KERALA TOURISM

Kerala is famously known as God's own country. The name indicates its breathtaking beauty and enriching culture .This land is believed to have legendary origins. According to legends , Parsurama,the sage warrior responsible for the creation of Kerala. He was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The story goes that Parsurama , enraged at the killing of his father at the hands of a Kshatriya King, vowed to eliminate entire Kshatriya clan.

Later, was full of remorse and sought the advice of learned men to rectify his mistakes. These asked him to distributes all lands he had acquired from the kings between the Brahmins.Parsurama had no objection as he willingly agreed to do the same and also sat in penance at Gokarnam, which at that point of time was considered the end of land. The sea god Varuna, pleased with Parsurama dedication offered him land equivalent to the distance he could throw his axe. Parsurama threw his axe with full might from Gokarnam and it fell at Kanyakumari. The sea in this area receded and gave way to what today known as Kerala.

The first evidence of inhabitation in Kerala dates back to 10th-15th century BCE. However , first recorded history is seen only in the inscription of the mauryan Emperor, Ashoka. At that time, Kerala was ruled by the Chera dynasty. More detailed information about the history of kerala is available from sangam age , the time when sangam literature was composed. At that point of time , three major powers occupied parts of Kerala- Ays in the south, the Cheras in Central Kerala and Ezhimalas to the north.

It has been proved that people have been sailings to Kerala in search of spices, sandalwood and ivory for at least two thousand years. The Romans, Arabs and the Chinese were aware of the richness of kerala. The world religions like Christianity and Islam were introduced to India via Kerala.The ruthlessness of the British always invoked revolt from the natives and a sway of leaders led the people to protest against their authority. Kerala state, as we see today, was formed in 1956 by merging the princely states Travancore, Cochinand Malabar. The Chinese fishing nets and architectural styles are expressions of Kerala's relations with foreign countries . The temples, churches, mosques and with and synagogues represent the real cultural beauty of this state- 'Unity in Diversity'. Today Kerala is one of the prime tourist destinations of india and attracts millions of visitors every year. It also known for its highest percentage of literacy in the entire country. It is really God's own Country.

                    General Information 

Size Area	38,863sq km
Established	November 1, 1956
Capital	Thiruvanathapuram
Largest City	Thiruvanathapuram (Trivandrum)
Number of Districts	14
Population	31838619(2001)
Language	Malayalam,English
Religion	Hinduism,Islam and Christianity
Time	GMT+5-30
Currency	Indian Rupee
Climate	Tropical
Summer	Feb-May
Monsoon	Jun-Sep
Winter	Oct-Jan

                                                  THE LAND OF AYURVEDA

The word 'Ayurveda' literally means 'the knowledge of life'. It was evolved around 600 BC. Ayurveda Science of medicine can be practiced not only to cure diseases, but also to prevent them. This system was followed by the Dravidians and Aryans alike.. Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the aline part.but the body as a whole. It is the best natural way to refresh human body. It concentrates on eliminating all toxic imbalance from the body.

Ever since its inception, it has been widely used. Today, it's an Ayurveda is very crucial. Several works on Ayurveda have been written in Malayalam. Kerala's friendly climate, availability of herbs and medicinal plants, and the cool extended monsoon season are best suited for Ayurveda. Kerala is the State in India which practices this system of medicine with absolute perfection, even today. The treatment for leprosy, diabetes, tuberculosis etc. have made it world famous. 'Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala' attracts patients from all over the world. The success of Ayurveda physicians of Kerala has made it a major tourist attraction of this state.

Sprouted in the pristine land of India some 2500 years ago, Ayurveda, the science of life and longevity, is the oldest healthcare system in the world. Followed by the Dravidians and Aryans alike, it combines the profound thoughts of medicine and philosophy. Since then Ayurveda has stood for the wholesome physical, mental and spiritual growth of humanity around the world. 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.

Kerala possesses an unbroken tradition of Ayurveda that has surpassed the many invasions and intrusions both foreign and native. For hundreds of years the Ayurveda Vaidyas (practitioners of Ayurveda) were almost the only access for people seeking healing from every kind of disease in Kerala. The legendary eight families of Vaidyas (Ashta vaidyas) and their successors treated the entire state for centuries. Unlike the other Indian states the status of Ayurveda in Kerala is not alternative but mainstream. In fact, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practices this system of medicine with absolute dedication.

BOAT RACE

Boat Races are another uniqueness of Kerala.It is a a sport that requires much team work,unity and enthusiasm. Kerala boat race is a yearly event that takes place in the month of August or September in Alapuzza. Representing the unique cultural heritage and traditional legacy of Kerala, the boat race of the state is one of the exciting socio-cultural events of the state.The most impressive of all the boat races of Kerala is the Snake Boat Race, which is commonly referred to as Chundanvallams. The brilliant performance of the rowers portrays the inherent sporting zeal and sportsman spirit of the local inhabitants of the southern state of India.The Vallamkalis or the yearly boat race takes place in the backwaters of Punnamada in Alapuzza of Kerala. A group competition, the rowers display tremendous courage and enthusiasm to win the Nehru Trophy in the sporting event of the Snake boat race. Former Prime Minister of India, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru in the year of 1952, introduced the annual sporting event of Snake boat race.

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru was so impressed with the Snake boat race of Kerala that he awarded the Nehru Trophy to the winners. Since then, the snake boat race became a yearly affair where boatmen compete with one another to become the Champion. The Nehru Trophy bears a silver model of a snake boat.
The brilliant sporting event of Snake boat attracts several local citizens and tourists from far and wide. An integral part of the rich cultural ancestry of Kerala, the annual event of Snake boat race is celebrated on a grand scale with much enthusiasm and vigor that fills the air with joy and excitement.

ortunately there's no need for concern, as snake boats get their name from their shape rather than anything to do with live snakes! A snake boat (or chundan vallam) is actually a long traditional canoe style boat used by the people of the Kuttanadu region, in south India's state of Kerala. Typical snake boats are 100 to 120 feet long, and hold around 100 rowers. Each of the villages in the region has its own snake boat, which they take great pride in. Every year the villagers get together and race the boats along the lakes and rivers.

The battling snake boats of Kerala have over 400 years of history associated with them. Their story can be traced back to the kings of Alleppey (Alappuzha) and the surrounding areas, who used to fight with each other in boats along the canals. One king, who suffered heavy losses, got boat architects to build him a better vessel and the snake boat was born, with much success. An opposing king sent a spy to learn the secret of how to make theses boats but was unsuccessful as the subtleties of the design are very hard to pick up. These days boat races are held with much excitement during various festivals.

The Aranmula Boat Race is a two day, predominantly religious, occasion. Rather than being a contest, it's more about retracing the time offerings were carried on snake boats to the Aranmula Parthasarthy Temple. This was done to protect the offerings from rivals from another village. The whole occasion is a celebration of the day Lord Krishna crossed the river. Position yourself on the banks of the Pampa River near the temple in Aranmula to witness the spectacular event. Traditionally dressed rowers, accompanied by groups of 25 singers, are cheered on by an exuberant crowd.

The Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race marks the day that the idol of the Hindu God Krishna was installed in the Sree Krishna Temple in Ambalappuzha, not far from Alleppey. According to the legend, those carrying the idol stopped over in Champakkulam on the way. The next morning, thousands of colorful boats were assembled there to honor the event and escort the idol to the temple. This procession is re-enacted before the Champakkulam Moolam Boat Race takes place. It kicks off with exotic water floats, boats decorated with colorful parasols, and performing artists.