Country’s most idyllic state, Kerala, is one of the southern states. Among the people who have enriched Indian cultural heritage and helped the cause of national integration, the people of Kerala have a unique place of honour. Kerala attracted the notice of people in other parts of India even from time immemorial. The Aitarcya Aranyaka appears to be the earliest work which specifically mentions Kerala. Katyayana (4th century BC) and Patanjali (2nd century BC) show their acquaintance with the geography of Kerala. Kautilya’s Arthashastra mentions Kerala. Kalidasa’s Raghuvanasham has given a beautiful description of Kerala region. Kerala looms large in the accounts of classical writings of Greece and Rome.

Kerala, like the Indian sub-continent, can claim to have a culture the history of which runs into the dim recesses of antiquity. Its history unfolds the romantic and fascinating story of a unique process of culture synthesis and social assimilation. In response to every challenge, Kerala has demonstrated through the ages its genius for adaptation and fusion of old traditions and new values in every sphere of human thought and endeavour.

With Thiruvananthapuram as its capital, the coastal state has Karnataka in the north and north-east. The state shares boundary with Tamil Nadu in the east and south-east. The vast Arabian Sea lies in the west of the state. Generally speaking, the state has, a tropical climate.

As per provisional population estimates, the state has a population of 31,838,619 persons of which 15,468,664 are males and 16,369,955 are females. This is the only state in the country where the population of females exceeds that of males. The state registered a growth rate of 9.42 per cent in the decade 1991-2001. There are 1058 females for every 1000 males. The per square kilometre density of the state is 819 persons. Again, the state can boast of being one of the leading states in the area of literacy. As per latest census, 90.92 per cent of populaton of the state is literate. The percentage of literacy rate among males is 94.20 per cent and among females is 87.86 per cent. The area of the state is 38863 sq km.

Onam, the most important festival of Kerala, falls in the month of Chingam (August-September). It is the harvest festival of the state. There are several legends regarding its origin. The most popular legend is that Mahabali, the legendary king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions by Lord Vishnu, returns to see his people once a year. The celebration of Onam as a national festival was taken up on Government’s initiative in Kerala in 1961. It provides an occasion for the family get-together for the Keralites. The head of the family presents clothes as gift (onapudava) to the younger members, servants and tenants. Another important festival, Vishu falls on the first day of Medam. It is a common belief that the fortunes of the coming year depend on the first object seen on the Vishu day. Thiruvathira falls in the month of Dhanu (December-January) and is a women’s festival. It commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the cupid of mythology. The aim of the celebration is conjugal harmony and happiness. The navarathri festival is dedicated to Devi, the divine mother and is celebrated in the month of Kanni (September-October). Mahasivarathri is celebrated in Kambam (February-March). It is supposed to commemorate the day on which Lord Siva consumed the deadly poison (Kalakutaviaham) to save the world from destruction. Among the typical festivals of Kerala the vallomkali or boat regatta has a place of honour. The most important of the boat regattas is held during the Onam season in Allapuzha and Kottayam districts.

The rulers of the local dynasties of Kerala have made significant contributions in the area of education. Under the famous ruler, Ravi Verma Kulasekhra (1299-1314), Kollam became the great centre of learning and culture. The rulers of other kingdoms like Tekkumkur and Vedakkumkar also patronised education and learning. Calicut, under Zamorins, became one of the reputed centres of learning in South India. In the 14th and 15th centuries under the Kolathiri Rajas, North Kerala also became a centre of enlightenment and culture. The Travancore Court of the 18th century became the centre of attraction for scholars and men of letters. Malayalam as a state language had its origin in the 9th century AD. Till then the people on either side of the Western Ghats spoke the same language with dialectal variations.

The coming of the Europeans gave a boost to the economy of Kerala in certain fields and this also helped in the gradual emergence of a new economic order. The Portuguese, Dutch and the British contributed to the economic development of the state. They helped to develop rubber, coffee, spices, coconut, fish and some other segments of the state economy.

Kerala’s participation in the freedom struggle is also significant. There were a number of social and religious movements in Kerala. The contribution of Chattampi Swamikal and Sri Narayana Guru is important in this context. Improvement in inter-caste relations, movement for Christian unity, Indianisation of the Church, Muslim reform movements and land reforms in the state made significant contributions to the social and cultural heritage.

A state with full literacy, and a hard working population, Kerala is always setting standards in all the spheres. In more modern times the Keralites have migrated in large numbers in search of employment to several foreign countries like United States, Malaysia and Singapore in South East Asia as well as to several countries of Africa and West Asia. The professionals of Kerala are among the most wanted experts in the fields of medicine and information technology.

The people of Kerala belonging to all castes and communities have their rich collection of folk songs which have drawn their themes from religion and mythology, agricultural operations like sowing, harvesting and social events like wedding. Originally, its people followed the Dravidians way of life and religious practices. In due course, many indigenous religions and philosophical systems from North India made their appearance on Kerala soil and competed with one another for the loyalties of the people. The story of the synthesis of Dravidian and Aryan cultures and the rise and fall of religions like Jainism and Buddhism in ancient Kerala are of particular interest to those engaged in the study of cultural synthesis. At the same time Kerala’s contacts with religions like Christianity, Judaism and Islam were also introduced on the land and they helped considerably in shaping the composite culture of the land.

The state is well known for its backwaters. The meandering inland lakes networked by canals stretch to over 900 km. Important backwaters of the state are Kollam, Allappuzha, Kumarakom, Kochi, Kozhikode etc. Some of the exotic hill-stations of the state are Munnar, Peermede, Vythiri and Ponmudi. Again, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary situated at Thekkady is one of the largest wildlife reserves in India and is more popular as a tiger reserve. The greatest attractions here are the herds of wildlife elephants that come down to the lake to frolic in the waters. Tiger, sambar, bison, spotted deer, leopard, Malabar flying squirel, stripe-necked mangose can be spotted in the Periyar forest. The Eravikulam National Park is situated 17 km away from Munnar. It is a home to an assortment of wildlife such as Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, sambar, gaur and lion-tailed macaw.

Picturesque waterfalls like Palruvi, Athirapally and Vazhachal add to the scenic charm of Kerala. Most of India’s finest beaches are in Kerala. Virtually for its entire 600-km length, the Kerala coast is lined with sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms. Each year, a large number of visitors arrive here in search of the tranquil, palm-fringed beaches such as Kovalam, Varkala, Cherai Beach, Kappad, Bekal and Muzhapilangad, to name a few. Better known as ‘God’s own country’ among its natives, Kerala is today one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in Asia. Secluded palm-fringed beaches, charming backwaters, mist-clad hill-stations, lush tropical forests, waterfalls, exotic wildlife, artforms and festivals give this state a distinct charm.