Kerala Ayurveda
Ayur-means Life and Ved-means sciences, thus 'Ayurveda' literally means Life Sciences. The ayurvedic system of medicine can be traced back to the ancient times, to almost more than 5,000 years back.
Kerala ayurveda is famous all over the world as one of the most effective forms of medicinal cure for various ailments. Though Ayurveda is principally meant to cures diseases, it is a lot more than that; Ayurveda is a complete way of living that keeps your mind, body and soul healthy. Meditation and yoga form an integral part of ayurveda.
Kerala, India has been one of the main centers of ayurvedic medicine since the ancient times. Even the World Health Organization acknowledges the wonderfully effective consequences of ayurveda. Ayurveda deals with physical, mental and social well being of a human being.
Kerala, India with its rich bounty of medicinal herbs, shrubs and trees that have been an unending source of ayurvedic concoctions created by ayurveda practioners over the years, has been one of the main centers of ayurveda since time immemorial. The abundance of natural resources in Kerala, South India makes this part of India the ayurveda paradise.
Kerala ayurveda is perhaps the most effective and desirous method of healing yourself of tension related diseases and the perfect way to rejuvenate yourself and feel purity emanating from within oneself.
Kerala ayurveda is based on the concept of healthy living as propagated in one of the oldest Indian texts i.e. the 'Atharva Veda'. Today extensive scientific research supplements the already vast ayurveda 'knowledge well'. The Kerala ayurveda packages offered by Kerala Hotels include ayurveda programmes such as rejuvenation therapies, herbal baths, oil massages and yoga.
Kerala Hotels provides you with details regarding online hotel booking and resort reservation at the various ayurveda resorts located in different parts of Kerala, South India. Come and stay at any of these ayurvedic resorts and revitalize your mind, body and soul by participating in the short and long term Kerala ayurveda programs.
Among the better-known Kerala ayurveda resorts, the ones that deserve a mention are: Keraleeyam Ayurveda and Heritage Resort, Kairali Ayurvedic Resort, Somatheeram Ayurvedic Beach Resort, Olasha Ayurvedic Centre, Aquaserence Ayurvedic Resort, Susya Ayurvedic Health Resort, Prince Health and Ayurvedic Resort, Sri Ram Ayurvedic Centre and the Hotel Samudra Kovalam.
Friday, August 31, 2007
A enchanting travel in a house boat(Kettuvallam)
Kerala - The tourist paradise Welcome to God's own country! The land of endless possibilities... A fleet of houseboats with all modern facilities awaits you. Take a few days off from your stressfull life and experience the wonderful cruise down the magical and mystical backwaters of Kerala. Relax as the sun sets on the scenic backwaters of the Vembanad lake. Centuries old back waters in Kerala has become the new tourist attraction in India, after the tourist paradise Kashmir went into the threat of militant attacks. A glide in a "Kettuvallom" (Houseboat) is sure to rob your heart. "Kettuvallom" (Houseboat) Kettuvallam is a country boat that was used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages to the towns. With the advent of roads, bridges and ferry services, gradually the Kettuvalloms went out of scene. Now these Kettuvalloms are back again as a major tourist attraction. A ride on a Kettuvallom is a fabulouse way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters. A houseboat is about 60 to 70 feet in length and has a width of around 13 feet in the middle. The materials that go into the making are all local and ecco friendly; bamboo poles, coconut fibre, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc. Facilities There are houseboats with fully furnished single/double/triple bedrooms. Most of them have sun decks, private balcony, kitchen and toilets. Traditional lanters are used as lights. The crew includes a chef and one or more oarsemen. The cuisine is of traditional Kerala flavour along with local specialities.
KERALA Backwaters
Kerala Backwaters
More than 44 rivers and numerous lakes, pools and streams together constitute the Kerala backwaters. Kerala backwaters are almost synonymous to Kerala, South India and to a great extent the main identity of Kerala, though the state has a rich bounty of forests, hills, beaches and a panoramic coastline with the Arabian Sea.
These waterways run across the length and breadth of Kerala and are the lifeline of Kerala, South India. The tortuous emerald Kerala backwaters flow across the Kerala villages and serve as a means of transportation for village produce such as coconuts, coir, woodwork and a lot more. Kerala Hotels promises to provide you with the most luxurious houseboat cruises and backwater resort accommodation at the Kerala backwater destination of your choice.
