Know Your State Kerala – Kerala GK Notes 2021 (Part 1)

In this discourse, we are going to look at the state which is famous for its backwaters and coconuts. This pure and calm state is well known for its pioneer in medication using Ayurveda. Kerala, the land of beauty is described as the favourite child of nature and famous for its breath-taking natural beauty. Kerala is famed for its unflappable and greenery environment, art forms, inimitable backwaters, beaches, wildlife, hill stations, forts, temples, monuments, and much more. This article will be dealing with the Social and Cultural, Geographical and Political aspects of Kerala.

Which state is the largest producer of Natural rubber in India? Do you the state that is the biggest consumer of Gold in India? Which state in India is the first state to include panchayats and villages under the National Optical Fiber Network Program’s high-speed broadband connections?

Let’s proceed and unwrap the extraordinary and exotic colours of Kerala.

Kerala is a state on the south-western Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956.  Kerala is the twenty-first largest state by area which is a small state, constituting only about 1% of the total area of the country. Kerala is well known as tropical heaven of waving palms and wide sandy beaches. It is a narrow strip of coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats in a cascade of lush green vegetation and reaches to the Arabian Sea. Moreover, it is known for its backwaters, mountains, coconuts, spices and art forms like Kathakali and Mohini Attam. It is the most literate state in India and a land of diverse religions.

STATE SYMBOLS OF KERALA:

Let’s go ahead and study the first aspect of Kerala i.e. cultural and social features.

CULTURE Kerala GK Notes:

Kerala culture and traditions have survived through the centuries. The cultural endowment of Kerala reflects immense interconnection with diverse communities from bygone antiquity to the present. The culture of Kerala is a combination of both Indian and Dravidian culture. The culture of Kerala can be traced back to as long as 5000 years.

• Each of the festivals in Kerala is celebrated with all its pomp and grandeur. The main festivals of Kerala include Onam, Vishu, Eid, Thrissur Pooram, etc. In some of these festivals like Pooram, the main aspect is the procession, where elephants are decorated and taken out to the temple grounds.
• The main USP (unique selling proposition) of Kerala is its performing arts like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam and Martial Art of Kalaripayattu.

1. Kathakali – A 300 year old dance that combines opera, ballet, masque and pantomime.
2. Mohiniyattam – a dance of a beautiful enchantress.
3. Kalaripayattu – a martial art form that involves synchronizing the mind and body.

• Kerala is known as the Spice Coast of India as it has a variety of spices and is world-famous for it. Culinary spices have been cultivated in Kerala for millennia and they are characteristic of its cuisine.
•  Kerala cuisine includes a wide variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry, and meat. Popular snacks include banana chips, yam crisps, tapioca chips, Achappam, unni appam and kuzhalappam. Seafood specialties include karimeen, prawns, shrimp and other crustacean dishes.
• Malayalam is the most widely spoken language in Kerala and is also the official language of the state.
• Sabrimala (abode of Lord Ayyappan) is one of the most famous pilgrimages.
•  Padmanabhaswamy temple is located in Kerala which consists of an enormous amount of gold and precious stones.
• Kerala is the biggest consumer of gold in India. The state consumes about 1/5th of the country’s gold.
• The state animal of Kerala is the Indian Elephant. Elephants form an integral part of the culture of Kerala. They are found during all religious festivals outside the temples. Elephants are known as ‘Sons of Shaya’ and are also found on the emblem of the Government of Kerala.

Let’s study the next aspect of Kerala i.e. geography

GEOGRAPHY Kerala GK Notes:

Kerala was named as one of the “ten paradises of the world” and “50 places of a lifetime” by the National Geographic Traveler magazine. Geographically, Kerala is unique and beautiful. This unique geography of Kerala provides many hills, high mountains and valleys, dense forests along with beautiful water bodies’ backwaters, lakes and beaches.

