Section Eye on World Kerala...Wonders of India at your fingertips
Kerala...Wonders of India at your fingertips
With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 m in the east and networked by forty-four rivers, Kerala enjoys diverse geographical features. From tall
mountains and deep valleys to endless backwaters and an extensive coastline, Kerala has it all.
History
Kerala's history is closely linked with its commerce, which until recent times revolved around its spice trade. Celebrated as the Spice Coast of India, ancient Kerala played host to travellers and traders from across the world including the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. Almost all of them have left their imprint on this land in some form or the other - architecture, cuisine, literature.
Ayurveda - harmony of body, mind and soul
Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC in India. This new system of medicine stressed on the prevention of body ailments in addition to curing them. Followed by the Dravidians and Aryans alike, Ayurveda has been practised ever since. Today, it's a unique, indispensable branch of medicine - a complete naturalistic system that depends on the diagnosis of your body's humours - vata, pitta and kapha - to achieve the right balance.
Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected part, but the individual as a whole. Making it the natural way to refresh you, eliminate all toxic imbalances from the body and thus regain resistance and good health.
Kerala, the land of Ayurveda
Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and medicinal plants), and the cool monsoon season (June to July and October to November) are best suited for Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages.
In fact, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practises this system of medicine with absolute dedication.
One of India's most literate and socially advanced, the people of Kerala enjoy a unique cosmopolitan viewpoint, which is reflected in their spirit of tolerance and catholicity of outlook. This can be attributed to Kerala's composite culture to which several lands and races from across the world have contributed significantly.
Through the ages, Kerala has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to new traditions and values in almost every sphere of human thought and endeavour. This positive response to changes and challenges is what sets the Keralan people as well as the society apart.
Keralites have a high degree of awareness and political consciousness. In the field of education too, Keralites hold a unique position. The literacy rate for women is one of the highest in all of Asia. Which is perhaps why the women in the State enjoy a privileged status both within the family and society.
Cuisine
Cuisine in Kerala has roots in the history, geography and culture of the land. These can be classified under the two standard headings - vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. While the non-vegetarian dishes are all heavily spiced, the vegetarian repertoire is mildly spiced and feels especially easier on the non-native tongue.
Kerala Souvenirs
Souvenirs are meant to cherish memories of one's experiences in life. These experiences can be anything. And when it comes to traveling, souvenirs attain immense value, especially when people visit truly exotic destinations like Kerala.
In Kerala, travellers would come across a variety of souvenir items that reflect its culture, history, art and socio-religious aspects.
Kerala souvenirs come in a wide range of attractive and unique handmade items. Among them are the popular ones like the Aranmula Kannadi (metal mirror); Handicraft products made from coconut shells, wood, clay and cane; Mural paintings and Handloom products like Kasavu sari (sari with golden brocade).
Houseboat
Cruise through Kerala in a houseboat!
Have you ever gone cruising in a houseboat on the backwaters of Kerala? If you haven't, make sure you do. This one is really a wonderful and unforgettable experience!
Present day houseboats are huge, slow moving exotic barges used for leisure trips, and are in fact reworked version of kettuvallams of olden times. The original kettuvallams were used to carry tons of rice and spices. A standard kettuvallam can hold up to 30 tons from Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
The kettuvallam is held together with coir knots. Not even a single nail is used during the construction of the boat.. The boat is made of planks of jack-wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a kettuvallam can last for generations.
A portion of the kettuvallam was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom and kitchen for the crew. Meals would be cooked onboard and supplemented with freshly cooked fish from the backwaters.
When the modern trucks replaced this system of transport, some one found a new way that would keep these boats, almost all of which were more than 100 years old, in the market. By constructing special rooms to accommodate travelers, these boats cruised forward from near-extinction to enjoy their present great popularity.
Now these are a familiar sight on the backwaters and in Alappuzha alone, there are as many as 500 houseboats.
While converting kettuvallams into houseboats, care is taken to use only natural products. Bamboo mats, sticks and wood of the areca nut tree are used for roofing, coir mats and wooden planks for the flooring and wood of coconut trees and coir for beds. For lighting though, solar panels are used.
Today, the houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling. Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow uninterrupted views. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together are also used by large groups of sightseers.
What is truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers, while you float! Now, wouldn't that be something?
Seasons
Bestowed with a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year, Kerala is a tropical land with the coast running down its entire length and the Western Ghats forming a protective barrier against the dry winds from up north. The monsoons (June-September & October-November) and summer (February-May) are the seasons markedly experienced here, while winter is only a slight drop in temperature from the normal range of 28-320C.
* Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala
