Kerala , the paradise not lost - yet!

Kerala- in spite of its politicians- is a superb place to visit and unwind yourselves.


This verdant little strip of land, on the southernmost tip of India, stretches along the Arabian sea coast and is seperated from the rest of the sub-continent by the steep Western Ghats.

With the Arabian Sea sprawling in the west, the Western Ghats towering in the east, networked by more than forty rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. Its assets as a tourist attraction can broadly be listed as

* A moderate climate * Long shoreline with serene beaches * Peaceful stretches of emerald backwaters * Lush hill stations and enchanting wildlife * Sprawling plantations and paddy fields * Colourful festivals * Exotic cuisine * Ayurvedic health care

It is really incredible how such a small strip of land can contain so many exotic ingredients. Maybe it was the allure of the spices or the sheer magnetism of the land that attracted the Phoenecians, Romans, Chinese, Arabs and the British to its shores.The footprints of these immigrants can still be felt in Kerala's architectural scenario - the Portuguese Forts, Dutch Palaces, British Bungalows...it is a pretty long list.

However, while Kerala has always been willing to imbibe anything new, it has managed to maintain its customs and traditions to a surprising degree of perfection. Here, you can see living examples of religious rapport, with churches, masjids and temples standing shoulder to shoulder.

National Geographic has hailed Kerala as 'one of the ten paradises of the world'.

Kerala also boasts of
* India's most advanced society * A hundred percent literate people * World-class health care systems * India's lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates

Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is also India's cleanest State.

While most of these econiums can be said to be well earned, it cannot be denied that this little state has a long way to go in many areas before it can justify the label 'one of the best tourist destinations in the world'. These areas will be explored in detail later.

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For the statistically minded tourist, some relevant facts about Kerala -

Area : 38,863 sq.km

Population : 3,18,38,619 (as per 2001 census)

Capital : Thiruvananthapuram (formerly Trivandrum)

Language : Malayalam; English also is widely spoken

Religion : Hinduism, Christianity, Islam

Time : GMT + 5:30

Currency : Indian Rupee

Climate: Tropical

Summer : February - May ( 24 - 33 deg c )

Monsoon : June - September (22 - 28 deg c )

Winter : October - January (22 - 32 deg c )

Literacy rate : 90.92 %

Transport - Three International airports- at Trivandrum, Kochi and Kozhikode. Apart from this, Kerala is well connected by rail and road. Kochi offers a major seaport, while there are minor ports at Beypore(Kozhikode), Alapuzha and Kollam.

Major Industries - Tourism, Information Technology, Fertilizers,Oil Refining and Power Generation, Ship Building, Machine Tools, Electronics and Rubber.

Major Exports are marine products, coir, handicrafts, spices and food products.

Farm /Cash crops cultivated are coconut, rubber, coffee, tea, spices, pepper, cashew, arecanut and rice.

Read on about this fascinating land......

Travel Mart.....and Chikungunya!

Ayurveda-an integral part of Kerala tourism

Kerala celebrates 50th birth anniversary

Sreesanth-Kerala cricket's great hope

Famous sons

Travel and sightseeing

Snippets

Travails