1.
Houseboat
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A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Some houseboats are not motorized, because they are moored, kept stationary at a fixed point. However, many are capable of operation under their own power, float house is a Canadian and American term for a house on a float, a rough house may be called a shanty boat. In Western countries, houseboats tend to be owned privately or rented out to holiday-goers. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, Amsterdam, London, in Zimbabwe, specifically on Lake Kariba, houseboats have been in use since the creation of the lake in the late 1950s/early 1960s. A houseboat makes it easy to experience the Zambezi basin and all the wildlife, as a lot of game come down to the water for drinking. There is a houseboat and fishing community on the side of Hong Kong Island known as Aberdeen floating village. There was also one such community in the Yau Ma Tei Typhoon Shelter, in India, houseboats as accommodation for tourists are common on the backwaters of Kerala, see below, and on the Dal Lake near Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Houseboats in Kerala, south India, are huge, slow-moving barges used for leisure trips and they are a reworked model of Kettuvallams, which, in earlier times, were used to carry rice and spices from Kuttanad to the Kochi port. Kerala houseboats were considered a convenient means of transportation, the popularity of Kettuvallams has returned in the function as major tourist attractions. Such a houseboat is about 60 to 70 feet long and about 15 feet wide at the middle, the hull is made of wooden planks that are held together by ropes of coconut fiber, the usual wood is Anjali. The roof is made of poles and palm leaves. The exterior of the boat is painted with coats of cashew nut oil. Unlike their counterparts in Kerala, the houseboats in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir are usually stationary and they are usually moored at the edges of the Dal Lake and Nageen lakes. Some of the houseboats there were built in the early 1900s and these houseboats are made of wood and usually have intricately carved wood paneling. The houseboats are of different sizes, some having up to three bedrooms apart from a room and kitchen. Srinagars thousand or so houseboats are moored along sections of the Dal and Nagin Lakes, like hotels, houseboats vary in degree of luxury and have been accordingly graded by the Department of Tourism. A luxury houseboat, like a hotel, has fine furniture, good carpets and modern bathroom fittings, while the D category of houseboats
2.
Vembanad
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Vembanad is the longest lake in India, and the largest lake in the state of Kerala. It is also counted as one of the largest lakes in India, spanning several districts in the state of Kerala, it is known as Punnamada Lake in Kuttanad, Kochi Lake in Kochi. Several groups of islands including Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam. Kochi Port is built around the Willingdon Island, and the Vallarpadam island, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is conducted in a portion of the lake. High levels of pollution have been noticed at certain hotspots of the Vembanad backwaters, government of India has identified the Vembanad wetland under National Wetlands Conservation Programme. The Vembanad wetland system covers an area of over 2033.02 km² thereby making it the largest wetland system in India. Of this, an area of 398.12 km² is located below the MSL, the lake is bordered by Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Ernakulam districts. It is situated at the sea level, and is separated from the Arabian Sea by a barrier island. Canals link the lake to other lakes in the north and south. The lake surrounds the islands of Pathiramanal, Perumbalam and Pallippuram, the Vembanad Lake is approximately 14 kilometres wide at its widest point. The lake is a part of Vembanad-Kol wetland system which extends from Alappuzha in the south to Azheekkode in the north, making it by far, Indias longest lake at just over 96.5 km in length. The lake is fed by 10 rivers flowing into it including the six rivers of central Kerala namely the Achenkovil, Manimala, Meenachil, Muvattupuzha, Pamba. The total area drained by the lake is 15,770 km² and its annual surface runoff of 21,900 Mm accounts for almost 30% of the total surface water resource of the state. The most popular location on the shores of the lake is the Kumarakom Tourist Village situated on the east coast of the lake, the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is located on the northern fringes of Kumarakom village. The Vembanad Wetland system was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and it is the largest of the three Ramsar Sites in the state of Kerala. Vembanad lake has been reclaimed over the course of the past century with the water spread area reducing from 290.85 km² in 1917 to 227 km² in 1971 and 213.28 km² in 1990. In the same period almost 63.62 km of water spread were reclaimed primarily for formation of polders. The lake faces a major crisis and has reduced to 37 per cent of its original area
3.
Kollam Beach
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Kollam Beach, also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach, is a beach at Kollam city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kollam Beach is the first Beach Wedding Destination in Kerala, the beach also features a park of international standard, the Mahatma Gandhi Park, which was inaugurated on 1 January 1961 by the then Vice President of India, Zakir Hussain. Kollam beach is one among the few beaches in Kerala with a lifeguard outpost, lifeguards were stationed at the beach from 2005. As of July 2015 Kovalam, Varkala and Kollam are the beaches in south Kerala with lifeguard outposts. Kollam Port is one of the oldest and most important ports for the cashew trade on the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea. As of 2010, Kollam Port was the second largest port in Kerala after Cochin Port, Kollam was once a favourite settlement of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the English in succession before Independence. The port is protected by the Tangasseri Breakwater, extending about 1.1 miles south-south east of Tangasseri Point, the exotic location and backwaters makes Kollam Beach one of Keralas most popular tourist attractions. On 22 June 2014, construction started on a marine aquarium at Kollam Beach. The Harbour Engineering Department is constructing the aquarium at the side of the beach on behalf of Kollam Municipal Corporation. The foundation stone for the project was laid in March and is expected to complete by December 2014 and it will be a single storey aquarium with 40 large tanks to hold a diverse collection of marine life and will be an added attraction for visitors to Kollam beach. The 144-foot Tangasseri lighthouse built in 1902 is a landmark at the beach. Ruins of Portuguese / Dutch forts and 18th-century churches near the port remain as a memento of the Portuguese, presidents Trophy Boat Race Kollam pooram Kovalam Paravur Thekkumbhagam Varkala
4.
Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary
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Chimmini Wildlife sanctuary is a national park located along the Western Ghats in Mukundapuram taluk of Thrissur District of Kerala state in India. Established in 1984, the sanctuary with an area of about 85.067 km2 is on the Western slopes of the Nelliyampathi Hills, the highest peak in sanctuary is Punda peak. Along with the neighboring Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary it forms a protected area of 210 km2. It also lies just west of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, providing habitat connectivity with the forests of that relatively large protected area. The sanctuary consists of the areas of Kurumali River and Mupliam rivers. Nestled in the sanctuary is Chimmony Dam which is built across the Chimmony river, the sanctuary is an important bird area with 192 recorded avian species. Five Western Ghats endemic bird species here, including the grey-headed bulbul, Indian rufous babbler. Other interesting species found here include-Ceylon frogmouth, Indian edible-nest swiftlet, Malabar trogon, Malabar whistling-thrush, a recent survey recorded the presence of the lesser fish eagle, which until recently was only known from the foothills of the Himalayas. Other significant sightings during the survey included those of the large hawk cuckoo, broad-billed roller, about half of the large mammals found in Kerala are reported from Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary, especially some of the globally threatened species such as tiger, Asian elephant and wild dog. Other red-listed species found include the Indian giant squirrel and the endemic primates-lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur. There are 39 species of mammals,160 species of birds,25 species of reptiles,14 species of amphibians, the sole tribal community within the limits of the sanctuary belongs to the “Malaya” tribe. An eco-development Committee was formed in October 2002 for the development of this community comprising 210 members belonging to 52 families residing in two adjacent to the sanctuary. The tribal based eco-tourism projects initiated by the committee are progressing quite well, the headquarters of the sanctuary is at Echippara which is 40 km away from City of Thrissur. The sanctuary also offers trekking paths for the adventure traveller, accommodation can be arranged at the Inspection Bungalow, near the Chimmony Dam. Visit Permits can be obtained from, The Wildlife Warden, Peechi Wildlife Division and it comes under the Peechi Wild Life Division
5.
Kerala
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Kerala historically known as Keralam, is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar Coast. It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions, spread over 38,863 km2, it is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west. With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 Census, Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state. The region has been a prominent spice exporter since 3000 BCE, the Chera Dynasty was the first prominent kingdom based in Kerala, though it frequently struggled against attacks by the neighbouring Cholas and Pandyas. In the 15th century, the spice trade attracted Portuguese traders to Kerala, after independence, Travancore and Cochin joined the Republic of India and Travancore-Cochin was given the status of a state in 1949. In 1956, Kerala state was formed by merging Malabar district, Travancore-Cochin, Hinduism is practised by more than half of the population, followed by Islam and Christianity. The culture is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures, developed over millennia, under influences from other parts of India, the production of pepper and natural rubber contributes significantly to the total national output. In the agricultural sector, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, the states coastline extends for 595 kilometres, and around 1.1 million people in the state are dependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3% to the states income. The state has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine languages, mainly English, Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India, with backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery as its major attractions. The name Kerala has an uncertain etymology, One popular theory derives Kerala from Kera and alam is land, thus land of coconuts, this also happens to be a nickname for the state due to abundance of coconut trees and its use by the locals. The word Kerala is first recorded in a 3rd-century BCE rock inscription left by the Maurya emperor Ashoka, the inscription refers to the local ruler as Keralaputra, or son of Chera. This contradicts the theory that Kera is from coconut tree, at that time, one of three states in the region was called Cheralam in Classical Tamil, Chera and Kera are variants of the same word. The word Cheral refers to the oldest known dynasty of Kerala kings and is derived from the Proto-Tamil-Malayalam word for lake, the earliest Sanskrit text to mention Kerala is the Aitareya Aranyaka of the Rigveda. It is also mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the two Hindu epics, the Skanda Purana mentions the ecclesiastical office of the Thachudaya Kaimal who is referred to as Manikkam Keralar, synonymous with the deity of the Koodalmanikyam temple. Keralam may stem from the Classical Tamil cherive-alam or chera alam, the Greco-Roman trade map Periplus Maris Erythraei refers to Keralaputra as Celobotra. According to Hindu mythology, the lands of Kerala were recovered from the sea by the warrior sage Parasurama. Parasurama threw his axe across the sea, and the water receded as far as it reached, according to legend, this new area of land extended from Gokarna to Kanyakumari. The land which rose from sea was filled with salt and unsuitable for habitation, so Parasurama invoked the Snake King Vasuki, out of respect, Vasuki and all snakes were appointed as protectors and guardians of the land
6.
Malabar Coast
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The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, the term Malabar Coast is also sometimes used to refer to the entire Indian coast from the western coast of Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Kanyakumari. The coast runs south of Goa to Kanyakumari on Indias southern tip. Indias southeastern coast is called the Coromandel Coast, the Malabar Coast is also sometimes used as an all-encompassing term for the entire Indian coast from Konkan to the tip of the subcontinent at Kanyakumari. It is flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and the Western Ghats on the east, the southern part of this narrow coast is referred to as the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests. The Malabar Coast, throughout recorded history from about 3000 BC, had been a trading center in commerce with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Jerusalem. Its most famous ports were Naura, Balita, Kochi, Calicut, and Mangalore, the Oddeway Torre settlement, which have served as centers of the Indian Ocean trade, for centuries. During Ming Chinas treasure voyages in the early 15th century, Admiral Zheng Hes fleet often landed at the Malabar Coast, Malabar Portuguese Empire Portuguese India Dutch Malabar Coromandel Coast
7.
