Wikipedia:VideoWiki/Kerala

Kerala is a state on the southwestern, Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions. Spread over 38,863 km² (15,005 sq mi), Kerala is the twenty second largest Indian state by area.Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state.

Facts

With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 Census, Kerala is the thirteenth-largest Indian state by population. It is divided into 14 districts with the capital and largest city being Thiruvananthapuram.

The economy of Kerala is the 12th-largest state economy in India with ₹7.73 lakh crore (US$110 billion) in gross domestic productand a per capita GDP of ₹163,000 (US$2,300).

Kerala the highest literacy rate, 93.91% in the 2011 census; the highest life expectancy, 77 years; and the highest sex ratio, 1,084 women per 1,000 men.

Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India, with backwaters, hill stations, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery as its major attractions.

Culture

The culture of Kerala is composite and cosmopolitan in nature and it is an integral part of Indian culture.

Onam is a harvest festival celebrated by the people of Kerala and is reminiscent of the state's agrarian past. It is a local festival of Kerala consisting of a four-day public holidays; from Onam Eve (Uthradam) to the fourth Onam Day.

Kerala is home to a number of performance arts. These include five classical dance forms: Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattom, Thullaland Krishnanattam, which originated and developed in the temple theatres during the classical period under the patronage of royal houses.