Kochi was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Yavanas (Greeks) as well as Romans, Jews, Arabs, and Chinese since ancient times. Kochi rose to significance as a trading centre after the port at Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by massive flooding of the river Periyar in 1341. The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng He’s treasure fleet. There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveler Niccolò Da Conti, who visited Kochi in 1440.

The Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in 1102, after the fall of the Kulasekhara Empire. The King of Kochi had authority over the region encompassing the present city of Kochi and adjoining areas. The reign was hereditary, and the family that ruled over Kochi was known as the Cochin Royal Family (Perumpadappu Swaroopam in the local vernacular). The mainland Kochi remained the capital of the princely state since the 18th century.

However, during much of this time, the kingdom was under foreign rule, and the King often only had titular privileges. The formation of Cochin harbor has a violent story of which nature herself was the main character. The harbor was formed in A.D. 1341, when a great flood in the Periyar River led to an outlet in the sea. The floods had meanwhile silted up the mouth of the Muziris harbor and this rich ancient port was banished to the footnotes of history. Meanwhile, the merchants of Muziris shifted to Cochin.
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Kochi formerly known as Cochin, it is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. The city is one of the principal seaports of the country and is located in the district of Ernakulum, about 220 kilometers north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It has an estimated population of 600,000, with an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration and the second largest city in Kerala after the capital.

In Kochi there are a number of industries, a large number of export produces, 100% literacy, highly developed social structure, and well laid-out communication facilities and transport infrastructure. These and a few other factors provide enormous scope for the growth of IT industry. The Kerala Government also recently announced an IT policy and created a separate IT department under the Chief Minister to promote IT in the state in a big way.

Since 1102 CE, Kochi was the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state which traces its lineage to the Kulasekhara Empire. Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century onwards. Ancient travelers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Cochi.

Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa became the capital. The city was later occupied by the Dutch, the Mysore and the British. Kochi was the first princely state to willingly join the Indian Union, when India gained independence in 1947. (more…)

Beach Tours of Kerala

Kerala spells fun and enjoyment in all seasons. Kerala Beach Tours are the best way to spend holidays in the wonderful land of Kerala India. Travel to secluded beaches in Kerala with shimmering silver sands, coconut palms swaying in the wind and beautiful blue waters, on Kerala Beach Tours.

A sheet of silvery and sand curves shaped into an arc, that is bordered on one side by crystal blue waters and on the other side, by a expansive spread of green palm groves. Most of india’s finest beaches are in Kerala. The Kerala coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms. Each year greater numbers of visitors arrive here in search of the tranquil, palm fringed beaches.

The palm-lined beaches of Kerala are renowned for the gentle surf and azure blue waters. To this add a delectable seafood cuisine, a smiling sun and frendly people to make an unforgetable holiday. Each year greater numbers of visitors arrive here in search of the tranquil, palm fringed beaches.

It is not only the world famous Kovalam Beach that offers such goodies. Kerala abounds in similar beaches. Sea surfers from abroad throng the beaches of Kerala seeking adventure or relaxation. Most holiday resorts have their own palm-fringed havens in the sun waiting to be explored. Have a deligthful holiday with Kerala Beach Tours.

Many resorts also have ayurvedic therapies on offer, so you can have a rejuvenating holiday on Beach Tours in Kerala. Ayurvedic masseurs also offer their expertise along the beaches of Kerala. You can recline on the golden sand and feel all your stresses disappear, as your muscles relax under the expert therapeutic tourch of a Kerala Ayurvedic masseur.

If watersports are what interest you, then you can indulge in water sports to your heart’s content on the beaches of Kerala. You can enjoy swimming, surfing, wind surfing, jet skiing, para-sailing, scuba diving and catamaran rides on Kerala Beach Tours that are full of exciting moments. Of course, if you prefer to relax and have a laidback holiday then the beaches of Kerala are perfect for that too.

