 | Malayalam is written in a non-Latin script. Malayalam text used in this article is transliterated into the Latin script according to the ISO 15919standard. |
The state has an area of 38,863 km
2 (15,005 sq mi) and is bordered by
Karnataka to the north and northeast,
Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the
Arabian Sea[note] on the west. The width of the state varies from 11km to 121km. The city of
Thiruvananthapuram is the state capital.
Kollam,
Kottayam,
Kochi,
Thrissur,
Palakkad and
Kozhikode, are other major cities. According to a survey by
The Economic Times, five out of ten best cities to live in India are located in Kerala.
[4] Kerala is a popular tourist destination for its
backwaters,
yoga,
Ayurvedic treatments[5] and tropical greenery.
Kerala is a top
tourist destination. National Geographic's Traveller magazine names Kerala as one of the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 must see destinations of a lifetime".
[16] Travel and Leisure names Kerala as "One of the 100 great trips for the 21st century".
[citation needed] The
Kerala Government Tourism Department, a government department in charge of promoting tourism has adopted the slogan
God's Own Country for its campaigns.
[edit]Etymology
Kerala is often referred to as
Keralam by the natives
Malayali.
[17] Scholars agree that
Kerala transliterates
Classical Tamil Cheralam ("Land of the
Cheras") or
chera-alam, ("
declivity of a hill or a mountain slope/range"). The state was anciently called
Cheralam and
Cherala Nadu.
[18][19][20] A 3rd-century BCE rock inscription by emperor
Asoka the Great references Kerala as
Keralaputra.
[21] The Graeco-Roman trade map
Periplus Maris Erythraeireferences Kerala's
Chera territory as
Cerobothra. Another popular view is that 'Keralam' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Kera' which means coconut and the Dravidian word 'Alam' which means place or land, as Kerala is and has been famous for the coconut trees it grows.
[edit]History
[edit]Prehistory
Evidence of Kerala's early human occupation includes
Dolmens of the
Neolithic era, in the
Marayur area. They are locally known as "muniyara", derived from
muni (
hermit or
sage, and
ara (dolmen).
[22][edit]Early history and culture
[edit]Early Chera rule and maritime trade
The word "Kerala" is first mentioned (as "Keralaputra") in a third century BCE rock inscription (Rock Edict 2) left by the
Maurya emperorAsoka.
[29]Kerala and
Tamil Nadu once shared a common language and culture, within an area known as
Tamiḻakam.
[30] In the 1st century BCE,
Tamil-speaking
Dravidians established the
Chera Dynasty that ruled northern Kerala and western
Tamil Nadu[31] from a capital at
Vanchi. Southern Kerala was ruled by the
Pandyan Kingdom, with a trading port variously identified by ancient Western sources as "Nelcynda" ("Neacyndi")
[32]The Pandyas, Cheras and Cholas alternatively controlled the region in later times.
In the last centuries BCE, the coast became famous among the Greeks and Romans for its spices; especially
black pepper. The Cheras had trading links with
China, West Asia,
Egypt, ancient
Greeceand the
Roman Empire. The value of Rome's annual trade with India as a whole was estimated at no less than 50,000,000
sesterces;
[33] contemporary
Sangam literature describes Roman ships coming to
Muziris in Kerala, laden with gold to exchange for
pepper.
[34] One of the earliest western traders to use the monsoon winds to reach Kerala may have been
Eudoxus of Cyzicus, around 118 or 166 BCE, under the patronage of
Ptolemy VIII, king of the
Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty in
Egypt. Kerala is identified on the
Tabula Peutingeriana, the only known surviving map of the Roman
cursus publicus.
[35][edit]Later Chera rule
[edit]Post-Chera period
The Kulasekhara dynasty came to an end by twelfth century, weakened by the invasions and military subjugations of
Rashtrakutas,
Later Pandyas, and
Later Cholas.
[34] However, King Ravi Varma Kulashekhara of the southern
Venad kingdom was able to establish a short-lived supremacy over southern India. But, after his death, in the absence of a strong central power, the state fractured into small warring principalities governed by
Nair-
Brahmin chieftains. From these, the kingdoms of
Venad (Quilon),
Kolathiri (Cannanore),
Kozhikode (Calicut) Samuthiri and
Kochi (Cochin) emerged.
[edit]The colonial era
This figure illustrates the path of Vasco da Gama heading for the first time to India (black line)
The western spice-trade, especially in
pepper, became increasingly lucrative. Around the 15th century, the
Portuguese began to dominate the eastern shipping trade in general, and the spice-trade in particular, culminating in
Vasco Da Gama's arrival in
Kappad Kozhikode in 1498.
[46][47][48] On 25 March 1505,
Francisco de Almeida was appointed Viceroy of Portuguese India, with headquarters at
Kochi. The Portuguese had taken advantage of conflicts between
Kozhikode and
Kochi to gain control of the trade, and established forts at
Kannur,
Cochin and
Kollam but the
Saamoothiri of Kozikode and his
admiral Kunjali Marakkar resisted, and in 1571 the Portuguese were
defeated at Chaliyam fort.
