About Kerala
For the sea friendly, the choice of beaches are staggering. Opt for the well developed, cosy beach resorts where you cam swim, surf or get initiated into the age old power of Yoga. Tired bodies can get a massage with herbal oils. Curious minds can dwell on the mysteries of Advaita Vedanta – The unique philosophy of non-duality. If you prefer solitude, there are long stretches of untouched beaches where even the waves are introverts. When the mountains call you have to go. Munnar, Peerumade, Wynad and Ponmudi are invigorating haunts for poets, artists and all people with beating hearts. If you want to see Nature in all her finery, walk down the forest lane and and look up at Athirapalli waterfalls. If your heart turns a summersault, your only a human. Wild life enthusasts rejoice. Kerala’s forests are still green. There are game sanctuaries which provide you opportunities to see the huge Indian elephants with their tusks intact, the spotted deer, sambar, bisons, bears, mountain goats, lion tailed monkeys, tiger and leopards etc. Kerala’s backwaters are more of an emotion than a name. It has that unique quality of serenity, coupled with beauty. No wonder it is called the Venice of the east. These calm waterways burst into life when the boatrace season begin. Then the Keralites throw of their lethargy and transform into a fiery crowd. To see Kerala at its best, come with the festivals. Onam is a profusion of flowers, music dance and general bonhomie. Apart from photographs, you can take home ivory carvings, eye catching Kerala sarees, block printed bedspreads or maybe a elephant carved in sandalwood. And when the day is done, lie back on the sand and relax to the lullaby of the wind and the waves. Tomorrw the sights to see are many.
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History
There were three administrations ruling Kerala at the time of Independence. They were two princly states Travancore and Cochin. The third was Malabar which was under the direct administration of the British. Independent India amalgamated the small states together so as to make them viable units. Accordingly Travancore ans Cochin States were integrated to form Travancore – Cochin State on July-1, 1949. Malabar remained as part of Madras province. Under the States Re-Organisation Act of 1956, Travancore – Cochin State and Malabar were united to form the State of Kerala on 1st. November 1956. The State re-organisation demanded some territorial adjustments. As per the adjustment Kerala lost to Madras (Tamil Nadu) the taluks of Thovala, Agastheeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode in the far south and Shencotta in the east. Kerala gained the Malabar district and the Kasargod taluk of South Kanara district in the north. The laccadive Minicoy and Ammindivi islands lying of the coasts of Malabar were detached from Kerala and declared as Union Territory.History of Keralatravellers.comHistory of Kerala
Ayurveda
Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC in India. This old system of medicne 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 undispensable branch of medicne, a complete naturalistic system that depends on the diagnosis of your bodys humours – Kapha, Pitta and Vatta to achieve the right balance. Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected part, but the individual as a whole. Making it a natural way to refresh yourself – eleminate all toxic imbalances from the body and thus regain resistance and good health. Kerala’s equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with the wealth of natural herbs and other medicnal plants) and the cool Monsoon season (June 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 medicne with absolute dedication. Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season for rejuvenation programmes. The atmosphere remains dust free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy
Back Waters
Land and water share an extraordinary kinship in Kerala. This land which is believed to have sprung forth from the sea, continues to bask in the tender life giving care of the waters that lap gently on its coast, cascade down its hills and valleys and rests calmly in exotic backwaters and lagoons. There is a different Kerala along these backwaters, throbbing with its unique culture. For you as a visitor to Kerala, it can be incredibaly different experience just floating on these waters in a country craft and absorbing this unusual representation of Kerala’s life. You might begin at Allapuzha, which is hailed as the Venice of the East, because of its intricate maze of backwaters, canals and bridges. When a visitor leaves Allapuzha on a boat voyage through Kuttanad, he will find himself travelling along the canals where the level of water is often higher than that of the green paddy fields on either side. You could journey right up to Kochi via the backwaters. Many beautiful sights greet you along the way, such as the Chinese fishing nets, said to have been introduced into Kerala by the traders from Kublai Khans court. Abeautiful backwater spot accessable from Allapuzha is Kumarakom. Breathtakingly green, the village slumbers by the Vembanad Lake. On Cruise scenery flashes up vivis contrasts of lush green and deep blues. As the boat glides along the gorgeous green of the fringed palms the ripples in the blue waters blend into the wavelets. The place is so beautiful that Henry Baker, an Englishman, built his bunglow here in the last century. A 14 acre bird santuary adds to the natural beauty of Kumarakom. Birds such as Water Ducks, Cuckoos, Siberian Storks spend happy summers here.