Hire a luxury kettuvallom or a local rice barge that serves as a houseboat replete with comforts of a sleeping area, cooking space and a sitting area and embark on a languorous luxury sail along the almost placid Kerala backwaters. Gaze wondrously at the chirping water birds, the busy activities going on in the paddy fields on the banks of the Kerala backwaters, village children smiling at you from the water banks, busy fishermen at work, coconut palms bending with the weight of coconut fruit casting their long shadows on the transparent green waters and colorful blooms floating on the calm waters creating a paradisiacal effect.
Kerala Backwaters tour packages offered by Kerala Hotels ensures that you get to enjoy the most scenic locales on the Kerala backwaters at the backwater destinations of your choice in Kerala, South India.
Stay at any of the Kerala backwater resorts that promise to give you a feel of green Kerala at its very best.
More than 44 rivers and numerous lakes, pools and streams together constitute the Kerala backwaters. Kerala backwaters are almost synonymous to Kerala, South India and to a great extent the main identity of Kerala, though the state has a rich bounty of forests, hills, beaches and a panoramic coastline with the Arabian Sea.
These waterways run across the length and breadth of Kerala and are the lifeline of Kerala, South India. The tortuous emerald Kerala backwaters flow across the Kerala villages and serve as a means of transportation for village produce such as coconuts, coir, woodwork and a lot more. Kerala Hotels promises to provide you with the most luxurious houseboat cruises and backwater resort accommodation at the Kerala backwater destination of your choice.
Hire a luxury kettuvallom or a local rice barge that serves as a houseboat replete with comforts of a sleeping area, cooking space and a sitting area and embark on a languorous luxury sail along the almost placid Kerala backwaters. Gaze wondrously at the chirping water birds, the busy activities going on in the paddy fields on the banks of the Kerala backwaters, village children smiling at you from the water banks, busy fishermen at work, coconut palms bending with the weight of coconut fruit casting their long shadows on the transparent green waters and colorful blooms floating on the calm waters creating a paradisiacal effect.
Kerala Backwaters tour packages offered by Kerala Hotels ensures that you get to enjoy the most scenic locales on the Kerala backwaters at the backwater destinations of your choice in Kerala, South India.
Stay at any of the Kerala backwater resorts that promise to give you a feel of green Kerala at its very best.
Kerala Tourist destinations
Kerala Tourist Destinations
Come and sense the all pervading appeal of the beatific hills clothed in deep green hues, acres of savannah grass, cashew and spice plantations that characterize the slender land that lies on the southern side of the Indian peninsula-Kerala. Visit the captivating tourist destinations located in different parts of this spice country with Kerala Hotels.
The mere mention of Kerala, India brings to mind pictures of crisscrossing waterways dotted with water lilies and the floating kettuvalloms that are long and large rice barges, coggling ducks, storks, Chinese fishing nets, catamarans, paddy fields, high hills, elephants, tigers, squirrels, dense woods, ayurvedic herbs and medicines, Kathakali dancers, temples and long standing Kerala traditions. All this and more are the little bits that come together to form an interesting collage of pure and clean beauty, cultural traditions, customs and the land of the warm, i.e., Kerala, South India.
The variegated landforms offer extensive travel tour possibilities for the interested traveler; in fact there are a number of tourist destinations on the Kerala hills and Kerala beaches. Cultural tours to the temples and shrines of Kerala, India reveal the face of a land that reveres the divine. Life goes on at a snails pace, especially in rural Kerala, India and a visit to the Kerala villages will unravel a mysteriously simple and clean world untouched by the complications of urban cares.
Some of the popular tourist destinations in Kerala, South India that you must visit while on tours to Kerala, South India with Kerala Hotels are: Thiruvananthapuram-the capital city of Kerala, South India, Kochi, Kumarakom. Kottayam, Kovalam, Munnar, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Munnar, Idduki, Kannur, Quilon, Ponmudi, Varkala, Nilambur and Kozhikode.
During your luxury Kerala tours to any of the tourist destinations in Kerala, South India with Kerala Hotels you cans stay at any of the numerous hotels that are located all over Kerala, South India. These hotels and resorts are segregated into hill resorts, beach resorts, luxury deluxe hotels, five star hotels and economy hotels. Each of these hotels promises to provide you with excellent holiday facilities.
Come and sense the all pervading appeal of the beatific hills clothed in deep green hues, acres of savannah grass, cashew and spice plantations that characterize the slender land that lies on the southern side of the Indian peninsula-Kerala. Visit the captivating tourist destinations located in different parts of this spice country with Kerala Hotels.
