കേരളം -ദൈവത്തിന്‍റെ സ്വന്തം നാട്.

The name 'Keralam' or 'Kerala', as it was adopted by the English language, comes from the Malayalam words 'Keram' meaning Coconut Palm and 'Alam' meaning Land or Place. Keralam is therefore 'The Land of Coconut Palm'.

Kerala - Basic Information

Capital of Kerala : Thiruvananthapuram
Language : Malayalam
Area : 38,863 sq. km (15,005 square mile)
Number of Districts in Kerala : 14
Population : Males-15,468,614,Females-16,372,760,Total-31,841,374
Population Growth Rate : + 9.42% (Decadal)
Density of Population : 819 persons per sq.km
Sex Ratio (Females per 1000 Males) : 1058
Infant Mortality rate : 16 per 1000 live births
Life Expectancy : 71.3
Literacy in Kerala : Males-94.2 , Females-87.7 , Total - 90.90%
Taluks : 63
Villages : 1452
Corporations : 5
Municipalities : 52
Assembly Constituencies : 140
Lok Sabha Constituencies : 20
Rajya Sabha seats 9
Major Religions : Hinduism, Christianity, ഇസ്ലാം
Location of Kerala : 8° 18' & 12° 48' north latitude and 74° 52' & 77° 24' east longitude.Kerala is located in the south west corner of India.
Rivers of Kerala : 44 - (41 west-flowing and 3 east-flowing)
Forest Area : 11,125.59 sq.km
Kerala Economy : Agricultural
Major Agricultural Produce :Spices, Rubber, Coconut, beverages like coffee, tea
Official Animal : Elephant
Official Bird Hornbill :(Vezhambal)
Official Flower : The Indian laburnum(Kanikkonna)
Official Tree :Coconut palm

Kerala Climate

Southwest Monsoons ( June - September )
North east Monsoons ( October, November )
Winter ( December - February )
Summer ( March - May )


Tourist Attractions

Natural Beauty, Ayurveda Treatment and Ayurvedic Massage, Backwater cruises, Cultural diversity, Art forms, Snake-boat races etc...

Universities in Kerala

1.University of Calicut
2.Cochin University of Science and Technology
3.Kannur University
4.University of Kerala
5.Kerala Agricultural University
6.Mahatma Gandhi University
7.Sree Shankarachaarya University of Sanskrit
8.Shree Chitra Thirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology

Kerala History

History is, "a story or record of important events that happened to a person or nation, usually with an explanation of causes and effects".

There is limited information available about the ancient period of Kerala history. This is because there is hardly any written record left from the time nor is there enough evidence to prove them. There are many myths and speculations about the creation of Kerala and its early periods. According to Hindu mythology, Kerala was created by Parasuram, one of the avathars (incarnation) of MahaVishnu. Geologists believe that Kerala was formed by some seismic activity, gradually or suddenly.

Based on the available details, the history of Kerala can be conveniently divided into various periods.


1.Ancient Period
2.Sangham Period
3.Kulashekara Period ( Quilon Year begins )
4.Period of Provincial Rulers
5.European Arrival
6.British Rule
7.Freedom struggle and Independence

History of Kerala - Ancient Period

Ancient Period refers to the time before the Christian era. As mentioned earlier, history of Kerala can be traced back to 4000 B.C., when Proto Australoid and Negrito race inhabited the land. Microlithic artifacts dating back to 4000 B.C. have been recovered from near Calicut. Megalithic monuments like various kinds of burial stones and urns and some man-made underground chambers have also been found. By around 3000 B.C., Kerala had trade relation with Sindhu Valley Civilization and its spices and commodities like Sandalwood, Ivory, Teakwood etc. were exported to many countries of the west. Kerala held a considerable position in the commercial map of the ancient world. It is believed that the Peacocks, Monkeys, Ivory and spices which King Solomon received, were imported from Kerala . It was by 700 B.C. that the Dravidians migrated to south India from the Mediterranean region. The Aryans entered Kerala from north India by 300 B.C.

270 B.C. to 240 B.C. saw the spread of Buddhism in Kerala. The oldest record about Kerala is found in one of the rock edict by emperor Asoka dating back to B.C. 257.