India
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India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and it is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast. It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west, China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, in the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Indias Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a border with Thailand. The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE, in the following millennium, the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed. Social stratification, based on caste, emerged in the first millennium BCE, early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires, the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia. In the medieval era, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived, much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate, the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire. The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal empire, in the mid-18th century, the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule, and in the mid-19th under British crown rule. A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century, which later, under Mahatma Gandhi, was noted for nonviolent resistance, in 2015, the Indian economy was the worlds seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity. Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, a nuclear weapons state and regional power, it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks sixth in military expenditure among nations. India is a constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system. It is a pluralistic, multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats. The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu, the latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi, which translates as The people of the Indus, the geographical term Bharat, which is recognised by the Constitution of India as an official name for the country, is used by many Indian languages in its variations. Scholars believe it to be named after the Vedic tribe of Bharatas in the second millennium B. C. E and it is also traditionally associated with the rule of the legendary emperor Bharata. Gaṇarājya is the Sanskrit/Hindi term for republic dating back to the ancient times, hindustan is a Persian name for India dating back to the 3rd century B. C. E. It was introduced into India by the Mughals and widely used since then and its meaning varied, referring to a region that encompassed northern India and Pakistan or India in its entirety
8.
National Geographic Traveler
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National Geographic Traveler is a magazine published by the National Geographic Society in the United States. A UK edition launched in December 2010, keith Bellows was the editor-in-chief until October 2014. Executive editor Norie Quintos was named acting editor-in-chief before Maggie Zackowitz was appointed editor-in-chief in May 2015, longtime contributor George Stone was named editor-in-chief on January 27,2016. Other contributors include Christopher Elliott, Deena Guzder, Carl Hoffman, Boyd Matson, Official website Official National Geographic Traveller website
9.
Ecotourism
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It means responsible travel to natural areas conserving the environment and improving the well being of the local people. Since the 1980s, ecotourism has been considered a critical endeavor by environmentalists, several university programs use this description as the working definition of ecotourism. Generally, ecotourism deals with interaction with components of the natural environments. Ecotourism focuses on responsible travel, personal growth, and environmental sustainability. Ecotourism typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, Ecotourism is intended to offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats. Responsible ecotourism programs include those that minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the environment. For these reasons, ecotourism often appeals to advocates of environmental and social responsibility, the term ecotourism, like sustainable tourism, is considered by many to be an oxymoron. Like most forms of tourism, ecotourism generally depends on air transportation, additionally, the overall effect of sustainable tourism is negative, where, like ecotourism, philanthropic aspirations mask hard-nosed immediate self-interest. An ecotourist is different from a tourist in the sense that, he or she is mindful of his environment, Ecotourism is a responsible tourism which conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people. For many countries, ecotourism is not simply a marginal activity to finance protection of the environment, for example, in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nepal, Kenya, Madagascar and territories such as Antarctica, ecotourism represents a significant portion of the gross domestic product and economic activity. Ecotourism is often misinterpreted as any form of tourism that involves nature, self-proclaimed practitioners and hosts of ecotourism experiences assume it is achieved by simply creating destinations in natural areas. According to critics of this commonplace and assumptive practice, true ecotourism must, above all, sensitize people to the beauty and these critics condemn some operators as greenwashing their operations, using the labels of green and eco-friendly”, while behaving in environmentally irresponsible ways. Currently, there are moves to create national and international ecotourism accreditation programs. National ecotourism certification programs have been put in place in such as Costa Rica, Australia, Kenya, Estonia. Ecotourism is a late 20th-century neologism compounded from eco- and tourism, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, ecotour was first recorded in 1973 and ecotourism, probably after ecotour, in 1982. One source claims the terms were used earlier, claus-Dieter Hetzer, an academic and adventurer from Forum International in Berkeley, CA, supposedly coined ecotourism in 1965 and ran the first ecotours in the Yucatán during the early 1970s. The failure to acknowledge responsible, low-impact ecotourism puts legitimate ecotourism companies at a competitive disadvantage, many environmentalists have argued for a global standard of accreditation, differentiating ecotourism companies based on their level of environmental commitment, creating a standard to follow. The decisions of the board would be sanctioned by governments, so that non-compliant companies would be required to disassociate themselves from the use of the ecotourism brand
10.
Culture of Kerala
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The culture of Kerala is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures, developed and mixed for centuries, under influences from other parts of India and abroad. It is defined by its antiquity and the organic continuity sustained by the Malayali people, modern Kerala society took shape owing to migrations from different parts of India and abroad throughout Classical Antiquity. At that time, the music, dance, language, the culture of Kerala evolved through the Sanskritization of Dravidian ethos, revivalism of religious movements and reform movements against caste discrimination. Kerala showcases a unique to itself developed through accommodation, acculturation and assimilation of various faculties of civilized lifestyle. Native traditions of classical performing arts include koodiyattom, a form of Sanskrit drama or theatre, Kathakali is a 500-year-old form of dance-drama that interprets ancient epics, a popularized offshoot of kathakali is Kerala natanam. Meanwhile, koothu is a more light-hearted performance mode, akin to modern stand-up comedy, other Keralite performing arts include mohiniyaattam, which is a type of graceful choreographed dance performed by women and accompanied by musical vocalizations. Thullal, Thirayattam, padayani, and theyyam are other important Keralite performing arts. Thirayattam is one of the most outstanding Ethnic art of kerala and this vibrant ritualistic annual performing art form enacted in courtyards of Kaavukal and village shrine. Kerala also has several tribal and folk art forms, for example, Kummattikali is the famous colorful mask-dance of South Malabar, performed during the festival of Onam. The Kannyar Kali dances are fast moving, militant dances attuned to rhythmic devotional folk songs, also important are various performance genres that are Islam- or Christianity-themed. These include oppana, which is popular among Keralite Muslims and is native to Malabar. Oppana incorporates group dance accompanied by the beat of rhythmic hand clapping, margam Kali is one of the ancient round group dance of Kerala practiced by Saint Thomas Christians. However, many of these art forms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals. Thus, more contemporary forms — including those based on the use of often risqué and politically incorrect mimicry. Indeed, contemporary artists often use such modes to mock socioeconomic elites, in recent decades, Malayalam cinema, yet another mode of widely popular artistic expression, have provided a distinct and indigenous Keralite alternative to both Bollywood and Hollywood. The ragas and talas of lyrical and devotional Carnatic music — another native product of South India — dominates Keralite classical musical genres, swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, a 19th-century king of Travancore and patron and composer of music, was instrumental in popularising carnatic music in early Kerala. Additionally, Kerala has its own native music system, sopanam and it is Sopanam, for example, that provides the background music used in Kathakali. The wider traditional music of Kerala also includes melam, as style of music performed at temple-centered festivals using an instrument known as the chenda. Up to 150 musicians may comprise the ensembles staging a performance, each performance, in turn
11.
Demographics of Kerala
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Kerala is a state in south-western India. Most of Keralas 33.3 million people are of Malayali ethnicity, most of the Malayalam and English speaking Keralites derive their ancestry from Dravidian and Aryan communities that settled in Kerala and intermixed with each other and existing populations. Additional ancestries derive from several centuries of contact with non-Indian lands, whereby people of Arab, Jewish, many of these immigrants intermarried with native Malayalam speakers. A tiny amount of Muslims thus take lineage from Arab settlers mixed with local population, tulu and Kannada is spoken in most parts of the northern district of Kasaragod, adjoining Karnataka. In addition, Kerala is home to 321,000 indigenous tribal Adivasis, some 63% of tribals reside in the eastern districts of Wayanad, Palakkad, and Idukki. These groups, including the Irulars, Kurumbars, and Mudugars, cholanaikkan tribe in the Silent Valley National Park were contacted only in the 1970s and they are the most isolated tribe in the state. Kerala is home to 2. 76% of Indias people, and — at 859 persons per km², however, Keralas population growth rate is far lower than the national average. Keralas people are most densely settled in the region, leaving the eastern hills. Hinduism is followed by the majority of Keralites. Kerala is home to Hindu saints, jagatguru Sree Adi Shankaracharya, Sree Narayana Guru, Sree Chattambi Swamikal and Vaikunda Swami were the first among the saints of Kerala. The major religions followed in Kerala are Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, Kerala also had a tiny Jewish population until recently, said to date from 587 BC when they fled the occupation of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The 2001 Indian census recorded only 51 Jews in Kerala, the synagogue in Kochi is the oldest in the Commonwealth of Nations. The state has many famous Temples, Mosques, and Churches, the oldest church in India is found in Kerala, believed to be established by St. Thomas the disciple of Jesus Christ. Kerala ranks highest in India with respect to social development indices such as elimination of poverty, primary education and this central focus — unusual in India — was then maintained after Keralas post-independence inauguration as a state. As per the 2011 census, Kerala and Puducherry are the states in India with a female-to-male ratio higher than 0.99. The ratio for Kerala is 1.084 —1084 females per 1000 males — while the figure is 0.940. It is also the state in India to have sub-replacement fertility. UNICEF and the World Health Organization designated Kerala the worlds first baby-friendly state via its Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, the state is also known for Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine — this traditional expertise is currently drawing increasing numbers of medical tourists. However, drawbacks to this includes the populations steady aging — indeed,11. 2% of Keralites are age 60 or over
12.
Economy of Kerala
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Kerala has the thirteen largest economy in India. Service industry dominates the Kerala economy, Keralas per capita GDP in 2013-14 is Rs.103820. This phenomenon arises mainly from Keralas land reforms, social upliftment of entire communities, some describe Keralas economy as a democratic socialist welfare state. Some, such as Financial Express, use the term Money Order Economy, Keralas economic progress is above the national average, but relatively few major corporations and manufacturing plants are headquartered in Kerala. The Kerala Economy is therefore dependent on trade in services. In 2012, the state was the highest receiver of overall remittances to India which stood at Rs.49,965 Crore, followed by Tamil Nadu, Punjab, S. Irudaya Rajan describes the situation as Remittances from global capitalism are carrying the whole Kerala economy. With 11. 8% of the labour force unemployed in 2015, underemployment, low employability of youths, and a 13. 5% female participation rate are chronic issues. The state’s growth rate was above that of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the states debt was estimated at 29.53 per cent of GDP in 2013. States debt liability recorded an increase of 14.4 per cent and this liability as a percentage of GSDP was 31.4 per cent, which is higher than the target of 29.8 per cent fixed in the Kerala Fiscal Responsibility Act. Kerala produces 97% of national output of pepper and accounts for 85% of the area under natural rubber in the country, coconut, tea, coffee, cashew, and spices — including cardamom, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg — comprise a critical agricultural sector. A key agricultural staple is rice, with six hundred varieties grown in Keralas extensive paddy fields. Nevertheless, home gardens comprise a significant portion of the agricultural sector, related animal husbandry is also important, and is touted by proponents as a means of alleviating rural poverty and unemployment among women, the marginalised, and the landless. Feeding, milking, breeding, management, health care, the state government seeks to promote such activity via educational campaigns and the development of new cattle breeds such as Sunandini. The most essential or the crop is the rice or paddy. About 600 varieties of rice are grown in the paddy fields of Kerala. In fact the Kuttanad region of the district of Kerala is known as the bowl of the state. Next to rice is Tapioca and is cultivated mainly in the drier regions, Tapioca is a major food of the Keralites. Besides production of the crop, Kerala is also a major producer of spices that form the cash crops of the state. The important spices are cardamom, cinnamon, clove, turmeric, nutmeg
13.
