Kerala

Kerala is India’s southernmost state on the western coast. An abundance of lush greenery, lakes, lagoons and lovely beaches makes it a vertible tropical paradise.Tall palms reach up to the sky, and the sun warms them the whole year through, while the backwaters wash the green rice-fields and the luxuriant palm groves. Kerala’s fabled Malabar Coast was visited by Marco Polo in 1324 to find Christianity already flourishing here.In as early as 10th century B.C., King Solomon sent his fleet to Ophir (near Trivandrum) to buy timber, sandalwood and ivory (as well as spices, peacocks and various other things) for the construction of a temple in Jerusalem.

Kerala

The Jews, too, came here as traders, some of who were lured by the beauty of the land to become permanent settlers here. More settlers came from Palestine in 70 A.D. and 136 A.D. when Jerusalem had been completely ransacked. It is believed that Apostle Thomas came here more than 19 centuries ago, and founded seven churches in Kerala.

Important tourist places in Kerala:

Trivanduram, Kovalam, Periyar, Kochi, Alapuzha, Calicut, Kollam, Kottayam, Idukki, Palghat, Trichur, Wynad, Nelliyampathy, Guruvayur, Malampuzha, Kumarakom, Munnar, Ponmudi

For further information, please contact: The Director of Tourism, Government of Kerala, Park View, Trivandrum 695001 or The Manager, Kerala Tourist Bureau, Kanishka Hotel Shopping Plaza, 19, Ashok Road, New Delhi 110001.

The Great Elephant March

A grand parade of exquisitely bedecked elephants covering four important tourist destinations - Trichur, