Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Wonders of Kerala

Popularly known as ‘God’s own country’, Kerala magnetizes visitors from worldwide. Because of its unique variety, it is also regarded as the Venice of the East. India’s third smallest state, Kerala is known for its natural beauty. Bestowed with lush green fields, trees and forests, lofty hills and shimmering lakes, canals, and rivers, serene beaches and tranquil backwaters, Kerala looks like a replica of heaven. Due to plethora of natural wonders tourists visit this enchanting state again and again. Literally, the word ‘Kerala’ means the land of coconut. If you search in the pages of ancient Indian history, you will come to know about the fact that Kerala has been derived from the word ‘Kerala putra’ means the land of Chera’s sons. Below I am providing a brief overview about the state of Kerala.

Popular Cities :

As I have already mentioned that Kerala is a land of wonder. Due to its diverse location and awesome green meadows, it offers various attractive destinations to its visitors. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala houses some elegant museums, amusement parks, Padmanabhaswamy temple and Palace. Other popular cities are Cochin, ( a harbour city that still holds the ancient Portuguese and Dutch memoirs ), Alleppey, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur, Wayanad etc. Each and every place is so charming that if you pay you visit them once surely you will plan to visit again and again.

People and Culture :

In this unique land, you will find the people too simple and down to earth. Popularly known as ‘Keralites’, they are fiercely protective about their religious custom and ancient traditional culture. They always feel proud about their culture and go upto a long extent to preserve that.

Fairs and festivals of Kerala :

Life is itself a celebration in Kerala. If you see a calendar of Kerala, you’ll explore this state as a land where festivals have no end. One of the interesting visual wonders of Keralian festivals is the fleet of caparisoned elephants, mounted by men holding white plumes swaying in the air. ‘Onam’, the biggest festival of Kerala, exemplified through the legendary boat races and the week long festivities. The ‘Christmas’, ‘Easter’, ‘Id’, ‘Maha Shiv Ratri’, ‘Thiruvonam’, ‘Vallam Kali’ are the other festivals that are taken place with lots of fanfare.

Kerala Backwaters :

One of the most popular tourist attractions, Kerala backwaters have been formed by accumulation of sea water at the beach. Usually backwaters in Kerala is a network of exquisite channels, lakes, lagoons and deltas of approximately 44 rivers emptying in the Arabian sea. If you want to enjoy backwaters here to the fullest, then take a cruise on a ‘Kettuvallam’ or house boat. A cruising in these backwaters should not be missed, because it leaves you rejuvenated fully. On the banks of these backwaters, you will find a number of good picnic spots. Amongst the Kerala backwaters the most famous are the Alappuzha backwaters, Kuttanad backwaters, Kottayam backwaters and Kollam backwaters.

Kerala Beaches :

Kerala houses some of the most finest sea beaches of India. You will find that the entire coastal area of Kerala consists of sandy beaches, rocky promontories and coconut palms. The palm-lined beaches of Kerala along with its gentle surf and heraldry blue waters, magnetise its visitors. Apart from that, delicious seafood cuisine, the smiling sun and amicable people add another enticing charm to your trip to Kerala beaches. Some of the most attractive Kerala beaches are Alappuzha (Alleppey) Beach, Bekal Beach, Kovalam Beach, Marari Beach, Varkala Beach and Somatheeram Beach.

Hill Stations of Kerala :

A long chain of lush, mid-clad hill stations, that offer the most enchanting experience of nature, are located here too. While your mind wants to be away from the clamour of the crowded cities, visit the hill stations of Kerala for a rendezvous with nature. Here you can inhale the invigorating mountain air, slacken in peace, saunter through the winding ways, marvel at the beautiful views, enjoy the profusion of flowers in bloom. The Chembra peak in Wayanad of Western ghats is the highest peak of Kerala. For those, who cherish for a thrilling experience, the Chembra peak offers them the scope of trekking there. Apart from this, Munnar, Chithirapuram, Devikulam, Idukki, Lakkidi are other famous hill stations of Kerala.

Wildlife in Kerala :

Kerala is a safe haven for numerous rare, exquisite animals, birds and marine lives, thereby providing its visitors an opportunity to see these creatures in a natural surroundings. Some of them are Elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, Tigers, Leopards, Lion-tailed macaque, Deer, Monkeys, Civet cats, Squirrels including the Malabar giant squirrel. You’ll certainly view a variety of birds including woodpeckers, malabar hornbills, kingfishers, cormorants, darters, plovers, and brahminy kites along the backwaters of Kerala. Some most popular wildlife sanctuaries of Kerala include Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary,
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park and Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wonders, Wonders and Wonders, what a country is this? I never imagined about such a place which is blessed with so many natural wonders like hills, backwaters and beaches. You have lured me to visit the destination of kerala on my own. Now see when i will be able to visit kerala.

Unknown said...

the mere pics of Kerala backwaters has bowled me over. I donno wat wil hapen wen i pay a visit 2 d place.
'Kerala why r u sooooooooooooooo beautiful?

steve said...

I think Kerala can arouse the senses of even the world-weary traveller. I hope to visit this God's Own Country soon.

Harshita said...

Kerala is a delight for visitors and there is no denying that India is not explored properly if Kerala is given a skip. Ur article is informative.