickets as early as possible.
By bus - Inter-state private and government buses operates between neighboring states. Usually the journey is performed in the night so that you can escape the heat of the day. It is recommended that you consider booking long distance bus tickets on "Air Conditioned Volvo buses" operated by all operators as the quality of the other buses vary significantly.