Sangham Period in Kerala History

This period can be dated from the beginning of the Christian era to the middle of the 7th century. 'Sanghams' were assemblies or groups of poets which were in existence in various parts of the Pandiyan Empire. The aim of these Sanghams was to encourage poetic arts. Three Sanghams are known to have existed during the period.

Heppalus, a Roman-Greek sailor reached Musiris (Kodungalloore) in A.D. 45 and this enabled direct trade with Roman empire. The distance of sea voyages were reduced by the discovery of new routes. Many mariners like Heppalus, Panthenus, Huan Tsang, Cosmos Indicopleustes etc., landed at the coasts of Kerala during this period.

By around 50 - 125 A.D., the Chera kings captured parts of northern Kerala. During this period also, Kerala had strong trade with the West. In A.D. 52, St. Thomas reached Kerala and Christianity began to flourish. With the demolition of Jerusalem church by the Romans, the Jews fled from Israel and some of them reached Kerala. As per the book Keralolpathy, the period up to 216 A.D. is known as 'Parasurama period' and the period 216 A.D. to 428 A.D. is known as age of 'Perumals'. The Brahmin families which migrated to Kerala were settled to 64 villages. In 644 A.D., Malikben Dinar reached Kerala and he constructed Mosques and propagated Islam. Cheran Chenguttuvan (125-180) was one of the famous rulers of this era.

The period ranging from the middle of 7th century to the early part of the 9th century is known as the Post - Sangham period. This was the period when Buddhism began to decline. The main rulers of this period were Cheraman Perumal and Kulasekara Alwar. Both these kings later abdicated their thrones. Kulasekara Alwar later became a Vaishnavite poet and Cheraman Perumal accepted Islam and went to Mecca. Adi Shankara (Sankaracharya, 788 - 820 A.D.) lived and propagated the Advaida philosophy during this period. Each king during the period was enthroned for a period of 12 years. After his term, a new king was selected following a festival or cultural event known as ' Mamankam '. These type of events are unique to Kerala

Kulasekara Periods - Kerala History

The next period in Kerala history is the period of rule of the Kulasekara Kings. Kulasekara empire lasted for about 3 centuries beginning from 800 AD. This period is also known as the Period of 'Second Chera' empire. These kings were known after their family name as Kulasekaras. Kolla Varsha or the Quilon Calendar (Malayalam Calendar system) was introduced during this period. It came into existence on the 25th of July , 825 A.D. Quilon city was reconstructed by Maruvan Sabareso. The Pandyas retreated from Kerala occupation.Sthanu Ravi Varma, Bhaskara Ravi I, Bhaskara Ravi II were main rulers of this period. Between 1000 and 1019, Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra Chola attacked Kerala. Rajendra Chola seized vizhinjam. In 1070 Kerala was liberated from Chola control.

Kerala History - Period of the Provincial rulers

Frequent wars with the Chola and Pandya kingdoms weakened the Chera empire and finally lead to their breakdown. With the breakdown of Chera empire the next phase of Kerala history began. This was the period of the provincial rulers. Provincial rulers were those who took control of a small province rather than a large empire. These provinces were once part of the Chera empire. The provincial rulers were confined to small areas but they frequently fought each other for domination. The kings of Venad and Kochi and Zamorins of Kozhikode were the prominent rulers.

European Arrival in Kerala

Arrival of the Europeans marked the beginning of another era in the history of Kerala. In 1498, Vasco da Gama reached Kappad, near Kozhikode. This was followed by the arrival of a number of Europeans. Though the main aim of their visit was trade and discovery of a shorter sea route to the Malabar coast, the prevailing political instability paved way for their entry into the administration. Making use of the rivalry between the provincial rulers, they started by providing military assistance to one ruler against the other. By and by, their influence increased to such an extend that they began running the administration with the rulers acting as puppets in their hands. Wars and skirmishes still continued between various native rulers and this provided the Europeans more and more opportunities to interfere into the administration. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish a stronghold in Kerala. This was later followed by the Dutch and the British. A number of battles were fought between the provincial rulers against each other and against the Portuguese. In 1524 Vasco da Gama was appointed the Portuguese Viceroy of Kerala. Kochi and Kozhikode were the main provinces of the time. Zamorins, the rulers of Kozhikode, fought a number of battles against the Portuguese.

