Unknown Facts About Kerala

August 18, 2020

Also known as The God’s Own Country, Kerala is one of the most beautiful places you can visit in India. Lying in the Southern Eastern part of India, the state of Kerala is full breathtaking monuments, rich history, and beautiful beaches and backwaters. The state is also filled with lush greenery and exotic wild life, making it the perfect destination for a holiday trip. Whether you are looking to experience the vibrant festivals and dances or looking to taste the delicious cuisine of Kerala, there’s a little something for every traveler. Which is why, in this article, we will be looking at some of the interesting and unknown facts you might have not known about this beautiful state.

Unknown Facts About Kerala

Kerala is named after the vast coconut plantations in the state. ‘Kera’ means coconut tree and ‘Alam’ stands for land. Therefore, Kerala can be named as the land of coconut trees.
According to a survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), Kerala is said to be the cleanest state of India along with Sikkim.
Kerala is also the only state to have hospitals and banks in every village. It is also the only state to have provided banking facilities and hospitals in its remotest locations, thus increasing its overall development.
Kerala gets the first spell of rains in India. While the rest of the nation experiences rain in July, Kerala witnesses it around the first week of June every year followed by Mumbai and Delhi.
The richest Hindu temple in the world is located in Kerala. Padmanabhaswamy temple is the richest temple regarding gold and precious stones.
Kerala, along with Pondicherry, is the only Indian states to have a female-to-male ratio higher than 0.99. Kerala has 1084 females per 1000 males with a rate of 1.084 which is higher than the national figure of 0.940.
The state of Kerala consumes about 20% of the country’s gold, making it the state with the highest gold consumption in the country.
Kerala is the most literate state in India with a literacy rate of 93.91%. The literacy rate of the country stands at a mere 74.04% according to the census of 2011.
Kerala is home to a vast variety of herbs. Herbs with medicinal properties such as turmeric, Cinnamon, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Amalaki, Bharangi, and Phyllanthus Amarus etc. are found in abundance in Kerala.
Kerala experiences about 4 percent corruption in public services according to CMS ‘Indian Corruption Study of 2017, making it the second least corrupt state in the country. The least corrupt state was Himachal Pradesh with a bribery percent of about 3 %.
India is the 4th largest rubber-producing country in the world. Out of which, Kerala produces more than 90% of the total rubber in the country
The education bill of the Kerala education act, 1958 was introduced in the Kerala assembly by its then education minister, Professor Joseph Mundasseri, making Kerala the first state to have implemented education reform bills.
Kerala is famous for being a pioneer in Ayurveda. The state is home to the world’s first ayurvedic resort- Somatheeram.
Kerala has been included in the list of Top Ten Paradises of the world in the 1999 edition of The Traveler Magazine, published by National Geographic.
One of the most amazing things about Kerala is that almost 99% of the men in the 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.
One of the prime attractions for tourists in the state are the famous backwaters. These backwaters are an intricate network of streams and canals, all interwoven exquisitely. Lagoons and lakes are the major components of these backwaters which run parallel to the Arabian Sea.
In 2016, Kerala became the first digital state in the country. The then President, Pranab Mukherjee, conferred the state with this title. Kerala has the largest telecom literacy rate in India with full mobile connectivity and about 75% internet connectivity.
Kerala also has the highest number of digital banking users and operational bank accounts.
Kerala became the first state in 2016 to have achieved 100% primary education through its literacy program called Athulyam.
Kerala is renowned all over the world for its wide variety of spices and is also known as the Spice Coast of India. The state boasts an assortment of spices which originated from the cultures of Christians, Muslims, Jews, and merchants who settled down here. A creamy texture and aroma can be easily found in the original cuisines of the state.
It is said that Kerala is the only state in India where Ayurveda is still a mainstream medicine.
Kerala is said to be a melting point of all cultures, as the highest number of festivals are celebrated in Kerala, and also that, you are likely to find a temple, mosque or church around every corner in the state
Kerala has more than seven hundred elephants in captivity. Elephants are considered to sacred in Kerala, and most of the elephants are owned by temples and individuals, and are mainly used for religious ceremonies in and around the temples. Elephant is also featured on the emblem of the Kerala State and also the state animal of Kerala.
Malayalis are said to have the highest life expectancy, with an average life expectancy of 74 years.
The Cheraman Juma Masjid mosque in Methala, Kodungallur Taluk, Thrissur District in the Indian state of Kerala. Built in 629 AD, is the first mosque in India built by Malik Deenar.
Located within the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in the Palghat District of Kerala in India, lies the largest living teak tree named Kannimara. The tree is approximately 47.5 m tall
Kerala Police has a special division called Tourist Police, to guide and assists the tourists visiting the state.