"God's Own Country" a State of Kerala Travel Page by ushar

True it is God's Own Country.
Kerala have all this ..Beuatiful beaches, Hill sattions , back waters .. art , culture u just name it..
History........
Kerala in South India has a long and varied history. From a legendary land, famed for its aromatic spices to a tourist's paradise popular for its palm-fringed beaches, backwaters and Ayurveda resorts, Kerala has made its presence known to the world throughout history.
According to legend Kerala arose from the sea, when the sage Parasurama threw his axe northwards into the waves after sitting in penance at Kanyakumari. The waves receded and the land of Kerala came into being. Geologically Kerala was created possibly as a result of a seismic shift that caused part of the seabed to rise, or as a result of silting from South Indian Rivers over millions of years.
Kerala was known to the ancient Phoenicians as a coast from which fabulous spices, such as pepper, cardamom and ginger, were exported. They also came to Kerala for sandalwood and ivory. Cranganore or Muziris was known as an important port for trade with the Mediterranean region. The Arab merchants used the monsoon winds to cross the Arabian Sea to Kerala and carry prized goods back to Arabia, from where the goods were taken to towns in the Mediterranean region by camel caravans.
The first inhabitants of Kerala according to historical records were the Pulayas, Vetas and Kuruvas. The Chera dynasty ruled over Kerala during the time of the Mauryas in North India. By the 10th century, the Brahmins or Namboothiris dominated Kerala. Other communities present in Kerala were Christian and Muslim traders and Jews. Power passed from the Namboothiri Brahmins to the warlords including the Zamorin of Calicut, whose admiral Kinjali Marakkar fought with great valor and distinction against the Portuguese. Vasco da Gama's arrival in 1498 opened a new chapter in the history of Kerala as the era of European conquest began. Conflict between the Portuguese, Dutch and later the English dominated the years of colonial trade. The French also established a settlement at Mahe on the Malabar coast. The British domiance over Keral was complete by the 1800's after the defeat of Tipu Sultan and the local rulers of Kerala. The Mopilla Revolt was a peasants' agitation, which was ruthlessly crushed. The independence movement across India also took root in Kerala. Movements to open temples to people who were considered "untouchables" and the so-called "lower castes" were also important parts of the independence movement.
After India gained independence, the people of Kerala brought the first democratically elected communist government to power in 1957. The history of Kerala since then has seen repeated changes of government, Kerala's emergence as one of the most literate states in India and the phenomenal growth of tourism in Kerala. You can see the history of Kerala come alive in its temples, churches and monuments when you hear its stories from the people of Kerala.

Music Therapy -Do u believe??
I read,
Music is a universal lanuguage. It influences all levels of human existence. Modern science and medicine are now rediscovering the healing powers of MUsic. And Music therapy- the specialised use of the music in treating persons with special needs in mental and physical health, rehabilitation and special education -is gaining ground. In the west it is now accepted form of treatment even within orthodox medical practice.'
Music is also considered as age -old part of ayurveda, the holistic Indian science that promtes a happy and healthy lifestyle. Music stimulates the pituitary gland, whose secretions affet the nervous system and the flow of blood. The right kind of music helps one relax and refresh. Even during the course of working, light music improves efficinecy.
Learning Music helps control negative aspects of our personality like worry, bias and anger. In addition , it can help cure headache, abdominal pain and tension. Music therapy is one of the most effective ways of controlling emotions, blood pressure and restroing the functioning of the liver. The raga research Centre in Chennai, India is currently making a comprenhensive study of Indian ragas and evaluating their threapeutic potential with the help of musicians, doctors and psychiatrists.It is believed that classical Indian ragas can benefit a hose of conditions ranging from insomnia, high and low blood pressure to schizophrenia and epilepsy.
Research is also underway to understand how it can fight ageing and pain.
Indian Music , with its many ragas, is known to be particularly therapeutic in value.
For example, Ahir Bhairav helps indigestion, Asavari helps build confidence, Bageshri is good for insomnia, Basant Bahar for gall-stones, Bhairavi for rheumatic artritis, Bhim Palas for anxiety, Chandrakauns for anorexia and so on... The list is long and quite comprehensive with detailed ragas for specitfic disorders.
Listen to good music:),
Take care and keep smiling :)
usha..

The pic shows the kitchen of an old tharavadu ( nalukettu house ) in kerala.
The water from well can be collected from the well , standng inside the house ( inside the kitchen).
Nowadays only few houses have this. Thanks to the modernisation.:)

Tried to give a natural look by not using flash.