Kerala Tourism Development Corporation
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The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation is a public sector undertaking that conducts and regulates the tourism activities in the Indian state of Kerala. The KTDC is headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram and has offices all the districts of Kerala. The agency also operates hotels, resorts, and tourist rest houses in key locations in the state and its official slogan is Official host to Gods own country. It is one of the most profitable ventures of the Kerala government, Kerala was a relatively unknown state among tourist circles until the early 1960s. When Travancore merged with India, Kerala Tours Limited became an entity under the Travancore royal family. For more than 20 years since Independence, Kerala trend to ignore tourism as a key industry, leaving KTL, in the 1960s, KTL struck gold, by collaborating with Thomas Cook and started popularizing Kovalam in western countries which started the advent of hippie culture in Kovalam Beach. The strong inflow of tourists into Kovalam, started Kerala government to consider tourism as a key industry, though it tried to nationalize Kerala Tours Limited, it soon fell into legal issues. This resulted in the government to think starting a new entity known as Kerala Tourism Development Corporation IN1966, started as a government department, KTDC became a separate commercial entity by the 1970s. Several premium guest houses of Kerala Government were identified and converted into hotel brands, lt. Col. G. V. Raja was also the President of Tourism Promotion Council of Kerala. He was the architect in developing Kovalam as an international tourist spot. Bolgatty Island Resort, which houses the Bolgatty Palace, a property which is the largest Dutch palace outside the Netherlands. Built in 1635 as Palace of Dutch Governor of India, this soon became British Residency for Travancore-Cochin Kingdoms, the palace is part of Bolgatty resort which has another property, branded as Island Resort, which has a nine-course golf club, horsing tracks and other facilities. Mascot Hotel Trivandrum, located in state capital Thiruvananthapuram is a property built in 1902 which used to accommodate Travancore Army officials. Lake Palace, a summer palace of the King of Travancore, is on an island in the middle of the Periyar Lake —20 minutes by boat from the mainland. KTDC has 7 resort styled hotel properties aiming for leisure travellers, all properties in the premium range are individually branded. Marina House, KTDC manages Indias first marina which includes a 24-room hotel, Marina House, located in Bolgatty Island, the facility features 34 berthing spaces of yachts and Marina Club House for travellers to unwind their journeys with facilities for embarkation and disembarkation process. Bolgatty Island Resort- Part of Bolgatty Island, the features a world class urban resort with a nine course golf course. Aranya Nivas Thekkady built within Periyar National Park is a jungle lodge
14.
God's Own Country
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The phrase has been abbreviated to Godzone or less often Godzown. The phrase was used in its more literal meaning to refer to Heaven. The phrase later found use to describe several American regions. Most known is the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, also was used by the Confederate army to describe parts of Tennessee in the 1860s. The phrase was used to describe California in the 1860s. None of these remained a used to describe a region. Goebbels ridiculed America as a land that lacked culture, education. In 1943, the Nazis published an anti-American, anti-semitic propaganda book written by Erwin Berghaus called USA - nackt, bilddokumente aus Gottes eigenem Land which also mockingly characterized the USA with the phrase. Several modern German newspapers such as Die Welt, Der Tagesspiegel and Die Zeit have also used the phrase Gottes eigenem Land to criticize American culture and society. The earliest recorded use of the phrase as applied to New Zealand was as the title of a poem about New Zealand written by Thomas Bracken. It was published in a book of his poems in 1890, Gods Own Country as a phrase was often used and popularised by New Zealands longest serving prime minister, Richard John Seddon. He last quoted it on 10 June 1906 when he sent a telegram to the Victorian premier, Thomas Bent, just leaving for Gods own country, he wrote. He never made it, dying the day on the ship Oswestry Grange. Brackens Gods Own Country is less well known internationally than God Defend New Zealand which he published in 1876. The latter poem, set to music by John Joseph Woods, was declared the national hymn in 1940. In Australia, the phrase Gods own country was used to describe the country in the early 1900s. The phrase Godzone is distinctly different and was not used in Rhodesia, kerala is a state in south-west India, known as Gods own country, and is one of the popular tourist destinations in the country. The phrase was adopted as a slogan by the department of the states government in the 1980s when it was relatively unknown
15.
Superbrands
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The Superbrands organization publishes surveys related to brands. The organization also publishes a series of brand-focused books and publications, Superbrands has offices in 55 countries. Superbrands was founded by advertising executive Marcel Knobil in London in 1994 and it began as a radio show on GLR. The Superbrand organization was founded in 1995, in each country that Superbrands operates in, it elects a Superbrands Council which selects brands and awards them the title of Superbrands. Each participating country publishes its own Superbrands book, which promotes brands in that country, other publications in the Superbrands stable include Business Superbrands, CoolBrands, Sport BrandLeaders, and eSuperbrands. In the United States, their publications are called Americas Greatest Brands
16.
Alappuzha
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Alappuzha, also known as Alleppey, is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha District of Kerala state of southern India. Alappuzha is a municipality in Kerala with a population of 174,164. In 2016, Centre for Science and Environment rated Alappuzha as the top cleanest town in India followed by Panaji & Mysuru. Alappuzha is considered to be the oldest planned city in this region, Alappuzha is situated 28 km from Changanssery,46 km from Kottayam and 53 from Kochi and 155 kilometres north of Trivandrum. A town with picturesque canals, backwaters, beaches, and lagoons, hence, it is known as the Venetian Capital of Kerala. Malayalam is the most spoken language, hindi, English and Tamil are also spoken in the town. Alappuzha is an important tourist destination in India, the Backwaters of Alappuzha are the most popular tourist attraction in Kerala. A houseboat cruise in these backwaters can be booked and it connects Kumarakom and Cochin to the North and Quilon to the South. Alappuzha is the point for the annual Nehru Trophy Boat Race, held on the Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha. This is the most competitive and popular of the races in India. The mullackal chirap is also one of the attractions of Allapuzha which is the season held for ten days every year in December. Communist Party members were killed by the army of the diwan,200 people at Punnapra on 24 October, the total loss of life is allegedly estimated to be more than a thousand. Coir is the most important commodity manufactured in Alappuzha, the Coir Board was established by the Central Government under the provisions of the Coir Industry Act,1955. A Central Coir Research Institute is located at Kalavoor, the name Ᾱlappuzha is a toponym. ‘Ᾱlam’ means ‘water’ and ‘puzha’ means ‘watercourse’ or ‘river’, according to Dr. Herman Gundert’s dictionary, the name refers to the network of waterways and backwaters that Alappuzha and surrounding areas are famous for. Puzhai in Tamil means gateway or window. This might have been the meaning in ancient Malayalam too. The present Alappuzha district comprises six taluks, namely Cherthala, Ambalappuzha, Kuttanad, Karthikappally, Chengannur, the area of the district is 1414sq. km. The district headquarters is located at Alappuzha, in the early first decade of the 20th century the Viceroy of the Indian Empire, Lord Curzon made a visit in the State to Alleppey, now Alappuzha
17.
Kollam
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Kollam or Quilon, formerly Desinganadu, is an old seaport and city on the Laccadive Sea coast of Kerala, India. The city is on the banks Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam has had a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was mentioned by Ibn Battuta in the 14th century as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four year travels, desinganadus rajas exchanged embassies with Chinese rulers while there was a flourishing Chinese settlement at Kollam. In the 9th Century, on his way to Canton, China, Marco Polo, the great Venetian traveller, who was in Chinese service under Kublai Khan in 1275, visited Kollam and other towns on the west coast, in his capacity as a Chinese mandarin. V. Nagam Aiya in his Travancore State Manual records that in 822 AD two East Syrian bishops Mar Sabor and Mar Proth, settled in Quilon with their followers. Two years later the Malabar Era began and Quilon became the city of the Malabar region ahead of Travancore. Kollam is a city on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake that took the title Gods Own Country without much demur. The braids of Ashtamudi Lake lie about 71 kilometres north of the state capital, the city hosts the administrative offices of Kollam district and is a prominent trading city for the state. The proportion of females to males in Kollam city is second highest among the 500 most populous cities in India, Kollam is the least polluted city in India. Four major trading centers/towns around Kollam are Kottarakara, Punalur, Paravur, There was also internal trade through the Punalur Pass connecting the ancient town to Tamil Nadu. The rail links later established to Tamil Nadu supported still stronger trade links, the factories processing marine exports and the processing and packaging of cashewnuts extended its trade across the globe. Kollam is the fourth most populous city in Kerala and the fifth largest in incorporated area and it is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. Ashtamudi Lake is considered the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination at Kollam. The Kollam urban area includes towns such as Paravur in the south, Kundara in the east. Other important towns in the city suburbs are Eravipuram, Kottiyam, Kannanallur, Kollam appeared as Palombe in Mandevilles Travels, where he claimed it contained a Fountain of Youth. During the later stages of the rule of the Chera monarchy in Kerala, Kollam emerged as the point of trade. Kollam continues to be a business and commercial centre in the Southern Kerala. In 825 CE, the Malayalam calendar, or Kollavarsham, was created in Kollam at meetings held in the city, the present Malayalam calendar is said to have begun with the re-founding of the town, which was rebuilt after its destruction by a fire
18.
Beaches in Kerala
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Beaches in the Indian state of Kerala are spread along the 550-km Arabian Sea coastline. Kerala is an Indian state occupying the south-west corner of the subcontinent, the topography of the coastline is distinctive and changes abruptly as one proceeds from north to south. In the northern parts of Kerala, in such as Bekal, Thalassery and Kannur. The highlands are dotted with forts built by the colonial powers – the Portuguese, the Dutch, the view of the surrounding area is exquisite. From Kozhikode, once the hub of the Malabar coast, the changes to flat lands with rocky outcroppings jutting out. One feature is all through – the coconut tree in large numbers. Dense groves of trees line the coast and extend to the interiors. The long coastline of Kerala is inextricably entwined with the culture, life, memories of early seafarers and traders have faded, but boats of various types and styles have survived. Keralas beaches, or Kovalam to be specific, were rediscovered by back-packers and tan-seekers in the sixties. Hordes of hippies followed in the seventies and that started the transformation of the casual fishing village into a busy tourist destination. In 2002, there were 66 hotels in Kovalam, and that too in a place that is just 16 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. From a measly 29,000 overseas tourists visiting Kerala in 1979, the rose to 225,000 in 2000. Foreign tourist arrivals in Kerala in 2006 was 428,534, domestic tourist arrivals were 6,271,724, an increase of 5. 47% over the previous year. The ABC of Kerala tourism is ayurveda, beaches, canals, beaches were amongst the favourite destination of foreign tourists. Lying between north latitudes 8°18 and 12°48, Kerala is well within the humid equatorial tropics. The mean annual temperatures range from 25. 0–27.5 °C in the coastal lowlands, with 120–140 rainy days per year, Kerala is influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the southwest summer monsoon. Tsunami waves diffracted around the Indian peninsula, hitting Kerala on the west coast on the afternoon of 26 December 2004, the death toll in Kerala was 170 against 7,923 in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. However, there was all around
19.
