|
|
Climate:
Most of Kerala lies on the windward side of the Western Ghats, with the Arabian Sea on its west, except where the state is at its widest. The Western Ghats become rather steep in the area, averaging 1,500 m above sea level, while the highest peaks may reach 2,500 m. Anamudi is Kerala’s tallest peak at 2,695 m. Close to the Equator, Kerala is the first state of India to greet the monsoons and faces the expected humid and sultry equatorial tropic climate. The eastern part i.e., highlands are hilly and cool; the flat lowlands hot and muggy while the downslope changes character with altitude. Kerala's rainfall averages 311 cm annually, ranging from a low 125 cm to 500 cm in the high and hilly reaches of Idukki district.
How to Get There:
By Air: Kerala has three major international airports, Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum),
Kochi (Cochin) and Kozhikode (Calicut). A fourth is due at Kannur. Kerala has a large number
of its people in the Middle East and they are the driving force behind the upgrading of Kerala to a state at par with Malaysia and Singapore.
By Rail, Road and Sea:
With expatriate money coming in, traffic in Kerala has been growing at a rate of 10–11% every year, resulting in dense traffic and pressure on the roads. Kerala's road density is nearly four times the national average, what with 45 rivers carving the state from east to west. Road connections to the rest of the country is good. The Indian Railways has ensured close to 100% internal connection and provides superfast trains into the mainland. Coastal traffic is dense, with connections along the 45 odd rivers flowing into the Arabian Sea. |
Demographics:
Kerala is a matriarchal society, with women comprising 52% of the populace.
The 33 million Keralites are mainly of Malayali stock, while the rest is made up, unusually so,
of Jewish and Arab influence. Kerala has over 320,000 tribals. India's lowest population growth rate is recorded by Kerala. Its population density is 819 persons per km², three times the national average due to the nature of its landmass. Kerala's principal religions are Hinduism (56%), Islam (24%), and Christianity (19.00%).
The last one percent practises other religions. Islam came to Kerala from Arabia. A large Jewish populace lived in Kerala, but migrated to Israel post 1947. The oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth, surprisingly, is in Kochi, the Paradesi . St Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, came to Kerala in 52 CE. The Christian break up is Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Protestant, in that order. Kerala's HR indices— education, health and eradication of poverty are the best in India. Kerala has the highest literacy rate (97%) among Indian states, and highest life expectancy (73 years).
Culture:
Native performing arts include koodiyattom (a 2000 year old Sanskrit theatre tradition,
kathakali—from katha ("story") and kali ("performance")—and its offshoot Kerala natanam, Kaliyattam (a North Malabar special), koothu (stand-up comedy), mohiniaattam ("dance of the enchantress"), Theyyam, thullal padayani. Tribal arts include chavittu nadakom, oppana (originally from Malabar), which combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and ishal vocalisations. Kerala's delicacies such as idli, payasam, pulisherry, puttucuddla, puzhukku are served on banana leaves.
Kerala enjoys very high popularity as an Indian tourist destination. The beaches at Kovalam, Cherai, Varkala, Kappad, Muzhappilangad and Bekal are crowd pullers; the hill stations of Munnar, Nelliampathi, Ponmudi and Wayanad; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Periyar and Eravikulam National Park are no less attractive. Religious sites like the Sabarimala Temple, Chettikulangara Temple, Vadakumnathan Temple, Guruvayoor Temple, Malayattor Church and Parumala Church are at the top of the pecking order.
|