Following the Portuguese, the Dutch reached Kerala. They began by the establishment of the Dutch East India Company in the year 1592. In 1604, the Dutch army arrived at the Malabar coast. They entered the arena of Kerala politics by making use of the rivalry between Kochi and Kozhikode. Their arrival marked the beginning of another phase of European domination. The Portuguese slowly began to loose control over to the Dutch. Dutch established their base at various parts of Kerala and made a number of treaties with local rulers. These treaties bestowed them with more powers. The Dutch supremacy lasted only for a short period before the British entry into Kerala. In 1725, the French established their base at Mahe. But unlike in the African continent, they were unable to make a move in on. Even while the Europeans emerged as great powers, war continued between the provinces. Marthanda Varma (1706 - 1761),the ruler of Travancore, was one of the strongest rulers of the time. With the arrival of the British begins another chapter of Kerala history.

British Rule in Kerala

Like any other Europeans, British also had great interest in Kerala. They too were attracted by the spices and other natural treasures of the land. British supremacy in Kerala started by the mid seventeenth century and lasted for the next 200 years until independence. Though a number of wars and revolts were made against them, the British were able to suppress them quickly. This was mainly because of the lack of unity among the provinces. Kochi and Travancore were the prominent kingdoms. The rule of the British saw many changes in the social and cultural life of Kerala. Slavery was slowly abolished. English missionaries played an important role in improving the living standard of the people. During this period a number of educational institutions and hospitals were opened. Many railway lines , roads and bridges were constructed by the British. In a way, Kerala is indebted to the British for its modernization.

This period also saw the emergence of a number of social reformation movements. Many reformers like Chattambi Swamikal, Sree Narayana Guru and Ayyankali played a vital role in the upliftment of the downtrodden and the emancipation of the women folks.

Freedom Struggle and Independence

Though there were a number uprisings against the foreign rule right from the beginning, its intensity and frequency increased by the early 1900's. The early revolts and battles against the rule like the Pazhassi and Mappilai revolts were suppressed with iron fist by the British. The World Wars weakened the colonial powers and this gave a boost to the nationalist movements in the colonies. In India, nationalist movements gained momentum under the strong leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. These movements had their effect on Kerala as well. Kerala division of Indian National Congress was launched. The Khilafat Movement, organized under the leadership of Indian National Congress had a huge influence over the muslim community of the Malabar region. Following the Khilafat Movement was the Malabar mutiny (1921). The movement lasted for quite some time before it was suppressed. The lower castes were denied permission to use the temple roads. Against this, in 1924 started the Vaikom Satyagraha. This was totally a social movement. This movement was successfully ended by the intervention of Mahatma Gandhi in 1925. In 1930, British levied tax on salt and they imposed restrictions on production of salt. This aroused nation wide agitation. In Kerala, under the leadership of K. Kelappan, this law was defied and salt was produced. A number of big and small movements arouse until 1947, when finally the land was free from the clutches of colonialism.

On July 1, 1949, the princely states of Travancore and Cochin were integrated to form Travancore - Cochin (Thiru-Cochi) state. But it was on November 1, 1956, that Kerala as a state came into existence. This was by the consolidation of Malabar province, which was a part of the Madras Presidency and the Travancore - Cochin state.

Districts of Kerala

Kerala, as a state, came into existance on November 1, 1956. It then consisted of only 5 districts. The number of districts later increased to 14. Kasargod was the last district to be created. The districts are divided into Taluks which are subdivided into villages. At present there are 63 Taluks and 1452 villages. With total area of 4476 sq km, Idukki is the largest district in Kerala and Alappuzha with an area of 1414 sq km, is the smallest and is the only district in Kerala without any area under forest cover.

