South India · Kerala
Kerala
Sources: wikimedia
About Kerala
- Coastal
Where it is
Kerala is a state on India's south-west coast, a long, narrow strip of land between the Laccadive Sea and the Western Ghats, laced with backwaters, lagoons and rivers; its capital is Thiruvananthapuram.
History
The ancient Chera kingdom traded spices with Rome, West Asia and China through ports such as Muziris, and Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities took root on the coast in early centuries. After Vasco da Gama reached the coast in 1498, the Portuguese, Dutch and British competed for its pepper trade. Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 from Travancore-Cochin and the Malabar district.
People
Malayalam is the language of Kerala, and its Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities share festivals such as Onam and a cuisine built on rice, coconut, fish and spices. The state is known for its arts, from Kathakali and Mohiniyattam to Theyyam, and many Keralites have worked abroad, especially in the Gulf.
Known for
- The backwaters and houseboats of Alappuzha
- Kathakali and Theyyam
- Ayurveda
- The tea gardens of Munnar
- Onam and the snake-boat races
Did you know?
The Nehru Trophy snake-boat race on Punnamada Lake near Alappuzha dates from a race held for Jawaharlal Nehru's visit in 1952, and its trophy bears his name.
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