Kerala is a southern state of India, which is known as God’s Own Country. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala. It is located on the Western Coast of India, and the coast is known as the Malabar Coast.

Kerala, Southernmost state of India is the spice hotspot of the world since ancient times. Kerala is a state which is a biodiversity hotspot in Incredible India. With all elements of nature in it, Kerala leads the country in various aspects like literacy rate, sex ratio, least population growth, and travel & tourism. Kerala is known as Keralam in Malayalam Language. Kerala has so many breathtaking destinations that anyone who wants to explore new places should visit Kerala once in his/her lifetime and add it to their bucket-list.

Facts about Kerala-God’s Own Country

Why is Ancient Kerala known as God’s Own Country?

Kerala was created by Gods as per mythology.

As per the mythological accounts, Sage Parshurama, who was the incarnation of Vishnu, the creator of the world, created Kerala with his axe. He threw the axe in the water, and the water receded to make the place of land which is the modern Kerala.

According to another mythological account, King Mahabali used to rule Kerala and even gods were jealous of the prosperity and wealth in the kingdom on those days and  eventually they succeeded in sending him away through the incarnation of Lord Vishnu called Vamana. To commemorate the memories of King Bali, Onam, the state festival of Kerala is celebrated every year with joy and zeal.

ALSO SEE  – Onam Festival in Kerala-How to Celebrate & the legend of Mahabali

Why is Modern Kerala known as God’s Own Country?

Mr. Walter Mendez is given credit to coin the name God’s Own Country for Kerala to revive the tourism sector of the state in 1989. He worked on different ideas as per the request of the Kerala Tourism Department to promote the natural beauty of Kerala across the world. He was the Creative Director of an Ad Agency, and his coined name God’s Own Country did wonders to the tourism sector of  Kerala.

Kerala’s economy is growing at a rate of 13%. God’s Own Country was the tagline of Kerala Tourism across all platforms of the country and the world. This simple tagline showed the potentialities of the state as the favorite tourist destination in India. The tag found a place in lakhs of curious travelers to see this beautiful place, which is known as God’s Own Country.

Is Kerala really God’s Own Country?

There are many aspects of Kerala due to which it can be called as God’s Own Country. Kerala will be among the few places in the world where you can enjoy beaches, backwaters, hill stations, houseboats , history, amusement parks and a rich culture and heritage  within a distance of 400 kilometres. The variety of experiences it offers make it standout among all the tourist destinations in the world.

ALSO SEE – Top 33 Best Places to Visit in Kerala

Climate of Kerala

Kerala is a tropical place that is located along the coast of the Arabian Sea on the west coast of the Indian Coastline. Out of 365 days in a year, there are 120 to 140 days with the rainy season. Most of the rainfall occurs in June, July, and August. Kerala is entrusted with the moist and tropical climate geographically and it is an all season destination. However the best time to visit Kerala is from September to March in winter when all destinations will be green after the rains.

ALSO SEE- Best time to Visit Kerala is from September to March

Flora and Fauna in Kerala

Nature has given the gift of exotic flora and fauna in abundance to Kerala. The land is blessed with fertility to produce food in abundance. If Kerala is called nature’s abode, then it will not a lie because of the vast patches of green land. There are s many wildlife sanctuaries protected by the Government to protect the wildlife of Kerala. From lakes to national parks, Kerala has luxurious natural spots for tourists to visit and to shelter thousands of endemic species of wildlife.

National Parks – Silent Valley National Park, Periyar National Park, Pambadum Shola National Park, Matthikettan Shola National Park, Eravikulam National Park

Lakes in Kerala– Vembanad lake, Asthamudi lake, Sasthamkotta Lake, Periyar lake, Poovar Lake

Spice Capital of India

Since ancient times, Kerala is world-famous for its spice gardens and known as the spice paradise of India. Kozhikode is the spice city of India. You will find the blend of authentic spices in its rich food culture. The aroma pulls you towards Kerala, like thousands of tourists every year.

European searched desperately for years to find the route to the spice capital fo India. India was famous for its spices in the European market for centuries. The spice trade was the talk of the town in those days across the world.

Spices Grown In Kerala:

• Pepper- Pepper is the native to Kerala
• Clove – Flavoring agent in Dishes
• Cardamom- Queen of Spices
• Cinnamon-Spice with Anti-oxidant Properties
• Nutmeg-Spice used in Baking
• Curry Leaves- Aromatic and Healthy Leaves
• Ginger- Extensively utilized in Dishes
• Turmeric- Medicinal Properties

Food in Kerala

Kerala presents an authentic and delicious cuisine to its visitors. Kerala has a rich menu of dishes for all sorts of visitors, from vegetarians to hardcore non-vegetarians. There are mouth-watering dishes to savor your taste buds once you enter Kerala.

• Puttu and Kadala Curry

Puttu and Kadala Curry is the authentic and traditional dish of Kerala. It is made with the shavings of coconut in a cylindrical shape of rice. It is a dish used for breakfast as a staple dish of Kerala. It is served with the Kadal Curry, which is made up of black chickpeas, which are highly nutritious. It is a delicious dish from Kerala Cuisine.

• Appam with Stew

Appam with Stew is one of the favorite dishes of Kerala. Basically, Appam is a rice pancake with a thick center and paper-thin structure on the outside. It is served with the stew, a curry type of dish made with chunks of meat. A creamy coconut curry enhances the taste of this dish by hundred times.

• Kerala Prawn Curry

You can not miss out special prawn curry of Kerala. Kerala is a coastal state, and it has sumptuous aquatic cuisine, and prawn curry made with Kerala style is one of those scrumptious dishes. All of the authentic spices grown in Kerala are used to make this particular dish.

It is a delicious dish with a high nutritive value for tourists.

Some of the other Dishes from Kerala:

• Idiyappam
• Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu
• Kerala Style Beef Fry
• Malabar Parota
• Kerala Style Fish Molee
• Banana Fritters
• Palada Payasam
• Sadhya

Beaches in Kerala

There are so many eye-enchanting beaches in Kerala. The long coastline of Kerala offers so many attractions for the tourists who arrive every year in large numbers.

• Lighthouse Beach in Kovalam

It is a perfect place for the tourists in Kovalam. Volleyball is played on this beach by enthusiastic travelers. You can do parasailing, surfing and paragliding to quench your thirst for the adrenaline rush. It is known for its vast palm-plantation views.

• Varkala Beach

Just a dip in the water of Varakal Beach is known to destroy all the impurities. The water is known as the destroyer of sins. This beach is a paradise for seafood lovers as it offers so many dishes from seafood cuisine. The food is affordable at Varkala Beach.

• Alappuzha Beach

This is also known as Allepey Beach. It is a very famous beach in Kerala. It is renowned for its getaways and one hundred fifty years old pier that stretches into the sea. Palm trees are there to relax you after a great bath. This place is the host of many festivals like the Sand Art Festival and the Alappuzha festival.

Kerala hosts lakhs of visitors every year with warmth and love. Kerala is embracing its other name as God’s Own Country in letter and spirit. Kerala Tourism Department is doing a great job of satisfying the needs of enthusiastic travelers across the seven seas.

Kerala is always a place to visit whenever you want to go into the wild or nature’s lap.

Whenever you visit Kerala, you will take memories of your life with you in God’s Own Country.

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