In February 1990, the Government of Kerala passed an order changing the names of 6 districts and some other places. The old names from its pronunciation in English accent was changed to Malayalam. The table give below give the old and new names of Kerala districts.
For more information about the districts of Kerala

# New Name Old Name
1 Alappuzha : Alleppey
2 Ernakulam : Ernakulam
3 Idukki : Idukki
4 Kannur : Cannanore
5 Kasargod : Kasargod
6 Kollam :Quilon
7 Kottayam : Kottayam
8 Kozhikode : Calicut
9 Malappuram :Malappuram
10 Palakkad :Palghat
11 Pathanamthitta :Pathanamthitta
12 Thiruvananthapuram : Trivandrum
13 Thrissur : Trichur
14 Wayanad : Wayanad

All the districts of Kerala have their own unique tourist attraction. Coastal districts of Kerala are ideal tourist destination as they have some of the finest beaches in the world. Also coastal districts of Kerala, especially Alleppey, Kottayam (Kumarakom) and Ernakulam are famous for backwater tourism. District like Idukki and Wayanad of Kerala offers excellent destinations for adventure tourism. Wildlife safaris and trekking are some of the major tourism attractions of Kerala's mountainous districts

Rivers of Kerala

Kerala is a land abundant in water resources which include rivers, lakes, backwaters, big and small ponds etc... Lion's share of the states water needs is supplied by the rivers. Kerala has 44 rivers of which 41 are west flowing and 3 east flowing. The west flowing rivers flow down the land and join the Arabian sea or the backwater lakes which opens into the sea.

Most of these rivers originate from the Western Ghats. The main rivers which start from the Western Ghats are the Bharatapuzha, the Periyar, the Meenachil, the Pampa, the Manimala etc... Of these rivers the Bharatapuzha flows into the Arabian sea, and the others drain into the Vembanadu or Ashtamudi lakes . All these rivers begin as small stream or rivulets and in its course of running is joined by other big and small streams to finally flow together as a single large rivers. The east flowing rivers flow only short distances through Kerala. Of them, Paambaar and Bhavani flow into Tamilnadu and Kabani to Karnataka.

With a total length of 244 km*, the longest river in Kerala is the Periyar. Second and third are the Bharathapuzha (Nila) (209 km*) and Pampa (176 km*) respectively. Puraparamba and Kalnadu with a length of just below 10 km, are the shortest rivers. The Pampa which originates from Peermedu near Sabrimala is considered a holy river by the Hindus. These large and small rivers, along with their tributaries, distributaries and an innumerable number of streams and rivulets criss-cross the land making it green, attractive and fertile. Many of these rivers serves as inland waterways in many part of the state. Water from these rivers is used for irrigational purposes, drinking, hydro electric power production etc... They also serves as grounds for inland fishing.

Unlike the rivers of north India, which arise from the Himalayas and are both rain-fed and snow-fed, rivers of the south cannot be treated as a perennial source of water supply. This is because all these rivers are comparatively small and are entirely rain-fed with the result that many of them shrink into rivulets or dry up completely during hot seasons.

West Flowing Rivers of Kerala

1 Anjarakkandi
2 Achenkovil
3 Baikal
4 Bharathapuzha (Nila)
5 Chalakkudy
6 Chaliyar
7 Chandragiri
8 Chittar
9 Itthikkara
10 Kaariyankode
11 Kadalundi
12 Kallada
13 Kallai
14 Kalnadu
15 Karamana
16 Karuvannoor
17 Kavvai
18 Keecheri
19 Korappuzha
20 Kumbala
21 Kuppam
22 Kuttyadi
23 Maahi
24 Manjeshwaram
25 Manimala
26 Maugral
27 Meenachil
28 Muvattupuzha
29 Neeleshwaram
30 Neiyyar
31 Pampa
32 Periyar
33 Perumpa
34 Purapparamba
35 Ramapurampuzha
36 Shiriya
37 Thalasseri
38 Tiroor
39 Uppala
40 Valapattanam
41 Vamanapuram