Some of Beach Tours

Alappuzha Beach Tours
Bekal Beach Tours
Beypore Beach Tours
Dharmadam Beach Tours
Ezhimala Beach Tours
Fort Kochi Beach Tours
Kappad Beach Tours
Kovalam Beach Tours
Meenkunnu Beach Tours
Moppila Beach Tours
Muzhappilangad Beach Tours
Pathiramanal Beach Tours
Payambalam Beach Tours
Shankhumugham Beach Tours
Tanur Beach Tours
Thangassery Beach Tours
Thirumullavaram Beach Tours
Varkala Beach Tours
Vizhinjam Beach Tours

Fairs and Festivals in Kerala

The colorful mosaic of Kerala fairs and festivals is as diverse as the land, is an expression of the spirit of celebration, that is an essential part of the State. Observed with enthusiasm and gaiety, festivals are like gems, ornamenting the crown of Kerala tradition and culture. Round the year the fests keep Kerala life vibrant and interludes in the mundane affairs of life.

Every season turns up new festivals, each a true celebration of the bounties of nature. The festivals exhibits an eternal harmony of spirit. Packed with fun and excitement, festivals are occasions to clean and decorate houses, to get together with friends and relatives and to exchange gifts.

New attire, dance, music and ritual, all add to their joyful rhythm. It is a time for prayer, for pageantry and processions and time to rejoice. The important fairs and festivals in the state are:

Onam Festival - The 10 day Onam festival is Kerala’s most important festival, honouring King Mahabali, a mythological king of ancient Kerala, whose period was reckoned as the golden age in the history of the state. He was the embodiment of virtues, goodness, so was his regime which was marked by equality and harmony among people.

Thrissur Pooram - The most spectacular spectacle in the state. This festival was introduced by Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi state. Celebrated in Medom (April-May) the festival parades the fulgent faces of Kerala culture. With every passing year Tthrissur Pooram, the temple festival, attracts large masses of devotees and spectators.

Aranmula Uthrittathi - The famous snake boat carnival on the Pampa, held annually at Aranmula on the day of Uthrittathi asterism, in connection with the Onam festival is to commemorate the crossing of the river by Lord Krishna on that day. The deity is supposed to be in all the boats that take part in the carnival and all of them are expected to arrive a t their destination simultaneously.

Easter is the oldest Christian festival, as old as Christianity itself. The central tenet of Christianity is not the birth of Jesus, but his resurrection. Easter is derived from this paschal mystery and from the events of Good Friday.

Thiruvathira Festival - The festival falls on the asterism Thiruvathira in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December-January). On thiruvathira morning, devotees throng Shiva temples for an early worship which is reckoned as highly auspicious.

Tradition says thiruvathira is celebrating the death of Kamadeva, the mythological God of Love. According to another version, Thiruvathira is the birthday of Lord Shiva. The festival has similarities to adra darshan celebrated in Tamil Nadu.

Idul-Fitr, of late known by the misnomer ‘Ramadan’ is one of the two festivals of Islam. Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar year. During this month the Muslims observe fast, giving up all kinds of food and drink during day time, and spend the major part of the night in devotion and prayer.

Makaravillakku at Sabarimala – For centuries, Sabarimala in Pathanamthitta has been a major pilgrim centre attracting lakhs of devotees from all over India, more so from southern States. The presiding deity is Lord Ayyappa known as Dharma Sastha, a considered symbol of unity between Vaishnavites and Saivites. Darma Sastha is believed to have fulfilled his mission in life and rejoined his Supreme Self, enshrined at Sabarimala.

Vishu- The Malayalam new year is celebrated by bursting crackers and going to temple.

Tourist Attractions in Kerala

Kerala, in southwestern India is a very popular tourist destination. Tourists from all over the world travel to Kerala to enjoy an Indian holiday on the beaches, backwaters and hills of Kerala. Traveler’s come to see Kerala’s wildlife sanctuaries, historic cities and temples. Stressed out urban dwellers rejuvenate themselves at the ayurveda spas and resorts in Kerala. On their Indian Holiday they discover why Kerala is truly “God’s own country.”