Kovalam
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Kovalam is a beach town by the Arabian Sea in Thiruvananthapuram city, Kerala, India, located around 16 km south of the city center. Kovalam means a grove of trees and true to its name the village offers an endless sight of coconut trees. Kovalam first received attention when the Regent Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore constructed her beach resort, Halcyon Castle, thereafter the place was brought to the public eye by her nephew the Maharaja of Travancore. The European guests of the then Travancore kingdom discovered the potentiality of Kovalam beach as a tourist destination in the 1930s, however, Kovalam shot into limelight in the early seventies with arrivals of the masses of hippies on their way to Ceylon in the Hippie Trail. This exodus started the transformation of a fishing village of Kerala into one of the most important tourist destinations in all India. Kovalam has three separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach. The lighthouse is built using stones, is colored in red and white bands and its intermittent beams at night render the beach with an unearthly charm. Hawah Beach Eve’s Beach, more known as Hawa Beach, ranks second. With a high rock promontory and a bay of blue waters. Samudra Beach A large promontory separates this part from the southern side, Samudra Beach doesnt have tourists thronging there or hectic business. The local fishermen ply their trade on this part, detour past Kovalam junction to land on Samudra Beach which is to the north of Ashoka Beach. One has the option to walk along the sea-wall too. The sight of the waves lashing on the rocks below is awesome, shallow waters stretching for hundreds of metres are ideal for swimming. The beaches have steep palm covered headlands and are lined with shops that all kinds of goods. The larger of the beaches is called Lighthouse Beach for its 35 metre high light house which towers over it atop Kurumkal hillock, the second largest one is Hawah Beach named thus for the topless European women who used to throng there. It was the first topless beach in India, however topless bathing is banned now except in private coves owned by resorts. The northern part of the beach is known as Samudra Beach in tourism parlance, a large promontory separates this part from the southern side. Samudra Beach doesnt have tourists thronging there or hectic business, the local fishermen ply their trade on this part. The sands on the beaches in Kovalam are partially black in colour due to the presence of ilmenite and Monazite, the normal tourist season is from September to May
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Varkala
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Varkala is a coastal town and municipality in Thiruvananthapuram district situated in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the town of Thiruvananthapuram. It is located 50 kilometres north-west of Thiruvananthapuram and 37 km south-west of Kollam, Varkala is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs, in 2015, Ministry of Mines, Government of India and Geological Survey of India have declared Varkala Cliff as a geo-heritage site. Varkala is also famous for the 2, 000-year-old Janardana Swami Temple which is an important Vaishnavaite shrine in India and is referred to as Dakshin Kashi. The temple is located close to the Papanasam beach, which is considered to have holy waters which wash away sins, the temple has an ancient bell removed from a shipwreck, donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel which sank near Varkala without causing any casualties. Another major landmark in Varkala is the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, the hill-top mausoleum of Sree Narayana Guru is one of the most famous monuments in Kerala. It is believed that a Pandyan King was instructed by Lord Brahma to build a temple at this place to redeem him of his sins. But several other myths abound on the birth of Varkala, narada told the pilgrims to pray for their redemption at Papanasam, which literally means redemption from sins. Varkala is located at 8. 73°N76. 71°E /8.73,76.71, Warkalli formation along with Quilon formation represents sediments laid down in the Kerala basin that existed during the Mio-pliocene times. Thin seams of lignite in the shales of the Warkalli formation suggests good vegetation at the time of deposition of the clayey sediments, Varkala assembly constituency is part of Attingal, and current MP is Mr. Sampath. Current MLA of Varkala Municipality is Mr. Joy V. Varkala is a well-known tourist destination, the town has an average-rated water supply system, fire station, several post offices and a police station. The town has government-run medical facilities in addition to over 10 private hospitals, a government-run nature cure hospital is also near the Papanasam cliff. The District Ayurvedic Hospital is located in Varkala, Varkala is an important hub for neighbouring places Attingal, Kadakkavur, Chirayinkeezhu, Kallambalam, Paravur and Kilimanoor. In 2001, Varkala had a population of 42,273, males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Varkala has an literacy rate of 88%, with 92% of males. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age, according to the 2011 Census of India, The Varkala Municipality has population of 40,048 of which 18,312 are males while 21,736 are females. Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 4479 which is 11. 18% of total population of Varkala, in Varkala Municipality, Female Sex Ratio is of 1187 against state average of 1084
21.
Ashtamudi Lake
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Ashtamudi Lake, in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala, is the most visited backwater and lake in the state. It possesses a unique ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body. Ashtamudi means eight coned in the local Malayalam language, the name is indicative of the lakes topography with its multiple branches. The lake is called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat. Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation, along both banks of the lake and its backwater canals, coconut groves and palm trees interspersed with towns and villages are seen. Kollam, is an important historic city located on the right bank of the lake. Boat cruises are operated by the Kollam Boat Club from Kollam to Alappuzha providing transport access to other towns. Luxury houseboats also operate on the lake, the boat journey is an 8-hour trip, winds through lakes, canals and water bound villages, and gives complete exposure to the beauty of the backwaters of Ashtamudi Lake. Chinese fishing nets, called cheena vala in Malayalam, are used by local fisherman and are a common sight along the waterway, the lake is the source of livelihood for people living close by from fishing, coconut husk retting for coir production and inland navigation services. In 2014, Clam Governing Council of Ashtamudi lake became the first Marine Stewardship Council certified fishery in India for their sustainable clam fishing, the lake and the life on its shores have inspired many artists and writers. It has been the subject of poems by the renowned poet Thirunalloor Karunakaran who was born. Quilon or Kollam and inevitably the Ashtamudi lakes importance is claimed to be dated to the days of the Phoenicians, ibn Batuta, during his 24-year sojourn in the 14th century, is reported to have mentioned about the Quilon port as one of the five ports for Chinese trade. Links with Persia, Chinese mandarin in 1275 AD, Portuguese in 1502 AD, velu Thampi is credited with organizing the rebellion against the British from this place. National Highway 47 passes through the lake not only from Quilon. Southern Railways network of metre gauge and broad gauge lines connects with Quilon, the metre gauge train journey from Quilon to Chennai via Madurai is stated to offer a picturesque journey. Ferry services operate daily to Alleppey and boats operate to all villages located in the canals of the backwater system, the boat jetty is located at about 3 km away from the railway station. Famous Paravur estuary and backwaters are just 21 kilometer away from Ashtamudi, Kallada River is a major river discharging into the Ashtamudi Lake. The Kallada river, which originates near Ponmudi from the Kulathupuzha hills Western Ghats is formed by the confluence of three rivers, viz, with a maximum depth of 21 ft at the confluence, it is Kerala’s deepest estuary
22.
Munnar
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Munnar is a town and hill station located in the Idukki district of the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. Munnar is situated at around 1,600 metres above sea level. The name Munnar is believed to mean three rivers, referring to its location at the confluence of the Mudhirapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundaly rivers, geographic coordinates of Munnar is 10°05′21″N 77°03′35″E. Munnar town is situated on the Kannan Devan Hills village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district covering an area of nearly 557 square kilometres, Munnar is well connected by both National highways, state highways and rural roads. The town lies in the Kochi - Dhanushkodi National highway, about 130 km from Cochin,31 km from Adimali,85 km from Udumalpettu in Tamil Nadu and 60 km from Neriyamangalam. Distance from major cities from Kochi - Ernakulam -150 km The nearest major stations are at Ernakulam. The Nearest Functioning Railway station is at Udumalaipettai, the nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, which is 110 kilometres away. The Coimbatore and Madurai airports is 165 km from Munnar, the panchayath of Munnar formed in 1961 January 24 is divided into 21 wards for administrative convenience. Coimbatore district lies in the north, Pallivasal in south, Devikulam and Marayoor in east and Mankulam, most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. There has been action to address the problems of property takeovers by the mafia that have, according to successive governments. In 2011, the government estimated that 20,000 hectares of land had been illegally appropriated, the temperature ranges between 5 °C and 25 °C in winter and 15 °C and 25 °C in summer. Temperatures as low as −4 °C have been recorded in the Sevenmallay region of Munnar, köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies it as subtropical highland. Bisonvalley Kolukkumalai Kunchithanny Marayur Mattupetty Dam Munnar Tea Museum Pallivasal Rajakkad Munnar travel guide from Wikivoyage Kerala Tourism
23.
Wayanad district
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Wayanad District is a district in the north-east of Kerala state, India with headquarters at the town of Kalpetta. The district was formed on 1 November 1980 as the 12th district in Kerala by carving out areas from Kozhikode, the district is 3. 79% urbanised, with three municipal towns Kalpetta, Mananthavady and Sulthan Bathery. Wayanad has seen a recent tourism boom and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations of Kerala and it is the only district in Kerala that shares its borders with both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states. For this reason, it is visited by tourists from these states. The only Earth Dam in India is Banasura Sagar Dam and the pine forest of Kerala is Chandanathode. Pulpally in Wayanad boasts of the only Luv Kush Temple in Kerala, the edicts and caves of Ambukuthimala and other evidences state that the place is as old as the beginning of the New Age Civilisation. The district also houses the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary with four ranges namely Sulthan Bathery, Muthanga, Kurichiat, Wayanad is also surrounded by the legendary wildlife sanctuaries of Bandipur, Muthanga and Nagarhole. Wayanad also has the largest population of Asian elephants in the world, Wayanad district is in the southern tip of the Deccan Plateau. Part of the Western Ghats is in the district, in the centre of the district hills are lower in height while the northern area has high hills. The eastern area is flat and open, the region was known as Mayakshetra in the earliest records. Mayakshetra evolved into Mayanad and finally to Wayanad, the Folk etymology of the word says it is a combination of Vayal and Naad, making it The Land of Paddy Fields. There are many indigenous tribals in this area and it is set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 m. According to archaeological evidence, the Wayanad forests have been inhabited for more than 3,000 years, historians are of the view that human settlement existed in these parts for at least ten centuries before Christ. Much evidence of New Stone Age civilisation can be seen in the hills throughout the present day Wayanad district, the Edakkal Caves have 6000 year old rock engravings from the Neolithic age. Recorded history of this district is available from the 18th century, in ancient times, this land was ruled by the Rajas of the Veda tribe. The Kutumbiyas, The two caves of Ampukuthimala in Sulthan Bathery, with pictures on their walls and pictorial writings, speak volumes of a bygone civilisation. As per Hultzch, an epigraphist from the department of epigraphy, Madras, it speaks of the descendant of Kutumbiya clan, Kannada chieftain, Vishnu Varma. The Gangas, The recorded history of this exists only from the 10th century onward
24.
Nelliampathi
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Nelliyampathy is a hill station 60 kilometres from Palakkad, state of Kerala, India. Nelliampathy is surrounded by tea and coffee plantations, the village has its own gram panchayat and forms a part of the Chittur taluk. Pothundi Dam, which was constructed in the 19th century, is the entrance to Nelliyampathy, a viewpoint called Seethargund is situated 8 km away from Nelliyampathy. Seethargund, according to beliefs is the place where Lord Rama, Laxmana, another attraction of Nelliyampathy is Kesavam para viewpoint. The film Mrigaya starring Mammootty was shot here, as of 2001 India census, Nelliyampathy had a population of 8,718 with 4,358 males and 4.360 females. Pothundi Dam Silent Valley model eco-tourism proposed to save Nelliampathy Hills Nelliampathy travel guide from Wikivoyage
25.