Tipu Sultan's fort at Palakkad; view from outside the northern wall.
[edit]Post Independence
On 1 November 1956, the state of Kerala was formed by the
States Reorganisation Act merging the Malabar district, Travancore-Cochin (excluding four southern
taluks, which were merged with Tamil Nadu), and the taluk of
Kasargod,
South Kanara.
[53] In 1957, elections for the new Kerala Legislative Assembly were held, and a reformist, Communist-led government came to power, under
E.M.S. Namboodiripad.
[53]This was also the first democratically elected Communist government in the world, which initiated pioneering land reforms, leading to lowest levels of rural poverty in India.
[54][edit]Kerala in religious traditions
The legendary king
Mahabali is said to have ruled from Kerala in a reign of universal happiness and prosperity. On his passing away he was appointed ruler of the netherworld (
Patalam) by
Vamana, the fifth
avatar of Lord
Vishnu. There is a belief that, Once a year, during the
Onam festival, he returns to Kerala.
Parasurama, surrounded by settlers, commanding
Varuna to part the seas and reveal Kerala.
In the religious texts known as the
Puranas, Kerala is
Parasurama Kshetram ("The Land of Parasurama").
Parasurama was a warrior sage and an
Avatar of
Mahavishnu. When he threw his battle axe from
Gokarna into the sea at
Kanyakumari, the land of Kerala arose from the waters.
[59] Tradition says that Parasurama minted gold coins called Rasi, sowed some of them in
Travancore and buried the surplus in cairns.
[60] Similar legends link Parasurama to the
Pandyan dynasty.
[61]The Kollam Era of the
Malayalam calendar is also known as "Parasurama-Sacam".
[62] The Travancore Rajas claim descent from Chera King Bhanu Bikram, who was raised to the throne, by Parasurama.
[63] In the
Keralolpatti, Parasurama chose the goddess
Durga (Kali) as guardian of Kerala's sea-shore.
[64][edit]Geography
Coconut trees can be found all over Kerala
Kerala is wedged between the
Lakshadweep sea and the
Western Ghats. Lying between north latitudes 8°18' and 12°48' and east longitudes 74°52' and 77°22',
[65][66] Kerala experiences the humid
equatorial tropic climate. The state has a coast of length 590 km (370 mi)
[67] and the width of the state varies between 11 and 121 km (22–75 miles). Geographically, Kerala can be divided into three climatically distinct regions: the eastern highlands (rugged and cool mountainous terrain), the central midlands (rolling hills), and the western lowlands (coastal plains). Located at the extreme southern tip of the
Indian subcontinent, Kerala lies near the centre of the
Indian tectonic plate; hence, most of the state is subject to comparatively little
seismic and volcanic activity.
[68] Pre-Cambrian and
Pleistocene geological formations compose the bulk of Kerala’s terrain.
The eastern Kerala region consists of high mountains, gorges and deep-cut valleys immediately west of the Western Ghats'
rain shadow. Forty-one of Kerala’s west-flowing rivers, and three of its east-flowing ones originate in this region. The Western Ghats form a wall of mountains interrupted only near
Palakkad (hence also known Pal
ghat), where the
Palakkad Gap breaks through to provide access to the rest of India. The Western Ghats rises on average to 1,500 m (4920 ft) above sea level, while the highest peaks reach above 2,500 m (8200 ft).
Anamudi, the highest peak in South India, is at an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft). Just west of the mountains lie the midland plains comprising central Kerala, dominated by rolling hills and valleys.
[65] Generally ranging between elevations of 250–1,000 m (820–3300 ft), the eastern portions of the
Nilgiri and
Palni Hills include such formations as
Agastya Mala and
Anamala.
Kerala’s western coastal belt is relatively flat, and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected
brackish canals, lakes,
estuaries, and rivers known as the
Kerala Backwaters. Lake
Vembanad, Kerala’s largest body of water, dominates the Backwaters; it lies between
Alappuzha and
Kochi and is more than 200 km
2 (77 sq mi) in area. Around 8% of India's waterways (measured by length) are found in Kerala.
[69] The most important of Kerala’s
forty-four rivers include the
Periyar (244 km), the
Bharathapuzha (209 km), the
Pamba (176 km), the
Chaliyar (169 km), the
Kadalundipuzha River (130 km), the
Valapattanam (129 km) and the
Achankovil (128 km). The average length of the rivers of Kerala is 64 km. Many of the rivers are small and entirely fed by
monsoon rains.
[65] These conditions result in the nearly year-round water logging of such western regions as
Kuttanad, 500 km² of which lies below sea level. As Kerala's rivers are small and lack
deltas, they are more prone to environmental factors. The rivers also face problems such as sand mining and pollution.
[70] The state experiences several
natural hazards such as
landslides,
floods,
lightning and
droughts. The state was also affected by the
2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
A catastrophic flood in Kerala in 1341 CE drastically modified its terrain and consequently affected its history.