Some of the tourist attractions of Kerala are:

Thiruvananthapuram: The capital of Kerala, was earlier called Trivandrum and is known for its mild climate. The Sri Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple, the Sri Chitra Art gallery, palaces of the family of the Maharajas of Travancore, museums and the beautiful Kovalam beach not far away, make Trivandrum a pleasant Indian holiday destination.

Kochi: Known as the “Queen of the Arabian Sea” Kochi (Cochin) is a busy port city, which is known for the Chinese fishing nets in its harbor, the Jewish synagogue, St Francis Church, the Dutch Palace at Matancherry, Fort Cochin and the Santa Cruz Basilica. Cochin harbor is also an attractive sight with ships, people and tourists coming together to ensure there’s never a dull moment.

Kovalam Beach: Rated among the best beaches in the world, Kovalam beach is situated 18 km from Thiruvananthapuram. You can enjoy sunbathing on the sandy beach, or swimming in the Arabian Sea. There are also facilities for water sports such as surfing, jet skiing, water skiing and catamaran rides.

Backwaters: The backwaters of Kerala, are calm palm-fringed waterways that connect villages along the coast, particularly around Allapuzha. You can enjoy a cruise on a traditional houseboat or Kettuvallom into a serene world of quiet water and greenery interrupted only by the sound of rippling water and birdcalls.

Alappuzha: Some of the most scenic backwaters of Kerala are to be seen near this town of the coast of Kerala, India. Allapuzha is the venue for the annual snake boat races held during the Onam festival, where teams compete for the Nehru Gold Cup. The event is a popular tourist attraction where crowds gather to cheer their favorite teams.

Kumarakom: This group of islands in Vembanad Lake is an out of this world destination. The beauty of the swaying palm trees, green paddy fields, waterways and the sound of birdsong from the nearby bird sanctuary makes an Indian Holiday at Kumarakom, truly unforgettable.

Kairali Ayurvedic Health Resorts: Ayurveda, which has been practiced in India for centuries, as a traditional system of healing and rejuvenation, is now known worldwide. Tourists come to Kerala from across the world to experience the benefits of ayurvedic massage therapy, which involves treating the body with oils made from medicinal herbs.

People of Kerala

Two to three thousand years ago, the life of the common people was not based on caste distinctions and prejudices. There was a broad division of the population on the basis of occupation, which was again based on the nature of the land they occupied. Kurinchi (mountain land ), Palai (arid land ), mullai (pastures), marutan (west land) and neytal (coastal land) were the divisions based on the nature of the land. The Kuravar (hunters) of Kurinchi, the maravar (fighting men) of Palai, the idayas (cowherds and shepherds ) of Mullai, the Uzhavas (agriculturists) of Marutam and the Paravas (fisher men) of the Neytal were all from the same race.

Most of these ancient tribes are of Negritto origin. The ancient Dravidian tribes following different occupations could be identified from their black colour. Kadars, the Muduvans and the Malayans belong to the early Dravidian race. The Kadars are said to be black, short and strongly built with flat nose and long black hair which they tie. They retain their primitive customs and manners.

The kadars, Ullatans, paniyans and malayans always kept themselves in hills and forests away from the later Aryan invaders. They live in groups and depended mostly on nature for all their needs. The religion of the Kadars was rude animism. They propitiated demons for sickness and calamities. Worship of Amman or Kali and Ayyan or Ayyappan was very common. Ancestor worship was also in vogue. They did a lot of dancing, singing and merry-making on festive occasions. The Malayas are taller than the Kadars, but they too have flat nose and thick lips.

Certain observances of pollution, are meticulously adhered to under strict discipline of the ‘moopan’ or head-man in religious and temporal matters. There is a belief which prevails among most of the hill tribes that if the pollution period for woman is not observed, the whole tribe will be exposed to disastrous consequences from the Maladaivangal or hill gods.

