Kerala - Trivandrum, Kovalam, Varkala, Kumarakom, Alleppey, Marari, Periyar, Munnar, Cochin, Trichur, kollenkode, Calicut, Waynad, Coconuts, elephants, backwaters and ayurveda.

Kerala

In the South West corner of India lays the State of Kerala between the Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.

Kerala, a peaceful and beautiful part of India, with its palm fringed beaches, backwaters, rivers, bright green paddy fields, endless coconut groves, spice plantations, ever green tropical forests and beautiful people attracts travellers around the world.

Kerala means "land of Coconut".

The word Kerala means the land of coconuts. Kerala is one of the smallest states in India, but it has the highest density of population. In its 38,863 square kilometres, live over 30 million people. 85% of them live in small villages, which are continuously distributed through out the state. 61% of the population are Hindus, 21% Christians and 18% Muslims. Over the centuries we have lived together in perfect harmony.

We have a long tradition of welcoming different cultures arrived at our Malabar Coast. We have achieved the highest literacy (95%) in India. We are pleasant, proud, hospitable and friendly. We speak Malayalam; a Dravidian language, which has a high percentage of words, derived from Sanskrit. English is widely spoken and understood.

Airports

Trivandrum International airport

Trivandrum: 5 kms, Kovalam Beach: 16 kms. Varkala: 60 kms, Alumkadave: 110 kms.

International flights

Colombo, Singapore, Maldives, Dubai, Abudabi, Muscot, Doha, Kuwait, Baharin, Riad & Doha.

Domestic flights

Banglore, Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay) & New Delhi.

Cochin International airport

Cochin: 50 kms, Alleppey: 115 kms, Munnar: 150 kms, Trichur: 50 kms, Guruvayoor: 80 kms.

International flights

Dubai, Abudabi, Muscot, Kuwait, Sharja & Daharan.

Domestic flights

Agatti, Banglore, Chennai, Coimbatore, New Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Trichy & Calicut.

Kozhikode (Calicut) airport

Treehouse: 90 kms, Calicut: 25 kms.

International flights

Domestic flights

Mumbai

Places and Attractions

Trivandrum, state capital of Kerala is a beautiful city with many impressive old buildings. At Pazhavangadi Ganesh temple people break coconuts to please the lord and to remove the obstacles before any venture.

Padmanabhaswami temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, which was renovated by the Maharaja of Travancore in 1733, was built in Dravidian architecture unlike other temples in Kerala.

Kuthiramalika palace was built by Swathi Thirunal, Maharaja of Travancore who was a great composer of classical music. It has exquisite woodcarvings. The palace museum displays paintings and various collections of royal family.

Napier museum (19th Centaury) houses a rare collection of archaeological and historic artefacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments and fine ivory carvings. There is a Zoo & botanical garden in the same compound. Sri Chithira art gallery displays paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, Svetlova and Nicholas Roerich.

At Aruvikkara temple, 30 minutes from Trivandrum, feeding to holy fishes above the near by waterfalls is believed to cure Skin.

Kovalam beach, one of the best-known beaches in India is half an hour away. Chowara is 9 kilometres south of Kovalam has many Heritage Resorts with private beaches.

400 years old Padmanabhapuram Palace, 1½ hour drive from Trivandrum is entirely of wood. Built by Travancore Maharajas, it is the biggest wooden palace in India.

Inside are cool polished floors, secret chambers, and mural paintings on the floor and much marvellous wooden furniture. Beautiful countryside surrounds it.

Varkala Beach - 55 kms north of Trivandrum - with unusual land formations has not many visitors. Cliffs, 3 kilometers of shining white sands, the red soil of the hilltop and coconut trees makes it unique. The beach named as Papanasam an auspicious place for Hindus to worship ancestors.

Alumkadave is the south end of the recommended strip of backwaters. Here the Kettuvalloms - the old wooden cargo boats - are repaired and some of them being converted to houseboats.

Thottappally is another boarding point to the backwaters for the people who come from / go to Periyar / Trivandrum.

Kuttanad is an expanse of waterlogged land lying below sea level. Often the level of water in the backwaters is higher than that of the green paddy fields on either side. Three rivers - Pamba, Manimala and Achankovil - crisscross this region popularly called 'The Rice Bowl' of Kerala, before flowing into the Vembanad Lake.

Until a few years ago, water was the main mode of transport. The landscape is so unique - bustling rural life on the banks of the rivers, green expanses of paddy fields and shady coconut grooves.

Alleppy is an ideal gateway to backwaters. Cruise by motorboat between Alleppy and Kottayam (3 hours) gives a glimpse of life near backwaters.

Alleppey Mullakkal Temple.

Alleppy is also the venue for famous Nehru Trophy Snake Boat Race on the second Saturday of August every year. Snake boats are old battle boats rowed by 100 men.

Alleppy Mullakkal Goddess temple courtyard is open to Non Hindus too. A very interesting temple to visit at morning. Please make sure that there is somebody with you to advice you to follow the customs in the temple.

Kumarakom is known for the Bird sanctuary. There are some Heritage Resorts where old wooden Kerala houses are brought and rebuilt.

The lake here is very wide and salty. That means not many activities in the water and shore except occasional sailing boats.

A Heritage Resort near Kumarakom.

The backwaters here are not recommended for houseboat cruise. You could take the cruise here only if you are staying in Kumarakom or you are arriving from Periyar or departing for Periyar or you just wish to spend more days in the backwaters.

Cochin, the biggest city in Kerala has a harbour, which remains a busy port shipping spices, tea, coffee, coir, teak, rubber, cashews, coconut oil and seafood around the globe. Ernakulam - the new part of Cochin -is the biggest town in Kerala. Marine drive, a popular place for the local people to gather at evenings, a big market for vegetables and rural products, where old cargo boats bring cargo are the major attractions in city.

Mattanchery palace was built by Portuguese in 1555 and presented to the Maharaja of Cochin. It was renovated by Dutch in 1663. Now it is museum. Some of the best mural paintings depicting the scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are here. Jewish synagogue (1568), St.Francis Church (1510), Chinese fishing nets near Fort Cochin are the major attractions in the old part of Cochin.

Every evening kathakali performance is conducted at Devan's Gurukulam.

Kathakali - Dance Drama.

Periyar Tiger reserve five hours drive from Cochin on the high ranges of Western Ghats covers 777 sq.kms of grasslands and moist deciduous, tropical evergreen and semi evergreen forest at an altitude varies from 900m to 2000m. A reservoir of water in an area of 25 sq.kms created by a dam built in 1895 is Periyar Lake. The average annual rainfall is 250cm.

It is the natural habitat of Elephants (700), Sambar, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Wild boar, Gaur, Giant squirrel, Nilgiri languor, Bonnet macaque, Lion-tailed macaque, Tigers (40), Panthers, Wild dogs and Spotted deer. Birds of 160 species like Great Indian Hornbill, Brahminy kite, Black winged kite, Little cormorant, Pied kingfisher, Golden oriole are seen.

Animals could be seen while cruising by boat or on trekking.

Periyar has plantations of Cardamom, pepper, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, coriander, turmeric, ginger, coffee and tea. There is a big market of spices nearby.

Munnar, 4 hours drive from Cochin / Periyar is a hill station and summer resort. Altitude: 1600 - 2695 meters above sea level.

Munnar has a vast area of tea plantations and many tea factories. Permission to visit any of the 26 factories of Tata tea Ltd. can be had from the Regional office, at Munnar.

Eravikulam National Park (Rajamala) covering 97 sq.km of rolling grasslands and high level shoals is 45 minutes drive away. The average annual rainfall is 450 cm.

Anamudi, the highest mountain peak in south India towering at an altitude of 2695 m above sea level, is part of these mountains.

Endangered species Nilgiri Tahr (1400), Tiger, Panther, wild dogs, Sloth bear, Nilgiri Languor, wild boar, Sambar, Gaur and the Lion tailed Macaque etc are seen here.