East Flowing Rivers

1 Paampar
2 Bhavani
3 Kabani

Lakes and Backwaters of Kerala

'Backwaters' or 'Lagoons' are shallow bodies of water separated from the open sea by land. Because of this separation from the sea, Backwaters are free from the pounding action of waves. Backwaters are one of the most alluring and economically valuable features of Kerala. These include lakes and ocean inlets which stretch irregularly along the coast.. The biggest backwater is the Vembanad lake with an area of 260 sq.km. Second comes the Ashtamudi which covers an area of 55 sq.km. Sastamkota lake is the largest natural fresh water lake of the state. It extends over an area of 4sq.km. Other important backwaters are Veli, Kadhinamkulam, Anjuthengu (Anjengo), Edava, Nadayara, Paravoor, Kayamkulam, Kodungallur (Cranganore) and Chetuva. The deltas of the rivers interlink the backwaters providing excellent inland waterways along the lower and costal areas of the state. Backwaters serves as hot spots of Kerala tourism. The picturesque lagoons and backwaters of the state, attracts a considerable number of tourists each year. Backwater tourism include cruises on luxury house-boats, boating, boat races etc... Nehru Trophy boat race, one of Kerala's most famous boat races is held each year on the Punnamada backwaters of Alappuzha district.

Kerala - People And Ancestry

The people of Kerala, known as 'Malayalees' (People speaking Malayalam), is polygenetic and belong to different ethnic groups and religions. Few, if any, can claim to belong to any particular stock. The Keralites of Kerala and elsewhere, are, in the view of anthropologists, "an ethnological museum.

Negritos: The earliest known inhabitants of Kerala were the Negritos (People of the Negroid race). Members of this race lived by hunting and by gathering plants and fruits. These people have dark skin and tightly curled brown hair and are less than 1.5 metres tall. Descendants of this race still inhabit the mountain regions of the state. They have a good knowledge of herbal medicine and were skilled in interpreting natural phenomena.

Australoids: After the Negritoes came the Proto-Australoids (Austrics), who spread over the whole of India. These belonged to the same race as the present-day Australian Aborigines. They represented a race of medium height, dark (in some cases black) complexion with long heads and flat noses. They laid the foundation of They introduced the cultivation of rice and vegetables and made sugar from sugarcane. They introduced snake-worship in Kerala.

Dravidians: By 700 B.C., the Dravidians (The Mediterranean People), who migrated from the Mediterranean region, spread to the whole of India especially in the south, supplanting the Austrics and Negritoes alike. The Dravidians are the ancestors of majority of the present day Malayalees. They absorbed many of the beliefs of the Negrito and Austric people, but they were strongly inclined to the worship of the Mother Goddess in all her myriad forms: Protector, Avenger, Bestower of wealth, wisdom and arts.

Aryans: After the Dravidians came the Aryans who had already settled over northern India from the Mesopotamian region. They migrated to south India during circa 300 B.C. The "white" or fair-skinned Brahmins belonged to this stock. By the advent of Aryans, caste system also formed in Kerala. The Aryans have made a deep impression on Kerala in late proto-historic times.

Today, Kerala population is the melting pot of various races, religions and ethnic groups. The vast majority of Keralites carry three racial strains in their genetic make-up; Munda, Dravidian, and Aryan. Of this, majority of today's Keralites have a Dravidian ancestry. Nevertheless, many of them pride themselves on their Aryan descent.
The major tribes who inhabit the mountains of Kerala are Kanis, Uralis, Kadar, Kanikkar, Paniyar etc.. They are considered to be the descendants of the Negrito race.

Dance Forms of Kerala - Information about Kerala Dances

Kerala boasts of centuries of tradition and cultural heritage. The rich repertoire of Kerala's dance-forms is one of the most cogent evidence of its myriad culture and tradition. Throughout history dance has been a part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment in Kerala. Many dance forms of Kerala are among the most graceful and beautiful in the world. These dance forms are reflections of the diverse religious and cultural traditions of Kerala. The dance forms of Kerala can be divided into roughly three types - folk dances, dance dramas and semi-classical dances. Kathakali, the best known dance form of Kerala is one of the most fascinating dance-drama in the world.

Kathakali Dance of Kerala

Originated over 500 years ago, Kathakali is a spectacular classical dance form of Kerala. It is a combination of drama, dance, music and ritual. Kathakali is one of the oldest theatre forms in the world. The word 'Katha' in Malayalam means Story and 'kali' means Play. Thus Kathakali literally means 'Story-Play'.

