THAMARASSERY CHURAM

ABOUT MY FAVORITE PLACE THROUGH THE MAGICAL LETTERS OF MALAYALAM.

ഞാൻ അറിഞ്ഞ

താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരം

കർണാടകയിലായിരുന്നപ്പോൾ മുതൽ എന്റെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങളിൽ ഒന്നായിരുന്നു ഒരിക്കലെങ്കിലും അമ്മച്ചിയിലൂടെ ഞാൻ അറിഞ്ഞ ആ ദൃശ്യവിസ്മയമായ താമരശ്ശേരി ചുരത്തെ ഒന്ന് നേരിൽ കാണുകയെന്നുള്ളത്.

താമരശ്ശേരിക്കടുത്തു പശ്ചിമഘട്ട മലനിരകളാൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടൊരു സ്ഥലത്താണ് അമ്മച്ചിയുടെ വീട്.സൂര്യന്റെ മയക്കത്തിൽ ചുരത്തിലൂടെ പായുന്ന വണ്ടികളുടെ പ്രകാശകിരണങ്ങൾ അവിടേക്കു എത്തുന്നതെന്നെ എപ്പോഴും വിസ്മയിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു. മായകാഴ്ചകളിലൊഴുകി ജീവിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുമ്പോഴാണ് സ്വപ്നതുല്യമായ ആ ദിവസം എന്നെ എന്റെ ഹൃദയത്തിന്റെ ആഴങ്ങളിലെ മലയോടടുപ്പിച്ചത്.അങ്ങനെ ഞാൻ നേരിൽ കണ്ടു.... അറിഞ്ഞു....അനുഭവിച്ചു....ആ മഹാത്ഭുതത്തെ!!

അമ്മച്ചിയുടെ കഥകളിലെന്നപോലെ ആ ഇടയബാലൻ ബ്രിട്ടീഷ് മേധാവിക്ക് കാണിച്ചുകൊടുത്ത 14 kmറോളം വരുന്ന 9 വളവുകൾ. എന്നാൽ ഇന്നത് പാതയറിയാത്ത കാടല്ല.കോഴിക്കോടിനേയും വയനാടിനെയും തമ്മിൽ കോർത്തിണക്കുന്ന NH766 നാഷണൽ ഹൈവേയാണ്.കാനനദൃശ്യങ്ങൾകൊണ്ട് സമ്പുഷ്ടമായ ചുരം വിനോദ സഞ്ചാരികളുടെ പ്രധാന ആകർഷണ കേന്ദ്രമാണ്.

ദൃശ്യവിരുന്നുകൊണ്ടെന്നെ ആകർഷിച്ച ചുരത്തിന്റെ ഓരോ വളവും തനതായ ഭംഗിയും പാഠങ്ങളും സമ്മാനിച്ചു. അടിവാരത്തുനിന്നു ലക്കിടിയിലേക്ക് 9 ഹെയർ പിൻ വളവുകളിലൂടെ കുതിക്കുമ്പോൾ വലിയതെന്തോ എത്തിപ്പിടിക്കാൻ പോകുന്ന സന്തോഷമായിരുന്നു എന്നിൽ. 9 ാമത്തെ വളവെന്നെ ഏതോ ലോകത്തേക്കുതന്നെ കൂട്ടികൊണ്ടുപോയി. അവിടെനിന്നു താഴ്വാരത്തിന്റെ നിഗൂഢ രഹസ്യങ്ങളിലേക്കൊന്നു ഇറങ്ങിചെന്നപ്പോൾ ഭൂമിയുടെ ആഴങ്ങളിലെ സ്പന്ദനം മനസിലാക്കിയതുപോലെയുള്ള കൃതാർഥ്യം എന്നെ ആഹ്ലാദവും സന്തുഷ്ടതയും കൊണ്ട് നിറച്ചു. കണ്ണുകളിൽ നിന്ന് തട്ടി ചിതറിയ അത്ഭുതരശ്മികൾ എന്റെ ശിരസിനെ ആനന്ദത്തിന്റെ കുളിർകൊണ്ട് തണുപ്പിച്ചു.പിന്നിട്ട വഴികൾ പാമ്പിനെപോലിഴയുന്നതായി അനുഭവപെട്ട ഞെട്ടലിൽ കുരങ്ങന്മാരുടെ കണ്ണുകളിൽ വശ്യമായ വന്യതയും ഭീകരതയുമാണ് ഞാൻ കണ്ടത്. അവിടുത്തെ കാറ്റും,മണ്ണും,മരങ്ങളും,വഴിയുമെല്ലാം ഒരായിരം കഥകളെന്നോട് മന്ത്രിച്ചൂ. മലമുകളിലെ മരത്തിലെ ആ ചങ്ങലയുടെ മുഴക്കം ഇടയബാലന്റെ കഥ ഓർമിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് അവിടെയെങ്ങും പ്രതിധ്വനിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.തീപെട്ടികളെന്നപോലെ വണ്ടികൾ പാതയിലൂടെ തെന്നിമായുന്നതു ഞാൻ കണ്ടുനിന്നു.

