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Culture of Kerala -
Kerala has a rich and fascinating culture. With people from many communities and religions living in this small state along the west coast of South India, Kerala is a melting pot of cultural influences. Some of the major cultural events of Kerala are the Onam Festival, the Temple festival at Thrissur, the annual Snake Boat Races at Alleppey and the festivals of Id and Christmas. Depending on the time of year you can see some of these celebrations on tours of Kerala with Kerala Backwater. |
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Some of the performing arts of Kerala, which form a part of the culture of Kerala are Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Kalaripayattu. There are many folk dances and performance styles in Kerala which include Theyyam - known for its fearsome masks and the trance like state of the performer, Thiruvathirakali - a graceful dance by women during Onam and Kaikotikalli a dance performed by women to celebrate a wedding.
The best known of Kerala's classical arts, which you can see on tours of Kerala with Kerala backwater are. |
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Marial Arts Of Kerala
Kalaripayattu is possibly the oldest Martial art still practised in the world. This martial art form that originated in Kerala, India, derives its name from "Kalari" or the arena in which the combatants fight and "payattu" which means practice in Malayalam the language of Kerala. The fighting rink is the theatre where the disciple of Kalaripayattu displays his prowess. Nowadays Kalaripayattu is practised more as fitness training and as a demonstration sport, which you can see on tours of Kerala with Kerala Backwater. In earlier times Kalaripayattu was practised as a fighting skill by the warriors in the armies of the Kings and warlords of Kerala. Often conflicts between courtiers and disputes between landlords in Kerala, were settled by bouts of Kalaripayattu. |
Kalaripayattu is an art of combat, which combines the strength and flexibility of the body with the discipline and focus of the mind. Kalaripayattu is related to yoga and Ayurveda. The disciple of the martial art of Kalaripayattu does the smooth flowing exercises of yoga to flex his muscles before going on to practicing the more energetic fighting routines of Kalaripayattu. Massage with ayurvedic oils is an important part of the Kalaripayattu routine.
There are two main forms of Kalaripayattu which you can see on tours of Kerala with Kerala Backwater. The Vadakkan form or the Northern Style and the Thekkan form or the southern style, differ in the speed and flow of their movements.
The different stages in the training process of a disciple of the Kalaripayattu martial art form of Kerala are:
Meythari: In this stage the fighter learns jumps, twists and movements of the body that will aid him while fighting. The emphasis is on flexibility and agility.
Kolthari: The first phase of fighting begins with wooden sticks and staffs. |
Kerala Cuisine
Kerala is known worldwide as a wonderful tourist destination. The backwaters, beaches and hill stations of Kerala are known for their calm and serenity, which provide a relaxing holiday in God's Own Country. Kerala Backwater offers tours to Kerala, India, that showcase the best of Kerala. One of Kerala's popular attractions is its delicious Kerala cuisine.
Kerala is a coastal state, it is a covered with emerald green paddy fields and has plantations where spices that have been exported worldwide for centuries, are grown. Add to this mixture a touch a coconut and a bunch of bananas and you're halfway to a recipe for Kerala cuisine, which you can try on Kerala Backwater tours.
The cuisine of Kerala is characterized by the use of coconut, either chopped or grated and used as garnishing, coconut milk or paste is used to thicken gravies and coconut oil is used for cooking. |
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Breakfast specialties of the cuisine of Kerala are usually made from ground rice and pulses that are steamed or fried in different ways. "Puttu", a dish of steamed rice powder is a popular breakfast. Garnished with coconut and eaten with stew, curry, or bananas, Puttu is best eaten by hand, though it can be eaten with a spoon.
Traditional south Indian specialties, such as dosas, idlis, sambhar and uttapam are part of the breakfast cuisine of Kerala, which you can enjoy, when you travel on Kerala tours with Kerala Backwater. Typically Kerala breakfast dishes include "Vallepam" - a frilly pancake made from fermented rice paste, cooked in a curved pan and served with stew or coconut milk. Also called hoppers, Vallepam is also made with egg and meat curry.
Lunch and dinner are similar in the cuisine of Kerala. Rice is the staple diet of Kerala, India. A typical lunch or dinner meal would consist of rice, dal - a gravy made of pulses, various seasonal vegetables cooked with coconut and different spices for flavor, a seafood curry and a sweet dish for desert, such as "payasam or "pradaman." Sweet dishes are usually made using rice, milk, sugar or jaggery and bananas and cooked to form a thick custard like consistency.
Seafood is very popular in Kerala and consumed with every meal. Various fish including sardines, mackerel, tuna, rays and shark are eaten, as are crabs, mussels and oysters. "Karimeen" or fried fish is a popular dish as is fish curry called "Fish Moilee."
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