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Kerala, one of the smallest states in the Republic of India, was formed in 1956.
It has an area of 15,005 sq. miles. [38,863 sq. km. ] about one percent of the total
land area of India. The state stretches for about 360 miles along the Malabar coast
on the western side of the Indian peninsula; its width varies from 20 to 75 miles.
It is bordered by the states of karaataka on the north, Tamil Nadu to the east and
the Arabian sea to the west. The state has 14 districts and the capital is in Trivandrum
[now Thimvananthapuram].
Kerala, land of the coconut tree, is another India entirely. Kerala is a lush, green,
somnolent, watery state down on the south-western coast. It's a green Venice, but
unlike Venice, where man has created most of the glory, in Kerala nature rules,
dreamy lagoons, curving waterways, damp paddy - fields, swaying greenery and singularly
beautiful people. And Kerala, above all, is the home of spices. Spices brought it
its prosperity, spices make it the fulcrum of trading routes of a myriad nations,
and today, as soon as the visitor heads inland, the air is heady with the scents
of cloves and peppers, ginger and tamarind, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Culture
Isolated from the deccan plateau by the mountainous belt of the Western Ghats, but
with a long coastline open to foreign influences, Kerala has evolved a unique culture.
It is a highly politicized region, but has a long tradition of religious amity.
It is an educationally advanced state with its own language, Malayalarn, and has
the highest rate of literacy (100%) among Indian states. It has a rate of newspaper
readership that is among the highest in the world. Women in Kerala enjoy a high
social status, thanks perhaps to its historic matrilineal system. Art forms of Kerala
range from Kalanpuyutiii, the martial art believed to be the origin of various other
oriental ones, to Kathakah, one of the dance forms of Kerala considered to be amongst
the oldest Indian dance styles. The elegant snake boat races have always been the
favorite of tourists visiting Kerala.
Nature
Kerala is a land of great natural beauty. From the majestic heights of the Western
Ghats the country undulates westward presenting a vista of silent valleys clothed
in the richest green. Among the many rivers that glide across the plains to merge
their waters with the Arabian sea, the more important are the Periyar, the Pamba
and the Bharatha puzha. The elegant waterfall at Athirampally near Trichur is a
popular tourist spot. Along me coast, sand dunes shelter a linked chain of lagoons
and backwaters the still waters of which are studded with sea-gulls and country
canoes plying at a snails pace. The silence of the clear sky is broken only by the
coos of koels, a type of cuckoo, and the frequent flutter of cranes perched on the
embankments. The highest peak of peninsular India Aiuiai Mudi is located in this
state. The scenic Thekkady Wild Life Sanctuary is a popular vacation destination
for nature lovers.
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