[71] The course of the river
Periyar was changed, and the
Arabian Sea receded several miles. The
Kuttanad region became cultivable, and the
Muziris (
Kodungalloor)
harbour became defunct. A new harbour was developed at
Kochi.
[72][73][edit]Climate
With 120–140 rainy days per year, Kerala has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the
southwest summer monsoon.
[74]:80 In eastern Kerala, a drier tropical wet and dry climate prevails. Kerala's rainfall averages 3,107 mm (122 in.) annually. Some of Kerala's drier lowland regions average only 1,250 mm (49 in.); the mountains of eastern
Idukki districtreceive more than 5,000 mm (197 in.) of
orographic precipitation, the highest in the state.
During summer, Kerala is prone to gale force winds, storm surges,
cyclone-related torrential downpours, occasional droughts, and rises in sea level.
[75]:26, 46, 52 The mean daily temperatures range from 19.8 °C to 36.7 °C.
[65] Mean annual temperatures range from 25.0–27.5 °C in the coastal lowlands to 20.0–22.5 °C in the eastern highlands.
[75]:65[edit]Adjacent states
[edit]Flora and fauna
Malamuzhakky Vezhambal or Great Indian Hornbill, The state bird of Kerala
Population density map of Kerala graded from darkest shading (most dense) to lightest (least dense)
Much of Kerala's notable biodiversity is concentrated and protected in the
Western Ghats. Almost a fourth of India's 10,000 plant species are found in the state. Among the almost 4,000
flowering plant species (1,272 of which are
endemicto Kerala and 159 threatened) are 900 species of
medicinal plants.
[76][77]:11Its 9,400 km² of forests include tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests (lower and middle elevations—3,470 km²), tropical moist and dry deciduous forests (mid-elevations—4,100 km² and 100 km², respectively), and montane subtropical and
temperate (
shola) forests (highest elevations—100 km²). Altogether, 24% of Kerala is forested.
[77]:12 Two of the world’s
Ramsar Convention listed
wetlands—
Lake Sasthamkotta and the
Vembanad-Kol wetlands—are in Kerala, as well as 1455.4 km² of the vast
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Subjected to extensive clearing for cultivation in the 20th century,
[78]:6–7 much of the remaining forest cover is now protected from
clearfelling. Kerala's fauna are notable for their diversity and high rates of endemism: 102 species of
mammals (56 of which are endemic),
453 species of birds, 202 species of freshwater fishes, 169 species of
reptiles (139 of them endemic), and 89 species of
amphibians (86 endemic).
[76] These are threatened by extensive habitat destruction, including soil erosion, landslides,
salinization, and resource extraction.
[79]Eastern Kerala’s windward mountains shelter
tropical moist forests and
tropical dry forests, which are common in the Western Ghats. Here,
sonokeling (
Dalbergia latifolia),
anjili,
mullumurikku (
Erythrina), and
Cassia number among the more than 1,000 species of trees in Kerala. Other plants include bamboo, wild
black pepper, wild
cardamom, the
calamusrattan palm (a type of climbing palm), and aromatic
vetiver grass (
Vetiveria zizanioides).
[77]:12 Living among them are such fauna as
Indian Elephant (
Elephas maximus indicus),
Bengal Tiger,
Indian Leopard (
Panthera pardus fusca),
Nilgiri Tahr,
Common Palm Civet, and
Grizzled Giant Squirrel.
[77]:12, 174–175 Reptiles include the
King Cobra (
Ophiophagus hannah),
viper,
python, and
Mugger Crocodile (
Crocodylus palustris) . Kerala's birds are legion—
Malabar Trogon, the
Great Hornbill,
Kerala Laughingthrush,
Darter, and
Southern Hill Myna are several emblematic species. In lakes, wetlands, and waterways, fish such as
kadu (
stinging catfish) and
Choottachi (Orange chromide—
Etroplus maculatus) are found.
[77]:163–165
Cassia Fistula, (
Malayalam: à´•à´£ിà´•്à´•ൊà´¨്à´¨,
Kani Konna), is the state flower of Kerala.
[edit]Subdivisions
Kerala's fourteen districts are distributed among Kerala's six historical regions: North Malabar (Far-north Kerala), South Malabar (northern Kerala), Kochi (central Kerala), Northern Travancore, Central Travancore (southern Kerala) and Southern Travancore (Far-south Kerala). Kerala's modern-day districts (listed in order from north to south) correspond to them as follows:
Note that these subdivisions are historical and unofficial, that there was no official subdivisions such as South Malabar-North Malabar, or South-Central-North Travancore
- North Malabar: Kasaragod, Kannur, Mananthavady Taluk of Wayanad, Koyilandy and Vadakara Taluks of Kozhikode
- South Malabar: Wayanad except Mananthavady Taluk, Kozhikode except Vadakara and Koyilandy Taluks, Malappuram, Palakkad District except Chittur andAlathur Taluks and a part of Thrissur
- Kochi: A part of Ernakulam, Chittur Taluk and Alathur Taluks of Palakkad, and a majority part of Thrissur.
- Northern Travancore: Part of Ernakulam, and Idukki.