Vagamon
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Vagamon or Wagamon is a hill station located in Kottayam-Idukki border of Idukki district of Kerala, India. Few area is located in Kottayam district also and it has a cool climate, with the temperature between 10 and 23 °C during a summer midday. It is situated 1,100 metres above sea level, Vagamon was discovered by the British who found the place ideal for tea plantations and they were followed by Christian missionaries who built their abode of service at Kurisumala in Vagamon. National Geographic Traveler has listed Vagamon on their directory of the 50 most attractive places to visit in India, the landscape is mostly hilly bald with green meadows. Vagamon is also home to a variety of flowers and orchids. Vagamon has amenities for trekking, paragliding, mountaineering and rock climbing, however business interests are trying their best to exploit and sell and market Vagamon for tourists. How much benefit the people are receiving from tourism boom is to be seen. The efforts made by the Kurishumala Ashram have helped the farmers of vagamon to improve their earnings by ensuring better price for milk, Vagamon is at the fringe of the Western Ghats and the foot hills on its lower side reach up to Teekoy with a gradual descent. Travelling by the highway in this section is an exhilarating experience with deep valleys. Vagamon presents very spectacular views with an ethereal touch, vagamons charm is worth experiencing and is indeed one of the must see places for tourists. Reaching Vagamon itself is an extraordinary experience, the meandering road to Vagamon is cut in solid rock lined with pine forests. And as you wind your way through green capped hills, the rolling plains come into view thousands of feet below you, the road to vagamon from Erattupetta opened an easily accessible and direct route to vagamon from the plains. This road which was constructed in the 1950s was a marvel and is rated a state highway. The road was made in treacherous and dizzying terrain under the initiative, the Vagamon Airport or Mahatma Gandhi airport is a airport near Vagamon. It is built on 18 acres of land and it can fit only Megajets Turboprop or Turbo engine. Airlines that come to this airport are Air Royal, Air India Regional etc, main destination is Manianchira Fort International airport in Edamattom Palai city. D. C. Books, Kottayam has set up a management college in Pullikkanam near Vagamon, one of the leading management colleges in Kerala. Vagamon is located 15 km from kottamala 39 km from Thodupuzha,23 km from Erattupetta,33 km away from Palai,45 km from Kumily,22 km from Kuttikanam and about 65 km from Kottayam
26.
Ponmudi
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Ponmudi is a hill station in the Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala in India. It is located 55.2 km north-east of Trivandrum City at an altitude of 1100 m and it is a part of the Western Ghats mountain range that runs parallel to the Arabian Sea. Ponmudi is connected to Trivandrum by a winding road offering scenic views on the way to Ponmudi. Ponmudi serves as a base for trekking and hiking, there are also tea gardens in the area. There are 22 hairpin turns along this route which makes the travel a definitely thrilling experience. Other attractions near Ponmudi include Golden Valley and a number of rivulets and rapids, the lush forest area has tropical vegetation. A variety of wildlife inhabit the hills, the Golden Valley offers vistas of the hills and access to the Kallar River. Flowing though an area, it has rounded pebbles, cool water, fish. Some notable tourist attractions located in Ponmudi are Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Echo Point, mist-laden valleys, especially Golden Valley near Kallar River, also draw tourists. Travelers can find a park and wood and stone cottages coloured in bright hues while visiting here. Located about 1.5 km from the hill station, is the Ponmudi Falls. Around 3 km from the Ponmudi Resort, is the popular Deer Park, the Meenmutty Falls, another popular attraction of the region, is about 3 km from the Kallar Main Road. Another main attraction in the region is Agasthyarkoodam, one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats and this peak is famous for its wilderness, and can be accessed only with the Forest Departments permission. Ponmudi is having an importance of biodiversity, which plays a major role in maintaining the ecological balance of the area. Ponmudi is host to 283 species of birds, many of which are endangered and threatened, birds endemic to this region include the painted bush quail, the Malabar grey hornbill, the Wayanad laughing thrush, the broad-tailed grass bird and the Nilgiri pipit. The grasslands of Ponmudi are the grounds of the broad-tailed grass bird. Fifty-nine per cent of the 483 bird species in Kerala are found at Ponmudi, of the 16 species of birds endemic to the Western Ghats,15 are at Ponmudi. Of the 332 species of butterflies in the Western Ghats,195 are found here, of the 37 butterfly species endemic to the Ghats,24 are found at Ponmudi. The spot puffin, a butterfly, has been sighted at the Kulachikarai-Panayam-Merchiston area where ISROs land comes
27.
Thekkady
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Thekkady is the location of the Periyar National Park, which is an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India. Thekkady is located about 257 km from Trivandrum,114 km from Madurai City, Thekkady is located near to Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. The sanctuary is famous for its evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed macaques, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across 777 km2, of which 360 km2 is thick evergreen forest. The wildlife sanctuary was declared a reserve in 1978. The splendid artificial lake formed by the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park, the greatest attractions of Periyar are the herds of wild elephants, deer and bison that come down to drink in the lake. The sanctuary can be accessed through a trekking, boating or jeep safari, Thekkady is considered as a heaven for natural spices such as black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, nutmace, ginger, and clove. This place consists of spices and coffee plantations and it is about 5 km from Thekkady. This is located about 15 km from Kumily en route to the Theni district of Tamil Nadu and this place has a lot of picturesque waterfalls and cascades. Located at about 13 km from Kumily on the Kumily-Munnar road, a new airport is proposed at Anakkara and is under review by the Airports Authority of India. It is situated about 15 km from Thekkady at an altitude of 1337 m above sea level and it is surrounded by lush greenery and is closed throughout the year except during the Chitra Pournami festival. At other times tourists can visit it by getting a special letter from the forest ranger. The view from the premises is spectacular and one can see part of Eastern Ghats. Official website The Hindu Report on Thekkady Boat Accident Thekkady Bamboo Rafting Images Kerala Hill Stations
28.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve
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The wildlife sanctuary, which had an area of 285 square kilometres was established in 1973. It is in the Sungam range of hills between the Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as part of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve on February 19,2010. Including the buffer zone, the reserve has a span of 643.66 km2. The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, is under consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for selection as a World Heritage Site. The sanctuary is the home of four different tribes of indigenous peoples including the Kadar, Malasar, Muduvar, Parambikulam Tiger Reserve implements the Participatory Forest Management Scheme. People from tribal colonies inside the reserve are engaged as guides for treks and safaris, the tiger reserve hosts many capacity building training programmes conducted by Parambikulam Tiger Conservation Foundation in association with various organisations. The sanctuary is located between Longitude, 76° 35’- 76° 50’ E, and Latitude, 10° 20’ – 10° 26’ N and it is 135 kilometres from Palakkad town and adjacent to the Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary to the east in Tamil Nadu. It is bordered to the north by Nemmara Forest Division, to the south by Vazhachal Forest Division, the sanctuary has a hornblende, biotite, gneiss and charnockite geology. Altitude ranges between 300 m and 1438 m, There is a 600 m elevation opening through the Nelliampathy hills from Anamalai hills on the northern boundary of the sanctuary at Thoothampara. Major peaks in the sanctuary are Karimala in the boundary of the sanctuary, Pandaravarai in the north, Kuchimudi, Vengoli Malai in the eastern boundary. The sanctuary has three reservoirs, Parambikulam, Thunacadavu and Peruvaripallam, with a combined area of 20.66 km2. The Thuvaiar water falls empty into one of the reservoirs, There are 7 major valleys and 3 major rivers, the Parambikulam, the Sholayar and the Thekkedy. The Karappara river and Kuriarkutty river also drain the area, ecotourism activities at the tiger reserve are held at the buffer zones of the tiger reserve, avoiding the core areas. Parambikulam provides visitors with a number of opportunities for nature education, experienced forest guides accompanies one during trekking, for which the visitors can contact the information centre. There are also opportunities for bamboo rafting that are powered by oarsmen, the reservoirs are sources of drinking water, and power boating are not encouraged. While the local inhabitants are allowed to boat and fish on the lake, the Kannimara Thekku Teak Tree, which is said to be Asias largest, is located at Thoonakkadavu. A variety of accommodation, such as houses and accommodations inside islands are available. The details are available at the official website of the reserve
29.
Eravikulam National Park
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Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km2 national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05N – 10º20N latitude and 77º0E – 77º10E longitude. See, map. It is the first national park in kerala, Eravikulam National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main body of the consists of a high rolling hill plateau with a base elevation of about 2,000 m. The terrain consists of high altitude grasslands interspersed with sholas, Anamudi,2,695 meters, the highest peak in India south of the Himalayas is inside this park. Many perennial streams criss-cross the park and they merge to form tributaries of the Periyar river in the west and of the Cauvery River in the east. Lakkom Water falls is in this region, twenty six species of mammals have been recorded in the park including the largest surviving population of Nilgiri tahr, estimated at about 750 individuals. The other ungulates are gaur, Indian muntjac and sambar deer, golden jackal, jungle cat, wild dog, dhole, leopard and tiger are the main predators. Some little-known animals such as Nilgiri langur, stripe-necked mongoose, Indian porcupine, Nilgiri marten, small clawed otter, ruddy mongoose, endemic butterflies confined to the shola-grass land ecosystem like the red disk bushbrown and Palni four wing are among the 101 species in the park. 19 species of amphibians have been recorded in the park, a new bright reddish-orange-coloured frog with multiple glands and extremely short limbs has been discovered in the Eravikulam National Park. The newly discovered species is restricted to less than three km2 on the peak of Anamudi and deserves immediate conservation priority, scientists S. D, biju of Delhi University and Franky Bossuyt of the Free University of Brussels said in Current Science. The frog has been assigned the name Raorchestes resplendens, additional distinguishing characteristics include the colour of the iris, and extremely short legs. Three major types of plant communities are found in the Park – grasslands, shrublands, the terrain above 2000m is covered primarily by grasslands. However, there are small patches of forests in hollows. The deeper valleys are extensively forested, shrublands predominate along the bases of the cliffs and interspersed in rocky slab areas. The antibacterial Eupatorium glandulosum is found here, prior to 1971, the area was managed as a game preserve by the Kanan Devan Hills Produce Company. The government of Kerala resumed control in 1971, and declared the Eravikulam-Rajamala Wildlife Sanctuary in 1975 to protect the habitat of the endangered Nilgiri tahr and it became a National Park in 1978. List of birds of South India Anamudi Munnar
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Kerala backwaters
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The Kerala backwaters are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast of Kerala state in southern India. The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range. The Kerala Backwaters are a network of interconnected canals, rivers, lakes and inlets, a system formed by more than 900 km of waterways. In the midst of this there are a number of towns and cities. National Waterway 3 from Kollam to Kottapuram, covers a distance of 205 km, the important rivers from north to south are the Valapattanam river, Chaliar, Kadalundipuzha, Bharathapuzha, Chalakudy river, Periyar, Pamba, Achancoil and Kalladayar. Other than these, there are 35 more small rivers and rivulets flowing down from the Ghats, most of these rivers are navigable up to the midland region, in country crafts. Vembanad is the largest of the lakes, covering an area of 2033 km², the lake has a large network of canals that meander through the region of Kuttanad. The backwaters have an ecosystem, freshwater from the rivers meets the seawater from the Arabian Sea. A barrage has been built near Thanneermukkom, so water from the sea is prevented from entering the deep inside. Such fresh water is used for irrigation purposes. Palm trees, pandanus shrubs, various plants and bushes grow alongside the backwaters. The kettuvallams in the backwaters are one of the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala, more than 2000 kettuvallams ply the backwaters. The Kerala government has classified the tourist houseboats as platinum, gold, the kettuvallams were traditionally used as grain barges, to transport the rice harvested in the fertile fields alongside the backwaters. Thatched roof covers over wooden hulls,100 feet in length, at some point in time the boats were used as living quarters by the royalty. Converted to accommodate tourists, the houseboats have become floating cottages having an area, with western-style toilets, a dining area. Most tourists spend the night on a houseboat, Food is cooked on board by the accompanying staff – mostly having a flavour of Kerala. The houseboats are of various patterns and can be hired as per the size of the family or visiting group
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
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Padmanabhapuram Palace is a Travancore -era palace located in Padmanabhapuram, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. It is owned and maintained by the Government Of Kerala, Padmanabhapuram is the former capital city of the erstwhile Hindu Kingdom of Travancore. It is around 20km from Nagercoil, and 50km from Thiruvananthapuram city, the palace is complex inside with an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, the palace was constructed around 1601 AD by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. It is believed that the Thai Kottaram was built in 1550, the founder of modern Travancore, King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma who ruled Travancore from 1729 to 1758, rebuilt the palace in around 1750. King Marthaanda Varma dedicated the kingdom to his family deity Sree Padmanabha, hence the name Padmanabhapuram or City of Lord Padmanabha. In the late 18th century, precisely in 1795 the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Thiruvananthapuram, the Palace though surrounded entirely by the State of Tamil Nadu is still part of Kerala and the land and Palace belongs to the Government of Kerala. This Palace is maintained by the Govt. of Kerala Archaeology Department and it has windows, with coloured mica, which keep the heat and the dust away, and the interior of the council chamber remains cool and dark. Delicate and beautiful work can be seen all over the council chamber. The floor is also beautifully done, with a fine and perfect finish, the floor is dark and is made of a mixture of varied substances, including burnt coconut shells, egg white and so on. The remarkable aspect is that this particular floor finish and texture could not be duplicated in any other construction, mother’s palace, designed in traditional Kerala style, is the oldest construction in the entire palace complex and is believed to be constructed around mid-16th century. True to the traditional Kerala style, there is an inner courtyard, in the inner courtyard, sloping roofs from all four sided taper down. Four pillars on four corners support the roof, on the south-west corner of the mother’s palace, there is a relatively small room, called the chamber of solitude or ekantha mandapam. The chamber of solitude has very beautiful and intricate carvings of every description all around. Of particular interest is a pillar of single jackfruit wood, with very detailed and this is a relatively new building, constructed at the behest of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, who reigned in Travancore from 1829 to 1846. He was a connoisseur of arts, especially music and dance. He himself composed music and has left a legacy to classical carnatic music. The Nataksala or the hall of performance has solid granite pillars, there is a wooden enclosure, with peepholes, where the women of the royal household used to sit and watch the performance
32.
Hill Palace, Tripunithura
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Hill Palace is the largest archaeological museum in Kerala, located at Tripunithura, Kochi, near Karingachira area. It was the Imperial Administrative offices and official residence of Cochin Maharaja, built in 1865, the Palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, spreading across in 54 acres. The complex has a museum, a heritage museum, a deer park, a pre-historic park. The campus of the museum is home to rare species of medicinal plants. Presently the palace has been converted into a museum by The Kerala State Archaeology Department and is open to all days except Mondays from 9,00 am to 12,30 pm and 2,00 pm to 5,00 pm. The palace is about 12 km from Ernakulam mainland and approachable by road, the Centre for Heritage Studies, an autonomous research and training institute set up by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala also functions at the site. CHS is designated as the Manuscript Conservation Centre and Manuscript Resource Centre by the National Mission for Manuscripts, Hill Palace was built in 1865 by the Maharaja Of Cochin and is now the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. The official capital of Kingdom of Kochi was located previously in Thrissur, since 1755, the Queen and her retinue lived in Tripunithura, thereby making the city as official capital. Prince Rama Varma was later became king was raised in Tripunithura, thereby preferred to live in the city even after coronation as King, thus for his benefit, a royal office was constructed in 1865. Initially it started off as royal office, court building and offices of secretaries and nobles of the court. The palace was handed over to the Government of Kerala by the Cochin Royal Family and in 1980 and it was opened to the public in 1986. The museum and its campus is one among the shooting sites for Malayalam film industry. The Horse cart gallery. The museum displays 14 categories of exhibits including Crown and ornaments of erst while Cochin royal family, paintings, sculptures in stone and marble, weapons, inscriptions, coins etc. The major share of attractions in this museum are contributed by the Cochin Royal Family with some exhibits from the Paliam Devaswom and it has a gold crown embedded with precious stones and many valuable coins, ornaments, majestic beds and samples of epigraphy. The famous Malayalam movie Manichitrathazhu was shot here, the Hill Palace is opened to public everyday except Mondays and national /state holidays from 10am to 12.30 noon and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm
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Mattancherry Palace
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The Palace was built and gifted by the Portuguese as a present to the king of Cochin around 1555. The Dutch carried out extensions and renovations in the palace in 1663. The rajas also made improvements to it. Today, it is a gallery of the Cochin Rajas and notable for some of the best mythological murals in India. The palace was built to appease the king after they plundered a temple nearby, the landing of Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese explorer at Kappad in 1498 was welcomed by the Kochi rulers. They were given right to construct factories. The Portuguese repulsed the attacks of the Zamorians and the Cochin Rajas practically became vassals of the Portuguese. The influence of the Portuguese were supplanted by the Dutch and they took over Mattancherry in 1663, in the courtyard there stands a small temple dedicated to Pazhayannur Bhagavati, the protective goddess of the Kochi royal family. There are two temples on either side of the Palace, one dedicated to Lord Krishna and the other to Lord Siva. Certain elements of architecture, as for example the nature of its arches, the Dining Hall has carved wooden ornate ceiling decorated with a series of brass cups. The glory of the palace rests on the number of murals, executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art. The murals have been painted in warm colours in tempera technique. These illustrate the Ramayana, from the beginning of the sacrifice of Dasaratha to Sitas return from captivity in Lanka, the paintings in this section are the earliest in the palace, dating back to the 16th century. The last five scenes are from the Krishna Lila where in a cheerful God Krishna using his six hands, the paintings are attributed to the artistic bent of mind of Veera Kerala Verma. The upper staircase rooms, notably that of the hall that was extended under Dutch patronage. On the opposite side of the hall is the staircase room or Kovinithalam, with a descent to the lower storey, there are four paintings of Shiva, Vishnu and Devi. IV depict scenes from Kumarasambhava and other works of the great Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa, the latter set of paintings belong to the eighteenth century. Portraits of the Rajas of Cochin, from 1864 onwards, are displayed in what was once the Coronation Hall and these were painted by local artists in western style
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Kochi
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Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a major port city on the south-west coast of India by the Arabian Sea and the Laccadive Sea and is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. It is often called Ernakulam, which refers to the specific district, occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in colonial India. It remained the seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was occupied by the Dutch and the British. Kochi ranks first in the number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala. Kochi has been ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine. Kochi is the home to Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, Kochi is also home for Keralas National Law School, The National University of Advanced Legal Studies. Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, the Cochin Jewish community called Cochin as Kogin, which is seen in the seal of the synagogue which is still owned by the community. The origin of the name Kochi is thought to be from the Malayalam word kochu azhi, yet another theory is that Kochi is derived from the word Kaci, meaning harbour. The name Cochin implies co-chin, meaning like-China and it looked like China when the Chinese came to the region during the 14th century and installed Chinese nets. Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti, and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi, after the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to a closer Anglicization of its original Malayalam name, Kochi and this change in name was challenged by the city municipal corporation but court has later dismissed the plea. Kochi was the centre of Indian spice trade for centuries, and was known to the Yavanas as well as Jews, Syrians, Arabs. Kochi rose to significance as a trading centre after the port Muziris around Kodungallur was destroyed by flooding of Periyar in 1341. The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng Hes treasure fleet. There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti, according to many historians, the precursor state to Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in early 12th century, after the fall of the Chera Kingdom. The reign of the Kingdom was hereditary, and the family ruled over the region was known as the Perumpadappu Swaroopam in the local vernacular. Portuguese navigator, Pedro Álvares Cabral founded the first European settlement in India at Kochi in 1500, from 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi was ruled by Portugal
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Government of Kerala
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The Government of Kerala headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the head of state. The state government maintains its capital at Thiruvananthapuram and is seated at the Kerala Government Secretariat or the Hajur Kutcheri. The Government of Kerala was formed on November 1,1956 after merging of State of Travancore-Cochin with the Malabar district of the Madras state as part of States Reorganisation Act,1956, the Governor is appointed by the President for a term of five years. The executive and legislative powers lie with the Chief Minister and his council of ministers, the Governors of the states and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of India at Union level. Only Indian citizens above 35 years of age are eligible for appointment, P Sathasivam is the present governor. The Governor enjoys many different types of powers, Executive powers related to administration, appointments, Legislative powers related to lawmaking and the state legislature. Discretionary powers to be carried out according to the discretion of the Governor, the legislature comprises the governor and the legislative assembly, which is the highest political organ in state. The governor has the power to summon the assembly or to close the same, all members of the legislative assembly are directly elected, normally once in every five years by the eligible voters who are above 18 years of age. The current assembly consists of 140 elected members and one nominated by the governor from the Anglo-Indian Community. The elected members one of its own members as its chairman who is called the speaker. The speaker is assisted by the deputy speaker who is elected by the members. The conduct of meeting in the house is the responsibility of the Speaker, the main function of the assembly is to pass laws and rules. Every bill passed by the house has to be approved by the governor before it becomes applicable. The normal term of the assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. But while a proclamation of state of emergency is in operation, the High Court of Kerala is the apex court for the state, it also hears cases from the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. It is a court of record and has all the powers of such a court including the authority to punish an individual for contempt of court. Like all other High Courts of India, this court also consists of a Chief Justice, at present, the sanctioned Judge strength of the High Court of Kerala is 27 Permanent Judges including the Chief Justice H. L. Dattu and two additional judges
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Welfare economics
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Welfare economics is a branch of economics that uses microeconomic techniques to evaluate well-being at the aggregate level. The field of economics is associated with two fundamental theorems. The first states that certain assumptions, competitive markets produce efficient outcomes. The second states that given further restrictions, any Pareto efficient outcome can be supported as a market equilibrium. Thus a social planner could use a social function to pick the most equitable efficient outcome. Because of welfare economics close ties to social theory, Arrows impossibility theorem is sometimes listed as a third fundamental theorem. Attempting to apply the principles of welfare economics gives rise to the field of public economics, the early Neoclassical approach was developed by Edgeworth, Sidgwick, Marshall, and Pigou. It assumes the following, Utility is cardinal, that is, preferences are exogenously given and stable. Additional consumption provides smaller and smaller increases in utility, all individuals have interpersonally commensurable utility functions. With these assumptions, it is possible to construct a social welfare function simply by summing all the utility functions. Note that such a measure would still be concerned with the distribution of income, in normative terms, such authors were writing in the Benthamite tradition. The New Welfare Economics approach is based on the work of Pareto, Hicks and it explicitly recognizes the differences between the efficiency aspect of the discipline and the distribution aspect and treats them differently. Further, efficiency dispenses with cardinal measures of utility, replacing it with ordinal utility, situations are considered to have distributive efficiency when goods are distributed to the people who can gain the most utility from them. Many economists use Pareto efficiency as their efficiency goal, according to this measure of social welfare, a situation is optimal only if no individuals can be made better off without making someone else worse off. This ideal state of affairs can only come about if four criteria are met and this occurs when no consumer can be made better off without making others worse off. The marginal rate of transformation in production is identical for all products and this occurs when it is impossible to increase the production of any good without reducing the production of other goods. The marginal resource cost is equal to the marginal product for all production processes. This takes place when marginal physical product of a factor must be the same for all firms producing a good, the marginal rates of substitution in consumption are equal to the marginal rates of transformation in production, such as where production processes must match consumer wants
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Democratic socialism