The mere mention of Kerala, India brings to mind pictures of crisscrossing waterways dotted with water lilies and the floating kettuvalloms that are long and large rice barges, coggling ducks, storks, Chinese fishing nets, catamarans, paddy fields, high hills, elephants, tigers, squirrels, dense woods, ayurvedic herbs and medicines, Kathakali dancers, temples and long standing Kerala traditions. All this and more are the little bits that come together to form an interesting collage of pure and clean beauty, cultural traditions, customs and the land of the warm, i.e., Kerala, South India.
The variegated landforms offer extensive travel tour possibilities for the interested traveler; in fact there are a number of tourist destinations on the Kerala hills and Kerala beaches. Cultural tours to the temples and shrines of Kerala, India reveal the face of a land that reveres the divine. Life goes on at a snails pace, especially in rural Kerala, India and a visit to the Kerala villages will unravel a mysteriously simple and clean world untouched by the complications of urban cares.
Some of the popular tourist destinations in Kerala, South India that you must visit while on tours to Kerala, South India with Kerala Hotels are: Thiruvananthapuram-the capital city of Kerala, South India, Kochi, Kumarakom. Kottayam, Kovalam, Munnar, Palakkad, Alappuzha, Munnar, Idduki, Kannur, Quilon, Ponmudi, Varkala, Nilambur and Kozhikode.
During your luxury Kerala tours to any of the tourist destinations in Kerala, South India with Kerala Hotels you cans stay at any of the numerous hotels that are located all over Kerala, South India. These hotels and resorts are segregated into hill resorts, beach resorts, luxury deluxe hotels, five star hotels and economy hotels. Each of these hotels promises to provide you with excellent holiday facilities.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF KERALA
The culture of Malayalees has a flavour of its own, even though it forms part of the Indian and Dravidian culture. This is because of the peculiar geographical features of Kara. Bounded on the east by the Western Ghats and the west by the Arabian sea, it has had long periods of insular existence. This has resulted in the distinctiveness of their language, dress, culture and institutions.
The origin of the inhabitants of Kara is nearly lost in the hoary past. It is beyond doubt that the Malayalee culture is the offshoot of the Dravidian culture. There are striking similarities in the languages, customs and other cultural aspects to the Mediterranean civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley to some extent, and that of Sri Lanka. Anthropologically, the Dravidas are a mixture of Proto-Australoids, Mediterraneans and Negritos. History has it that the Dravidas inhabited a land to the west of the Indian peninsula and eventually made Madurai their capital. There is a tradition in the ‘Vadakkan pattukal’ that the Ezhavas arrived in Kara by sea from Ezham, which is interpreted to be the present day Sri Lanka. However, it is interesting to note that the land to the east of the Tigris in Iran, now called Khuzistan was once known as Elam. It is said that a civilization flourished there five thousand years ago with city states having distinctive culture and language. Their language is found similar to the Dravidian language. In any case it appears that the ancestors of the present inhabitants of south India had arrived here by sea rather than by land from the north. It was at a much later stage that a distinctive culture began to take shape.
South India was ruled mainly by the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas. The Cheras held their sway over the whole of Kara and to some extent to the east of the western Ghats. There were frequent clashes between the Cheras and the Pandyas and eventually the Cholas succeeded and ruled the whole of Kara. Gradually several local rulers came up and for a few centuries there was little association between Keralites and outsiders. It is conjectured that Malayalam started developing as a separate language during this period. The influence of Sanskrit was tremendous and Malayalam became a sort of a synthesized language of Sanskrit and Tamil. During this period, Ayurveda also took its roots in Kerala. Even today, it is practised mostly in Kerala with the speciality of ‘Panchakarma’ involving medicated oil massages.
The influence of Adi Sankara who was born at Kalady in Kerala during the seventh or eight century was also very strong. He, who was the exponent of the Advaita Philosophy, revived the Brahminic religion in the whole of India.
Keralites have always been a maritime people. Kerala perhaps had the strongest navy in India. Early overseas trade started with the export of ivory, peacocks, monkeys, teakwood, sandalwood etc. to the Middle East from the time of King Solomon. Later on, foreign trade continued with Rome till the fall of the Roman empire. During this period Kodungallur was the commercial and political capital of Kerala. With the fall of the Cholas in the second and third centuries, the navy became weak. Yet, Kunhali Marikkar was a terror to the Portuguese in the 1500s. The Portuguese and thereafter the Dutch and then the British came here to rule the seas.
