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Kerala (; ; '''') is a State on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India . To its east and northeast, Kerala borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka respectively; to its west and south lie the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean , with the islands of Lakshadweep and the Maldives , respectively. Kerala nearly envelopes Mahé , a coastal Exclave of Pondicherry . Kerala is one of the four states of South India . A survey conducted in 2005 by Transparency International ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country.2 The etymology of ''Kerala'' is widely disputed, and is a matter of conjecture. The prevailing theory is that Kerala is an imperfect Malayalam portmanteau that fuses ''kera'' ('coconut palm tree') and ''alam'' ('land' or 'location' or 'abode of'). Another theory is that the name originated from the phrase ''chera alam'' (''Land of the Chera''). Natives of Kerala—''Keralites or Malayalees ''—thus refer to their land as ''Keralam''. Kerala's Tourism Industry , among others, also use the phrase '' God's Own Country ''. HISTORY See Also: History of Kerala During Neolithic times, humans largely avoided Kerala's rainforests and wetlands. There is evidence of the emergence of prehistoric pottery and granite burial monuments in the 10th century BCE that resemble their counterparts in Western Europe and the rest of Asia. These were produced by speakers of a proto-Tamil language.. Thus, Kerala and Tamil Nadu once shared a common language, ethnicity and culture; this common area was known as Tamilakam . Kerala became a linguistically separate region by the early 14th century. The ancient Cherans , whose Mother Tongue and court language was Tamil , ruled Kerala from their capital at Vanchi and was the first major recorded kingdom. Allied with the Pallava s, they continually warred against the neighbouring Chola and Pandya kingdoms. A Keralite identity—distinct from the Tamils and associated with the second Chera empire—and the development of Malayalam evolved between the 8th and 14th centuries. In written records, Kerala was first mentioned in the Sanskrit Epic ''Aitareya Aranyaka''. Later, figures such as Katyayana , Patanjali , Pliny The Elder , and the unknown author of the '' Periplus Of The Erythraean Sea '' displayed familiarity with Kerala.Pliny's '' Naturalis Historia '', Book 6, Chapter 26 s) in Marayoor , erected by Neolithic tribesmen.]] The Chera kings' dependence on trade meant that merchants from West Asia established coastal posts and settlements in Kerala.P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar's "History of the Tamils: from the earliest times to 600 AD", Madras, 1929 Many—especially Jews and Christians—also escaped persecution, establishing the settled in Kerala by the 8th century CE. After Vasco Da Gama 's arrival in 1498, the Portuguese sought to control the lucrative Pepper Trade by subduing Keralite communities and commerce. Conflicts between the cities of Kozhikode (Calicut) and Kochi (Cochin) provided an opportunity for the Dutch to oust the Portuguese. In turn, the Dutch were ousted at the 1741 Battle Of Colachel by Marthanda Varma of Travancore (Thiruvathaamkoor). Meanwhile, Mysore ’s Hyder Ali conquered northern Kerala, capturing Kozhikode in 1766. In the late 18th century, Tipu Sultan —Ali’s son and successor—launched campaigns against the expanding British East India Company ; these resulted in two of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars . He ultimately ceded Malabar District and South Kanara to the Company in the 1790s. The Company then forged tributary alliances with Kochi (1791) and Travancore (1795). Meanwhile, Malabar and South Kanara became part of the Madras Presidency . (the "Lion of Kerala") in Mananthavady, Wayanad .]] Kerala saw comparatively little defiance of the British Raj —nevertheless, several rebellions occurred, including the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar revolt,. and heroes like Pazhassi Raja and Kunjali Marakkar earned their place in history and folklore. Many actions, spurred by such leaders as Sree Narayana Guru and Chattampi Swamikal , instead protested such conditions as Untouchability ; notable was the 1924 '' Vaikom Satyagraham ''. In 1936, Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma of Travancore issued the Temple Entry Proclamation that opened Hindu temples to all castes; Cochin and Malabar soon did likewise. The 1921 Moplah Rebellion involved militant Mappila Muslims battling Hindus and the British Raj.3 After India's independence in 1947, 2007 ].