Theyyam Kerala Dance Form

Theyyam other wise known as Kaliyattam or Thirayattam, is one of the most outstanding folk arts of Kerala. Just as the name Kaliyattam indicates, it is a sacred ritual dance performed to glorify the goddess Kaali. The term 'Theyyam' is supposed to be the corrupt form of the Malayalam word 'Daivam', meaning God.It earned the name Thirayattam as every thira or village performed this ritualistic art at the village temple known as kaavu.

Thullal

The word 'Thullal' means 'Caper' or 'to leap or jump about playfully'. This art form emerged in the eighteenth century. A solo performance combining both dance and recitation, thullal is the explication of a tale - normally drawn from the puranas, narrated in verse.

Koodiyattam Dance Form

Koodiyattam is the earliest classical dramatic art form of Kerala. Evidence show that this dance form was in vogue in all major temples from ninth century, and it became a full-fledged dramatic presentation before the fifteenth century. Koodiyattam literally means "acting together". Koodiyattam is a temple art and probably the only surviving form of the traditional presentation of Sanskrit drama.

Duffmuttu or Aravanmuttu

Duffmuttu (also known as Aravanmuttu or Arbanamuttu) is a dance form particular to the Muslim community of Kerala. The origin of Duffmutt can be traced back to the Arabs. It is still accompanied by Arabic music. The name Duffmuttu is attributed to the use of an instrument called duff or tap. Daff is a round percussion instrument with one side covered with hide and is used to produce rhythm.

Oppana Dance

Oppana is a dance form specific to the Muslim community of Kerala. Oppana is usually a bridal group dance performed the day before the wedding day. It is a dance form essential to the wedding entertainment and festivities of the Muslims especially in the Malabar region of Kerala. Oppana is generally presented by young female relatives of the bride, who sing and dance around the bride clapping their hands.

Kaikottikali or Thiruvathirakali

Kaikottikkali, also known as Thiruvathirakali, is a very popular group dance of Kerala. Thiruvathirakali is performed by the women of Hindu community, often during festive seasons like Onam and the Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December- January).

Margamkali of Kerala

Margamkali is a very ancient and the most popular artistic performance prevalent among the Syrian Christians of Kerala. Margamkali is performed mainly by men on festive occasions, especially during the time of marriage.

Thitambu Nritham

North Kerala has many rich art traditions, of which "Thitambu Nritham" is one. It is mainly performed by Namboothiris of this part of Kerala, and rarely other Braahmanan communities, say for example, Embranthiris.

Kerala Festivals and Celebrations

Kerala is a land of colourful festivals. Kerala is a land of diverse cultures, religions and communities with a rich miscellany of social habits, festivals, and customs. This section gives an insight into various Kerala Festivals like Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram, Boat Races etc...

Onam Festival of Kerala - Onam Celebration

Kerala, a state at the southern most tip of the Indian subcontinent is bordered by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Arabian Sea giving a tamilian and karnataka cultural touch to its heritage.

Kerala is a land of colourful festivals. Onam is one of the most famous festivals of Kerala. It is celebrated by all keralites (Malayalis) through out the world, irrespective of their religion or caste. Onam is basically a harvest festival. As is the case with most of the Indian festivals, Onam is also associated with a mythological story.

The legend goes this way; King Mahabali ruled the southern dynasty those days and was very famous for his wise, just and benevolent nature. He was egoistic and proud of his popularity and richness. At the same time, Lord Vishnu is perturbed due to Mahabali’s fame. Thus, to deplete him off this popularity and to teach him a lesson, Vamana, the fifth avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, disguised as a Brahmin, and requested him three steps of land. Two steps of Him covered whole earth and patal (lower world). King Mahabali offered his head for the third step to be placed and thus King Mahabali was pushed down to ‘patalam’.

Lord Vishnu was very pleased with the determination with which King Mahabali tried to fulfill his promise and allowed him to visit his country and people once in a year. Thus on the day of ‘Onam’ it is believed that the King Mahabali visits his country to see its prosperity and share the joy and spirit with the inhabitants.