- Central Travancore: Southern part of Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and northern part of Kollam.
- Southern Travancore: Southern part of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram. Nanchinad in Kanyakumari, which is now in the state of Tamil Nadu, was also part of southern Travancore before formation of Kerala.
Kerala's 14 districts, which serve as the administrative regions for taxation purposes, are further subdivided into 63
taluks; these have fiscal and administrative powers over settlements within their borders, including maintenance of local land records.
Taluks of kerala are further divided into 1453 revenue villages and 1007
Gram panchayats.
Mahé, a part of the Indian union territory of
Pondicherry (Puducherry), is a coastal exclave surrounded by Kerala on all of its landward approaches.
[edit]Government
The
Governor of Kerala is the constitutional head of state, and is appointed by the
President of India.
[82][83] The
executive authority is headed by the
Chief Minister of Kerala, who is the
de facto head of state and is vested with extensive executive powers; the Legislative Assembly's majority party leader is appointed to this position by the Governor. The Council of Ministers, which answers to the Legislative Assembly, has its members appointed by the Governor on advice of the Chief Minister. Auxiliary authorities known as
panchayats, for which
local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs.
[84]The
judiciary consists of the
Kerala High Court and a system of lower courts. The High Court, located at Ernakulam, has a Chief Justice combined with 26 permanent and two additional (
pro tempore) justices. Kerala High Court also hears cases from the Union Territory of
Lakshadweep.
The state's 2005–2006 budget was 219 billion
INR.
[85] The state government's tax revenues (excluding the shares from Union tax pool) amounted to 111,248 million
INR in 2005, up from 63,599 million in 2000. Its non-tax revenues (excluding the shares from Union tax pool) of the Government of Kerala as assessed by the Indian Finance Commissions reached 10,809 million INR in 2005, nearly double the 6,847 million INR revenues of 2000.
[86] However, Kerala's high ratio of taxation to
gross state domestic product (GSDP) has not alleviated chronic budget deficits and unsustainable levels of government debt, impacting social services.
[87][edit]Economy
| Year | Gross State Domestic Product |
|---|
| 1980 | 42,860 |
| 1985 | 75,200 |
| 1990 | 140,980 |
| 1995 | 387,620 |
| 2000 | 697,920 |
| 2005 | 1,025,080[90] |
Rural women processing coir threads
The service sector (including tourism, public administration, banking and finance, transportation, and communications—63.8% of GSDP in 2002–2003) and the agricultural and fishing industries (together 17.2% of GSDP) dominate the economy.
[93][98] Nearly half of Kerala's people are dependent on agriculture alone for income.
[99] Some 600 varieties
[77]:5 of rice (Kerala's most important
staple food and cereal crop)
[100]:5 are harvested from 3105.21 km² (a decline from 5883.4 km² in 1990)
[100]:5 of
paddy fields; 688,859
tonnes are produced per annum.
[99] Other key crops include coconut (899,198 ha), tea, coffee (23% of Indian production,
[101]:13 or 57,000 tonnes
[101]:6–7), rubber, cashews, and
spices—including
pepper,
cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Around 1.050 million fishermen haul an annual catch of 668,000 tonnes (1999–2000 estimate); 222 fishing villages are strung along the 590 km coast. Another 113 fishing villages dot the hinterland.
Kerala's coastal belt of Karunagappally is known for high background radiation from thorium-containing
monazite sand. In coastal panchayats, median outdoor radiation levels are more than 4 mGy/yr and, in certain locations on the coast, it is as high as 70 mGy/yr.
[102]Traditional industries manufacturing such items as
coir,
handlooms, and
handicrafts employ around one million people. Around 180,000 small-scale industries employ around 909,859 Keralites; 511 medium and large scale manufacturing firms are located in Kerala. A small mining sector (0.3% of GSDP)
[98] involves extraction of
ilmenite,
kaolin,
bauxite,
silica,
quartz,
rutile,
zircon, and
sillimanite.
[99] Home gardens and animal husbandry also provide work for hundreds of thousands of people. Other major sectors are
tourism, manufacturing, and
business process outsourcing. As of March 2002, Kerala's banking sector comprised 3341 local branches; each branch served 10,000 persons, lower than the national average of 16,000; the state has the third-highest bank penetration among Indian states.
[103] On 1 October 2011, Kerala became the first state in the country to have banking facility in every village.
[104] Unemployment in 2007 was estimated at 9.4%;
[105] underemployment, low employability of youths, and a 13.5% female
participation rate are chronic issues,
[106]:5, 13 [107]as is the practice of
Nokku kooli, 'wages for looking on'.
[108] By 1999–2000, the rural and urban poverty rates dropped to 10.0% and 9.6% respectively.
[109]The state treasury has suffered loss of thousands of millions of
rupees thanks to the state staging over 100
hartals annually in recent times. A record total of 223 hartals were observed in 2006, resulting in a revenue loss of over
2000 crore.
[110][edit]Agriculture
Kerala produces 97% of national output of
pepper and accounts for 85% out of the area under
natural rubber in the country.
