About Kerala
Kerala, is in South India, located on the South West coastal tip of India. The Kerala Coast has been known from ancient times as the Malabar Coast. Even before the time of Jesus, traders from different parts of the world sailed to Kerala, to trade in the vast variety of Malabar Spices available in the Malabar Coast, mainly black pepper. Kerala is still the home of spices, but is now better known as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Kerala is the home of Ayurveda in India and is also the most sought after honeymoon destination in India.
The reason for Kerala's increasing popularity as a tourist destination is because you are surrounded by nature at its beautiful best. Kerala is blessed by nature with super beautiful sceneries and the great backwaters. The popularity of Kerala has also to do with the wonderful ambience of Kerala. People of Kerala are very friendly, clean and helpful. Kerala has a population that is 100% literate as certified by a United Nations Survey. The people of Kerala do not intrude on tourists and make them feel uncomfortable. If help is asked, they go out of their way to be of help. Almost everyone in Kerala is educated and can speak English, thus communicating with the people of Kerala is very easy for tourists. Women in Kerala have equal rights and Kerala girls are not shy nor unapproachable like in other parts of India. Thus the very attitude of the general public in Kerala makes the tourists feel at home and welcome. This is a great feeling, which combined with the stunning natural beauty of the state, makes the tourist really relaxed and happy that they chose to come Kerala.
Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country’ as it prides in calling itself, is really a paradise on earth. Kerala is blessed by nature which has given it one of the loveliest lakes in the world known as the backwaters. Superb mountain resorts or hill stations, are situated on the mountain range which border Kerala, known as the Western Ghats. Some of the best beaches in India are situated along the long coast line of Kerala. Kerala Beaches, Kerala Backwaters, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Kerala festivals, Kerala Martial Arts, Kerala Ayurveda Treatment, Kerala herbal medicines and Kerala Spices are renowned throughout the world. Kerala food has to be tasted to know what one was missing.
The religious harmony in Kerala is unique for India. The Kerala Malayalis - Malayalam is the language of Kerala - are a very tolerant people. They have had contact with foreigners for thousands of years, even from times before Jesus.
Kerala History
Kerala on the West coast of South India, was known as the Malabar Coast from early times and was the most sought after destination by the ancient traders for its rich Spices and Ivory (elephant tusks). Muziris was the main sea port in Kerala in those ancient days. 'Muziris' was the name referred to in ancient Roman & Greek writings. The early Jews called Muziris 'Shingly'. The name 'Murachipattanam' and 'Mahodayapattanam' referred to ancient literature also refers to this area. Later the Portuguese called it 'Cranganore', but now it is known as 'Kodungalloor' or 'Kodungallur'. Thus Muziris, Pattanam, Murachipattanam, Mahodayapattanam, Shingly, and Cranganore were the olden days names for Kodungallur in Kerala.
In Sreedhara Menon's a survey of Kerala History, pp: 58 to 61, the following is written:
"Among the ports of ancient Kerala ........ Muzuris had undoubtedly the place of pride. It is referred to as Murachipattanam in Valmiki Ramayana, as Muchhiri in Tamil works and as Muryirikode in the Jewish Copper Plate of Bhaskara Ravi Varma (1000AD)........known as Makotai, Mahodayapuram amd Mahodayapattanam............On the evidence of the Peutingerian Tables it has been stated that there was even a temple of Augustus near Muzuris" and there was a settlement with a Roman contingent in or around Muziris".
Even before the time of Jesus, traders from King Solomon's kingdom came to Muziris in Kerala regularly by sea, to trade and barter for ivory and spices. Many of these Jews who came by sailing ships settled in Kerala taking local wives and from those early times sprang up a Jewish community in and around Muziris and Pattanam, the ancient ports of Kerala. This Jewish community in Kerala are now referred to as Cochini Jews or Cochin Jews and sometimes as Malayali Jews. Ancient Greeks and Romans sailed to the port of Muziris in Kerala to barter trade for the precious Kerala Pepper which was many times more expensive than gold in Europe in those days.
Airports in Kerala
Travel to Kerala by many Flights to any three Kerala Airports: Cochin Airport, Trivandrum Airport and Calicut Airport. With these three Kerala Airport, travel to Kerala is easy and convenient. Of these three Kerala Airport, the Airport in Cochin or Kochi has the best connections and has several flights a day from the Middle Eastern Gulf countries, especially from Dubai. Cochin International Airport (CIAL) is the first privately run Airport in the country, and its cleanliness and efficiency speaks volumes in favour of privatization.
One of the best choices to fly into Kerala is to take a flight offered by the Middle East Gulf States Airlines like Emirates, Ethihad and Qatar Airways. Emirates is especially good since you can fly to Dubai direct from all the major European and American Airports. There are direct non-stop flights from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, New York, Houston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Toronto (Canada) to Dubai. Then from Dubai you can fly direct to the Kerala Airports of either Cochin/Kochi or Trivandrum/Thiruvanandapuram. Added to the charm of this flight, is the facility for a stopover in Dubai, which also includes hotel stay, food and transportation. Dubai is a dream city which has risen from the desert sands and is now one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. It is also a shopper’s paradise with some of the lowest prices in the world for electronics, Jewelry, clothes, etc.
How to get Indian Visas
If you are planning a vacation then a Kerala holiday must be on top of your list. Travel to Kerala is very easy with many cheap Kerala Vacation Packages offered, since Kerala Tourism is given high priority by the Government of Kerala/India. When you decide to come to Kerala, one of the first things to do is to get an Indian Visa. Visas to India are one of the easiest to get and are available online in most countries. Here are the links to apply for Indian Visas:
Online Indian Visas online: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/
Australia http://www.vfs-in-au.net/
Brunei http://www.hcindiabrunei.org.bn/High%20Comm%20of%20India%20-%20Visa.pdf
Canada http://in.vfsglobal.ca/
France http://www.vfs-in-fr.com/
Germany http://www.indianembassy.de/template.php?mnid=801&sm=1&inclpage=visaservices.htm
Italy http://www.indianembassy.it/indexen.htm
Malayasia http://www.indianhighcommission.com.my/visa_service_new.php
New Zealand http://www.hicomind.org.nz/visafee.htm
Portugal http://www.indembassy-lisbon.org/uk/consular_visa.html#
Singapore http://www.embassyofindia.com/
Spain http://www.embassyindia.es
UK http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/
United States https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing.com/homepage