They believe that the neglect of worship will lead to disease, failure of crop and other calamities. The touch of Malayan will pollute the Kadars and vice versa. Every tribe entertain such beliefs. The Parayan, Pulayan, Nayadi and Ullatan are all treated as Chandalas. But Nayadis are treated as superior to Ullatas. But no tribe will accept the superiority of the others.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the Capital of the Indian State of Kerala. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Trivandrum is a beautiful seaside City is built on 28 hills and surrounded by seven hills which in some way or the other acts as a protective cover.

It is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills with braod raods, narrow winding lanes and busy commercial alleys. There are a numebr of fine beaches of international repute and backwaters and lakes. Infact, Trivandrum is a unique place in the globe where all Beach, Hill and Backwater Resorts and Dams are located. Hence all sorts of tourism is possible.

With a population of 889,191 (as of 2001) it is the biggest City Corporation in Kerala in terms of Population . Areawise also Trivandrum Municipal Corporation is the largest City Corporation in Kerala . But Trivandrum and its Urban Agglomeration comes seocnd after the Urban Agglomeration comprising of Cochin (Kochi). The city, being the State Capital houses many Central and State Government offices, organizations and companies.

Apart from being the political nerve center of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and houses several premier educational institutions including the Kerala University. Thiruvananthapuram is also home to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre(VSSC). The Technopark and the proposed Technocity (expected to be commissioned by 2008) are important landmarks in IT sector.

Origin of name

Thiruvananthapuram literally means Thiru (Great/Lord) Ananthan’s Puram (City). The name derives from the main deity of a Hindu temple at the centre of the city. Ananthan is the serpent Shesha on whom Padmanabhan or Vishnu reclines. The temple of Anantha, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is the most recognizable icon of the city.

The city was officially known as Trivandrum until 1991. Trivandrum is the anglicized form of Thiruvananthapuram. The name is still in common use and most non-Keralites prefer to use Trivandrum.

History

Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient city with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BC. It was a trading post for spices like the rest of ancient Kerala. However the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. The early rulers of the city were the Ays. With their fall in the 10th century, the city was taken over by the rulers of Venad.

The rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began with accession of Marthanda Varma in 1729 as the founding ruler of the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor (Travancore). Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore in 1745. The city developed into a major intellectual and artistic center during this period of time.

The golden age in the city’s history was during the mid 19th century during the reign of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal . It was at that time Ayya Vaikundar was jailed in Singarathoppe, part of the City of Thiruvananthapuram by Kalineesan, (Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai, the religious book of Ayyavazhi. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the Observatory (1836), the General Hospital (1839) and the University College (1873).

The early 19th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The Sree Moolam Assembly, established in 1904 was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. Despite not being under direct control the British Empire at anytime, the city however featured prominently in India’s freedom struggle. The Indian National Congress had a very active presence in the city. This era also saw the establishment of the University of Travancore in 1937 which later became the Kerala University.

After the withdrawal of the British in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. In 1949 Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi, state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour Kochi. When the state of Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of the new state.

With the establishment of TERLS (Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station) in the 60s, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India’s ambitious space program. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in the outskirts of the city in 1966. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram.

A major milestone in the city’s recent history was the establishment in 1995 of Technopark, an IT park. This placed Thiruvananthapuram on the IT map of India and it is today one of most promising in the country in terms of competitiveness.

Culture of Kerala

Kerala’s culture is mainly Dravidian in origin, deriving from a greater Tamil culture region known as Thamizhagom. Later, Kerala’s culture was elaborated upon by centuries of contact with overseas lands.[50] Native performing arts include koodiyattom, kathakali (from katha (”story”) and kali (”performance”)) and its offshoot Kerala natanam, koothu (akin to stand-up comedy), mohiniaattam (”dance of the enchantress”), thullal, padayani, and theyyam. Other arts are more religion- and tribal-themed. These include oppana, popular among Keralite Muslims.

