About Kerala

The land of lovely palm-fringed beaches, dense palm groves and plantations, winding canals and rippling backwaters. Kerala occupies just less than 40,000 square kilometers of land, curving along the Arabian Sea on the south coast of India. It is a thin strip of land and is blessed with an unending stretch of greenery. Packed into this small crescent of land are beaches, jungles, mountains, backwaters and some of the most romantic natural resources of the world .A rail, bus or car journey along Kerala coast takes one through sheets of tender green paddy fields, cardamom groves and slopping plantations of tea and tapioca. Kerala’s cardamom, pepper and spices, her teak, rosewood, and ebony have brought the world to her shores since the time of King Solomon and since before the beginning of the Christian era. 

The rolling high ranges of Western Ghats seal off the eastern edge of the state, and this wall separates Kerala from rest of India. The Western Ghats, with their dense tropical forests, misty peaks, extensive ridges and ravines, have sheltered Kerala from mainland invaders and encouraged maritime contact with the outside world. People have been sailing to Kerala in search of spices, sandalwood and ivory for at least 2000 years.

Kerala is a very easy place to simply sit back and enjoy. The name means "land of coconuts" and the palms shade nearly the entire state from the tropical sun; many call the beach at Kovalam the best in India, tranquil stretches of emerald backwaters, lush hill stations and exotic wildlife, Ayurvedic health resorts, enchanting art forms, magical festivals, historic and cultural monuments, an exotic cuisine… all of which offer you a unique experience, and what’s more, every one of these charming destinations is only a two hours drive from the other.

Kerala, which came into being in the year 1956, comprises erstwhile Travancore- Cochin and the Malabar Coast districts of the ten Madras state. Scientists believe that the landmass of Kerala emerged from the sea due to geological cataclysm that occurred in the area. But it is doubtful whether this process happened at one go. Evidence suggests that the Kuttanad region and parts of central and north Kerala were submerged under the sea till two thousand years ago. Kerala is divided into three geographical regions: (1) High lands, (2) Midlands and (3) Lowlands.

The Highlands slope down from the Western Ghats which rise to an average height of 900 m, with a number of peaks well over 1,800 m in height. This is the area of major plantations like tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and other spices. The Midlands, lying between the mountains and the lowlands, is made up of undulating hills and valleys. The midlands are the most thickly populated area of the state and consist of secondary ranges and plane areas. This is an area of intensive cultivation. Cashew, coconut, areca nut, cassava (tapioca), banana, rice, ginger, pepper, sugarcane and vegetables of myriad varieties are grown in this area. The Lowlands or the coastal area, made up of river deltas, backwaters and the Arabian coast, is essentially a land of coconuts and rice. The lowlands include the 560 kms long coastal area dotted with exotic beaches, some of them of international repute. Fisheries and coir industry constitute the major industries of this area.  Kuttanad, the granary of Kerala, where the cultivation is done below the sea level is also part of coastal areas.

Kerala is a land of rivers and backwaters. 41-west flowing and 3 east-flowing rivers that form the lifelines of Kerala originate from the highlands of Western Ghats. 

Rivers flowing west and their length in Kms : Periyar(244), Bharatapuzha (209), Pamba(196),Chaliyar (169), Chalakudy (169) kadalundy (130), Achankoil (128), Kallada (121), Muvattupuzha (121), Valapattanam (110), Chandragiri (105), Manimala (90),Vamanapuram (88),kuppam, (82), Meenachil (78), Kutyadi (74) karamana (68), Shiriya (68) Karingode (64), Ithikkara (56), Neyyar(56), Mahi (54), Keecheri (51), Prumba(51), Uppala (50), Karuvanoor (48) Anjarakkandi (48), Tirur (48), Neeleshwaram (46)Pallikkal (42), Korappuzha (40), Mogral (34) Kaveripuzha (31), Puzhakkal (29) ,Thalassery (28), Manam (27), Chittary (25) Kallai (22), Ramapuram (19), Ayiroor (17) Bangra Manjeswara (16). 

Rivers flowing East and their length in Kms: Kabani (63),Bhavani (39) pambar(26).

During summer; these monsoon-fed rivers will turn into rivulets especially in the upper parts of Kerala.   Backwaters are an attractive, economically valuable feature of Kerala. These include lakes and ocean in lets which stretch irregularly along the Kerala coast. The biggest among these backwaters is the Vembanad Lake, with an area of 200 sq km, which opens out into the Arabian Sea at Cochin port.  Anamudi is the highest peak and stands tall at 2817.6 meters.

Kerala is a purified world, the land of trees. A big, spreading tree purifies as much air as a room air-conditioner. And the former is never switched off. The prolific, bustling, vegetation acts like a massive, biological, air-filtration plant working round the clock, round the year. Hence spending days in Kerala countryside is as if spending in an air- purified environment; some times better than it. So is the rejuvenating effect of the lush greenery of the state. The wanton growth of trees makes Kerala a herbarium. The four month-long, copious monsoon and recurrent flurry make this land a perfect nursery for all living beings. Loitering under the canopy of the foliage, you will feel blossoming the dreams. Thus, on a sojourn in Kerala, away from the rough and tumble of cities, you're breathing freshly purified air all the time.

The Hindus form the majority (more than 50%), followed by the Muslims (25%) and Christians of many denominations (Syrian Christians and Latin Catholics), form around 23% of the population. Kerala is politically highly evolved. A Congress led United Democratic Front government now rules Kerala. The main opposition party, the Communist led Left Democratic Front, is at the other end of the political spectrum. This two-party system has ensured some degree of political stability to this state.