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Kerala

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Kerala (or Keralam,േകരളം) is a state in South India. It is known for being the most literate state in India, with a literacy rate greater than 90%. It is also the only state in India with a sex ratio of more than 990 females/1000 males (the ratio for Kerala is 1058 females/1000 males), according to the 2001 census.

Kerala
CapitalThiruvananthapuram
Area 38,863 km²
Population
 - Total (2001)
 - Density
31,838,619
819/km²
Sex ratio1058 (2001)
Literacy rate (2001):
 - Total
 - Male
 - Female
90.92%
94.20%
87.86%
Date of formationNovember 1, 1956
Latitude8°18'N to 12°48'N
Longitude74°52E to 72°22'E
Width35 - 120 km
Length580 km
Governor R. L. Bhatia
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy

Administration

The State of Kerala was formed by the amalgamation of three regions: the Kingdom of Thiruvithamcoore (Travancore), the Kingdom of Kochi (Cochin), and the Province of Malabar. Thiruvithaamcoore and Kochi, former princely states, were merged to form Thiru-Kochi on July 1, 1949. Malabar was merged with Thiru-Kochi to form the State of Kerala on November 1, 1956, based on the recommendations of the State Reorganisation Commission set up by the Government of India.

Kerala is divided into 14 districts. They are (from north to south)

Kasargod, Kannur (Cannanore), Wayanad (Wynad), Kozhikode (Calicut), Malappuram, Palakkad (Palghat), Thrissur (Trichur), Ernakulam, Idukki, Alappuzha (Alleppey), Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Kollam (Quilon) and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)

Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the state.

Demographics

More than 95% of the people in Kerala speak Malayalam.

The major religions followed in Kerala are Hinduism (58%), Islam (21%), and Christianity (21%). Kerala also has a tiny Jewish population, said to date from 587 BC when they fled the occupation of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The state has many famous temples, churches, and mosques. The synagogue in Kochi is the oldest in India.

Geography

File:Kovallam Beach Kerala.JPG
Kovalam Beach - tourists and fishermen

Kerala occupies a narrow strip of India's southwestern coast. It is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east. The states of Karnataka in the north and Tamil Nadu in the east are Kerala's immediate neighbours. Mahe, a part of the union territory of Pondicherry, is an enclave within Kerala.

Politics

Kerala gained the distinction, in 1957, of having the first democratically elected Communist government anywhere in the world. Kerala has a reputation as being one of the most left wing states in India. People of Kerala are very politically aware and are more active participants in the political process than those in the rest of the country.Today the political life of Kerala is dominated by two alliances, the United Democratic Front (led by the Indian National Congress) and the Left Democratic Front (led by CPI(M)). Currently UDF controls the government.

Following is the chronological list of Chief Ministers of Kerala

Arts

Kerala has a rich tradition in the arts, both classical and folk. In addition to the classical upper-caste art forms like Koodiyattom (UNESCO Human Heritage Art), Kathakali, Mohiniyaattam and Ottan Thullal, Kerala has numerous folk art forms performed by non-upper-castes in various regions of the state. Both classical and folk art forms have become artefacts of the past as contemporary art forms weave their own identity according to changing needs. Mimicry and parody have gained considerable mass appeal in recent years. Though sometimes risque and often politically incorrect, these devices are used by artists to mock social luminaries. Malayalam Cinema is another mode of creative expression, and films from Kerala are very distinct from films made in Bollywood or Hollywood.

Social scene

File:Munnar.png
Munnar Mountain and Tea estates view

Kerala ranks highest in India with respect to social development indices such as primary education and healthcare. Kerala was declared the world's first "baby-friendly state" under WHO-UNICEF's Baby Friendly Hospital initiative. The state is known for Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine which has found a new market in the growing tourist industry.

Literacy in Kerala, at higher than 90%, and unemployment rate, at higher than 40%, are the highest among Indian states. Education and early influences of Arabs and Portuguese have also made Kerala one of the most secular states in India. Ironically, Kerala is also noted as the state with the highest suicide rate in India.

Kerala has an ancient solar calendar called as the Malayalam calendar which is used by various communities primarily for religious functions. Kerala has its own form of martial art, kalaripayattu. Theyyam is the most outstanding ritual art of North Malabar, the northern part of Kerala. Poorakkali is another popular ritual art in North Malabar.

Onam, associated with the legend of Mahabali is declared the state festival, but Keralites celebrate many other religious and secular festivals, including Eid-ul-Fitr, Easter, Deepavali and Vishu.

Economy

Kerala's economy can be best described as a socialistic welfare economy.

However, Kerala's emphasis on social welfare also resulted in slow economic progress. Kerala possesses few major industries, and its per capita GDP is lower than the national average of 360 USD per year (1998). Remittances from Keralites working abroad, mainly in the Middle East, make up over 60% of the state's GDP.