Kerala is a melting pot where several ethnic and religious groups mingle. A good illustration of the religious tolerance or secularism is found in the heart of Kerala’s capital, 'Thiruvananthapuram', where a Hindu temple, a mosque and a cathedral stands side by side. Religious discrimination was never practised by the ancient rulers of Kerala. Patronage was distributed not only to the Hindus, but also to the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims. It has been an open field for the missionaries of all religions. St. Thomas who landed at Kodungallur was warmly welcomed. He converted several people including Brahmins into Christianity. ‘Chronique de Seert’ has references to the visit of David Dudi, the Bishop of Assyria between 295 and 300 AD, Thomas the Manichan in 277 AD and Thomas of Cana in the 8th century.
Three separate groups of Jews landed at Kodungallur in 68, 370 and 490 AD. By the edict of 999-1000, Bhaskara Ravi Varman of Kodungallur conferred upon the head of the Jews, 'Joseph Rabban' - the Title and Coat of Arms of a Naduvazhi, with rights to land and collect taxes etc. By the Tharisappally Edict of 849 AD, the Venad Aayyanadigal granted lands to a Christian Church. The Jews first came in King Solaman's ship as traders and later as refugees in AD 69 fleeing Jerusalem because of the persecution in Cyrus. Even when the atrocities in Jerusalem was over, many of them were reluctant to return and remained in Kerala. Some of them have recently migrated to Israel after the realisation of their ‘Promised Land’. The first Jewish Synagogue in India is in Mala though the most renowned one is at Mattancherry.
In 644 AD, Malik bin Deenar arrived in Kerala to build mosques and spread Islam. He too was accorded a warm welcome.
All these diverse visitors were welcomed by the rulers and the response from the natives towards the calls for conversions belied all expectations. The lower classes, especially in the Hindu community, were oppressed for generations. They found their salvations in the Christian Missionaries. A Christian did not suffer from untouchability or other oppression and he, therefore, gained a good standing in the society. There has never been such peaceful co-existence of people from different faiths. There were incidents of clashes also. The Portuguese succeeded in banishing the Jews from Kodungallur
With the advent of the British in the late 18th century, English language assumed importance. This brought about a tremendous impact upon the life and culture of the Keralites. In this respect, Kerala owes a great deal to the Christian Missionaries. They not only educated the people but also introduced health-care programmes. They were careful not to disturb the Hindu community and easily blended into the Kerala culture. Latin was replaced by Malayalam for Church services and candles were replaced for the traditional Kerala ‘Nilavilakku’. They also wholeheartedly participated in the Hindu festivities. Thus they enriched Kara’s ethnic culture.
The Muslims of Kara are the descendents of the Arab traders who came to Kara and married locally and finally settled down here. They were mostly concentrated in the Malabar area and up to the 18th century, were engaged as agricultural labourers, petty traders and soldiers in the Zamorin’s army. The agricultural labourers in Malabar were oppressed under a system of land tenure in which the landlord had a stranglehold on them. They were accused of 'throwing their lot' with Hyder Ali and Tippu during their invasions. There were forced conversions and selective liquidations also. After the British restored peace, the Hindus who suffered started avenging the Muslims. Since the land mostly belonged to the Hindus, there were peasant uprisings which gradually got a communal tinge, which was later termed as the Mopllah rebellion of 1921. Gradually it gained momentum and developed into a peasant revolt- the peasants were Muslims and the land lords were Hindus, among whom the Namboodiris were predominant. The British had to ruthlessly put down the revolt.
One of the distinguishing features of Keralite society is the matrilineal system. Historians have not been able to decide how this system was evolved. Together with this developed the practices of fraternal and simple polyandry. With the advent of technology, the joint family system as well as the matrilineal system disappeared.
Because of the peculiar geographical features that nature has bestowed upon it, Kara is isolated from the rest of the country. This isolation is reflected in the myriad art forms that have evolved here over the centuries. Elsewhere in India, the inspiration for art was manifested in the architectural marvels of the rock cut temples or in the magnificent murals of Ajanta or Ellora caves. But in Kara man found his own body as a supreme medium for artistic expression. Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu are presented as mono acts, as in the early style of Sanskrit plays. Krishnanattam, Ramanattam and Kathakali are other forms of art which took birth in places of worship. Temples have also been the centres of artistic expressions. There was a rich variety of graphic and performing arts. The engravings on temples were painted, but unlike in Tamil Nadu, they were painted in single colours. Pre-historic paintings on the caves at Edakkal near Sultan Battery resemble those of 17th dynasty of Egypt.