സ്വർഗം ഭൂമിയിലേക്കിറങ്ങി വന്നതുപോലെ വിശ്വസിക്കാനാകാത്ത ഭൂസൗന്ദര്യത്തെ കൊത്തിയെടുത്ത ദൈവത്തിന്റെ കൈവിരുതിനെ വർണിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് അവിടെ നിന്ന് പോന്നെങ്കിലും അവിടുത്തെ കാറ്റിൽ ഞാൻ അറിയാതെ അലിഞ്ഞുചേർന്നിരുന്നു. ആ മാരുതൻ മന്ദസ്മിതത്തോടെ അമ്മച്ചിയുടെ വീടിന്റെ മുകളിലൂടെ സംതൃപ്തിയോടൊഴുകി നീങ്ങി......

DISTRICTS OF KERALA

LET'S TRAVEL THROUGH THE DISTRICTS OF THE COASTAL STATE.

The Land of Coconuts borders with the states of Karnataka on the North, Tamil Nadu on the South and East and the Lakshadweep Sea coastline on the west. Except near Palakkad Western Ghats form almost continuous chain of mountains. The Indian state Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 according to the State's Reorganisation Act.
The State is divided into fourteen revenue districts and they are:

• Kasargod
• Kannur
• Wayanad
• Kozhikode
• Malappuram
• Palakkad
• Thrissur
• Ernakulam
• Idukki
• Kottayam
• Alappuzha
• Pathanamthitta
• Kollam
• Thiruvananthapuram

And on the basis of geography, they are generally classified into three parts

• The North Kerala Districts
• The Central Kerala Districts
• The South Kerala Districts

Most of the districts in the State are often named after the largest town or city in the district itself and even some of them were renamed from the English names to the local names in the year 1990. Also, the 14 Districts are further divided into Taluks and Gram Panchayats and according to the records, there are 75 Taluks and 941 Gram Panchayats. Each District of the State is governed by respective District Collectors who is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and is appointed by the Government of Kerala.

KASARGOD, KANNUR, WAYANAD

KASARGOD



The Kasargod is one of the and topmost Northern district of Kerala. With four taluks Manjeshwaram (Uppala), Kasargod, Vellarikund, Hosdurg it was declared as a district in 1984 on 24 May and it borders Kannur district to the south, southeast and Karnataka's districts of Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada to the north, Western Ghats to the east and the Laccadive Sea to the west. The District headquarters of the district is in the Kasargod town.
Kasargod is gifted with the blessing of the rich biodiversity of Western Ghats. The district is well-known for the tourist spots Bekal and Chandragiri Forts, Chandragiri River, the historic Kollathiri Rajas, the scenic beauty of the Ranipuram and Kottecheri Hills, Religious and HIstoric sites like Madiyan Kulam temple, Madhur temple, Ananthapuram Lake Temple and Malik Dinar Mosque.
From the capital Thiruvananthapuram, the district is located 585 km North and 50km south of the port city Mangalore.