Native to Malabar, oppana combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and ishal vocalizations. However, many of these artforms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among most ordinary Keralites. These people look to more contemporary art and performance styles, including those employing mimicry and parody. Additionally, Malayalam cinema has provided Keralites an alternative to both Bollywood and Hollywood.

Malayalam literature is ancient in origin, and includes such figures as the 14th century Niranam poets (Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar), whose works mark the dawn of both modern Malayalam language and indigenous Keralite poetry. The “triumvirate of poets” (Kavithrayam: Kumaran Asan, Vallathol Narayana Menon, and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer) are recognized for moving Keralite poetry away from archaic sophistry and metaphysics and towards a more lyrical mode. Later, such contemporary writers as Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy (whose 1996 semi-autobiographical bestseller The God of Small Things is set in the Kottayam town of Ayemenem) have garnered international recognition.

Kerala’s music also has ancient roots. South India’s carnatic tradition dominates Keralite classical music; this was the result of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma’s popularization of the genre in the 19th century.[51][52] Additionally, raga-based renditions known as sopanam accompany kathakali performances. Melam (including the paandi and panchari variants), is a more percussive style of music; it is performed at temple-centered festivals using the chenda.

Up to 150 musicians may comprise Melam ensembles, and performances may last up to four hours. Panchavadyam is a different form of percussion ensemble where up to one hundred artists use five types of percussion instruments. Kerala also has various styles of folk and tribal music. The popular music of Kerala – as in the rest of India – is dominated by the filmi music of Indian cinema.

Kerala has its own Malayalam calendar – this used for timing agricultural and religious activities. Kerala’s cuisine – pachakam – is typically served as a sadhya on green banana leaves; such spicy dishes as idli, payasam, pulisherry, puttucuddla, and puzhukku, rasam, and sambar are typical. Keralites – both men and women alike – traditionally don flowing and unstitched garments.

These include the mundu, a loose piece of cloth wrapped around men’s waists. Women typically wear the sari, a long and elaborately wrapped banner of cloth, wearable in various styles. Several martial arts are also native in origin. Kalarippayattu (kalari (”place”, “threshing floor”, or “battlefield”) and payattu (”exercise” or “practice”)) is attributed by oral tradition to Parasurama and is among the world’s oldest martial arts. Other popular ritual arts include theyyam and poorakkali. In modern times, attention to these activities has been largely supplanted by more modern sports such as cricket, kabaddi, soccer, badminton, and others. These are viewed by Keralites at dozens of stadiums across the state, including Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi and Chandrashekaran Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. Inroads have also been made by television (especially “mega serials” and cartoons) and the Internet. Yet Keralites also have high rates of newspaper subscription – 50%- spend some seven hours per week reading novels and other books,[53] host a thriving “people’s science” movement, and participate in such activities as writer’s cooperatives.

Native traditions of classical performing arts include koodiyattom, a form of Sanskrit drama or theatre and a UNESCO-designated Human Heritage Art. Kathakali (from katha (”story”) and kali (”performance”)) is a 500-year-old form of dance-drama that interprets ancient epics; a popularized offshoot of kathakali is Kerala natanam (developed in the 20th century by dancer Guru Gopinath). Meanwhile, koothu is a more light-hearted performance mode, akin to modern stand-up comedy; an ancient art originally confined to temple sanctuaries, it was later popularized by Mani Madhava Chakyar.

Other Keralite performing arts include mohiniyaattam (”dance of the enchantress”), which is a type of graceful choreographed dance performed by women and accompanied by musical vocalizations. Thullal, padayani, and theyyam are other important Keralite arts. Kerala also has several tribal and folk art forms; also important are various performance genres that are Islam- or Christianity-themed. These include oppana, which is widely popular among Keralite Muslims and is native to Malabar. Oppana incorporates group dance accompanied by the beat of rhythmic hand clapping and ishal vocalizations.