Intermingling with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British has resulted in the creation of a ‘Eurasian’ community. Most of them are Latin Christians and their culture is distinctly different from the traditional Kara culture. There were infiltrations from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. A large number of Gujaratis, Marwaris, Konkanis, the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins, Shenoys, Parsis, Kudumbis etc. also migrated to Kara. No wonder, Swamy Vivekananda called Kara a ‘lunatic asylum of castes’. Historians point out that even during the Sangam period, there were no strict divisions based on castes. Caste consciousness and untouchability came much later and it is also difficult to pin point the antiquity of any of the original races now in Kara. The transformation into a cosmopolitan and egalitarian society was comparatively quick. The inherent tolerence and resilience of all original classes ensured a peaceful reformation. The gradual fusion of various groups have brought about a superficial uniformity.
The culture of Malayalees has a flavour of its own, even though it forms part of the Indian and Dravidian culture. This is because of the peculiar geographical features of Kara. Bounded on the east by the Western Ghats and the west by the Arabian sea, it has had long periods of insular existence. This has resulted in the distinctiveness of their language, dress, culture and institutions.
The origin of the inhabitants of Kara is nearly lost in the hoary past. It is beyond doubt that the Malayalee culture is the offshoot of the Dravidian culture. There are striking similarities in the languages, customs and other cultural aspects to the Mediterranean civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley to some extent, and that of Sri Lanka. Anthropologically, the Dravidas are a mixture of Proto-Australoids, Mediterraneans and Negritos. History has it that the Dravidas inhabited a land to the west of the Indian peninsula and eventually made Madurai their capital. There is a tradition in the ‘Vadakkan pattukal’ that the Ezhavas arrived in Kara by sea from Ezham, which is interpreted to be the present day Sri Lanka. However, it is interesting to note that the land to the east of the Tigris in Iran, now called Khuzistan was once known as Elam. It is said that a civilization flourished there five thousand years ago with city states having distinctive culture and language. Their language is found similar to the Dravidian language. In any case it appears that the ancestors of the present inhabitants of south India had arrived here by sea rather than by land from the north. It was at a much later stage that a distinctive culture began to take shape.
South India was ruled mainly by the Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas. The Cheras held their sway over the whole of Kara and to some extent to the east of the western Ghats. There were frequent clashes between the Cheras and the Pandyas and eventually the Cholas succeeded and ruled the whole of Kara. Gradually several local rulers came up and for a few centuries there was little association between Keralites and outsiders. It is conjectured that Malayalam started developing as a separate language during this period. The influence of Sanskrit was tremendous and Malayalam became a sort of a synthesized language of Sanskrit and Tamil. During this period, Ayurveda also took its roots in Kerala. Even today, it is practised mostly in Kerala with the speciality of ‘Panchakarma’ involving medicated oil massages.
The influence of Adi Sankara who was born at Kalady in Kerala during the seventh or eight century was also very strong. He, who was the exponent of the Advaita Philosophy, revived the Brahminic religion in the whole of India.
Keralites have always been a maritime people. Kerala perhaps had the strongest navy in India. Early overseas trade started with the export of ivory, peacocks, monkeys, teakwood, sandalwood etc. to the Middle East from the time of King Solomon. Later on, foreign trade continued with Rome till the fall of the Roman empire. During this period Kodungallur was the commercial and political capital of Kerala. With the fall of the Cholas in the second and third centuries, the navy became weak. Yet, Kunhali Marikkar was a terror to the Portuguese in the 1500s. The Portuguese and thereafter the Dutch and then the British came here to rule the seas.
Kerala is a melting pot where several ethnic and religious groups mingle. A good illustration of the religious tolerance or secularism is found in the heart of Kerala’s capital, 'Thiruvananthapuram', where a Hindu temple, a mosque and a cathedral stands side by side. Religious discrimination was never practised by the ancient rulers of Kerala. Patronage was distributed not only to the Hindus, but also to the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims. It has been an open field for the missionaries of all religions. St. Thomas who landed at Kodungallur was warmly welcomed. He converted several people including Brahmins into Christianity. ‘Chronique de Seert’ has references to the visit of David Dudi, the Bishop of Assyria between 295 and 300 AD, Thomas the Manichan in 277 AD and Thomas of Cana in the 8th century.