KANNUR



The Kannur district with five thaluks Thalassery, Iritty, Kannur, Thaliparamba and Payyanur is bordered by the Kasargod district to the North, Kozhikode district to the south, Mahe to the southwest, Wayanad to the southeast, Western Ghats to the East and the Arabian Sea to the west. The English name Cannanore was the old name of Kannur. The District headquarters of the district is in the Kannur town. Kannur was a part of Malabar district during the British rule. This district which was formed in 1957 is the sixth most urbanized district in Kerala. The coastal city of Kannur was once an ancient trading port. The 16th-century monument St. Angelo Fort, the Arakkal Museum of Muslim Royal Family, the Payyambalam beach etc are some of the breathtaking views of the district.


WAYANAD



With administrative headquarters in the at the municipality of Kalpetta Wayanad is set high on the Western Ghats with altitudes ranging from 700 to 2100 metres. On 1 November 1980, the district was formed as the 12th district in Kerala by carving out areas of the Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Most of the district is under forest and therefore it gives refreshing experience to the tourists. Mananthavady, Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery are the three municipal towns of the district and many tribal colonies or communities are a part of this beautiful district. The Lava Kusha Temple in Pulpally, Mirror Jain Temple in Vythiri, Ambukuthi Hills, Edakkal Caves, Banasura Dam, the evergreen forest etc are some of the tourist spots of the district.

HARVEST FESTIVAL ONAM

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CELEBRATE ONAM FESTIVAL AND TO TASTE THE DELICIOUS ONAM SADHYA?

In and outside the God's Own Country, Onam is a major annual festival and State festival for Malayali People.
According to the Malayalam calendar, Thiruvonam falls on the 22nd nakshatra in the month of Chingam and overlaps with August-September in Gregorian calendar. It is believed that the annual harvest festival of the state which is known as Onam is celebrated to commemorate the King Mahabali. According to legends, Mahabali is said to visit Kerala at the time of the festival.
Along with Vishu and Thiruvathira, this harvest festival is one of the major three Hindu annual celebrations of Kerala and it is observed with numerous festivities. Onam celebrations include Vallam Kali (Boat Race), Pookkalam ( Flower Carpet or Rangoli), Puli Kali (Tiger Dance), Onathappan (Worship), Onam Kali, Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal (Women's Dance), Kummattikali (Mask Dance), Onathallu (Martial Arts), Onavillu (Music), Kazhchakulla (Plantain offering), Onapottan (Costumes), Atthachamayam (Folk songs and dance) and so on.




Onam is a festival which makes the Keralites one and this official state festival start with Uthradom( Onam Eve) with public holidays. Across 30 venues in the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, the major festivities takes place and also throughout the world it is celebrated by Malayali diaspora Even though Onam is a Hindu festival it brings all other religions ( Christians and Muslims) together considering it as a cultural festival.
Other customs on the occasion of the festival are buying and wearing new clothes and this tradition is known as Onakkodi. Also, Malayali Hindus welcome Thrikakkara Appan or Onathappan (Vishnu in the form of Vamana) by installing the images of them in their houses like Hindus welcome Ganapati or Lord Ganesh during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Also in front of the temples, a palmyra tree is erected and surrounded with a wooden balustrade which is covered with the tree leaves. According to the Mahabali legend to signify that the King Mahabali went to Patala as a sacrifice the palmyra tree erected which covered with the leaves is lit with a torch and burned to ashes. Also during Onam festival, many lamps are lit in Hindu temples in Kerala.
Especially in the rural areas of the State, the swing is another important part of the celebrations. Decked in their best young women and men sing Onappattu or Onam Songs and enjoy the harvest festival on swings slung from high branches. This season is also associated with the creativity that the weavers and potters go for excess production to meet the increased demand of the people for their products. Creativity is known in the North part of Kerala including regions Kasargod and Kannur, where the people have more demand.



During Onam or post- Thiruvonam people especially school students indulge in various kinds of games and dances which are known as Onakkalikal. Onakkalikal includes Pookala matsaram, food eating competitions, Uriyady, Ox races etc.