House Boat
The House boats of today are huge slow moving exotic kettuvallams, which were used as transport of goods during the old days. The boat is known as ‘Kettuvallam’, because the entire boat is made up of wood held together with coir knots. It is stitched in such a way that not even a single drop of water will leak into the boat. This is a speciality design of Kerala in which not even a single nail is used for construting these boats. The boat is made of planks of Jack wood stitched together with coir ropes, which is then coated with a waterproof oil extracted from Cashew nut. With careful maintanence a Kettuvallam can last for generations. A portion of the Kettuvallom is covered with bamboo and coir to serve as restroom and kitchen etc. Meals are cooked on board and supplimented with fresh fish from the backwaters. Today the tradition is still continued and the food from the local cuisines is served on board. When converting Kettuvallams into hoseboats, greate care is taken to use only natural products, like bamboo mats, sticks and wood of arecanut trees, and coir for bed. For lighting Solar panels are used. Today the house boats have all the creative comforts of a good hotel including well 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 uninterupted view. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some boats are powered by 40 HP engine. Boat trains formed by joining two or more boats are also used by large groups of sight sears. What is truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched and otherwise inaccessable rural Kerala.
Snake Boat Race
Welcome to yet another splendid, unparalleled attraction of Gods Own Country. An event that is much part of the lands thos as the elephant pagent. A sport that signifies the excellent team spirit, integreation and amity of the people of this backwater country. Occasions of great excitement that is a reflection of vibrant people. Magnificient feista that brings alive the tranquil backwaters. Snake Boat Race is held in connection with Onam, the harvest festival held during August /September, the moist , rain drenched earth and the glorious everflowing backwaters burst into song together, as over hundred and thousands of men and women gather on the banks to witness the spectacular Snake Boat Races. Boat race crews begin to practice for the race months before the great day. On boat race day the Chundan Vallams as the greatest boat race are called are slicked down with a special oil to make them glide effortlessly through the water. The crews then visit a shrine carrying the stroke and the largest steering oar of the boat with them. Now after offering the prayers to the almighty, they are now ready to war with their fellow men. The air crackles into excitement as the best of the 130 feet Chundan Vallams, each manned by over hundreds of rowers., fly through the waters at break neck speed, egged on the fierce competitive spirit that marks the event and the spectators lusty roars.. The most famous of these are races are Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the second Saturday of every August and the Aranmula Boat Race which is connected with the temple festival.
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Festivals
Kerala has ite own festivals and festivities which invest the state with a unique atmosphere of gaiety and charm, and Kerala has so many of them that no one probably have a better festive calender than Kerala. Some of Kerala innumerable festivals, however stand out because of their uniqness. Onam: the most typical kerala festival, which coincides with the month of harvest season is an occasion for spontaneous revelery. It falls in the month of chingam(August-September). It celebrates the home coming of Mahabali, the legendry king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions (Pattala) by Vishnu in the form of Vamana. Onam is being celebrated as a national festival under the Govt. auspices. It synchronises with the tourist week celebration and starts formally on the day of Atham asterism. The image of Thrikkakara Appan (Vishnu in the form of Vamana) is installed in every hindu home during the season of Onam. Children go around collecting flowers for the decoration of the front portion of their house in different designs which change from day to day. The most important days of the Onam festival are Uthradam and Thruvonam. On the latter a grand feast is held in every home. Onam also provides an occasion for family get-togethers for the Keralites. Navarathri: festival which is called Dasara in Karnataka and Kali Pooja in Bengal is celebrated as Saraswathy Pooja in Kerala. Saraswathy is worshipped as Godess of Learning. On the Durgastami day, the pooja veppu is formed when all sorts of work and studies are put aside. The Vijayadasami day is observed as the day for the breakup of the pooja and the initiation of children into the study of the alphabet. Work and study are then resumed.