—headed by E.M.S. Namboodiripad . Subsequent social reforms favoured tenants and labourers... This facilitated, among other things, improvements in living standards, education, and life expectancy. GEOGRAPHY See Also: Geography of Kerala Kerala’s 38,863 km&2 landmass (1.18% of India) is wedged between the , Kerala lies near the centre of the Indian Tectonic Plate ; as such, most of the state is subject to comparatively little Seismic and volcanic activity. Geologically, Pre-Cambrian and Pleistocene formations compose the bulk of Kerala’s terrain. Eastern Kerala lies immediately west of the Western Ghats's Rain Shadow ; it consists of high mountains, gorges and deep-cut valleys. 41 of Kerala’s west-flowing rivers, and 3 of its east-flowing ones originate in this region. Here, the Western Ghats form a wall of mountains interrupted only near Palakkad, where the Palakkad Gap breaks through to provide access to the rest of India. The Western Ghats rises on average to 1,500 m (4920 ft) above sea level, while the highest peaks may reach to 2,500 m (8200 ft). Just west of the mountains lie the midland plains composing central Kerala; rolling hills and valleys dominate.. Generally ranging between elevations of 250–1,000 m (820–3300 ft), the eastern portions of the Nilgiri and Palni Hills include such formations as Agastyamalai and Anamalai . '' (fishing net) in the Backwaters region of Kollam .]] Kerala’s western coastal belt is relatively flat, and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected Brackish Canal s, lakes, Estuaries , and rivers known as the Kerala Backwaters . Lake Vembanad —Kerala’s largest body of water—dominates the Backwaters; it lies between Alappuzha and Kochi and is more than 200 km&2 in area. Around 8% of India's waterways (measured by length) are found in Kerala.. The most important of Kerala’s Forty Four Rivers include the Periyar (244 km), the Bharathapuzha (209 km), the Pamba (176 km), the Chaliyar (169 km), the Kadalundipuzha (130 km) and the Achankovil (128 km). The average length of the rivers of Kerala is 64km. Most of the remainder are small and entirely fed by monsoon rains.. These conditions result in the nearly year-round water logging of such western regions as Kuttanad , 500 km&2 of which lies below sea level. As Kerala's rivers are small and lack Deltas , they are more prone to environmental factors. Kerala's rivers face many problems, including summer droughts, the building of large dams, sand mining, and pollution. With 120–140 rainy days per year, Kerala has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the Southwest Summer Monsoon .. In eastern Kerala, a drier tropical wet and dry climate prevails. Kerala's rainfall averages 3,107 mm annually. Some of Kerala's drier lowland regions average only 1,250 mm; the mountains of eastern Idukki district receive more than 5,000 mm of Orographic Precipitation , the highest in the state. In summers, most of Kerala is prone to gale force winds, storm surges, Cyclone -related torrential downpours, occasional droughts, and rises in sea level and storm activity resulting from Global Warming .... Kerala’s maximum daily temperature averages 36.7 °C; the minimum is 19.8 °C.. Mean annual temperatures range from 25.0–27.5 °C in the coastal lowlands to 20.0–22.5 °C in the highlands.. FLORA AND FAUNA See Also: Flora and fauna of Kerala region of northwestern Idukki District .]] Much of Kerala's notable biodiversity is concentrated and protected in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve in the eastern hills. Almost a fourth of India's 10,000 plant species are found in the state. Among the almost 4,000 Flowering Plant species (1,272 of which are Endemic to Kerala and 159 threatened) are 900 species of highly sought Medicinal Plant s... Its 9,400 km&2 of forests include tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests (lower and middle elevations—3,470 km&2), tropical moist and dry deciduous forests (mid-elevations—4,100 km&2 and 100 km&2, respectively), and montane subtropical and s (56 