• Total Area: 38,863 km²

      Area Rank in India: 21^th

• Total Population: 33,387,677

      Population Rank in India: 13^th

Latitude extension: 8°18′ N to 12°48′ N 

Longitudinal extension: 74°52′ E to 77°22’ E

• With an area of 38,863 km², Kerala stretches for about 580 km along the Malabar Coast, varying in width from roughly 30 to 120 km.
• It is bordered by the states of Karnataka to the north and Tamil Nadu to the east and by the Arabian Sea to the south and west. It also surrounds Mahe, a segment of the state of Puducherry, on the northwestern coast.
• In the eastern part of the state, Anai peak (2,695 metres), the highest peak of peninsular India, crowns the Western Ghats. 
• The Western Ghats mountain chain is recognized as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity and is listed among UNESCO world heritage site.
• The important rivers that flow to the Arabian Sea are the Ponnani (Bharatapuzha), Periyar, Chalakudi, and Pamba.
  • The state has many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, among which the Periyar National Park and Tiger Reserve is the largest.
• The watery coastal zones of Kerala are dispersed with coconut palm groves, while most of the Western Ghats areas are covered with rainforests, tropical deciduous forests. Rolling grasslands are distinctive of the upland region. This diverse natural environment is home to an extraordinary array of wildlife.
• As Kerala’s rivers are small and lack deltas, they are more prone to environmental effects. The rivers face problems such as sand mining and pollution.

Climate Kerala GK Notes:

This state being very close to the equator, has a tropical climate. The climate of Kerala is equable and varies little from season to season.

• Throughout the year, daily temperatures usually rise from the low 70° F into the 80° F.
• The state is directly exposed to the southwest monsoon, which prevails from July through September, but it also receives rain from the reverse (northeast) monsoon, which blows in October and November.
• Precipitation averages about 115 inches (3,000 mm) annually statewide, with some slopes receiving more than 200 inches (5,000 mm).

Soil type:

Kerala soils have a small water-holding capacity and are high in phosphate. On the basis of the morphological features and physicochemical properties, the soils in Kerala have eight different classifications: red loam, laterite coastal alluvium, riverine alluvium, Onattukara alluvium, brown hydromorphic, saline hydromorphic, Kuttanad alluvium, black soil and forest loam. Kerala is the biggest producer of Natural Rubber in India.

Let’s talk about its political aspects.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Kerala GK Notes:

The structure of the government of Kerala, like that of most other states of India, is determined by the national constitution of 1950. Since the mid-20th century, Kerala’s political experience has largely been one of instability, with a proliferation of political parties and coalition governments.

• Kerala hosts two major political alliances: the United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)(CPI(M)). 

• Appointed by the president of India, the governor is the head of the state and functions on the advice of the chief minister, who is the head of the Council of Ministers. The state has an elected unicameral Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).
• The High Court in Ernakulam near Kochi is headed by a chief justice; appeals from the High Court may go to the Supreme Court of India.
• Below the High Court are district courts, subdivisional courts, subordinate judicial officer’s courts, and munsif-magistrate courts. In addition, there are family courts and other courts that handle particular types of cases.
• Kerala in India is the first state to include panchayats and villages under the National Optical Fiber Network Program’s high-speed broadband connections.

Representation of Kerala in Parliament:

Assembly seats (unicameral): 140

Rajya Sabha: 9

Lok Sabha: 20

First Governor of Kerala: Burgula Ramakrishna Rao

First Chief Minister of Kerala: Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KERALA:

• Kerala is one of the cleanest states in India. It is on the top of the list of the cleanest states according to the survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
• It is the only state in India to have hospitals and banks in every village, therefore increasing the overall development of the state.
• According to the Indian Corruption Study of 2017, Kerala is one of the least corrupt states in India with about 4% corruption in public services.
• One of the most wonderful facts about Kerala is that almost 99% of the men inthe state enjoy access to media exposure while around 94% of the female population has the same reach. Newspapers in Kerala are available in 9 different languages.
• The oldest active synagogue is the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, Kerala.
• The first ever mosque in India named Cheraman Juma Mosque is located in Kerala. The mosque was built in 629 A.D.
• The Nilambur Teak Plantation in Kerala is home to the oldest teak trees in the world. It is located in Malappuram and stretches across a vast region of 2.31 hectares. This plantation was established during the mid-19th century.

CONCLUSION

Hope this blog cleared most of your doubts about the pristine and serene Kerala. In our next blog, we will be studying about other important aspects of Kerala.

Which state has the highest per capita alcohol consumption in India? Which state is home to the first-ever coir factory in India? Where is the oldest tree in the world?

In the next blog, facets correlated with these questions will be answered certainly. If you don’t want to miss it, click here – Know your State ‘Kerala’ – Part 2. We hope it will help you in the preparation of your competitive exams such SSC 10+2, SSC CGL, CDS, NDA, etc.

Thank you