Mahashivarathri: is the great night of Shiva, is celebrated in Kumbam (February - March). It commorate the day on which Lord Shiva consumed the deadly poison Kalkuda Visham to save the world from destruction. The day is celebrated by the offering of special poojas and abhishekams and the presentation of cultural programmes in all Shiva temples. The annual Shivarathri festival held on the banks of periyar at Alwaye is one of the spectacular local festivals of Kerala which attracts thousands of pilgrims from all over the state. It has been compared to the Kumbha mela at Prayag. Asthami Rohini: is the birthday of Sri Krishna. It is celebrated in the month of Chingam (August- September). Devotees visit the Krishna or Vishnu Temples where special poojas and cultural programmes are held. Folk Festivities : There are certain typical festivities associated with temple festivals in Kerala which enables us to have aninsight into the folkways. Some of these may appear rather unusual and strange, but have become an integral part of the folk culture of Kerala. Mavilamkavu near Kannur bears witness to two strange observances. One is ‘Ati’ or ‘Tallu’ (beating) when specially trained people array themselves and engage themselves in a free exchange of blows. The other is ‘thkkal’ or pushing which presents an unusual sight while ‘Talapolli’ (ceremonial carrying of lamps) in all other temples is a women affair, in the ‘Kottamkulangara’ temple at Karunagapally near Kollam – men dressed as women are the actors in the show. Apecular practice noticed among the pilgrims to Kottiyur is that they carry bamboo sticks with them on their return journey and keep them at home with a view to warding of evil
Folk Arts
Kerala developed its own arts from early days. The primitive folk songs and dances practised by the ancient people to the accompaniment of instrumental music praised the dieties of the forest and hills. The ordinary activities of the people in the field of agriculture also formed the subject matter of early of early folks dances. We have todat in Kerala a rich variety of folk arts. Most of them come under the religious group and sre ritualistic in character. The ritual dances are staged primarily in ‘Bagwati temple’ with a view to propitating the diety. The Theyyam thullal or Theyattam of the erstwhile North Malabar area is unique among the ritual dances of South India. The Thukkam which is performed as Vow in Bhagwati temples in the erstwhile Travancore area is a typical folkart which is ritualstic in character. The Bhadrakali pattu which commemorates the killing of Darika by Kali is performed in special temples or in the homes of Brahmins and Kshatriyas. Two highlights of this dance are ‘Kalamezhuttu’ and ‘Tiyattam’. The serpant dance called Pampu Thullal in the south and ‘Nagakanni’ in the north is connected with the Naga Cult. The Ayyapan pattu which is performed during the season of the pilgrimmage to Sabarimala is also a typical folk art of Kerala. The ‘Mudiyattam Kali’ is a kind of folk dance in which female participants unlock their hair and engage themselves in frantic dancing to the accompanniment of folk songs. There are also a variety of other Hindu folkarts forms known by such different names as ‘Kumbha Nritham’, ‘Arjuna Nritham’, ‘Kuthottam’, ‘Gandharvan Pattu’, ‘Kakkarasi Ntakam’, etc. in different parts of Kerala. The ‘Aravankali’ of the Muslims seen in Kondotti (Near Kozhikode) was imported from the Persian Gulf. The ‘Duffu Mattu’ is another folk play of th3e Muslims which involves singing and beating of the drums. Some of the pecular arts developed by the lower castes is also unique. A dance called Kuruvankalli is prevalent among the Kuruvas in the central Travancore region.
Martial Arts
Kalaripayattu: belived by many historians and scholars as one of the oldest and most scientific and comphrehensive system of marital trainning existing in the world today. Kalaripayatu the ancient marital art of Kerala truly deserves the title of the forunner of all marital arts. With the help of the available historical evidence, the present practising traditions origin can be traced back to the 12th century AD. The word Kalaripayattu litrally means ‘combat trainning inside the gymnasium’. The word Kalari has been derived from the sanskrit ‘Kholoorika’ meaning military trainning ground. The traditional trainning of kalaripayattu is always done inside a’ kalari’ which is a specially constructed practicing area where the presiding dieties of the art and entire line of gurus of the tradition is riyualistcally represented. The Kalari is naot only a temple of learning, it is a temple of religious worship with accult and ritual of its own. The master who is addressed as ‘Gurukkal’ is reverred the representative of the diety and is considered as the living embodiment of a long line of gurus. The trainning consists of self disciplinary trainning and physical culture. The pupils are given regular physical exercise and training in the use of such weapons as Kuruvadi (Short stick), spear, dagger,sword shield etc. The most promising of the trainees are taught the marmas, viz the vulnerable points in the human system. The kalaripayattu training aims at the ultimate coordination of mind and body. The traditional training of the kalari gurukal includes as can been seen in some other marital arts, specialisation in indegenous medical preparations and techniques of treatment and health care. Based on the ayurvedic system of medical practice the old masters of kalari payattu has indeginously developed methods of treatment of Kalari related injuries, like bruises, fractures etc.The trainning also includes full body oil massage to develop the flexibility and mascular texture and also to stimulate circulation to maintain the general health of the body.
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