of which are endemic), 476 species of birds, 202 species of freshwater Fish es, 169 species of Reptile s (139 of them endemic), and 89 species of Amphibian s (86 endemic).. These are threatened by extensive habitat destruction (including soil erosion, landslides, salinization, and resource extraction).. in Marayoor , Idukki .]] Eastern Kerala’s windward mountains shelter Tropical Moist Forests and Tropical Dry Forests , which are common in the Western Ghats. Here, ''sonokeling'' (Indian Rosewood ), ''anjili'', ''mullumurikku'' ('' Erythrina ''), and '' Cassia '' number among the more than 1,000 species of trees in Kerala. Other plants include bamboo, wild Black Pepper , wild Cardamom , the Calamus Rattan palm (a type of climbing palm), and aromatic Vetiver grass ('' Vetiveria Zizanioides '').. Living among them are such fauna as Asian Elephant , Bengal Tiger , Leopard (''Panthera pardus''), Nilgiri Tahr , Common Palm Civet , and Grizzled Giant Squirrel ... Reptiles include the King Cobra , Viper , Python , and Crocodile . Kerala's birds are legion— Peafowl , the Great Hornbill , Indian Grey Hornbill , Indian Cormorant , and Jungle Myna are several emblematic species. In lakes, wetlands, and waterways, fish such as ''kadu'' ( Stinging Catfish and ''Choottachi'' (Orange chromide—''Etroplus maculatus''; valued as an Aquarium specimen) are found.. SUBDIVISIONS Kerala's Fourteen Districts are distributed among Kerala's three historical regions: Malabar (northern Kerala), Kochi (central Kerala), and Travancore (southern Kerala). Kerala's modern-day districts (listed in order from north to south) correspond to them as follows:
Mahé, a part of the Indian union territory of Puducherry, is a coastal exclave surrounded by Kerala on all of its landward approaches. and Thrissur are the other major commercial centres of the state. The High Court Of Kerala is at Ernakulam . Kerala's districts, which serve as the administrative regions for taxation purposes, are further subdivided into 63 Taluks ; these have fiscal and administrative powers over settlements within their borders, including maintenance of local land records. GOVERNMENT Like other Indian states, the constitutional head of state is the Governor , who is appointed by the President Of India . Like most other states, Kerala has a Unicameral Legislature consisting of directly elected members. The Chief Minister is the head of government and is vested with most of the executive powers. The governor appoints a council of ministers at the advice of the Chief Minister. Kerala has 140 Assembly constituencies and sends 20 members to the Lok Sabha . Kerala also sends 9 members to the Rajya Sabha , the upper house of the Parliament Of India . Currently, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is the ruling coalition in government and V.S. Achuthanandan of the CPI(M) is the Chief Minister. The Judiciary comprises the Kerala High Court and a system of lower courts. The High Court of Kerala is the highest court for the state, and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep . The state's 2005–2006 budget was 219 billion , while non-tax revenues totalled 10,809 million INR. Finance Commission (Ministry of Finance, Government of India) Kerala's high ratio of taxation to gross state domestic product (GSDP) has not alleviated chronic budget deficits and unsustainable levels of government debt, impacting social services. Memoranda from States: Kerala ECONOMY See Also: Economy of Kerala Since its incorporation as a state, Kerala's economy largely operated under 2007 ]. This apparent paradox—high human development and low economic development—is often dubbed the ''Kerala phenomenon'' or the '' Kerala Model '' of development,.. and arises mainly from Kerala's strong service sector. , located in Thiruvananthapuram.]] The service sector (including tourism, public administration, banking and finance, transportation, and communications—63.8% of statewide GDP in 2002–2003) along with the agricultural and fishing industries (together 17.2% of GDP) dominate Kerala's economy... Nearly half of Kerala's people are dependent on agriculture alone for income.. Some 600 varieties. of rice (Kerala's most important Staple Food and Cereal crop.) are harvested from 310,521 Ha (a decline from 588,340 ha in 1990.) of Paddy Field s; 688,859 Tonne s are produced