Myth has it that Kerala was created by Parasuraman (an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu) when he tossed his axe dripping with the blood of his mother, over the Western Ghats Mountain into the sea. He was asked to decapitate his mother by his father over an allegation of adultery. Parasurama chopped off his mother's head and this pleased his father so much that he granted him any wish he wanted. He promptly asked for his mother to be brought back to life and it was granted. However Parasurama felt so bad after this that he tossed his favorite weapon to the sea and renounced violence once and for all. However the sea which is depicted as a Goddess didn't want to receive the spooky axe and receded creating the land of Kerala, which is today a famous tourist destination for spending holidays.
The old church was built by King Chempakasserry on AD 1125. There is a legend associated with the establishment of this church. Once, the Chempakassery Rajah was about to start an important journey. When he entered into the cart, the horses stood stationary and many attempts failed to move them. The King had to postpone his journey. The King ordered the chief astrologer to find the reason behind his journey disruption. The astrologer found that the place where the horses stood was a battlefield. The King excavated the area and found many skeletons of many warriors. The King listened to the advice of the astrologer and he decided to establish a church and immigrated five Nasrani families namely, Mukkunkal, Chakkunkal, Palathunkal, Thekkedam and Vadakkedam and gave land and wealth these families. In addition, families like Alumkal, Thuruthumali, Perumali, Thayyil etc. also settled as a result of Christian immigration during the establishment of Kudamaloor church. Out of these families only traces of Mukkunkal and Thekkedam are around the Church of Kudamaloor and the rest all have disintegrated to various parts or have changed their family names after successive partitions, to worship . The present day Syrian Christians in this area are these immigrants.
The church is dedicated to " Mukthiamma" (Blessed Virgin Mary). There is a very beautiful oil painting on the Madbaha and is of 400 years old.[citation needed]. Unlike many Christian pictures, infant Jesus has been painted with the colour of Lord Krishna. The church used to have a pulpit built on a wooden elephant and the main beam is still decorated with elephant_fs head; these features are very characteristic of the Hindu influence. The church is very famous for the rituals during the Holy week. The special offerings such as Neenthu Nercha, Karinercha, Thamukku Nercha, Kanji Nercha etc are popular.
There are some historic churches and mosques through-out Kerala.
Kerala has one of the oldest (some say, second oldest) functioning mosques in the world.
For thousands of years Buddhism was the most influential religion in Kerala. It was only in the 11th and 12th centuries that Brahmanism took hold in the state and Buddhism waned. Christianity, believed to have been brought over by the Apostle St. Thomas, and Judaism have also existed in Kerala for around a couple thousand years and as well. A strong, distinct Muslim culture in the North of Kerala also stands out. The local language (Malayalam), the cuisine, the practice of Ayurveda (a traditional health system), the widely prevalent use of traditional clothing, all reflect this diversity.
Political activism is one thing that separates Kerala from the rest of India. Trade Unions in Kerala can put the British or French Trade Unionists to shame. If you do visit Kerala, be prepared for general strikes to come without warning, and for it to lead to a complete shutdown of all infrastructure. The state has the dubious distinction of having more strikes called than any other state in India. On the other hand, residents of Kerala love political debate...be prepared to be drawn into one at the local bus stop or on board a train.
Kerala has a sizable number of atheists due to a strong Communist movement. While Hindus constitute about three fifth of the population, Muslims and Christians account for about one fifth each. Irrespective of religion, people are religious when compared to other cultures in India and communal and sectarian tensions are very minimal.
The state has an area of 38,864 km<sup>2</sup> and is home to 33 million people. The main language spoken in the state is Malayalam. Other languages spoken, or understood, include English.
The festival is celebrated in memory of the mythical King Mahabali and his reign, during which perfect harmony and prosperity prevailed. The King Mahabali's popularity was at its height and led to the envy of the Gods. This golden age ended when Vamana, the dwarf incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, expelled him from his throne to the netherworld. On account of his virtue, Mahabali was allowed to visit his subjects once a year, during Onam.