ONAM SADHYA



The very important and unavoidable part of Onam festival is the Onam Sadhya. This Onam Feast is either made in the house of Kerala people or they will attend any celebrations to taste the grand food. This indispensable part of Thiruvonam is a traditional food which reflects the spirit of the season. The Sadhya is made with seasonal vegetables like yam, cucumber, ash gourd and so on and the food is served on the plantain leaves. The Onam Sadhya is served with unlimited number of curries and dishes with rice. It includes Pappadam, various vegetable curries and soups, different kinds of pickles, Banana chips, Sharkaravaretti, Puliinji, Thoran, Aviyal, Kaalan, Mezhukuparatti, Olan, Sambhar, Erisheri, Rasam, Puliseri, Kichadi, Pachadi, Moru, Coconut chutney, and so on and the feast ends with a series of desserts like Payasam. The main part of the Sadhya Rice is usually the Kerala Matta.

MALAYALI CULTURE

LET'S FIND OUT THE CULTURAL BEAUTY OF THE BEAUTIFUL HOLY LAND.

As the Culture of God's Own Country is a part of India, it is a composite and cosmopolitan in nature. The culture of the state is derived from the Aryan and Dravidian cultures. Now it has been elaborated through centuries of contact with neighbouring and overseas cultures. However, Kerala has a distinctive lifestyle, art, architecture, language, literature, social institutions etc which makes Malayali people unique from rest of the world.



The Malayalam calendar which is a solar calendar started from 825 CE in Kerala is commonly used in agricultural planning and religious activities. Different slangs of the official language Malayalam, which is one of the classical languages of India are also spoken by the people of Kerala.
Every year over 10,000 festivals are celebrated in the State including Poorams (especially Thrissur Pooram), Makaravilaku, Attukal Pongala, Neymara Vallangi Vela and so on. Mainly the temples in Kerala holds Festivals and Utsavams, which are local festivals conducted on an annual basis. During the festivals, the surrounding of the temples will be hugely crowded, firework displays and it usually involve at least one richly caparisoned Elephant and as a procession, the idol in the temple is taken out around the countryside atop the elephant. Traditional music such as Panchari melam or Panchavadyam is often included in the procession.




The land of coconuts is also home to a number of performance arts including the five classical dance forms which were originated and developed in the temple theatres during the classical period under the patronage of royal houses.

• Kathakali
• Mohiniyatam
• Koodiyattom
• Thullal
• Krishnanattam

The other dance forms associated with the temple culture of the region are:

• Kerala natanam
• Thirayattam
• Kaliyattam
• Theyyam 
• Koothu
• Padayani

The popular traditional dance forms among Syrian Christians are

•  Margamkali
• Parichamuttukali

And among Latin Christians is

• Chavittunadakam

The popular dance forms of Muslims of the State are

• Oppana
• Duffmuttu

The development of the indigenous classical music in God's Own Country is received from the traditional performance arts associated with the temple culture of Kerala. Several musical forms illustrates the rich contribution of the culture of the temple has made to the art forms of Kerala like the classical music form Sopana Sangeetham. As the result of popularisation of the genre in the 19th century by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, the Carnatic music dominates Kerala's traditional music. Sopanam accompany Kathakali performances are Raga-based renditions. The percussive style of music Melam includes the paandi and panchari variants and it is performed with the chenda during the temple-centred festivals.

The state's most renowned painter is Raja Ravi Varma, who gave a different outlook to the visual arts of Kerala which ranges from traditional murals.

Associated with a variety of themes the state's most of the caste and communities have rich collections of folk songs and ballads including 

• Vadakkan Pattukal (Northern Ballads)
• Thekkan Pattukal (Southern Ballads)
• Vanchi Pattukal (Boat Songs)
• Mappila Pattukal (Muslim Songs)
• Palli Pattukal (Church Songs)

Even the Malayalam films have central attention in the overall Indian Film Industry because of the quality of the presentation of social themes. The Indian Film Industry is rich with directors who have made a considerable contribution to the Indian parallel cinema like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G. Aravidan, Bharathan, P. Padmarajan, M. T Vasudevan Nair, K.G. George, Priyadarshan, John Abraham, Ramu Karyat, K.S Sethumadavan, A. Vincent, Shaji N Karun etc. Also, Kerala is the birth land of talented numerous actors such as Satyan, Prem Nasir, Madhu, Sheela, Sharadha, Jayan, Adoor Bhasi, Seema, Bharath Gopi, Mohanlal, Mammooty and so on. 

The gifted Malayalam actor Prem Nazir holds the world record for acted as protagonist in more than 720 movies. Kerala has produced eminent personalities like K.J Yesudas, K.S Chitra in the field of singing. 