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Some tendencies of democratic socialism advocate for revolution in order to transition to socialism, distinguishing it from some forms of social democracy. For Hain, this divide is more important than the revolutionary/reformist divide. A similar, but more complex, argument is made by Nicos Poulantzas, Draper himself uses the term revolutionary-democratic socialism as a type of socialism from below in his The Two Souls of Socialism. Similarly, about Eugene Debs, he writes, Debsian socialism evoked a response from the heart of the people. In contrast, other tendencies of democratic socialism advocate for eventual socialism that follow a gradual, reformist or evolutionary path to socialism, rather than a revolutionary one. We are socialists because we are developing a strategy for achieving that vision. The term is used to refer to policies that are compatible with and exist within capitalism. Though this is not always the case, for example, Robert M. contended that a more benevolent form of capitalism had emerged since the. According to Crosland, it was now possible to achieve equality in society without the need for fundamental economic transformation. Some proponents of market socialism see it as a system compatible with the political ideology of democratic socialism. The term democratic socialism can be used even another way, to refer to a version of the Soviet model that was reformed in a democratic way, for example, Mikhail Gorbachev described perestroika as building a new, humane and democratic socialism. Consequently, some former Communist parties have rebranded themselves as democratic socialist, justification of democratic socialism can be found in the works of social philosophers like Charles Taylor and Axel Honneth, among others. Honneth has put forward the view that political and economic ideologies have a social basis, contra liberal individualism, Honneth has emphasised the inter-subjective dependence between humans, that is, our well-being depends on recognising others and being recognised by them. Democratic socialism, with its emphasis on social collectivism, could be seen as a way of safeguarding this dependency and their concern for both democracy and social justice marks them out as key precursors of democratic socialism. Owens followers again stressed both participatory democracy and economic socialisation, in the form of consumer co-operatives, credit unions, the Chartists similarly combined a working class politics with a call for greater democracy. The British moral philosopher John Stuart Mill also came to advocate a form of socialism within a liberal context. Democratic socialism became a prominent movement at the end of the 19th century, in Germany, the Eisenacher socialist group merged with the Lassallean socialist group, in 1875, to form the German Social Democratic Party. In Australia, the Labour and Socialist movements were gaining traction, the ALP has been the main driving force for workers rights in Australia, backed by Australian Trade Unions, in particular the Australian Workers Union
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Human Development Index
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The Human Development Index is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. A country scores higher HDI when the lifespan is higher, the level is higher. The 2010 Human Development Report introduced an Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index, while the simple HDI remains useful, it stated that the IHDI is the actual level of human development, and the HDI can be viewed as an index of potential human development. The origins of the HDI are found in the annual Human Development Reports produced by the Human Development Reports Office of the United Nations Development Programme, nobel laureate Amartya Sen, utilized Haqs work in his own work on human capabilities. The following three indices are used,1, Life Expectancy Index = LE −2085 −20 LEI is 1 when Life expectancy at birth is 85 and 0 when Life expectancy at birth is 20. Education Index = MYSI + EYSI22.1 Mean Years of Schooling Index = MYS15 Fifteen is the maximum of this indicator for 2025. 2.2 Expected Years of Schooling Index = EYS18 Eighteen is equivalent to achieving a degree in most countries. Income Index = ln − ln ln − ln II is 1 when GNI per capita is $75,000 and 0 when GNI per capita is $100. Finally, the HDI is the mean of the previous three normalized indices, HDI = LEI ⋅ EI ⋅ II3. Standard of living, as indicated by the logarithm of gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity. This methodology was used by the UNDP until their 2011 report, the formula defining the HDI is promulgated by the United Nations Development Programme. The 2016 Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme was released on March 21,2017, below is the list of the very high human development countries, = increase. The number in brackets represents the number of ranks the country has climbed relative to the ranking in the 2015 report, the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is a measure of the average level of human development of people in a society once inequality is taken into account. The rankings are not relative to the HDI list above due to the exclusion of countries which are missing IHDI data. Countries in the top quartile of HDI with a missing IHDI, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Liechtenstein, Brunei, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait. The 2015 Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme was released on December 14,2015, below is the list of the very high human development countries, = increase. The number in brackets represents the number of ranks the country has climbed relative to the ranking in the 2014 report, the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index is a measure of the average level of human development of people in a society once inequality is taken into account. Note, The green arrows, red arrows, and blue dashes represent changes in rank, the rankings are not relative to the HDI list above due to the exclusion of countries which are missing IHDI data
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Arab world
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The Arab world, also known as the Arab nation or the Arab states, consists of the 22 Arabic-speaking countries of the Arab League. The contemporary Arab world has a population of around 422 million inhabitants. In the Middle Ages, the Arab world was synonymous with the historic Arab empires and caliphates, Arab nationalism arose in the second half of the 19th century along with other nationalist movements within the Ottoman Empire. The Arab League was formed in 1945 to represent the interests of Arab people and especially to pursue the political unification of the Arab countries, the linguistic and political denotation inherent in the term Arab is generally dominant over genealogical considerations. In Arab states, Modern Standard Arabic is the language used by the government. The language of a nation is called Darija, which means everyday/colloquial language. Although no globally accepted definition of the Arab world exists, all countries that are members of the Arab League are generally acknowledged as being part of the Arab world. This standard territorial definition is seen to be inappropriate or problematic. These parameters may be applied to the states and territories of the Arab League, typical parameters that may be applied include, whether Arabic is widely spoken, whether Arabic is an official or national language, or whether an Arabic cognate language is widely spoken. While Arabic dialects are spoken in a number of Arab League states, several states have declared Arabic to be an official or national language, although Arabic is today not as widely spoken there. As members of the Arab League, however, they are considered part of the Arab world under the territorial definition. Somalia has two official languages today, Arabic and Somali, both of which belong to the larger Afro-Asiatic language family, although Arabic is widely spoken by many people in the north, Somali is the most widely used language, and contains many Arabic loan words. Similarly, Djibouti has two languages, Arabic and French. It also has several formally recognized national languages, besides Somali, many people speak Afar, the majority of the population speaks Somali and Afar, although Arabic is also widely used for trade and other activities. Comoros has three languages, Arabic, Comorian and French. Comorian is the most widely spoken language, with Arabic having a religious significance, Israel is not part of the Arab world. By some definitions, Arab citizens of Israel may concurrently be considered a constituent part of the Arab world, Iran has about 1.5 million Arabic speakers. Iranian Arabs are mainly found in Ahvaz, a region in the Khuzestan Province, others inhabit the Bushehr Qushasha and Hipi-Lipi Hormozgan provinces
40.
Varkala Beach
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Varkala Beach, also known as Papanasham Beach is a beach in Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, along the Arabian Sea, part of the Indian Ocean. The word Papanasham means wash away sins and it is believed that a dip in the waters of Papanasham Beach washes away all the sins in ones life. Varkala beach is the place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs. The beach is a haven for sun-bathing and swimming, the evening views of the sunset are worth lingering over. There are several restaurants and snack shops near and around Papanasham beach. The famous Sree Janardhana Swami Temple is situated near the Beach, also Famous Sivagiri mutt is another important location. Varkala railway station is known in the name of Varkala Sivagiri railway station, Varkala is located at 8. 73°N76. 71°E /8.73,76.71. Varkala Beach Varkala Beach photographs and spherical panoramas 360°
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Thiruvananthapuram
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Thiruvananthapuram, formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located on the west coast of India near the south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the Evergreen city of India, Thiruvananthapuram was a trading post for spices, sandalwood and ivory. The city was ruled by the Ays and was captured by the rulers of Venad in tenth century A. D, in 1729, Marthanda Varma founded the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor and made Thiruvananthapuram the capital in 1745. It remained as a state ruled by Travancore under the loose governance of the British before joining the Indian Union in 1948. With nearly 80% of the software exports, Thiruvananthapuram is a major IT hub with the Technopark. Indias first and only magic academy, Magic Academy Research Centre run by Merlin award-winning magician Gopinath Muthukad is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, the city is home to animation companies like Toonz India Ltd and Tata Elxsi Ltd. The Kinfra Film and Video Park is one of the most advanced film and it is consistently ranked among the best cities to live in Kerala as well as India. The city was referred to as Trivandrum until 1991, when the government decided to reinstate the citys original name Thiruvananthapuram. Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient region with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BCE, the city was a trading post for spices, sandalwood and ivory. The early rulers of the city were the Ays and after their fall in the 10th century, in 1729, Marthanda Varma founded the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor and Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital in 1745 after shifting the capital from Padmanabhapuram in Tamil Nadu. In the mid-19th century, the city was under the reign of Swathi Thirunal, an observatory was established in 1837 with the Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library and the University College established in 1873. Several colleges were established by Moolam Thirunal, sree Moolam Assembly, established in 1904, was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. After Indian Independence in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union, in 1949, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Travancore-Cochin, the state formed by the integration of Travancore with the Kingdom of Cochin. The king of Travancore, Chitra Thirunal Bala Rama Varma, became the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1 July 1949 until 31 October 1956, when the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became its capital. The city has a population of 752,490 according to the 2011 census, the sex ratio is 1,032 females for every 1,000 males. In October 2010, the number of wards was increased from 86 to 100 post expansion of city limits by adding Sreekaryam, Vattiyoorkavu, Kudappanakunnu, hindus comprise 68. 5% of the population, Christians about 16. 7% and Muslims form 13. 7%. The major languages spoken are Malayalam and English, in Palayam in the city centre, there is a mosque, a temple and a Christian church next to each other as neighbours, establishing the communal harmony of Keralites
42.