We mark the festival from the day of ‘attam’. The idol of vamana is worshipped during these days. The people start decorating their houses with flowers designed in various patterns known as ‘pookalam’. They welcome their Lord with onnapattukal (songs meant for Onam), many games such as vallam kalli (boat race), kaduva kali (tiger dance) etc. Cultural dances like thiruvathira, mohiniyattam etc are organized by social organisation to grace the occasion.

The most important days of ‘Onam’ are Uthradam & Thiruvonam. Dressed in new traditional clothes, people goes to temple and await the come back of their Lord, followed by a grand feast including special delicacies like payasam, chips made up of bananas, achaars, pappadam, aviyal, many types of vegetable preparations etc. particularly served on banana leaves.

Onam is a kind of assembly at the ‘tharavad’ home, for the families who stay out of Kerala and long throughout the year to get back to their own land to be with their loved ones.

‘Onam’ is also marked as a tourist week in kerala. Tourist flock this state and participates in flower arrangements, boat race etc with great enthusiasm and carries with them an inexplicable memories of this festival.

Onam is a best example of religious harmony and unity among the people of all castes and religions.

Vishu - The Malayalam New Year

People celebrate official New Year on 1st of January but the beginning of the year is celebrated on different days in various states. Maharashtrians celebrate New year as ‘Gudi Padwa’, Punjabese as ‘Baisakhi’, Tamilians as ‘Puthandu’, Assamese as ‘Bihu’, Bengalis as ‘Naba varsha’, Malayalees as ‘Vishu’, people in Karnataka mark their new year as ‘Ugadi’ and so on. It’s almost celebrated in the month of March – April through out the country.

‘Vishu’, is the astrological New Year of Kerala which falls in the month of April (Malayalam month - Medam) whereas the official New Year falls in the month of August – September (Chingam).

Vishu means equal in Sanskrit. The day of ‘Vishu’ marks one of the two equinox days, when sun is exactly on the equator and the duration of day and night will be almost same.

Vishukani, literally the first sight on the day of Vishu is the important feature of this festival. This kani is arranged on the previous night of the Vishu. Vishukani consists of konna flowers (Cassia fistula) nellu/unnakallari (rice/paddy), kodi vastram (new linen), golden cucumber, betel leaves, vaal kannadi (hand mirror), coins, gold ornaments and a holy text preferably ‘Ramayanam’ in a ‘uruli’ (shallow panchloham vessel). Lord Krishna’s idol is kept with this kani with a mirror behind.

On the day of vishu, a ‘nilavilakku’ (Lamp) is lighted in the morning by the master of the house preferably ladies, who is the first to see the ‘kani’. She then wakes all other members at dawn and they all have a glimpse of vishukani. It is a marvelous sight seeing all the offerings and the rays of light in the mirror. The mirror signifies the pure and unadulterated devotion towards God.

The ‘Vishukkani’ is then taken around the house for all those who cannot come to the puja room and then out of the house for animals, birds, trees and for all of the nature.

It is believed that good things seen first on the New Year bring luck and prosperity through out the year. Few versus of Ramayanam are also chanted on this auspicious day. The people, wearing vishu kodi (new clothes meant for Vishu) visits temple and make offerings to their devotees on this day. Well-known temples like Sabarimala, Guruvayur etc also have "Vishukkani Kazhcha" on the early hours of this day.

‘Vishukaineetam’ is one of the rituals on the day of Vishu. Grand father and elders offer money to children, servants and down trodden to ensure prosperity. This custom inculcates a sharing nature among the younger generation.

The Vishu celebration is incomplete without crackers and Vishu Sadya. Vishu Sadya consists of ‘vishu katta’ / vishu kanji prepared with rice, milk and coconut and other delicacies made up of jack fruit, mango, kalan, erisherri, payasam etc. etc.

The essence of ‘Vishu’ is a vision that the joy and happiness which we grab from the festival must influence our thoughts and actions and inspires us to celebrate humanity.