Malayalam literature also played a major role in shaping the Kerala state. The notable writers, poets like Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan, Kumaranashan, Vallathol Narayana Menon, Ulloor S Parameswara Iyer and so on are notable among them.

The cuisine of Kerala is also a part of the Land of Coconuts.

KERALA'S OWN JACKFRUIT

LET'S DIG INTO THE HIDDEN SECRETS BEHIND KERALA'S OWN SWEET FRUIT 'JACKFRUIT'.

STATE FRUIT - JACKFRUIT

The Jack tree or Jackfruit is a species of tree in the family Moraceae which includes trees like fig, breadfruit and mulberry. It is believed that the centre of origin of the Jackfruit tree is in the region between the Western Ghats of southern India to the rainforests of Borneo. The Jack tree bears the largest fruit of all trees weighing 55 kg (120 lb), 90 cm (35 in) length, 50 cm (20 in) in diameter and it is well suited to the tropical low lands.
 About 100 to 200 fruits can be produced by a mature Jack tree in a year and it is a multiple fruit which composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers and also the fleshy unripe fruit is used to eat by many groups of people. The young jackfruit or the immature unripe fruit has a mild taste and the meat-like texture lends itself to being a meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. Desserts are more often made by the ripe fruit which is much sweeter and also considering the variety.

Artocarpus heterophyllus is commonly used in the cuisines of South and Southeast Asia and also many people consume both the ripe seeds and the unripe fruit in many ways. Throughout the tropical regions of the world, the Jack tree is widely cultivated. It is not only the state fruit of Indian states Kerala and Tamilnadu but also the national fruit of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Like noodles and chips, the fruit is available in many foreign markets in the form of various products and also it is available frozen or canned as a sweet fruit syrup or as a vegetable.
In 1498, when the Portuguese arrived in India at Kozhikode on the Malabar coast the name too introduced by them. From the Portuguese word Jaca the Malayalam word Chakka or Chakka Pazham for the Jackfruit. As evidenced by the fact that the Southeast Asian names are for the fruit are derived from the Sanskrit roots, the Jackfruit or Jack tree was domesticated independently in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The evergreen tree easily reaches heights of 10 to 20 metres with trunk diameters 30 to 80 centimetres and it also has a relatively short trunk with a dense treetop. In the event of injury to the reddish-brown and smooth bark, a milky juice is released.
There are both male and female flowers on a tree and therefore Jackfruit trees are monoecious.
With subtle flavour, ripe Jackfruits are naturally sweet and it is used to make a variety of dishes including cakes, custards, etc.

The aroma of the fruit distinctive sweet and fruity and it is known to emit a strong aroma when it is fully ripe and unopened and also the inside gives a smell of pineapple and banana. The seeds are often used as a commercial alternative to chocolate aroma after roasting.
In Kerala and other southern states, jackfruit trees can be seen almost everywhere and different varieties are widely produced every year.  Also, it is an unavoidable part of southern cuisine. For breakfast jackfruit dosas, idlis, curry are also made from the fruit and the seeds are also used. Lot of traditions are around this tree. The almost every part of the tree is used in one or other people like leaves are used as spoons in olden days, also leaves are the favourite food item of the goats, etc. The fruit and even the seeds has a lot of nutritional values. Also, the tree itself provides oxygen and other basic needs to us.

Jack fruits are very organic ones and they are grown in a natural way without any special care in Kerala.

STATE FLOWER AND TREE

LET'S KNOW MORE ABOUT THE STATE FLOWER AND TREE OF THE LAND OF COCONUTS.

FLOWER - CASSIA FISTULA

The flowering plant Cassia fistula is commonly known as Golden Shower, Purging Cassia or Indian Laburnum. It is a native of the Indian subcontinent and adjacent regions of Southeast Asia and it ranges from eastward throughout India to Myanmar and Thailand and south to Sri Lanka and southern Pakistan.