<span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">===People=== * Most parts of Kerala are densely populated.</span> Population === === * La plupart des regions du Kerala sont densement peuplees.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">The population adheres to a variety of faiths, like the rest of India.</span> La population adhere a une variete de croyances, comme le reste de l'Inde.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">However compared to other parts of India, there is very little communal and sectarian tension.</span> Toutefois par rapport a d'autres parties de l'Inde, il ya tres peu de tensions communautaires et sectaires.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">Having said that, at any given day there could be violent flare-ups between political parties somewhere in Kerala, not unlike football hooliganism in Europe. * Kerala counts as the most educated and healthiest state in India, with a human development index comparable to some European countries and the best in India.</span> Cela dit, a un jour donne, il pourrait y avoir des poussees de violence entre les partis politiques, quelque part dans le Kerala, un peu comme le hooliganisme en Europe. * Kerala compte que les plus instruits et les plus saines d'Etat de l'Inde, avec un indice de developpement humain comparable a certains pays europeens et le meilleur de l'Inde.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">A majority of households have a family member or two that works and lives outside Kerala, especially in the Middle East or USA or in any European countries.</span> Une majorite des menages ont un membre de la famille ou deux qui travaille et vit en dehors de Kerala, en particulier au Moyen-Orient ou aux Etats-Unis ou dans tout les pays europeens.</span> <span onmouseover="_tipon(this)" onmouseout="_tipoff()"><span class="google-src-text" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left">As a result, Keralites are fairly exposed to other cultures, people and viewpoints and tend to be much more tolerant than elsewhere in India.</span> En consequence, Keralites sont assez exposees a d'autres cultures, des personnes et des points de vue et ont tendance a etre beaucoup plus tolerants que d'autres en Inde.</span>
Log on to the Indian Railways booking site [http://irctc.co.in/] to book tickets online or you can walk up to any railway station to book tickets between any two destinations in India.
Be aware that trains are the most popular method of transport and almost all trains in Kerala originate or terminate in Thiruvananthapuram or Ernakulam and are usually heavily booked. Buy your tickets as early as possible.
It is recommended that you consider booking long distance bus tickets on "Air Conditioned Volvo buses" operated by all operators as the quality of the other buses vary significantly.
'''Taxis''' are good but expensive way to get around for short distances. Do negotiate the price before you get into the taxi.
'''Buses''' are good for very short travel. Both government and private buses travel between and within cities. Buses within cities are very crowded and if you travel on them, please take care of your belongings (wallet, passport) as pickpockets are not rare.
'''Auto-rickshaws''' (also called auto) are another convenient mode of transport for very short travel - not too expensive and fast. By law the auto driver has to start a meter for every journey. However at times this law tends to be overlooked. It is wise to ask the driver, politely, to ensure he starts the meter at the start of your journey , to avoid unecessary arguments at the end of the trip. The best way not to get tricked would be to ask a helpful Samaritan how much it would cost to your destination and check it up with your driver before you get into the auto. Most of the larger railway stations and all the airports have "pre-paid" auto-rickshaw and/or taxi stands. Just tell them where you want to go and you will get a slip of paper with the destination and amount written on it. Pay only that amount of money and nothing more.
