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Kerala, the
land of high literacy and development, is rich in green,
fertile land; beautiful beaches with golden sand, and
magnificent backwaters. Besides these, Kerala is blessed
with a rich cultural heritage. The culture of Kerala
sprouted as a combination of Aryan and Dravidian influences.
In the later ages, the culture of Kerala was expanded by the
contact with the neighbouring regions and overseas cultures,
which also gave it more vibrancy.
The Dravidians, the ancient rulers of 'God's Own Country',
had left a great cultural legacy, whose reflections are
still very much evident in the customs |
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and
heritage of this fascinating land. Majority of the people in
Kerala are Hindus. However, there are significant
communities of Muslims and Christians.
The people of Kerala are simple, culturally inclined and
traditional, with a love for feasts and festivals. Malayalam
is the official language of Kerala. The people in Kerala are
referred to as Malayalees. However, there are many English
speaking communities in Kerala. According to the 2001
census, the state has attained a literacy rate of 90.86
percent, which is highest in the country.
The traditional costumes of Kerala are mundu and neriyathu,
for both men and women. Saree and blouse also form the
traditional costume of Kerala women. However, the men and
women can be seen in the modern costumes in great numbers,
such as jeans, trousers, T-shirts and churidar kurta for
women, and jeans, trousers and T-shirts for men.
Kerala's cuisine is an integral part of its culture. Rice
and fish are the staple food of Kerala. Due to abundance of
coconut trees, coconut is the major ingredient in the daily
meal. Seafood is very popular in Kerala. Coffee, tea and
buttermilk are the popular drinks in Kerala. The dishes like
payasam, sambar, rasam, puzhukku, puttucuddla and pulisherry
are very popular in the state.
Kerala is world-famous for its performing arts, which is an
interesting combination of music, dance, mythology and
theater. The classical dances in Kerala are Mohiniattam and
Kathakali. The traditional ritual arts in Kerala include
Mudiyettu, Theyyam and Kummattikkali. The classical music in
Kerala is based on raag-taal. It is popular for Sopanam.
Music is an integral part of the daily life in Kerala. The
traditional folk songs are sung on the social occasions such
as childbirth and marriages. There are also some devotional
songs such as Maripattu and Ayyappanpattu, which are
rendered along with playing of the string and wind
instruments. All of these colours the culture of Kerala with
rich and vibrant hues.
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Kerala is renowned for its carvings in rosewood and
sandalwood. The sandalwood items, handlooms, metal work and
woodcraft of Kerala are very popular. The state boasts its
rich style of oil paintings. The use of henna to paint the
body parts such as hands and feet gives unique identity to
the state. Kerala boasts its singular art forms of floor
paintings and drawings (Kalamezhuthu). The martial art forms
are very popular among the tourists. Kalaripayutu, Parisa
Kali, Valeru, Njaninmel Kali, Velakanni and Kunderu are the
forms of ancient martial arts, which are still practiced in
the state. The ancient medicinal system of Ayurveda also
achieved its pinnacle of growth in Kerala, and this ancient
practice is still carried out in Kerala with great
authenticity. |
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Desserts
Kerala is known as the land of festivals. The people in
Kerala are very social and the festivals are marked by the
family get-together, joy and excitement. Onam is the most
important festival in Kerala. At this time, the famous boat
races are held in the state. Some of the popular Hindu
festivals are Maha Shivratri, Navaratri, Vishu and Deepavali,
which are also celebrated across the state, and not
necessarily only by the Hindus. The Muslim communities in
the state celebrate Bakri Id, Muharram, Miladi Sheriff and
Ramadan. Kerala has significant Christian population. They
celebrate Easter and Christmas. However, the popularity of
Christmas is not confined among the Christians alone, but
has a state-wide appeal.
Malayalam literature has an ancient heritage and a modern
thrust. In the second half of the 20th century, Jnanpith
awardees like S. K. Pottekkatta, G. Sankara Kurup and M. T.
Vasudevan Nair have enriched the Malayalam literature. The
state has its own calendar known as the Malayalam calendar
that is used to plan the religious and agricultural
activities.
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Costumes
of Kerala
Kerala's people are very simple, and this innate
simplicity is reflected in their costumes. The traditional
costumes of Kerala are simple and decent. Women of Kerala
are not loaded with make-up. Mundu and neriathu are the
traditional dresses for both men and women of Kerala.
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Handicrafts of Kerala
Kerala is one of the wonderful and most crowded tourist
destinations in India. Besides its natural beauty, beaches
and backwaters, Kerala is famous for its incredible
handicrafts. The tourists to Kerala are floored with choices
for shopping, that ranges from golden bordered white silk
sari to colourful wall hangings, from decorative lamps and
coir products to beautiful gold and silver jewellery in
traditional designs.
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Dances of Kerala
Kerala has a long tradition of ritual and performing
arts. Social and religious history of Kerala greatly
contributes and perpetuates to the evolution of these arts.
Dances of Kerala are integral parts of Kerala's
socio-cultural life. They are performed on the occasion of
religious festivals and social events such as childbirth and
marriage. Read More...
Business and Economy of Kerala
The business and economy of Kerala has been showing an
encouraging growth trend, which is reflected in the overall
prosperity of the state. The per capita GDP of Kerala is
Rs.11,819, which is much higher than the national average.
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Languages of Kerala
Malayalam and English are the most commonly spoken
languages of Kerala. The official language of Kerala is
Malayalam. However, English is also widely spoken. Tamil and
different adivasi languages are also spoken by the ethnic
minorities of the state.
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Media of Kerala
Kerala is one of the highly literate states of India.
Kerala's people are friendly and cultural. They don't like
to live a secluded life. They prefer to maintain a
gregarious lifestyle. Hence, it is natural that the state
places great emphasis on the news sources. Read More...
Sports of Kerala
Both ritualized and popular sports are played in Kerala
with jest and exuberance. Some of the popular sports of
Kerala are cricket, badminton, soccer and kabaddi. Cricket
and football are very popular in the state.
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Tourism of Kerala
What is a vacation? Vacation means excitement, vacation
means enjoyment, vacation means thrill, vacation means
sightseeing, vacation means shopping, vacation means
adventure, vacation means having delicious cuisines.
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Kerala Music
In Kerala, classical music exists within every person
you will come across. People are fond of folk music in
Kerala. Infact, for every occasion there is a set of
corresponding songs. The traditional music of Kerala is very
melodious and an absolute delight to the ears.
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Religions in Kerala
Kerala has a unique amalgamation of many religions.
There is no such accurate religion of Kerala, as people of
many religions co-exist harmoniously there. However, the
major religions in Kerala in accordance to the number of
followers are Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.
Read More...
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