The Golden Shower tree is locally known by the popular name Kanikonna is the member of subfamily Caesalpiniaceae of the legume family Fabaceae. This popular ornamental plant is also used in herbal medicines. It is not only the state flower of Kerala but also both the National Tree and National Flower of the country Thailand. With deciduous leaves and pinnate with three to eight pairs of leaflets, growing to 10-20 m (33-66 ft) tall with fast growth the Golden Shower Tree is a medium-sized tree. The each flower of the tree are with five yellow petals of equal size and shape which are produced in pendulous racemes 20-40 cm.

The 30 to 60 cm long and 1.5 to 2.5 cm broad fruit is a legume with a pungent odour and it contains several seeds. The strong and very durable heartwood of the tree has been used to construct 'Ehela Kanuwa', a site at Adams Peak which is situated in Sri Lanka. The ornamental plant grown in tropical and subtropical areas blooms in the late spring with trees being covered with yellow flowers and sometimes it makes the leaves of the trees to hide under the yellow colour. These trees grow well in dry climate or in full sun, especially in hot summers and hence it is salt-tolerant and drought-tolerant and also tolerate the light brief frost. But if the cold persists it can get damaged very easily. There are so many species of butterflies and bees which are known to be pollinators of Cassia fistula flowers especially carpenter bees. Also in some parts of India, the people used to eat the flowers of the Golden Shower Tree and also the leaves of the tree are used to supplement the diets of cattle, sheep and goats fed with low-quality forages. It is also known as Aragvadha ( disease killer) in Ayurvedic medicine.

The state flower have very much importance in the State especially ritual importance in the Vishu festival.

STATE TREE - COCONUT TREE

Cocos nucifera is the only known living species of the genus Cocos and it is a member of the Palm tree family. The whole coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit can be referred by the term 'coconut'.After the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial features, the term coconut derived from the Portuguese and Spanish word coco which means head or skull. Coconuts have various uses and it is very much important in the Kerala State. Hence it is the State Tree of the beautiful state Kerala. The state's name itself derived from the relation between the land and coconut trees. The two Malayalam words Kera and Alam are joined together to get the name Kerala or Keralam which means Coconut and Land respectively. Thus the southwestern Indian state is also known as 'The Land of Coconuts or Coconut Trees'. There is no Kerala without coconut trees and the production of coconuts plays a major role in the economy and culture of the holy land.

All parts of the 'Kalpa Vriksham' or 'Coconut Tree' is useful in some or other way. Cocos nucifera is unavoidable part of Kerala in many ways like coconut oil, coconut toddy, coconut milk, coconut water, coconut is used in many Kerala dishes, and the tree leaves are used to make baskets, doormats, sheds, husk for making coir, the shells for making ladles etc.

Coconut tree is also a part of culture and tradition of Kerala.

BIRD AND FISH OF KERALA

LET'S KNOW MORE ABOUT THE STATE BIRD AND FISH OF GOD'S OWN COUNTRY.

STATE BIRD - GREAT HORNBILL



The Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) is the State Bird of the Spice Garden of India. It is also known as the Concave-Casqued Hornbill, the Great Indian Hornbill or the Great Pied Hornbill. The Great Hornbill is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia which is one of the larger members of the Hornbill family. It is important to tribal people in many of their cultures and rituals because of its impressive size and colour. This predominantly frugivorous hornbill which is long-lived is also an opportunist that it will prey on small mammals, reptiles and birds. This large bird is 95-130 cm (31-57 in) long with 152 cm (60 in) wingspan and weight of 2 to 4 kg. It is not the longest but the heaviest. Although the orbital skin is pinkish, females are smaller than males and have bluish-white instead of red eyes. Also, they have prominent eyelashes. Its massive bill with bright yellow and black casque on the top is the most attractive feature of the Hornbill. The casque appears concave from the top and U-shaped when viewed from the front with two ridges along the sides that form points in the front. In females, the back of the casque is reddish and in males the underside of the front and back of casque is black. It is believed that the casque is hollow to be the result of sexual selection. The sound produced by the hornbills in flight can be heard from distance because of their heavy wing beats. Over forests, they sometimes fly at greater heights.

The Malabar Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros griseus) is generally found in the canopy of rainforest and wet, tall, evergreen forests of Kerala. It is commonly found in places like Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thattekad etc in Kerala.