Coconut,
tea,
coffee,
cashew, and
spices— including
cardamom,
vanilla,
cinnamon, and
nutmeg — comprise a critical agricultural sector. A key agricultural staple is rice, with some six hundred varieties grown in Kerala's extensive paddy fields. Nevertheless,
home gardens comprise a significant portion of the agricultural sector. Related
animal husbandry is also important, and is touted by proponents as a means of alleviating rural poverty and unemployment among women, the marginalized, and the landless. Feeding, milking, breeding, management, health care, and concomitant micro-enterprises all provide work for around 32
lakh (3.2 million) of Kerala's 55 lakh (5.5 million) households. The state government seeks to promote such activity via educational campaigns and the development of new cattle breeds such as the "Sunandini".
[edit]Tourism
Kerala is an established tourist destination for both Indians and non-Indians alike. Tourists mostly visit such attractions as the beaches at
Kovalam,
Cherai and
Varkala, the
hill stations of
Munnar,
Nelliampathi, and
Ponmudi, and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries such as
Periyar and
Eravikulam National Park. The "
backwaters" region — an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that center on
Alleppey,
Kumarakom, and Punnamada — also see heavy tourist traffic. Examples of Keralite architecture, such as the
Padmanabhapuram Palace,
Padmanabhapuram, are also visited. The capital city
Thiruvananthapuram,
Kochi(called as the "Queen of the Arabian Sea"), and
Alappuzha(called the "Venice of the East"), are popular destinations. Tourism plays an important role in the state's economy.
[edit]Transport
State Water Transport Department is the main agency providing inland water transport facilities to the people residing in the water logged areas.
Kerala has 145,704 kilometres (90,536 mi) of roads (4.2% of India's total). This translates to about 4.62 kilometres (2.87 mi) of road per thousand population, compared to an all India average of 2.59 kilometres (1.61 mi). Virtually all of Kerala's villages are connected by road.
Roads in Kerala includes 1,524 km of National highway (2.6% of nation's total), 4341.6 km of state highway and 18900 km of district roads.
[111] Most of Kerala's west coast is accessible through two
national highways,
NH 47, and
NH 17 and eastern side is accessible through various State Highways. There is also a
Hill Highway (Kerala) proposed, to make easy access to eastern hills.
The
Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining and expanding the
state highways system and major district roads.The Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), which includes the
GIS-based Road Information and Management Project (RIMS), is responsible for maintaining and expanding the state highways in Kerala; it also oversees few major district roads.
[114][115]Traffic in Kerala has been growing at a rate of 10–11% every year, resulting in high traffic and pressure on the roads.
Kerala's road density is nearly four times the national average, reflecting the state's high population density. Kerala's annual total of road accidents is among the nation's highest. The accidents are mainly result of the narrow roads and irresponsible driving.
[116][edit]Railways
The
Indian Railways'
Southern Railway line runs through the state, connecting most major towns and cities except those in the highland districts of Idukki and Wayanad. The railway network in the state is controlled by three divisions of Southern Railway, namely
Trivandrum Railway Division,
Palakkad Railway Divisionand
Madurai Railway Division.
Trivandrum Central is the busiest railway station in the state and second busiest in the Southern Railway Zone after
Chennai Central. Kerala's major railway stations are
Kannur,
Kozhikode,
Shornur Junction,
Palakkad Junction,
Thrissur,
Ernakulam Junction,
Alappuzha,
Kottayam, Chengannur,
Kayamkulam Junction,
Kollam Junction and
Thiruvananthapuram Central.
[edit]Airports
[edit]Inland water transport in Kerala
Kerala, with numerous backwaters, is one of the States in India, where waterways are successfully used for commercial Inland Water Transport. The transportation is mainly done with country craft and passenger vessels. There are 41 navigable rivers in Kerala. The total length of the Inland Waterways in the State is 1687 km. The main constraints to the expansion of Inland Water transport in the State are lack of depth in the waterway caused by silting, lack of maintenance of navigation system and bank protection, accelerated growth of the water hyacinth, lack of modern inland craft terminals and cargo handling system. A 205 km canal,
National Waterway 3, runs between Kottapuram and Kollam.
[119][edit]Demographics
Languages of Kerala in 2001
[120] Malayalam (96.74%)
Tamil (1.87%)
Others (1.39%)
[edit]Ethnicity
The 31.8 million
[121] Keralites are predominantly of
Malayali descent, while the rest is mostly made up of Jewish and Arab elements in both culture and ancestry. Kerala's 321,000 indigenous tribal
Adivasis, 1.10% of the population, are concentrated in the east.
[122]:10–12[edit]Languages
Kerala is home to 3.44% of India's population; at 819 persons per km², its land is nearly three times as densely settled as the rest of India, which is at a population density of 325 persons per km².
[125] Kerala's rate of population growth is India's lowest,
[126] and Kerala's decadal growth (9.42% in 2001) is less than half the all-India average of 21.34%.