Agriculture is the most important economic activity. Coconut, tea and coffee are grown extensively, along with rubber, cashew and spices. Spices commonly cultivated in Kerala include pepper, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Tourism

Kerala is a popular tourist destination for both domestic and foreign travellers. Kerala has great beaches (e.g. Kovalam , Varkala), serene hill stations (Ponmudi and Munnar), national parks (Thekkady) and beautiful backwaters (Kumarakom). The tourism department of the state calls it God's own Country. National Geographic Society described Kerala as one of the 50 must-see destinations of a lifetime. Tourism plays an important role in the state's economy.

Livestock sector

Livestock sector plays a vital role in the economy of Kerala. This sector has high potential for alleviating poverty and unemployment in rural areas. The majority of livestock owning farmers are either small and marginal or even landless. In view of its suitability for combining with crop subsector and its sustainability as a household enterprise with the active involvement of the farm women, livestock rearing is emerging as a very popular supplementary vocation in the small farm segment. Rural women play a significant role in the development of the livestock subsector and are involved in operations like feeding, milking, breeding, management, health care and running micro-enterprises. It is estimated that about 32 lakh (3.2 million) out of the total number of 55 lakh (5.5 million) households in Kerala are engaged in livestock rearing for supplementing their income. The homestead settlement pattern, the relatively high level of literacy particularly among women, the highly favourable agroclimatic conditions conducive for biomass production and the long tradition in livestock rearing are inherent strengths which the Kerala economy possesses in favour of livestock rearing.

Road Network

India has more than 3.1 million km of road network at present making it one of the largest in the world. Length of roads in Kerala is 4.2 percent of that in the country. Kerala has 4.34 km of road per thousand population, against the national figure of 2.99 km. Road network in Kerala has the distinction of achieving connectivity to all the villages in Kerala. But as the villages are relatively large compared to other states, the development has not ensured connectivity of all the habitats. Main arterial roads are built and maintained by the Kerala Public Works Department.

Traffic on the roads in Kerala has been growing at a rate of 10 to 11 percent every year, resulting in excessive pressure on the roads. Total road length in Kerala increased by 9.82 percent during 2002-2003. The road density in Kerala is nearly four times the national average, and is a reflection of the unique settlement patterns in the State.

The length of roads maintained by different agencies as on 1 March 2003 is given below

Name of departmentLength (km)
Panchayat 95515.888
PWD ( Roads & Bridges)21467.492
Municipalities7696.769
Corporation 5853.281
Forest 3770.740
Irrigation1929.875
PWD (National Highways)1523.954
Others (Railway, KSEB)438.472
TOTAL138196.471


National Highways form the prime arterial routes in India, spanning 58,112 km throughout the country and cater to about 45 percent of the total road transport demand. The National Highway network in Kerala is 1524 km, only 2.6 percent of the national total. There are eight National Highways in the State.

A major challenge has been taken by the state government for the upgradation and expansion of important roads to the standards prescribed by the Indian Road Congress for each category of road. Upgradation and maintenance of 1600 km of state highways and major district roads have been taken up under the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).

History

The Sanskrit epic Aitareya Aranyaka has the earliest specific mention of Kerala. Katyayana (4th century BC) and Patanjali (2nd century BC) show their acquaintance with the geography of Kerala.

People have lived in the region now known as Kerala since ancient times. Regional identity developed in the 14th century with the development of the Malayalam language.

Vasco da Gama's voyage to Kerala from Portugal in 1498 was largely motivated by Portuguese determination to break the Kerala Muslims' control over the trade between local spice producers and the Middle East. He established India's first Portuguese fortress at Cochin (Kochi) in 1503 and from there, taking advantage of rivalry existing between the royal families of Calicut and Cochin, managed to destroy the monopoly.

The dispute between Calicut and Cochin, however, provided an opportunity for the Dutch to come in and finally expel the Portuguese from their forts. The British moved into the area in the form of the British East India Company and were firmly established in Kerala by the beginning of the seventeenth century. Tipu Sultan attempted to encroach on British-held territory in 1792, but he was defeated and the British remained in control until independence.

The Portuguese were surprised to discover, when they arrived in Kerala in 1498, that Christianity was already established. The history of Christianity in Kerala dates back to the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle at Kodungallur in A.D. 52. A Christian-Jewish community was founded by a contingent of Syriac-Nasranis who arrived in 192 via Baghdad. The ancient Syrian-christians lived alongside the Cochin Jews. (see Saint Thomas Christians)

Modern Kerala was created in 1956 from Malabar, which had been part of the Madras Presidency, and from Travancore and Cochin. The latter two were princely states which had been ruled by maharajas, both being somewhat unique among their kind in that they had concerned themselves with the education and provision of basic services to the residents of their territories.


List of famous Keralites

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