STATE FISH - GREEN CHROMIDE

The State Fish of God's Own Country is the Green Chromide which is also known by several other names include Pearlspot cichlid, Banded pearlspot, Striped chromide. In Kerala, it is locally known by the name Karimeen. In Sri Lanka, it is known as Koraliya and Kalundar in Goa. This fish is a species of Cichlid fish family is a native to Sri Lanka and freshwater and brackish water in southern coastal India. Including Singapore, the species have been introduced to various parts of the world. Etroplus suratensis is grey-green in colour with dark barring and dark spot at the base of the fin and its body is short, oval in shape and strongly compressed. With large eyes, mouth small, equal jaws the fish commonly reaches a length of 20 cms and maximum length is twice that.  It is an indigenous fish extensively found in the southern coastal parts of India and it dwells its brackish and freshwater habitats. It is found throughout the state of Kerala especially in Backwaters around Alappuzha. 

It is also a favourite food item among the food lovers all over the world. The taste of the flesh of Pearlspot is matchless and it makes the fish fairly expensive. Even the production of Karimeen is 2000 tonnes annually in Kerala, it is insufficient to meet the growing demands of the people. The dishes made by Karimeen also tops the list of Kerala cuisines but it is not easily accessible to poor folks because it is very expensive. Among both the people of Kerala and foreign tourists the most favourite pearlspot dish is the hot and spicy 'Karimeen Pollichathu'. These pearlspots are very popular food fishes but their biomass is very low compared to other members of the Cichlid family. After named the official state fish of Kerala in 2010, the following year was declared 'The Year of Karimeen' to create awareness about its commercial potential and to promote production.

KERALA - ELEPHANT RELATIONSHIP

The official symbols of God's Own Country represent the cultural heritage and natural treasures of the entire State. Let's have a look on the State Animal.

STATE ANIMAL - INDIAN ELEPHANT

The Elephas maximus indicus, the Asian Elephant which is popularly known as Indian Elephant is the State Animal of Kerala. It is a huge land animal that extensively used for labour and very few are left in the wild. It is native to mainland Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Laos, China, Cambodia, Vietnam) and one of the three extant recognised subspecies of the Asian elephant. The Asian elephants have the highest body point on the head, broader skulls, tip of trunk has one finger-like process, larger trunks, toes are large and broad, back is convex or level, abdomen is proportionate with their body weight and smaller in terms of size, ears, tusk's length when compared to the African Elephants. The Asian Elephants have 19 pair of ribs and they reach a shoulder height of between 2 and 3.5 m (6.6 and 11.5 ft), weigh between 2000 and 5000 kg. Their skin colour is lighter than that of African counterparts. Even though Indian Elephants scores in overall looks. With short or no tusks, females are usually smaller than males. The giant mammals consuming around 250 kg of food a day are strict vegetarians, feeding on grass, leaves, bamboo, roots, fruits, flowers and also they inhabit in grasslands, dry deciduous, moist deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.    

Kerala has more than seven hundred domesticated Elephants along with a large population of wild elephants. Also, it is believed that if an elephant has been captured in the wild and domesticated then it will never be accepted by other wild elephants. Most of the domesticated ones are owned by temples and individuals. Few of them are used for work at timber yards and others are used for religious ceremonies in and around the temples, some churches and mosques also. The Elephant is featured on the emblem of the Government of Kerala as the State Animal.

Since Ancient times, Elephants have been an integral part of Kerala's culture and heritage. The majestic Indian Elephants adorned every King's prized possessions. The coat of arms of former Kingdoms (Travancore, Cochin) in Kerala depicted Elephants and even the modern state acknowledges the role of Elephants in the state's culture by incorporating them in the State's Symbol. 

Almost all temples in Kerala have Elephants which are a core part of ritual worship, many of them are donated by devotees which are actively employed in temple duties. The famous Lord Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor is notable among them that possess more than 60 elephants. Pannathurkotta in Guruvayoor which is in Thrissur district is the World's only Elephant Park, which is known as Elephant Palace. The highlights of temple festivals and processions in Kerala are the Elephants decorated with caparisons. In temples, Elephants carry the deity during the annual festival processions and ceremonial circumambulations. 