Boat Races (Vallamkali) of Kerala - Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Boat Races are very popular in Kerala and attract team from all fronts of life including common man, fisherman to the sports personnel. The boat race is associated with the major festival of ‘Onam’ and is held during the period of August- September. The boat race is a major event with its competitive spirit and enthusiasm and is one of the largest team sport.

The colourfully designed and decorated boats with thousands of spectators and the overwhelming songs known as ‘vanchi pattukal’ in Malayalam make it a spectacular event.

The boat race is associated with the special snake boats or chundan, the length of which varies anywhere between 100 & 130 feet with more than 100 rowers. The participants start preparing for this race months before the event. They practices day and night and stays together to ensure proper coordination as a team on the day of the racing. The people flock to cheer the players as they glides through the waters to a spectacular finish. The speed of the boat depends entirely on the efficiency of handling the oar.

There are various boat races like , of which Nehru trophy boat race, Champakulam Moolam Boat Race, Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali and Payippad Jalotsavam are significant and dates to olden days.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race :

Nehru Trophy boat race is named after the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as he awarded a rolling trophy for this race as a token in appreciation of the grand reception he received on his way from Kottayam to Alapuzha in 1952. This race is held every year on the second Saturday of August at Punnamada Kayal in alapuzha. Nehru trophy is well-known for its snake shaped trophy.

On the day of race, these boats were polished and decorated and made ready to touch the waves. The team worships before they plunge into the water with full of enthusiasm and excitement to touch the deadline. The coordination among the team accompanied by the songs and the roaring of the spectators marks a great event.

Champakulam Moolam Boat Race
This race is held on the ‘champakulam lake’ to commemorate the installation of the deity at the Ambalapuzha Shree Krishna Temple. This event also organizes various competitions for different categories of boats.

Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallamkali
This is a part of Aranmula temple festival on the river ‘Pamba’. Large number of snake parts take part in this race but they didn’t compete with each other. They row in a unison with songs and reach their destination.

Payippad Jalotsavam
This vallamkalli (boat race) is held in the memory of installation of ‘Haripad Subramanya Shetram’ on the payippad lake. It is organized for three days starting from the day of Onam. The snake boat processions are showcased for first two days and the competition takes place only on the third day.

This sport with definite coordination and spirit of competition with religious significance makes it an unforgettable and spectacular event.

Thrissur Pooram Festival of Kerala - The Pooram Festival

As the name suggests, ‘Thrissur Pooram’ is an annual festival celebrated on the pooram day in the month of Medam (mid-april to mid-may) in Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala.

Pooram is one of the 27 nakshatras (stars) and has got significance due to its auspiciousness. Thrissur Pooram is basically an elephant processions between huge assembly of people in rhythm with display of fireworks. This festival lasts for three days.

Earlier this festival was held at Arrattupuzha. All the other temples in and around Thrissur use to come with the Ezhunellapa ( procession of the god/goddess) and celebrate this pooram festival for a day as a tradition, for around 200 odd years. Eventually the festival lost it charms to the fights between the various temple boards.

The then ruler Sakthan Thampuran organized this event as a mass festival and created a venue near ‘Vadakkunnathan temple’, (Lord Shiva) to organize the procession from all the 10 nearby temples. The festival now is celebrated at the Thekkinkadu maidan, near the Vadakunnathan temple.

On the pooram day, processions of elephants from various temple come and gather around the vadakkunathan temple. Kanimangalam, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Nethilakkavu, Karamukku, Chembukavu, Choorakottukavu, Panamukkamppilly temples particpates in the procession, Thiruvambadi, Paramekkavu temple being the major ones. The images from all these temples are taken to the main temple. These elephants are decorated with different colours, bells and clothes with all types of ornaments and nettipattam (head bands) and being processed through the middle of the town before assembling at the thekkinkadu maidan. The big parasol is also a point of attraction to the people.

The procession is accompanied with panchavadyam, an association of trumpets, drum, pipe and cymbal. The continuous display of dazzling fire work during Thrissur Pooram festival is also a spectacular event.

The competition between the prominent temples to showcase the fireworks, the procession and other cultural activities offers an excellent experience to all the participants and the tourists around the world