The Kerala region
Kerala is a state on the Western Coast of south-western India. To its east and north-east, Kerala borders Tamil Nadu and Karnataka; to its west lies the
Arabian Sea and to its south the Indian Ocean islands of Lakshadweep and the Maldives, respectively. Kerala envelops Mahé, a coastal exclave of
Pondicherry. Kerala is one of four states that compose the linguistic-cultural region known as South India.
First settled in the 10th century BCE by speakers of Proto-South Dravidian, Kerala was influenced by the Mauryan Empire. Later, the Cheran kingdom and
feudal Namboothiri Brahminical city-states became major powers in the region. Early contact with overseas lands culminated in struggles between colonial
and native powers. Finally, the States Reorganisation Act of November 1, 1956 elevated Kerala to statehood. Social reforms enacted in the late 19th century
by Cochin and Travancore were expanded upon by post-Independence governments, making Kerala among the longest-lived, healthiest, most gender-equitable,
and most literate regions outside of the developed countries. However, Kerala's suicide rate and unemployment are among India's highest.........
Adopted from and read more at:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerala |
