www.travel Chacha.com: The Kerala one of the world’s 50 “must see” destinations.

The Kerala one of the world’s 50 “must see” destinations.

Over View

The name “Kerala” comes from two words: “Kera” + “Alam”. (“Kera” means coconut (tree) and “Alam” means land or location). 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. A must see tourist spot in Kerala is Kumarakom. 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.

as mey ochi 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.

Alleppey

The National Geographic Traveler has quoted Kerala as India’s most verdant state with one of the world’s 50“must see” destinations. “The god who made Kerala had a green thumb”, true to the popular Malayali saying, Kerala’s rich resources have long attracted visitors from across the oceans. It is in fact here that the first seafarers set foot on Indian soil.

Bekal – Kasargod

Legend has it that long before Vasco Da Gama discovered India, when he landed on the coast of Kerala, King Solomon's ships traded off the Malabar coast between 972 and 932 B.C., followed by the Phoenicians, Romans, Christians , Arabs, and Chinese. They all came to stock up on monkeys, tigers, parrots, timber, sandalwood, and ivory along with the abundance of spices.

Veli lake – Trivandrum

Kerala is sandwiched between the Lakshadweep Sea and the forested Western Ghats that define its border with Tamil Nadu to the east. In 1956, the state of Kerala was formed from the former princely states of Travancore, Kochi, and Malabar. Despite its high population density, Keralites have the country's highest life expectancy and the lowest infant mortality rates. As it was largely ruled by benevolent Maharajas who introduced social reforms emphasizing the provision of education and basic services, Kerala remains one of the most progressed and educated states in India. In those days, Kerala was more caste-divided than any other area. It was only in this region that untouchability was highly predominant. But today, it is one of the least caste-conscious and communally tranquil areas of India.

Idukki

Kerala has a high percentage (22%) of Christians whose traditions go back to St. Thomas the Apostle. Another cultural rarity can be seen in the white Jews of Cochin. The first democratically elected Communist Party came to power in Kerala for the first time in the whole world.

The state capital is Thiruvananthapuram. Being a land of spices, realm of Ayurveda, heart-throbbing sceneries, exciting array of dances, Kerala is a microcosm of multi-religiousIndia, co-habited by the Hindus, the Christians and the Muslims.

To BeContinued…..