All times, for the people of Kerala, Elephant is the symbol of pride and elegance. The gentle giants namely Guruvayoor Kesavan, Guruvayoor Padmanabhan, Pampadi Rajan etc have high esteem by the Keralites. Kerala is the only state where there are Fan Associations for Elephants. 

Thrissur Pooram in Vadakkunnathan Temple is the most famous annual Hindu temple-centred festival in Kerala which is known as the Elephant festival. This festival is known for the Elephants because, in the main parade of the celebration, two teams of 15 beautifully caparisoned elephants face off across the temple grounds and on each elephant's back, a man holds a parasol which is taller than the elephant itself. Another waves a yak-tail fan like a feather boa and when the Pandimelam (temple orchestra) plays, the parasols are exchanged among the men standing on the Elephants. Also in the night, there is a pyrotechnic display of elephantine proportions with fireworks.

TROPICAL PARADISE OF INDIA

The holy land with stunning beauty offers pleasant weather which is neither too hot nor too cold. Friends let's purify our soul and refresh our mind.

Arabian Sea at one side and the Western Ghats on the other, Kerala has an equable and tropical climate offering a pleasing atmosphere throughout the entire year. God's Own Country with around 120-140 rainy days per year, has a wet and maritime tropical climate. It is influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the Southwest Summer Monsoon and Northeast Winter Monsoon. According to the Southwest Monsoon, the rainfall occurs from June to August and corresponding to Northeast Monsoon the rest from September to December. The moisture-laden winds of the Southwest Monsoon on reaching the southernmost point of Indian Peninsula divides into two branches because of its topography:

1. The Arabian Sea Branch
2. The Bay of Bengal Branch

Making Kerala the first Indian state to receive rain from the Southwest Monsoon, the Arabian Sea Branch first hits the Western Ghats. During the Northeast Monsoon, the distribution of pressure patterns are reversed. The cold winds from North India pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and precipitate on the east coast of Peninsular India. In the state of Kerala, the influence of the Northeast Monsoon is only seen in southern districts. Annually, Kerala's rainfall averages 2,923 mm (115 in) and some of drier lowland regions average only 1,250 mm (49 in). Highest in the State, the mountains of the Eastern Idukki district receives more than 5,000 mm (197 in) of orographic precipitation. A drier tropical wet and dry climate prevails in the eastern part of Kerala.



The summer of the state extends from April to June and during the season the land doesn't have to undergo any dry period with the heat of scorching sun like other parts of the Country. The temperature reaches a maximum of 37-degree centigrade which is considered less when compared to other states of India and minimum remains around 20-degree centigrade. The coastal state has a slight chill climate which lasts from November to January or February. During this winter there is a drop in the temperature and is truly enjoyable.
The Land of Coconuts is situated between Northern latitudes 8°18' and 12°48' and Eastern longitudes 74°52' and 77°22' and hence experiences humid tropical rainforest climate. This beautiful land has a coast of 590 km and width varies between 11 and 121 kilometres.




Geographically, the State can be divided into three climatically distinct regions :

1. The Eastern Highlands
2. The Central Midlands
3. The Western Lowlands

The Eastern Highlands are rugged and cool mountainous terrain. The Central Midlands consists of rolling hills and The Western Lowlands are coastal plains.
The Eastern region of Kerala is made up of high mountains, gorges, and deep-cut valleys west of the Western Ghats' rain shadow. Out of 44 Rivers of Kerala, 41 of west-flowing and 3 of east-flowing ones originate in this region. The Western Ghats form a wall of mountains in the Eastern part of the land and the mountain chain is interrupted only near Palakkad hence known as Palghat. The average height of Western Ghats above the sea level is 1,500 metres (4,900 feet). While Anamudi in the Idukki district, the highest peak in South India is at an elevation of 2,695 metres (8,842 ft). Also, the Western Ghats is recognised as one of the World's 'Hottest Hotspots' of Biological diversity and it is listed among UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The forests of the region are considered to be older the Himalayan mountain ranges.

The Spice Garden of India's coastal belt is flat compared to the eastern region and it is crisscrossed by a network of interconnected canals, lakes, estuaries, rivers and known as the Kerala Backwaters. The lake 'Vembanad' which lies between Alappuzha and Cochin is the largest lake of Kerala.