Trichur is known as the cultural capital of Kerala, land of elephants, festivals, jewellery and fireworks. The city is around a Siva temple, which dates back to 7th century.

Trichur Pooram is the biggest temple festival in South India. Two groups of temples compete each other on the quality of elephants, decorations, umbrellas, music and fireworks. Next Trichur Pooram festival would be on 2003 May 10.

Trichur has an ancient and well-flourished Christian community and the city has 20 big churches including three basilicas.

Trichur has many beautiful temples around. People keep old customs and traditions. Trichur has a unique tradition of using elephants for temple festival. In January - May there would be many temple festivals participating many (3, 5, 15, 45, 100) elephants.

Astrology is an integral part of the day-to-day life in Kerala. An Astrologer is consulted before all the important decisions such as making a journey, starting a business etc. On 28th day of the birth of a child, Astrologer visits the house and reads his/her horoscope to the anxious parents and relatives. In choosing a suitable spouse also astrology takes an important role. There is a school of Astrology and some of the very best Astrologers are here.

Guruvayoor temple is one of the most famous temples in Kerala. The temple has an elephant yard with 60 elephants.

The temple city offers many good-looking stores, which offers a wide variety of small things.

Mural paintings are seen on the walls of ancient temples and palaces in Kerala. They are done on lime pasted wall with natural colours made of rocks, leaves etc. Gods, Goddesses and other characters are drawn according to the descriptions given in the epics.

A school of mural painting functions in Guruvayoor.

One-hour away from Trichur, Kerala Kalamandalam is Kerala’s best institution giving training in classical dances such as Koodiyattam, Mohiniyattam, Bharathanatyam, Kuchippudi, Ottanthullal and Kathakali and the music for these performances.

Kathakali literally means ‘story play’ is more popular among the dances of Kerala. It is derived from ancient classical dance forms and story telling. Musicians accompanied by drummers sing the stories of the Indian epics. Dancers with painted face narrate the characters and their expressions by footwork, hand gesture (mudras), dancing and facial expressions including eye movements. A performance lasts full night. Kerala Kalamandalam has its own Kathakali troop. Associated with some temple festivals in Trichur, there would be Kathakali performances.

Half an hour away from Trichur another village is famous for Bell metal making, an ancient technique to make oil lamps, vessels and statues with a metal alloy.

Models are made in wax. The moulds are prepared by clay around the wax models. Wax is melted away and the moulds are then filled with metal alloy melted on firewood. The products are hand polished.

Backwaters close to Trichur consist of rivers, lakes and manmade canals. While cruising in a small country boat, you could come across some down to earth experience of the rural life.

When you choose to row yourself you will be helped by tides, wind and an assistant.

Travelling by a cycle in villages can be a means to experience the rural life.

Beautiful landscapes, rice fields, traditional four block houses, bullock carts, old temples, tea shops, carpenters, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, plantations of coconut, betel nuts, banana, tapioca & pepper and some nice people awaits you.

Kollenkode (1½ hour drive from Trichur) has a unique landscape with Paddy fields, palm trees with the background of Western Ghats.

There are many beautiful and remote villages where visitors are accepted. Most of the people are farmers. Bullock carts are widely used for passengers and cargo.

Weather

The monsoon period is from 01 June to 17 August. There would be only moderate rain from 17 July to 17 August. 17 August to 17 October, it would be greener and pleasant.

There is another rainy season from the 17 October to 17 November. This time is fine for travel as it just rains a bit at night. December, January and February are supposed to be particularly nice. March is hotter. April and May are the hottest months with 35ºC.

What to wear

In Kerala, men wear white Dhothi elegantly around their waste. But, now a days long trousers are turned out to be the formal dress for men. White dress is appreciated very much by Keralites. Women wear colourful saree or Churidar, which is an influence from north India. Shorts and sleeveless are not respected. Light coloured cotton dresses are recommended.

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