However, many of these native art forms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among ordinary Keralites. Thus, more contemporary forms – including those heavily based on the use of often risque and politically incorrect mimicry and parody – have gained considerable mass appeal in recent years. Indeed, contemporary artists often use such modes to mock socioeconomic elites. In recent decades, Malayalam cinema, yet another mode of widely popular artistic expression, have provided a distinct and indigenous Keralite alternative to both Bollywood and Hollywood.

Music

The ragas and talas of lyrical and devotional carnatic music – another native product of South India – dominates Keralite classical musical genres. Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, a 19th-century king of Travancore and patron and composer of music, was instrumental in popularising carnatic music in early Kerala.

Additionally, Kerala has its own native music system, sopanam, which is a lugubrious and step-by-step rendition of raga-based songs. It is sopanam, for example, that provides the background music used in kathakali. The wider traditional music of Kerala also includes melam (including the paandi and panchari variants), as style of percussive music performed at temple-centered festivals using an instrument known as the chenda.

Up to 150 musicians may comprise the ensembles staging a given performance; each performance, in turn, may last up to four hours. Panchavadyam is a differing type of percussion ensemble consisting of five types of percussion instruments; these can be utilised by up to one hundred artists in certain major festivals. In addition to these, percussive music is also associated with various uniquely Keralite folk arts forms. Lastly, the popular music of Kerala – as in the rest of India – is dominated by the filmi music of Indian cinema.

Martial arts and sports

Kerala also has its own indigenous form of martial art – Kalarippayattu, derived from the words kalari (”place”, “threshing floor”, or “battlefield”) and payattu (”exercise” or “practice”). Influenced by both Kerala’s Brahminical past and Ayurvedic medicine, kalaripayattu is attributed by oral tradition to Parasurama.

After some two centuries of suppression by British colonial authorities, it is now experiencing strong comeback among Keralites while also steadily gaining worldwide attention. Other popular ritual arts include theyyam and poorakkali – these originate from northern Malabar, which is the northernmost part of Kerala. Nevertheless, these have in modern times been largely supplanted by more popular sports such as cricket, kabaddi, soccer, badminton, and others.

Literature

Malayalam literature is ancient in origin, and includes such figures as the 14th century Niranam poets (Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar), whose works mark the dawn of both modern Malayalam language and indigenous Keralite poetry.

The Triumvirate of poets (Kavithrayam: Kumaran Asan,Vallathol Narayana Menon and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer) are recognized for moving Keralite poetry away from archaic sophistry and metaphysics and towards a more lyrical mode. Later, such contemporary writers as Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy (whose 1996 semi-autobiographical bestseller The God of Small Things is set in the Kottayam town of Ayemenem) have garnered international recognition.

Calendar

Kerala also has an indigenous ancient solar calendar – the Malayalam calendar – which is used in various communities primarily for timing agricultural and religious activities.

Demographics of Kerala

Virtually all of Kerala’s 3.18 crore (31.8 million)[30] people are of Malayali Dravidian ethnicity. Other than Dravidians, thousands of Arabs, Jews, Portuguese, Dutch, and British have settled in Kerala. Kerala is also home to 321,000 indigenous tribal Adivasis (1.10% of the populace), who are mostly concentrated in the eastern districts.

Malayalam is Kerala’s official language; Tamil and various Adivasi languages are also spoken by ethnic minorities. Kerala is home to 3.44% of India’s people, and – at 819 persons per km² – its land is three times as densely settled as the rest of India. However, Kerala’s population growth rate is far lower than the national average. Whereas Kerala’s population more than doubled between 1951 and 1991 – adding 156 lakh (15.6 million) people to reach a total of 291 lakh (29.1 million) residents in 1991 – the population stood at less than 320 lakh (32 million) by 2001. Kerala’s people are most densely settled in the coastal region, leaving the eastern hills and mountains comparatively sparsely populated.

