Kerala General Information

Once a part of Travancore, Trivandrum is an ancient city with its tradition going back to 1000 BC. This peaceful city is spread across seven hills and is like many others cities of India all of which have an older portion whereas the modern portions are coming up in other locations. The city is also called the gateway to Kerala and is among the cleaner and well planned cities of India. The place affords you a unique insight into the culture of Kerala. The environment of the city is filled with the red tiled roofs, stretches of palm trees and the narrow winding streets along with the fascinating seas which make for an enchanting combination.

How To Reach
» By Air
There are two international airports in Kerala which are in Kochi and Trivandrum. There is a domestic airport at Kozhikode as well. Regular flights operated by the domestic and international carriers connect the state with the major cities in India and abroad.

» By Rail
There are more than 200 railway stations in Kerala which connect various cities in India with the state as well as the places within the state. The long distance express trains service the major stations whereas the local trains service the railway stations within the state as well as other stations of south India.

» By Road
You can easily reach Kerala by road from any part of the country. The National Highways 17, 47 and 49 connect the state with the rest of the country. Many state highways and other roads connect various cities of the state with each other.


Climate of Kerala
The climate of the state of Kerala is tropical which remains pleasant throughout the year. Unlike the rest of India, Kerala does not experience a dry spell. The summer months start from April and go up to to June. The maximum temperature touches 33 degrees Celsius whereas the minimum temperature never goes below 20 degrees Celsius. Therefore, it's never too cold in Kerala. The south west monsoon reaches here in June and and stays here till September. The winter season in Kerala is between the months of October to January. The north east monsoon also reaches the state in October whereas the dry weather sets in by the end of December.


Population of Kerala
Kerala has always been a leading state of India whether it is literacy, higher education or the health condition of the people. The infant and maternal mortality rates are lowest in Kerala whereas life expectancy here is highest. Kerala has always been referred to as an ethnic jungle as the state population has it all - from the Negritos, the original mountain tribes to Proto-Australoids to Dravidians. The Dravidians have been the main settlers here and most of the Malyalis of today are of Dravidian descent. Later on, the Aryans also settled in the land. Today, it is difficult to tell one ethnic group from the other because of intermingling among various groups. The total population of Kerala, according to the 2001 census report, is about 32 million. Approximately 91% of the population of Kerala is literate and about 32% people are employed in one occupation or the other. According to FICCI, there are 1.5 million people of Kerala settled in Gulf countries and that exactly is the problem of Kerala as well, as most of the talented people of the state leave for the greener pastures abroad.


Dances of Kerala
The rich repertoire of dances in Kerala reflect a lot about the region than all other mediums combined. The dances of the state are highly developed forms of expression in which you can notice the myriad moods of the people such as religious, that of happiness when performed at the time of harvest among many other such moods. Kathakali is one such classical dance of Kerala which is famous for its elaborate performances. In the earlier days, it was only performed in the temples as well as before the rulers of Kerala in their mansions. Today the Kathakali performances are held throughout the year and are open for the general public. Other famous dance forms of the state are Mohiniattam and Kalaripayattu. The last one is probably the most ancient martial art practised in the dance form in the world.


Kerala Cuisine
The typical Kerala cuisine is distinct from the way food is prepared in rest of India. Here the dishes are mildly flavoured, gently cooked so that their effect on us and our bodies are as subtle as they get. The delicacies such as Pulao and Biryanis are prepared by cooking meats, spices and onions slowly with boiled rice. The dish thus cooked is called Malabar Biryani which was brought to Kerala by the Arab seafarers. Pootu is another popular breakfast which is prepared by lagering rice flour dough with grated coconut and steaming in hollow bamboo cylinder. Other popular Kerala cuisines are Iddli, Thoran, Avial, Olen and Sambar among others.