the Kerala Travel Guide

Origin of the Kerala tribes

admin — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:20:11 +0000

The first citizens of Kerala, as believed by Archaeologists were the hunter-gatherers.
They are the so-called Ting Negrito people who take pride in their knowledge of herbal medicine and skills in interpreting natural phenomena. They can still be found on the mountains of southern India to date.

The next were believed to be the Austriches. They are of the same stock as the present-day Australian Aborigines. These people laid the foundation of the Indian civilizations and introduced the cultivation of rice and vegetables which are still taking place in Kerala.

They are the ones who introduced snake-worship in the state. The traces of such ancient worship and rites have been found among the Aboriginal tribes of Australia.

After them, the Dravidians (The Mediterranean people) came who absorbed many of the beliefs of the Negrito and Austric people although they were strongly inclined to the worship of the Mother Goddess in all her myriad forms: Protector, Avenger, Bestower of wealth, wisdom and arts.

Kerala regions

admin — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:04:48 +0000

The state was formed in 1956 after the princely states of Travancore and Cochin tied up with Malabar.

The people of Kerala or Keralites celebrate this day as Kerala Piravi, which means the birth of Kerala. It was divided into three geographical regions: the Highlands, the Midlands and the Lowlands.

The Highlands are parts of the Western Ghats (also known as the Sahyadri). These are the areas of major plantations like tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and other spices.

The Midlands are the areas of extensive cultivation, undulating hills and valleys. The Lowlands are also called the Coastal Area and covers almost 4000 sq. km. of the state.

Kerala possesses 25% of the 15,000 plant species which include endangered and rare species, flowering plants, fungi, lichens and mosses. The state’s 11,125.59 sq. km. forest area boasts of its wealth such as the tropical wet evergreen and 40,000 years old grasslands.

Kerala

admin — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 18:00:40 +0000

Kerala is one of the top tourist spots in India which is well-known for its natural beauty and air-purified environment.

Kerala is a green strip of land that lies in the West corner of the Indian Peninsula and considered as one of the top tourist spots of the country. Some of its tourist attractions are its natural beauty, art forms, cultural diversity and the Ayurveda.

The total land area of Kerala is 38,863 sq. km (15,005 square miles). Its capital is Thiruvananthapuram and the official religions are Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. The official language of the people is called Malayalam.