Kerala Kerala Photo Gallery
History
The name of the state of Kerala has been taken from the word Keralaputra (land of the sons of Cheras), as mentioned in one of the Ashokan edicts dating back to 273-236 BC. Chera was the first large empire that took roots in this state, and continued to use Tamil till 7th century as their administrative language. The Chera power declined in the 10th century AD, after Cholas, the rulers of Tamil Nadu, were successful in overthrowing the dynasty.
Culture A majority of the people of Kerala are Dravidians, who also inhibit most of the southern part of India. Hinduism is the principal religion with considerable percentages of Muslims and Christians. The craftsmen of Kerala here can pick up the humblest and meanest bits of material and imbue them with magical mastery. Woodcarving is the most important of craft forms that this state has developed. Kathakali is a 300-year-old dance form developed exclusively in Kerala combining the performing art forms of opera, ballet, masque, and pantomime.
Geography
Kerala is situated at the Southwest tip of India main land on the Arabian Sea. Kerala is bound by Arabian Sea on the west, Karnataka on the north and northeast, and Tamil Nadu on the east. The state can be divided into hills and valleys, midland plains and coastal belts. The hills of Kerala dot the Western Ghat from Ponmudi in the south to Munnar in the centre and Sultan's Bathery in the north. In the coastal belts of this state are situated world famous backwaters that are more or less main attraction of Kerala. How To Reach Kerala
The state of Kerala is a narrow strip located along Arabian Sea in the southernmost tip of Indian Peninsula. The state has been crisscrossed by a number of water bodies (popularly known as backwaters). This has given birth to internal water navigation systems, which also work as the major trade ways in the state. These backwaters of late have become the major tourist attractions of Kerala and people have started offering luxurious houseboat accommodations to the visitors. The state of Kerala is a narrow strip located along Arabian Sea in the southernmost tip of Indian Peninsula. The state has been crisscrossed by a number of water bodies (popularly known as backwaters). This has given birth to internal water navigation systems, which also work as the major trade ways in the state. These backwaters of late have become the major tourist attractions of Kerala and people have started offering luxurious houseboat accommodations to the visitors.
Air Transport
Reaching to Kerala is not a difficult thing. Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital, is connected to most of the major airports in India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore. As the Thiruvananthapuram is an international airport, there are considerable connections to gulf countries also from this airport. Kochi and Calicut are other two airports connected from air to other cities in India.
Rail Transport
Rails are another good way of moving inside and from the outside Kerala. There are around 200 railway stations in Kerala connecting most of the places in the state to places in the other parts of the country and inside the state. Long-distance express trains connect important places in Kerala to places outside the state like Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, and Kolkata.
Road Transport
Roads in Kerala are in much better shape than other states in India. Major modes of road transport are buses, tourist taxis, cars, and local taxis and autos. State is connected with other parts of South India by a number of National Highways. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh are some of the neighboring states that are easily connected to Kerala through roads.
