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 Kerala,
a narrow, fertile strip on the south-west
coast of India, is sandwiched between the
Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats, whose
dense forests and extensive ridges have
sheltered Kerala from many mainland
invaders. At the same time, the state's long
coastline has encouraged maritime contact
with the outside world. Such contact has
resulted in an intriguing blend of cultures.
With foreign influences as disparate as
Chinese, Portuguese, Arab and Dutch,
Kerala's multitude of faiths - Islam,
Judaism, and a host of sects of Christianity
and Hinduism - all coexist harmoniously in a
state that is known for its Marxist
inclinations! Christianity has been in
Kerala for as long as it has been in Europe.
Kerala is the spice coast of India. Edged by
a thread of unbroken beachline, the state's
heart is composed of intensely green paddy
fields and a unique network of rivers and
lagoons that comprise its famed
"backwaters". The landscape is dominated by
rice fields, mango and cashewnut trees, and
coconut palms. Upland Kerala, relatively
less visited, is composed of hills thickly
wooded with teak and rubber. It is here that
Kerala's most precious spices - cardamom,
pepper and nutmeg - are grown in carefully
nurtured plantations.
The present-day state of Kerala was created
in 1956 from Travancore, Kochi and Malabar
(formerly part of Madras state). Kerala is
one of the most progressive and literate
states in India. To visitors, Kerala really
is "God's own country", offering exquisite
beaches, lazy trips along peaceful lagoons
and canals, hill stations, wildlife
sanctuaries, and healing via the ancient
Indian medical system, Ayurveda.
Fast Facts
Area : 38,864 sq km
Population : 33 million
Capital : Thiruvananthapuram
Climate
Summer (Mar to June) - Warm
Monsoon (August to September) - Warm
Winter (November to February)- Mildly
Warm and Pleasant Clothing
Summer - Light Cottons, Winter -
woollens.
Languages spoken : Malayalam
Best Time to visit : October to March
Cities
Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum)
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The famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
dedicated to Lord Vishnu, rebuilt
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1733, and an excellent example of South
Indian architecture
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The Zoological Park (closed on Mondays)
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Napier Museum, with its bronze collection
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Sri Chitra Art Gallery, with paintings from
various schools, from China, Japan, Java and
Bali (closed on Mon/Wed mornings).
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
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 Kochi (formerly Cochin)
Kochi, center of Kerala's maritime trade for
innumerable centuries, is the fine natural
harbour created by the famed underwater
Malabar mud-banks, whose quality ensures
that the rougher the seas are outside, the
calmer the waters are within the harbour.
Vasco-da-Gama placed it on the world map.
Along the harbour, rows of antediluvian
Chinese fishing nets indicate Kerala's trade
with China, just as buildings along the
water's edge testify to the erstwhile
presence of Dutch and Portuguese colonisers.
Jewtown, with an immaculately preserved
synagogue, has a flavour all its own, while
Tripunathura, at the other end of the city,
has many traditional houses with central
courtyards.
Alleppey
The coastal town of Alleppey on the Arabian
Sea is known as the Venice of the East, for
the numerous canals that meander through the
town. This town holds a thrilling snake-boat
race every year in August. It is also known
for its cashew nuts, coir trade, rice,
pepper crops and coconuts.
Places to Visit
Kerala's traditions of dance forms
originated from temple worship. These can be
witnessed at performances which are held
regularly. Lecture-demonstrations of the
most spectacular of these dance forms -
Kathakali - are held daily at many centres
in Kochi.
Teyyam, an act of worship and also a visual
feast, temple festivals complete with
caparisoned elephants, and Kalaripayata, the
indigenous art of self defence, are all a
part of Kerala's remarkable heritage of
performing arts. You can see them at various
centres in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram.
From Kottayam to Alleppey is a world of
palm-fringed waterways, a route which is
covered by motor launch. Elderly sailboats,
long barges transporting tons of coconuts
and tiny skiffs used to transport children
to school are common sights on these
backwaters.
 Ayurveda
Ayurvedic Massages
Say "massage" in the context of an Asian
country, and the first thoughts that come
flooding in are those of the exotic massage
parlors of Pattaya. But an ayurvedic massage
is the real thing. These are serious
life-enriching massages, so be prepared to
get some energetic flesh pounding from
experts. While you soak in the herbs you can
watch the beaches of Vizhinjam packed with
boats out to sail in the sunset. From the
beach you can see their lights strung out
like pearls in a necklace from the coast.
Look forward to being draped with pieces of
linen, dipped in lukewarm herbal oils, all
over the body by two to four trained
therapists in a special rhythmic way. This
goes on continuously for about 60 to 90
minutes per day for a period of 7 to 21
days, and is said to be an effective remedy
for rheumatic diseases. It's supposed to be
good for your nerves too and should pep up
your overall energy levels as well.
Restoring Balance
Ayurveda believes that the imbalance of
fire, air and phlegm causes disease in the
human body and tries to correct it majorly
through cleaning and massage. Once the
balance of humors is restored, the body
copes better with external factors like
pollution, strain and infections.
Oils and Herbs
The herbs used in ayurveda are indigenous to
Kerala's moist climate. The type of oil used
for massage differs according to the ailment
being treated. It is one of these: camphor,
neem, mustard and castor. To these are added
various powdered herbs, nuts and the bark of
trees. The Ayurvedic practitioner may
conduct the massage using the palm of the
hand, poultices, and cloth.
Traditionally, Ayurvedic massage is used on
trainee Kathakali dancers, and students of
kalaraipayatt. The guru massages the
student's head and shoulders with his hands,
but uses his feet to stretch and flex the
student's legs and back, since flexibility
is essential to classical dance and martial
art.
The
Backwaters of Kerala
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