Arabian Sea
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The Arabian Sea is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by northeastern Somalia and the Arabian Peninsula, and on the east by India. Historically the sea has been known by names including the Erythraean Sea. Its total area is 3,862,000 km2 and its depth is 4,652 metres. The Gulf of Aden is in the southwest, connecting the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, the Arabian Sea has been crossed by important marine trade routes since the third or second millennium BCE. Major seaports include Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai, the Port of Karachi and the Gwadar Port in Pakistan, other important ports include in India, Kandla Port, and Mormugao in Goa. The largest islands in the Arabian Sea include Socotra, Masirah Island, Astola Island, the Arabian Seas surface area is about 3,862,000 km2. The maximum width of the Sea is approximately 2,400 km, the biggest river flowing into the Sea is the Indus River. There are also the gulfs of Khambhat and Kutch on the Indian coast, the countries with coastlines on the Arabian Sea are Somalia, Djibouti, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Pakistan, India and the Maldives. There are several cities on the seas coast including Mumbai, Surat, Karachi, Gwadar, Pasni, Ormara, Aden, Muscat, Keti Bandar, Salalah, Duqm. International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Arabian Sea as follows, the Eastern limit of the Gulf of Aden. A line joining Ràs al Hadd, East point of Arabia, a line running from the South extremity of Addu Atoll, to the Eastern extreme of Ràs Hafun. The Western limit of the Laccadive Sea, by the time of Julius Caesar, several well-established combined land-sea trade routes depended upon water transport through the Sea around the rough inland terrain features to its north. Each major route involved transhipping to pack animal caravan, travel through country and risk of bandits. Later the kingdom of Axum arose in Ethiopia to rule a mercantile empire rooted in the trade with Europe via Alexandria, Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai is the largest port in the Arabian Sea, and the largest container port in India. The Port of Karachi is Pakistans largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nations cargo and it is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the places it in close proximity to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. The history of the port is intertwined with that of the city of Karachi, several ancient ports have been attributed in the area including Krokola, Morontobara, Barbarikon (the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, and Debal. It warns sailors about whirlpools and advises them to safety in Kaurashi harbour if they found themselves drifting dangerously
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Paravur, Kollam
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Paravur, or South Paravoor, is a town and a municipality in the Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala. The lakes and sea coast of Paravur attract visitors and foreigners with the attraction the interconnection of Paravur Kayal. Paravur lies 21 kilometres from Kollam by road and can be reached within 15 minutes by train from Kollam Junction, Paravur Municipality consists of Kottapuram, Koonayil, Thekkumbhagam, Chillakkal, Perumpuzha, Nedungolam, Pozhikara, Maniyamkulam, Kurumandal, Kottamoola, Attinpuram & Kochalummoodu. Paravur Municipality is a Grade-II Municipality of Kerala, Paravur is located at 8.78 N76 E. It has an elevation of 10 metres. Paravur,21 kilometers from the Kollam, is a skirt of land stretching in between the backwaters and the sea. The famous Varkala beach is a mere 12 kilometres drive from here, there is an elevation of 6 metres above sea level, extending to 16 metres on the inland. As of 2011 India census, Paravur has a population of 43,739, males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. Paravur has an literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59. 5%, male literacy is 81%. In Paravur, 10% of the population are under 6 years of age, total number of households are 9,155. Pozhikara was the headquarters of Paravur. Remnants of the old fort, Thaana and Anchalappees still remain, a mint of the erstwhile Travancore Kingdom for printing and punching their currencies was once situated at Paravur. Paravur panchayat was formed in 1936 as one of the four panchayats sanctioned by Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, the others were Boothapandi, Nedumangadu, and Perumbavoor. The so formed Paravur panchayat included nine territories-Thekkumbhagam, Kottappuram, Kongal, Pozhikara, Kurumandal, Koonayil, Kalakkode, Bhoothakkulam, sree Ramavarma koyi thampuram from Kilimanoor Palace was the first executive officer of the panchayat. The first election for Paravur panchayat was held in 1942 and Sri Achuthan Pillai became the first elected panchayat president, later Paravur became a Municipality on May 1,1988. For the first seven years it was ruled by special officers, in 1995 after the first Municipal election, Smt. Bhanumati became the first Municipal Chairperson, in April 2016, over 100 people were killed in a fireworks explosion at a local temple in the town. There are so many important roads in Paravur, connecting Kollam city and neighbouring towns like Varkala, Chathannoor, Parippally, Poothakkulam
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Lake
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A lake is an area of variable size filled with water, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land, apart from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, and therefore are distinct from lagoons, Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams, which are usually flowing. Most lakes are fed and drained by rivers and streams, natural lakes are generally found in mountainous areas, rift zones, and areas with ongoing glaciation. Other lakes are found in endorheic basins or along the courses of mature rivers, in some parts of the world there are many lakes because of chaotic drainage patterns left over from the last Ice Age. All lakes are temporary over geologic time scales, as they will fill in with sediments or spill out of the basin containing them. The word lake comes from Middle English lake, from Old English lacu, from Proto-Germanic *lakō, cognates include Dutch laak, Middle Low German lāke as in, de, Moorlake, de, Wolfslake, de, Butterlake, German Lache, and Icelandic lækur. Also related are the English words leak and leach, none of these definitions completely excludes ponds and all are difficult to measure. For this reason, simple size-based definitions are used to separate ponds. One definition of lake is a body of water of 2 hectares or more in area, however, others have defined lakes as waterbodies of 5 hectares and above, or 8 hectares and above. Charles Elton, one of the founders of ecology, regarded lakes as waterbodies of 40 hectares or more. The term lake is used to describe a feature such as Lake Eyre. In common usage, many bear names ending with the word pond. One textbook illustrates this point with the following, In Newfoundland, for example, almost every lake is called a pond, whereas in Wisconsin, the majority of lakes on Earth are fresh water, and most lie in the Northern Hemisphere at higher latitudes. Canada, with a drainage system has an estimated 31,752 lakes larger than 3 square kilometres and an unknown total number of lakes. Finland has 187,888 lakes 500 square metres or larger, most lakes have at least one natural outflow in the form of a river or stream, which maintain a lakes average level by allowing the drainage of excess water. Some lakes do not have an outflow and lose water solely by evaporation or underground seepage or both. Many lakes are artificial and are constructed for power generation, aesthetic purposes, recreational purposes, industrial use. Globally, lakes are greatly outnumbered by ponds, of an estimated 304 million standing water bodies worldwide, 91% are 1 hectare or less in area
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Hippie
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The word hippie came from hipster and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into New York Citys Greenwich Village and San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury district. The term hippie was first popularized in San Francisco by Herb Caen, the origins of the terms hip and hep are uncertain. By the 1940s, both had become part of African American jive slang and meant sophisticated, currently fashionable, fully up-to-date, the Beats adopted the term hip, and early hippies inherited the language and countercultural values of the Beat Generation. In the United Kingdom in 1970, many gathered at the gigantic Isle of Wight Festival with a crowd of around 400,000 people, in later years, mobile peace convoys of New Age travelers made summer pilgrimages to free music festivals at Stonehenge and elsewhere. In Australia, hippies gathered at Nimbin for the 1973 Aquarius Festival, piedra Roja Festival, a major hippie event in Chile, was held in 1970. Hippie fashion and values had an effect on culture, influencing popular music, television, film, literature. Since the 1960s, many aspects of culture have been assimilated by mainstream society. The religious and cultural diversity espoused by the hippies has gained widespread acceptance, lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower, the principal American editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, argues that the terms hipster and hippie derive from the word hip, whose origins are unknown. The term hipster was coined by Harry Gibson in 1944, by the 1940s, the terms hip, hep and hepcat were popular in Harlem jazz slang, although hep eventually came to denote an inferior status to hip. In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, New York City, young counterculture advocates were named hips because they were considered in the know or cool, as opposed to being square. In the April 27,1961 issue of The Village Voice, An open letter to JFK & Fidel Castro, Norman Mailer utilizes the term hippies, in questioning JFKs behavior. In a 1961 essay, Kenneth Rexroth used both the hipster and hippies to refer to young people participating in black American or Beatnik nightlife. According to Malcolm Xs 1964 autobiography, the hippie in 1940s Harlem had been used to describe a specific type of white man who acted more Negro than Negroes. Andrew Loog Oldham refers to all the Chicago hippies, seemingly in reference to black musicians, in his rear sleeve notes to the 1965 LP The Rolling Stones. The word hippie was also used in reference to Philadelphia in at least two songs in 1963, South Street by The Orlons, and You Cant Sit Down by The Dovells. In both songs, the term is applied to residents of Philadelphias South Street, in that article, Fallon wrote about the Blue Unicorn Cafe, using the term hippie to refer to the new generation of beatniks who had moved from North Beach into the Haight-Ashbury district. New York Times editor and usage writer Theodore M. Bernstein said the paper changed the spelling from hippy to hippie to avoid the ambiguous description of clothing as hippy fashions. Even the counterculture of the Ancient Greeks, espoused by philosophers like Diogenes of Sinope and the Cynics were also early forms of hippie culture
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Kappad
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Kappad, or Kappakadavu locally, is a famous beach near Kozhikode, India, where the Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama landed on 20 May 1498. His voyage established the sea route from Europe to India and this established a permanent route from Europe to India. A small stone monument commemorates the landing by Vasco da Gama with the inscription, Vasco da Gama landed here, Kappakadavu and his expedition gave the Europeans a sea route to reach the wealth of the Malabar Coast, and resulted in European domination of India for about 450 years. At that time Malabar was ruled by the Zamorins who gave a welcome to Gama. Malabar was abundant in spices, and produced calico textile, currently it is one of the most important tourist places in Kerala, with a wide and beautiful beach. As per the historical notes obtained later from the diarist who accompanied Gama in his voyage, Gama landed at Panthalayani, william Logan in his Malabar Manual clearly stated that Gama landed at Panthalayani as per the direction of Zamorins, the King of Kozhikode. 1. 5-crore program to beautify the beach was launched by Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and it is now completed and Kappad beach has a beautiful corniche and park. The park includes a restroom, restaurant and seating, the nearest railway station is Kozhikode, about 16 km away from Kappad. The nearest airport is Calicut International Airport, which is about 23 km from the town of Kozhikode, private transport buses are available from the main bus stand, or you can reach the beach by stopping at Thiruvangoor on National Highway 66 between Kozhikode and Vatakara. Vasco da Gama Moodadi Chengottukavu Arikkulam Thikkodi Chemancheri Atholi Ulliyeri Cheekilode Nochad Koyilandy Chemancheri railway station
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Cherai
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Cherai is a region in Kochi Taluk, a suburb of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is at a distance of about 25 km from the High Court Junction, Cherai has the longest beach in Kochi - the Cherai beach. The beach is located towards the centre-north of the Vypin island, the Cherai Beach is 10 km long. Cherai has played an important role in the history of modern Kerala by becoming the birthplace of two prominent political personsages of modern Kerala - Mathai Manjooran and Sahodaran Ayyappan, Cherai Gowreeshwara Temple is one of the main Hindu temple. The temple is maintained by Vijnana Vardhini Sabha and it also known as Kerala palani. The festival in the temple is biggest festival in Eranakulam district, the festival happens every year towards the last 2 weeks of January or first 2 weeks of February. The main attractions are Elephant march, there is one more famous temple in Cherai, which is Azheekkal Sree Varaha Temple famous for its beautiful chariot. It is one of the oldest temple owned by Gowda Saraswatha Community. Kottakkavu Mar Thoma Syro-Malabar Pilgrim Church, North Paravur, First church in India, Portuguese Fort, Built in1503 by the Portuguese also known as Aya Kotta. It is the oldest European monument in India and it was an out post to safeguard the famous Muziris Port. In 1661 the Dutch captured the fort and in 1789 the fort was handed over to the King of Travancore, pallipuram Syro-Malabar Church, The church is built by the Portuguese in 1577. Mathai Manjooran Sahodaran Ayyappan Satellite image of the town
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