KERALA TOURISM
Overview
Any mention about Kerala, conjures in one’s mind, an image of pristine backwaters, palm fringed beaches, tranquil villages and greenery in profusion. God has generously bestowed this land with the bounties of nature and so it only seems natural when Kerala is referred to, as God’s own country.
A much sought-after destination for tourists in India and abroad, Kerala is named as one of the ‘Ten Paradises of the World’ and ‘Fifty Places of a Lifetime’ by the National Geographic Traveler Magazine. The alluring serenity of this place leaves every tourist spell bound, making them come back year after year.
Be it the sun-kissed beaches or the misty hill stations; the rhythmic backwaters or the forestlands rich with all varieties of flora and fauna; pilgrim centres or historic monuments; Kerala has everything you might travel far and wide to see. Just one visit and you will know why Kerala has the lovely epithets attached to it.
So come over to this land that holds promises of leaving you mesmerized and gifting you one of the best holidays you have ever had…
People & Lifestyle
Kerala, with a literacy rate of 90.86% (highest in India), is a state with a large majority of its people well-informed and well-educated. Almost all the people have had primary school education and they make it a point that their children get good schooling too. Most of the people are also fluent in English.
The traditional wear is Kerala Set Mundu or Mundum Neriyathum for women and Kasavu Mundu for men. The golden border sets a contrast to the otherwise plain white material, lending it a classic appeal. Though innovations such as a silver border or a mix of golden and other colours in the border are seen, the traditional kasavu remains the favourite.
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Kerala is forward in terms of its health and medical facilities. There are well equipped hospitals and clinics even in the rural areas. In fact, Kerala is the first Indian state to have a hospital in every village. The state has the lowest infant mortality rate and has the highest life expectancy in India.
Even in terms of infrastructure and facilities Kerala outshines the rest of the Indian States. Kerala has eight National Highways and is also well connected by a vast railway network. The international airports at Cochin and Trivandrum have direct flights to Singapore, the Maldives, Colombo and most of the countries in the Middle East. The airport at Calicut has a few international flights but has mostly domestic flights connecting various parts of India.
The traditional industrial sector of Kerala, gives employment to more than 1 million people in the state. The industries include coir, cashew, handlooms, handicrafts and bamboo. Kerala is also a fast growing IT hub of the nation. The Techno Park at Trivandrum and Info Park at Cochin, employ thousands of engineers and technicians.
Kerala enjoys a good quality of life and is largely a consumer state. The boom in the IT sector has led to massive development in the state. Cochin, the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala is slowly transforming into a big metro. Malls, shopping complexes and multi-plex theatres, finding their way into the cities are just a few indicators of the progress in the state.
Art & Culture
Kerala is the home to myriad art forms that are generally performed during temple festivals and celebrations. The colourful attires, the ethnic jewellery, the artistic make-up and the beautiful stage settings make these performances all the more special. The art forms of Kerala shed light on the rich cultural heritage of this land as well as the talent of its people.
Some of the famous art forms of Kerala, among many others are:
Kathakali
The most well known art form of Kerala, Kathakali is a Drishya Kavya (A story presented visually). It has several characters; the good and the evil, the gods and the demons. Each of these characters has specific make-up and costumes. Each character has his/her face painted in a colour that represents a trait of the character they play. Green symbolizes godliness while white represents spirituality. Red suggests violence and black implies evil. And yellow represents the combined characteristics of godliness and violence.
Mohiniyattom
A classical dance form, Mohiniyattom literally means the dance of the enchantress. A fusion of Kathakali and Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattom is a graceful dance usually performed solo. Though there are Nattuvans (Males who give training in Mohiniyattom), Mohiniyattom is generally never performed by males on stage. The costume worn is a nine yard, profusely pleated sari and a matching blouse. Traditional earrings called Kadukkan and Thoda, and necklaces called Illakathaali and Mullamottumala are also worn.
Kalaripayattu The martial art of Kerala, Kalaripayattu has two forms – Vadakkan and Thekkan. Of these, Vadakkan Kalari is more popular as it involves spell binding moves with swords of various kinds. Kalari is practiced with a variety of swords, spears, daggers and maces of different sizes and shapes. A form of self-defense, Kalaripayattu involves several postures and moves that can take years to be learnt.
Chaakyar Koothu
Performed in a special dance hall called the Koothambalam, Chaakyar Koothu is performed by people belonging to the Chaakyar community. In this art form the Chaakyar or the performer narrates a story in a humourous way. The Chaakyaar’s face is adorned by smearing soot and turmeric. He wears a huge earring called a Kundalam on one ear and betel leaves and geranium flowers on the other. He wears a girdle and bangles and his head is tied with a red cloth.
Maargamkali
Margamkali is an ancient art form of the Syrian Christians of Kerala. A dozen dancers sing and dance, around a lighted lamp ("nilavilakku") wearing the traditional white dhoti ("mundu") and blouse ("chatta"). The lamp represents Christ and the performers his disciples. Margamkali does not involve any instruments other than two small palm sized cymbals played by the person who sings the song.
Oppana Performed on the occasion of a Muslim wedding, Oppana is an art form prevalent in the districts of Kannur, Malappuram and Kozhikode in Kerala. The bride decked in all her wedding finery is seated on a Peetam (A tall chair) and her female friends and relatives dance around her, according to the rhythm of the Maapilapaattu being sung.
Ottamthullal
This performing art was created by the legendary Malayalam poet Kunjan Nambiar. The Ottamthullal artist is donned in green make-up and colourful costumes and he recites the Thullal lyrics (dance songs), while acting and dancing himself. Earlier Thullal was performed only by men but now it is practiced by women too. The lyrics of the song sung have a satirical touch which lets the artist improvise on the humour.
Theyyam
Theyyam is an altered form of the word Deyvam meaning God. The person who plays the deity in the dance is referred to as Kolam which means figure or shape in Malayalam. The striking feature about Theyyam is its multi-coloured waist dress made out of long, thinly sliced shreds of bamboo, tied on to the waist with a bright red cloth. Peacock feathers, flowers and palm leaves are also used. An elaborate head gear worn by the performers is hard to miss. So are their painted faces that give an exaggerated look to their eyes and mouth. It is classified as Thaandava, the masculine form or Laasya, the feminine form.
Kummattikali
A purely secular form of entertainment Kummattis (Kummatikali Dancers) can be seen going from house to house to perform and entertain people in return for gifts or food items during the festival of Onam. Kummatis have a heavily painted wooden mask depicting the faces of Lord Krishna, Narada, or Hunters. The dancers wear skirts woven out of plaited grass. Some cover their whole body with bunches of grass for a more bushy appearance.
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