Three weeks in Kerala, see some of the highlights that Kerala has to offer: experience bustling Kochi (Cochin)and Thiruvananthapuram, relax in the Backwaters, hike in the mountains and enjoy the beaches. Starting from Kochi you can move on to Munnar and en route there are couple of good places worth a visit,if you have time. From Munnar a scenic road leads to Thekkady, or you can also make this trip via Idukki Dam, Aruvi and Wagamon. From Thekkady, KK Road will take you to Kottayam from where you can move on to the backwater haven of Kumarakom. After relaxing there, it's most ideal to go to Allapuzha for its famed inland waterways and sandy beaches. The National Highway 47 (NH47) will be your best option to go further south. You can stop at Kollam (cashew nut hub...pick them up for cheap here) en route and its better to keep Paalaruvi, Thenmala (Dam site and good for treks) both near the Tamil Nadu border while NH47 is in the coastal region. During the return trip you can also visit Thenkasi (in Tamil Nadu, famous for a big temple) and Kourtyalam. After Kollam proceed to Thiruvanathapuram. The Padmanabhapuram Temple, Kovalam beach. If time permits proceed to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Taking a taxi for the entire trip will be the most hassle-free option, though its slightly expensive. Bringing your own bicycle or renting a motorcycle for cycling the entire route is also a good choice.
One of the favourite for any connoisseur of food would be the '''sadhya''' served especially during festive occasion on a plaintain leaf. thumb|portrait|'''Onam Sadhya'''It generally has up to 24 items served in it. The snap shown is just a sample sadhya. It usually includes '''olan'''(a dish of pumpkin), '''avial'''(an assorted mix of all vegetable) , '''injipulee''' (a ginger & tamarind flavoring), '''kaalan''' (made of yam and yogurt), '''thoran''' (deep fried vegetables sprinkled with grated coconut) etc. It includes payasam, a sweet dish made of jaggery or sugar along with rice, cereals, fruits etc.
Kerala cuisine varies with the regions. The southernmost parts serve the most traditional sadya (or so they believe). Central Kerala cuisine is enriched with non-vegetarian dishes of all kinds. In Northern Kerala cuisine, you can see the influence of Arabian cuisine on the food. Sea food is available all over. In regions bordering the backwaters and lakes, traditional cuisine includes fresh-water fish like Karimeen, Prawn, Shrimps, Kanava[Squid], and many other delicacies served along with 'Kappa'[Tapioca] or rice.
The road connecting Alappuzha to Changanasery known as AC Road is a wonderful place for foodies as there are a plethora of 'Toddy Shops' which serve the fresh catch of the day from the nearby water bodies cooked deliciously along with Toddy, a type of liquor obtained from coconut/palm trees which is sour-sweet in taste. You will love the ambience, when you are sitting in a toddy shop in the middle of a water logged green field nibbling on spicy fish and sipping toddy.
You will in all probability be staying with a family whose members are well versed in English or at the least can speak decent English. All the people offering homestays are vetted by the Government and will have to register themselves as such.
Rs 322.50(~7 US$) and Rs 700(~15 US$) are magic numbers when you are looking for budget Non-AC and AC rooms respectively. Most budget hotels in Kerala will have a room in this price. You can expect basic facilities with a bed, T.V and an attached bath-room.
If you are in one of those yet to develop tourist spots like Munnar, you can find hotels only in this range.
Themed resorts also would fall in the category. Prepare to shell anywhere above Rs 2000 and you could rent out a whole cottage in an idyllic location and they do come with kitchens.
In some Hindu temples non-Hindus are not allowed enter the shrines. It is best to ask someone at the temple. Many are happy to let you in as long as the usual rules of the temple are observed. However, photography inside the temple is a strict no-no.
Also for male visitors at many places inside a temple, dress code is traditional ''mundu'' without a shirt - the no-shirt rule will be enforced even if the ''mundu'' rule is not. The best thing to do is to watch what others are doing and follow. You are also expected to take off your footwear outside the temple. Usually there are no locker facilities, cheap footwear is best.
For females any non exposed dress, preferably not shirts and trousers.
There are exceptions to these rules. For example everybody is welcome at Adhi Shankaracharya's temple. At Shabarimala any male that has performed a set of pre-defined rituals is welcome, but females are not.
At a Muslim mosque females have some restrictions.
At Christian churches usually men sit to the left of the aisle and women to the right. Some of the more traditional churches don't even have pews...you'll have to stand.
The synagogue at Kochi is not open to non-Jews on Saturdays.