per annum.. Other key crops include coconut (899,198 ha), tea, coffee (23% of Indian production,. or 57,000 tonnes.), rubber, cashews, and spices—including pepper, cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Around 10.50 lakh (1.050 million) fishermen haul an annual catch of 6.68 lakh (668,000) tonnes (1999–2000 estimate); 222 fishing villages are strung along the 590 km coast, while an additional 113 fishing villages are spread throughout the hinterland. Traditional industries manufacturing such items as Coir , handlooms, and Handicraft s employ around ten lakh (one million) people. Around 1.8 lakh (180,000) small-scale industries employ around 909,859 Keralites, while some 511 medium and large scale manufacturing firms are located in Kerala. Meanwhile, a small mining sector (0.3% of GDP). involves extraction of such materials as Ilmenite (136,908.74 tonnes in 1999–2000), Kaolin , Bauxite , Silica , Quartz , Rutile , Zircon , and Sillimanite .. Home Gardens and animal husbandry also provide work for hundreds of thousands of people. Other significant economic sectors are Tourism , manufacturing, and Business Process Outsourcing . Kerala's unemployment rate is variously estimated at 19.2%. and 20.77%,. although Underemployment of those classified as "employed", low employability of many job-seeking youths, and a mere 13.5% female Participation Rate are significant problems.... Estimates of the statewide Poverty Rate range from 12.71%Dhar, A (2006), "260 million Indians still below poverty line", The Hindu accessed 22 February 2006 . to as high as 36%.. TRANSPORT Kerala has 145,704 Km of roads (4.2% of India's total). This translates to about 4.62 km of road per thousand population, compared to an all India average of 2.59 km. Virtually all of Kerala's villages are connected by road. Traffic in Kerala has been growing at a rate of 10–11% every year, resulting in high traffic and pressure on the roads. Kerala's Road density is nearly four times the national average, reflecting the state's high population density. India's national highway network includes a Kerala wide total of 1,524 km, which is 2.6% of the national total. There are eight designated national highways in the state. Upgrading and maintenance of 1,600 km of Kerala State Highways and major district roads have been taken up by the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP), which includes the GIS -based Road Information and Management Project (RIMS). Most of Kerala's west coast is accessible through two National Highways , NH 47 , and NH 17 . The state has major international airports at Thiruvananthapuram , Kochi, and Kozhikode that link the state with the rest of the nation and the world. The Cochin International Airport at Kochi is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds. The backwaters traversing the state are an important mode of Inland Navigation . The Indian Railways ' Southern Railway line runs throughout the state, connecting all major towns and cities except the highland districts of Idukki and Wayanad. Kerala's major railway stations are Trivandrum Central , Kollam Junction, Ernakulam Junction, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Shoranur Junction , and Palakkad. See Also: Roads in Kerala DEMOGRAPHICS See Also: Demographics of Kerala The 3.18 crore (31.8 million). of Kerala’s compound population is predominantly of Malayali Dravidian ethnicity, while the rest is mostly made up of Indo-Aryan , Jew ish, and Arab elements in both culture and ancestry (both of which are usually mixed). Kerala is also home to 321,000 indigenous tribal '' Adivasi s'' (1.10% of the populace), who are mostly concentrated in the eastern districts... Malayalam is Kerala's Official Language ; Tamil and various ''Adivasi'' languages are also spoken by Ethnic Minorities . Kerala is home to 3.44% of India's people, and at 819 persons per km&2. its land is three times as densely settled as the rest of India. However, Kerala's population growth rate is India's lowest. while Kerala's decadal growth (9.42% in 2001) is less than half the all-India average of 21.34%.. Additionally, whereas Kerala's population more than doubled between 1951 and 1991—adding 156 lakh (15.6 million) people to reach a total of 291 lakh (29.1 million) residents in 1991—the population stood at less than 320 lakh (32 million) by 