[127] Whereas Kerala's population more than doubled between 1951 and 1991 by adding 15.6 million people to reach 29.1 million residents in 1991, the population stood at less than 32 million by 2001. Kerala's coastal regions are the most densely settled, leaving the eastern hills and mountains comparatively sparsely populated.
[65]
A fisherman in rural Kerala
Females comprise 51.42% of the population; males form the remaining 48.58% of the population.
[128]:26[edit]Religions
Kerala's principal religions are
Hinduism (56.2%),
Islam (24.70%), and
Christianity (19.00%).
[129] In comparison with the rest of India, Kerala experiences relatively little sectarianism.
[130] Even though Hindus enjoy an absolute majority in Kerala, Hindus hardly control 25% of the state's economy.
[131]According to 2001
Census of India figures, 56% of Kerala's residents are
Hindus, 24% are
Muslims, 19% are Christians, and the remaining 1% follows other religions.
[129] The major Hindu castes are
Ezhavas,
Nairs,
Nambudiri and
Dalits. Rest of the Hindu castes including those in the list of
Other Backward Class(
OBC) are minority communities. Notably, steps taken by many progressive and tolerant Hindu kings
[132] over the years and movements like that of
Vaikunda Swami [133] and
Narayana Guru for social reform and tolerance helped to establish Kerala as one of the most socially progressive states in India. The
Abrahamic religions attest to Kerala's prominence as a major trade centre.
Islam and Judaism arrived in Kerala through Arab traders.
[134] Muslims of Kerala, known as
Moplahs, mostly follow the
Shafi'i Madh'hab under
Sunni Islam. The major Moplah denominations are
Sunni,
Mujahid and
Jama'at. A significant
Jewish community existed in Kerala until the 20th century when most of them
migrated to
Israel leaving only a handful of families.
[135] The
Paradesi Synagogue at Kochi is the oldest synagogue in the
Commonwealth. Christianity is believed to have reached the shores of Kerala in 52 CE with the arrival of
St Thomas, one of the
Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ
[136][137][138][139][140] The major Christian denominations are Catholic,
Oriental Orthodoxand Protestant.
Kerala government states gender relations are among the most equitable in India
[Need quotation to verify],
[142] despite discrepancies among low caste men and women.
[143]:1 Certain Hindu communities such as the
Nairs, some
Ezhavas and the
Muslims around
North Malabar used to follow a traditional matrilineal system known as
marumakkathayam, although this practice ended in the years after Indian independence. Other
Muslims, Christians, and some Hindu castes such as the Namboothiris and the Ezhavas follow
makkathayam, a patrilineal system.
[144] Owing to the former matrilineal system, women in Kerala enjoy a high social status.
[145][edit]Human Development Index
Kerala's human development indices— primary level education, health care and elimination of poverty—are among the best in India. According to a 2005–2006 national survey, Kerala has one of the highest literacy rates (94.59%) among Indian states
[9] and life expectancy (74 years) was among the highest in India in 2011.
[146] Kerala's rural poverty rate fell from 69% (1970–1971) to 19% (1993–1994); the overall (urban and rural) rate fell 36% between the 1970s and 1980s.
[147] By 1999–2000, the rural and urban poverty rates dropped to 10.0% and 9.6% respectively.
[109] These changes stem largely from efforts begun in the late 19th century by the kingdoms of Cochin and Travancore to boost social welfare.
[148][149] This focus was maintained by Kerala's post-independence government.
[75][95]:48
| [show]List of Major cities in Kerala |
|---|
Kerala has the highest life expectancy in the country which is nearly 75 years and 78 years respectively for males and females. The life expectancy of Kerala is similar to developed nations in the world that shows the facilities for treatment and health. Kerala's healthcare system has garnered international acclaim. The
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the
World Health Organisationdesignated Kerala the world's first "
baby-friendly state" because of its effective promotion of breast-feeding over formulas
[151] For example, more than 95% of Keralite births are hospital-delivered.
[152]:6Aside from
ayurveda (both elite and popular forms),
[153]:13 siddha, and many endangered and endemic modes of
traditional medicine, including
kalari,
marmachikitsa and
vishavaidyam, are practiced.Some occupational communities such as
Kaniyar were known as native medicine men in relation with practice of such streams of medical systems, apart from their traditional vocation
[154]. These propagate via
gurukula discipleship,
[153]:5–6 and comprise a fusion of both medicinal and supernatural treatments,
[153]:15 and are partly responsible for drawing increasing numbers of
medical tourists.
However, Kerala's
morbidity rate is higher than that of any other Indian state—118 (rural Keralites) and 88 (urban) per 1,000 people. The corresponding all India figures are 55 and 54 per 1,000, respectively.
[159]:5Yet this is likely explained by the fact that, as mentioned above, Kerala has a higher ratio of senior citizens than India. Kerala's 13.3%
prevalence of low
birth weight is substantially higher than that of
First World nations.
[156] Outbreaks of
water-borne diseases such as
diarrhoea,
dysentery,
hepatitis, and
typhoid among the more than 50% of Keralites who rely on 3 million
water wells is a problem worsened by the widespread lack of
sewers.