Three separate groups of Jews landed at Kodungallur in 68, 370 and 490 AD. By the edict of 999-1000, Bhaskara Ravi Varman of Kodungallur conferred upon the head of the Jews, 'Joseph Rabban' - the Title and Coat of Arms of a Naduvazhi, with rights to land and collect taxes etc. By the Tharisappally Edict of 849 AD, the Venad Aayyanadigal granted lands to a Christian Church. The Jews first came in King Solaman's ship as traders and later as refugees in AD 69 fleeing Jerusalem because of the persecution in Cyrus. Even when the atrocities in Jerusalem was over, many of them were reluctant to return and remained in Kerala. Some of them have recently migrated to Israel after the realisation of their ‘Promised Land’. The first Jewish Synagogue in India is in Mala though the most renowned one is at Mattancherry.
In 644 AD, Malik bin Deenar arrived in Kerala to build mosques and spread Islam. He too was accorded a warm welcome.
All these diverse visitors were welcomed by the rulers and the response from the natives towards the calls for conversions belied all expectations. The lower classes, especially in the Hindu community, were oppressed for generations. They found their salvations in the Christian Missionaries. A Christian did not suffer from untouchability or other oppression and he, therefore, gained a good standing in the society. There has never been such peaceful co-existence of people from different faiths. There were incidents of clashes also. The Portuguese succeeded in banishing the Jews from Kodungallur
With the advent of the British in the late 18th century, English language assumed importance. This brought about a tremendous impact upon the life and culture of the Keralites. In this respect, Kerala owes a great deal to the Christian Missionaries. They not only educated the people but also introduced health-care programmes. They were careful not to disturb the Hindu community and easily blended into the Kerala culture. Latin was replaced by Malayalam for Church services and candles were replaced for the traditional Kerala ‘Nilavilakku’. They also wholeheartedly participated in the Hindu festivities. Thus they enriched Kara’s ethnic culture.
The Muslims of Kara are the descendents of the Arab traders who came to Kara and married locally and finally settled down here. They were mostly concentrated in the Malabar area and up to the 18th century, were engaged as agricultural labourers, petty traders and soldiers in the Zamorin’s army. The agricultural labourers in Malabar were oppressed under a system of land tenure in which the landlord had a stranglehold on them. They were accused of 'throwing their lot' with Hyder Ali and Tippu during their invasions. There were forced conversions and selective liquidations also. After the British restored peace, the Hindus who suffered started avenging the Muslims. Since the land mostly belonged to the Hindus, there were peasant uprisings which gradually got a communal tinge, which was later termed as the Mopllah rebellion of 1921. Gradually it gained momentum and developed into a peasant revolt- the peasants were Muslims and the land lords were Hindus, among whom the Namboodiris were predominant. The British had to ruthlessly put down the revolt.
One of the distinguishing features of Keralite society is the matrilineal system. Historians have not been able to decide how this system was evolved. Together with this developed the practices of fraternal and simple polyandry. With the advent of technology, the joint family system as well as the matrilineal system disappeared.
Because of the peculiar geographical features that nature has bestowed upon it, Kara is isolated from the rest of the country. This isolation is reflected in the myriad art forms that have evolved here over the centuries. Elsewhere in India, the inspiration for art was manifested in the architectural marvels of the rock cut temples or in the magnificent murals of Ajanta or Ellora caves. But in Kara man found his own body as a supreme medium for artistic expression. Koodiyattam and Chakyar Koothu are presented as mono acts, as in the early style of Sanskrit plays. Krishnanattam, Ramanattam and Kathakali are other forms of art which took birth in places of worship. Temples have also been the centres of artistic expressions. There was a rich variety of graphic and performing arts. The engravings on temples were painted, but unlike in Tamil Nadu, they were painted in single colours. Pre-historic paintings on the caves at Edakkal near Sultan Battery resemble those of 17th dynasty of Egypt.
Intermingling with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British has resulted in the creation of a ‘Eurasian’ community. Most of them are Latin Christians and their culture is distinctly different from the traditional Kara culture. There were infiltrations from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. A large number of Gujaratis, Marwaris, Konkanis, the Gowda Saraswat Brahmins, Shenoys, Parsis, Kudumbis etc. also migrated to Kara. No wonder, Swamy Vivekananda called Kara a ‘lunatic asylum of castes’. Historians point out that even during the Sangam period, there were no strict divisions based on castes. Caste consciousness and untouchability came much later and it is also difficult to pin point the antiquity of any of the original races now in Kara. The transformation into a cosmopolitan and egalitarian society was comparatively quick. The inherent tolerence and resilience of all original classes ensured a peaceful reformation. The gradual fusion of various groups have brought about a superficial uniformity.
onam celebrations
the whole of kerala one heartedly celebrates a festival this season
the onam festival
the onam festival
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