2001. Kerala's people are most densely settled in the coastal region, leaving the eastern hills and mountains comparatively sparsely populated.. Women comprise 51.42% of the population.. Kerala's principal religions are Hinduism (56.1%), Islam (24.7%), and Christianity (19%).. Remnants of a once substantial 2007 ]. woman wearing a ''neryathu'' known as a ''set sari''.]] Kerala's society is less patriarchical than the rest of the Majority World ... Certain Hindu communities (such as the Nairs), Travancore Ezhavas and the Muslims around Kannur used to follow a traditional matrilineal system known as '' Marumakkathayam '', which ended in the years after Indian independence. Christians, Muslims, and some Hindu castes such as the Namboothiris and the Ezhavas follow ''makkathayam'', a patrilineal system.. Kerala's gender relations are among the most equitable in India and the Majority World.. However, this too is coming under threat, from such forces as patriarchy-enforced oppression of women.. Kerala's human development indices—elimination of poverty, primary level education, and health care—are among the best in India. For example, Kerala's literacy rate (91%). and life expectancy (73 years). are now the highest in India. Meanwhile, Kerala's rural poverty rate fell from 69% (1970–1971) to 19% (1993–1994), while the overall (urban and rural) rate fell 36% between the 1970s and 1980s.. By 1999–2000, the rural and urban poverty rates dropped to 10.0% and 9.6% respectively.http://www.princeton.edu/~rpds/downloads/deaton_regionalpovertyindia.pdf These changes stem largely from efforts begun in the late 19th century by the kingdoms of Cochin and Travancore to boost social welfare.UNESCO (2003), " EFA (Education for All) Global Monitoring Report ", UNESCO accessed 12 January 2006 .Kutty, VR (2000), " Historical analysis of the development of health care facilities in Kerala State, India ", Health Policy and Planning 15(1): 103–109 accessed 2007 . to 14. deaths per 1,000 live births). However, Kerala's Morbidity Rate is higher than that of any other Indian state—118 (rural Keralites) and 88 (urban) per 1,000 people. The corresponding all India figures are 55 and 54 per 1,000, respectively.. Kerala's 13.3% Prevalence of low Birth Weight is substantially higher than that of First World nations. Further, outbreaks of water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis, and typhoid,. among the more than 50% of Keralites who rely on some 30 Lakh (3 million). water wells. is another problem, which is worsened by the widespread lack of sewers.. Kerala's healthcare system has garnered international acclaim, with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) designating Kerala the world's first "baby-friendly state". For example, more than 95% of Keralite births are hospital-delivered. Aside from '' Ayurveda '' (both elite and popular forms),. '' Siddha '', and '' Unani '', many endangered and endemic modes of Traditional Medicine , including ''kalari'', ''marmachikitsa'',. and ''vishavaidyam'', are practiced. These propagate via '' Gurukula '' discipleship,. and comprise a fusion of both medicinal and supernatural treatments,. and are partly responsible for drawing increasing numbers of Medical Tourist s. A steadily aging population—11.2% of Keralites are over age 60—and low birthrate. (18 per 1,000)—make Kerala one of the few regions of the Third World to have undergone the " Demographic Transition " characteristic of such Developed Nation s as Canada, Japan, and Norway.. In 1991, Kerala's TFR (children born per women) was the lowest in India. Hindus had a TFR of 1.66, Christians 1.78, and Muslims 2.97.Manoj Alagarajan (Dec 2003), " An Analysis of Fertility Differentials by Religion in Kerala State: A Test of the Interaction Hypothesis ", Population Research and Policy Review CULTURE See Also: Arts of Kerala Culture of Kerala region known as Tamilakam and southern coastal Karnataka . Later, Kerala's culture was elaborated upon through centuries of contact with neighboring and overseas cultures.. Native Performing Arts include '' Koodiyattom '', '' Kathakali '' – from ''katha'' ("story") and ''kali'' ("performance") – and its offshoot '' Kerala Natanam '', '' Koothu '' (akin to stand-up comedy), '' Mohiniaattam '' ("dance of the enchantress"), '' Thullal '', '' Padayani '', and '' Theyyam ''. Other forms of art are more religious or tribal in nature. These include '' Chavittu Nadakom '', '' Oppana '' (originally from Malabar), which combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and ''ishal'' vocalisations. However, many of these art forms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among most ordinary Keralites. These people look to more contemporary art and performance styles, including those employing mimicry and parody. Additionally, a substantial Malayalam Film industry effectively competes against both Bollywood and Hollywood . performance by Guru Padma Shri Mani Madhava Chakyar .]] Malayalam Literature is ancient in origin, and includes such figures as the 14th century Niranam Poets (Madhava Panikkar, Sankara Panikkar and Rama Panikkar), whose works mark the dawn of both modern Malayalam language and indigenous Keralite poetry. The " Triumvirate Of Poets " (''Kavithrayam''), Kumaran Asan , Vallathol Narayana Menon , and Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer, are recognised for moving Keralite poetry away from archaic sophistry and metaphysics, and towards a more Lyrical mode. In the second half of the 20th century, Jnanpith awardees like G Sankara Kurup , S. K. Pottakkat , and M. T. Vasudevan Nair have added to Malayalam literature. Later, such Keralite writers as O. V. Vijayan , M. Mukundan , and Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy have gained international recognition. at the Thrissur Pooram .]] Kerala's Music also has ancient roots. Carnatic Music dominates Keralite traditional music. This was the result of Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma 's popularisation of the genre in the 19th century... Raga-based renditions known as ''sopanam'' accompany '' Kathakali '' performances. ''Melam'' (including the ''paandi'' and ''panchari'' variants) is a more percussive style of music; it is performed at Kshetram centered festivals using the '' Chenda ''. ''Melam'' ensembles comprise up to 150 musicians, and performances may last up to four hours. ''Panchavadyam'' is a different form of percussion ensemble, in which up to 100 artists use five types of percussion instrument. Kerala has various styles of folk and tribal music. The popular music of Kerala is dominated by the '' Filmi '' music of Indian Cinema . Kerala's visual arts range from Traditional Murals to the works of Raja Ravi Varma , the state's most renowned painter. Kerala has its own Malayalam Calendar , which is used to plan agricultural and religious activities. Kerala's cuisine is typically served as a '' Sadhya '' on green banana leaves. Such dishes as '' Idli '', '' Payasam '', ''pulisherry'', ''puttucuddla'', ''puzhukku'', '' Rasam '', and '' Sambar '' are typical. Keralites—both men and women alike—traditionally don flowing and unstitched garments. These include the '' Mundu '', a loose piece of cloth wrapped around men's waists. Women typically wear the '' Sari '', a long and elaborately wrapped banner of cloth, wearable in various styles. Several ancient ritualised arts are Keralite in origin. These include '' 2007 ].. Thrissur Pooram, the mother of all temple festivals in the state, is essentially one of spectacles. It is celebrated in Thrissur at Vadakkumnathan temple in the month of Medam (April), where the regaining deity is Lord Shiva. On a hillock right in the centre of the city, the spaciously laid out 'kshetram', or temple, attracts thousands of devotees from all over the land during the Pooram festival. SPORTS Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in the state. Some notable football stars from Kerala include I. M. Vijayan and V. P. Sathyan . Several Keralite athletes have attained world-class status, including T. C. Yohannan , Suresh Babu , P. T. Usha , Shiny Wilson , K. M. Beenamol , and Anju Bobby George . Volleyball is another popular sport in Kerala. Jimmy George , born in Peravoor , Kannur , was arguably the most successful volleyball player ever to represent India. At his prime he was regarded as among the world's ten best players. SEE ALSO CITATIONS REFERENCES
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Domestic Violence Against Women in Ernakulam District |
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Centre for Development Studies |
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