[160]:5–7[edit]Education
Hardware training for students given by "IT@SCHOOL" project
Kerala has highest literacy among the states of India. State topped the Education Development Index (EDI) among 21 major states in India in year 2006–2007.
[161]More than 94% of the rural population has access to primary school within 1 km, while 98% of population benefits one school within a distance of 2 km.
[citation needed] An upper primary school within a distance of 3 km is available for more than 96% of the people, whose 98% benefit the facility for secondary education within 8 km. The access for rural students to higher educational institutions in cities is facilitated by widely subsidised transport fares.
[citation needed]Kerala's educational system has been developed by institutions owned or aided by the government.In the educational system prevailed in the state schooling is for 10 years which is subdivided into lower primary, upper primary and high school, After 10 years of secondary schooling, students typically enroll in
Higher Secondary Schooling in one of the three major streams—
liberal arts,
commerce or science.
[citation needed] Upon completing the required coursework, students can enroll in general or professional under graduate programmes.
No fees (or a nominal fees) are required in schools run by or aided by government. Fees concerning the higher and technical education are very low; the ratio of recovery of government's revenue expenditure was 2.6% in 2006–2007.
[162] However, the lacking of fees or low fees does not imply low educational cost, as the students incur other costs of several types (examination fees, special fees, material costs, clothing travelling, private tuition). In fact, according to the 61st round of National Sample Survey (2004–2005), per capita spending on education by the rural households resulted to be more than twice the national average (
41 for Kerala,
18 for India).Urban India spending, on the contrary, resulted to be greater than Kerala's (
74 for India,
66 for Kerala). However, the survey reveals that the rural-urban difference in expenditure on education by households was much less in Kerala than in the rest of India.
[163]The
Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics flourished between the 14th and 16th centuries. In attempting to solve astronomical problems, the Kerala school independently created a number of important mathematics concepts including results—series expansion for trigonometric functions.
[edit]Culture
During
Onam, Kerala's biggest celebration, Keralites create
pookkalam(floral carpet) designs in front of their houses.
Other forms of art are more religious or tribal in nature. These include
chavittu nadakom and
oppana which combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and
ishalvocalisations.
Margam Kali is a traditional group dance form traceable back to 17th century, originally performed during
Syrian Christian festivals.
[168] However, many of these art forms are largely performed for tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among most Keralites. Contemporary art and performance styles including those employing mimicry and parody are more popular.
[citation needed]Kerala's music also has ancient
[weasel words] roots.
Carnatic music dominates Keralite traditional music. This was the result of
Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma's popularisation of the genre in the 19th century.
[169][170] Raga-based renditions known as
sopanam accompany
kathakali performances.
Melam (including the
paandi and
panchari variants) is a more percussive style of music; it is performed at
Kshetram centered festivals using the
chenda.
Melam ensembles comprise up to 150 musicians, and performances may last up to four hours.
Panchavadyam is a different form of percussion ensemble, in which up to 100 artists use five types of percussion instrument. Kerala has various styles of folk and tribal music. The popular music of Kerala is dominated by the
filmi music of
Indian cinema. Kerala's visual arts range from
traditional murals to the works of
Raja Ravi Varma, the state's most renowned painter.
Kolla Varsham or Malayalam Era, which is assumed to have been established by King Udaya Marthanda Varma in 825 CE, serves as the official calendar of Kerala.
[171] The
Malayalam calendar is used to plan agricultural and religious activities. Kerala's most popular dish is
Rice and curry.
[citation needed] The
sadhya(feast) is traditionally served on green banana leaves. Such dishes as
idli,
payasam,
pulisherry,
puttukadala, or PuttuPayarPappadam,
puzhukku,
rasam, and
sambar are typical. Keralites—both men and women alike—traditionally don flowing and unstitched garments. These include the
mundu, a loose piece of cloth wrapped around men's waists. Women typically wear the
sari, a long and elaborately wrapped banner of cloth, wearable in various styles. Presently, North Indian dresses such as
Salwar kameez are also popular among women in Kerala.
In the second half of the 20th century,
Jnanpith awardees like
G. Sankara Kurup,
S. K. Pottekkatt,
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai,
M. T. Vasudevan Nair and
O. N. V. Kurup have made valuable contributions to the Malayalam literature. Later, such Keralite writers as
O. V. Vijayan,
Kamaladas,
M. Mukundan, and
Booker Prize winner
Arundhati Roy, whose 1996 semi-
autobiographical bestseller
[172] The God of Small Things is set in the
Kottayam town of Ayemenem, have gained international recognition.