Kerala’s principal religions are Hinduism (56.1%), Islam (24.7%), and Christianity (19%), as well as remnants of a once substantial Cochin Jewish population – most of which made aliyah to Israel or emigrated to other First World nations. In comparison with the rest of India, Kerala experiences relatively little sectarianism. Nevertheless, there have been signs of increasing influences from religious extremist organisations.Kerala’s society is also less patriarchical than the rest of the Third World.

Many Keralites – especially the Nair caste – follow a traditional matrilineal system known as marumakkatayam. However, Christians, Muslims, and some Hindu castes such as the Namboothiri and Ezhava follow makkathayam, a patrilineal system. Kerala’s gender relations are among the most equitable in India and the Third World. However, this too is coming under threat, this time from such forces as patriarchy-enforced effeminization of women, global capitalism, modernization, and “Sanskritization” (the subaltern poor’s emulation of higher castes).

Kerala’s social development indices – elimination of poverty, primary-level education, and healthcare – are among the best in India. For example, Kerala’s literacy rate – 91% – and life expectancy – 73 years – are now the highest in India. This is the result of efforts begun before 1911 by Cochin and Travancore states to boost social welfare.[42][43] This focus was maintained by Kerala’s post-independence government.[44][23][25] However, Kerala’s unemployment and suicide rates are unusually high by Indian standards. Kerala’s above-unity female-to-male ratio – 1.058 – also distinguishes it from the rest of India.

The same is true of its sub-replacement fertility level and infant mortality rate of 12 per 1000 births.Indeed, the state’s healthcare system has garnered international acclaim, with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) designating Kerala the world’s first “baby-friendly state”. Aside from ayurveda (both elite and popular forms),[46] siddha, and unani, many endangered and endemic modes of traditional medicine – including kalari, marmachikitsa, and vishavaidyam – are practiced. These propagate via gurukula discipleship.[48] They comprise a fusion of both medicinal and supernatural treatments, and are partly responsible for drawing increasing numbers of medical tourists. Indeed, a steadily aging population – 11.2% of Keralites are over age 60 – and low birthrate makes Kerala (together with Cuba) one of the few regions of the Third World to have undergone the “demographic transition” characteristic of such developed nations as Canada, Japan, and Norway.

Economy of Kerala

Kerala has a democratic socialist welfare economy. This has resulted in slow economic progress compared to neighbouring states, and relatively few major corporations and manufacturing plants choose to operate in Kerala.[20] This is mitigated by the remittances of overseas Keralites contributing 20% of State Domestic Product (SDP) .[21] Kerala’s economic productivity and per capita GDP – 11,819 INR[22] – lags behind that of the rest of India. However, Kerala’s Human Development Index and standard of living statistics are the nation’s best. This seeming paradox is often dubbed the “Kerala phenomenon” or the “Kerala model” of development, and arises mainly from Kerala’s unusually strong service sector.

Agriculture dominates Kerala’s economy. Some six hundred varieties[6] of rice are harvested from 310,521 ha of paddy fields; 688,859 tonnes are produced per annum. Other key crops include coconut (899,198 ha), tea, coffee, rubber, cashew, and spices – including pepper, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Home gardens and animal husbandry also provide work for hundreds of thousands of people. Tourism, manufacturing, and business process outsourcing comprise other significant economic sectors. Kerala’s unemployment rate is 19.2%,] althought underemployment of those classified as “employed” is a significant problem.

Agriculture dominates the Keralite economy. Kerala lags behind many other Indian states and territories in terms of per capita GDP (11,819 INR[1]) and economic productivity. However, Kerala’s Human Development Index and standard of living statistics are the best in India. Indeed, in select development indices, Kerala rivals many developed countries. This seeming paradox – low GDP and productivity figures juxtaposed with relatively high development figures – is often dubbed the “Kerala Phenomenon” or the “Kerala Model” of development by economists, political scientists, and sociologists. This phenomenon arises mainly from Kerala’s unusually strong service sector.