[173][174]Malayalam cinema carved a niche for itself in the Indian film industry
[attribution needed]. It has been producing both parallel and mainstream cinema of great acclaim
[peacock term] for years. Directors like
Adoor Gopalakrishnan,
John Abraham,
G. Aravindan have been some of the great
[peacock term] names in the Indian
parallel cinema. Kerala has also given birth to numerous acclaimed
[peacock term] actors such as
Bharath Gopi,
Prem Nazir,
Mammotty,
Mohanlal,
Suresh Gopi,
Murali,
Oduvil Unnikrishnan,
Cochin Haneefa,
Thilakan and
Nedumudi VenuThe National Family Health Survey – 3, conducted in 2007 ranked Kerala as a state with the
highest media exposure in India. Dozens of newspapers are published in Kerala, in nine major languages,
[175] but principally Malayalam and English. The most widely circulating
Malayalam-language newspapers are
Malayala Manorama,
Mathrubhumi,
Madhyamam,Siraj Daily,Mangalam,
Chandrika,thejas,Deepika, Kerala Kaumudi and Deshabhimani. Major Malayalam periodicals include Mathrubhumi, India Today Malayalam, Madhyamam weekly, Grihalakshmi,
Vanitha,
|Dhanam,
Chithrabhumi, and
Bhashaposhini.
Doordarshan is the state-owned television broadcaster.
Multi system operators provide a mix of Malayalam, English and international channels via cable television. The major Malayalam television channels are
Asianet,
Surya TV,
Asianet Cable Vision(ACV),
Mazhavil Manorama,
Indiavision,
Kairali TV,
Manorama News,
Amrita TV,
Reporter,
Jaihind,and
Jeevan TV.
All India Radio, the national radio service, reaches much of Kerala via its Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Thrissur, Alappuzha, Kozhikode and Kannur Malayalam-language broadcasts. Television serials, reality shows and the Internet have become a major source of entertainment and information for the people of Kerala. A Malayalam version of
Google News was launched in September 2008.
[176] Regardless, Keralites maintain high rates
[quantify] of newspaper and magazine subscriptions. A sizeable "people's science" movement has taken root in the state, and such activities as writers' cooperatives are becoming increasingly common.
[96][177]:2 Malayalam films are known for their realistic portrayal of characters and being socially oriented
[examples needed] without giving a lot of importance to glitz and glamour
[further explanation needed]. Movies produced in Hindi, Tamil and English (Made in Hollywood) are popular among Keralites. Late Malayalam actor
Prem Nazir holds the world record for having acted as the protagonist of over 720 movies.
[178] Since 1980s, actors
Mammootty and
Mohanlal have dominated the movie industry; They have won several
[quantify] National and State awards and are considered among the greatest actors
[by whom?] in India.
[179][180] Several ancient ritualised arts are Keralite in origin. These include
kalaripayattu—
kalari ("place", "threshing floor", or "battlefield") and
payattu ("exercise" or "practice"). Among the world's oldest martial arts, oral tradition attributes
kalaripayattu's emergence to Parasurama.
[181] Other ritual arts include
theyyam and
poorakkali.
[edit]Tourism
Until the early 1980s, Kerala was a relatively unknown destination;
[192] except for
Kovalam, which was in the
Hippie circuit and was a major destination of
Hippies. Aggressive marketing campaigns launched by the
Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, the government agency that oversees tourism prospects of the state, laid the foundation for the growth of the tourism industry.
[citation needed] In the decades that followed, Kerala's tourism industry was able to transform the state into one of the niche holiday destinations in India. The tagline
Kerala- God's Own Country has been widely used in Kerala's tourism promotions and soon became synonymous
[peacock term] with the state. In 2006, Kerala attracted 8.5 million tourist arrivals, an increase of 23.68% over the previous year, making the state one of the fastest-growing destinations in the world.
[193]The state's tourism industry is a major contributor to the
state's economy which is currently growing at a rate of 13.31%.
[194]Kerala is known for its
ecotourism initiatives. Kerala was the first state in India to make tourism an industry.
[195][196] The most popular tourist attractions in the state are beaches, backwaters and hill stations. These include the beaches at
Kovalam,
Varkala,
Kappad,
Muzhappilangad and
Bekal; the
hill stations of
Munnar,
Wayanad,
Wagamon,
Peermade,
Nelliampathi and
Ponmudi; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at
Periyar, Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary and
Eravikulam National Park. The "
backwaters" is an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that center around
Alleppey,
Kumarakom,
Kollam and
Punnamada (where the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held in August).
Heritage sites, such as the
Padmanabhapuram Palace and the
Mattancherry Palace, are also visited. Cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode are popular centres for their shopping and traditional theatrical performances respectively. During early summer, the
Thrissur Pooram is conducted, attracting foreign tourists who are largely drawn by the festival's elephants and celebrants.
[197] The main pilgrim tourist spots of Kerala are
Sabarimala Temple,
Padmanabhaswamy Temple (Thiruvananthapuram),
Guruvayoor Temple,
Chettikulangara Temple,
Vadakumnathan Temple (Thrissur), Sarkara Devi Temple,
Padanilam Parabrahma Temple(
Oachira),
Beemapally mosque, Malayattor Church,
Parumala Church and
Saint Alphonsa Church(
Bharananganam).
[edit]Gallery
Onappottan, a cultural image of Kerala, related to
Onam.
Maramon Convention: Asia's biggest Christian gathering
Resorts dot the length and breadth of Kerala.
[edit]See also
0.920 (
Kerala 
_Kerala_India.jpg)
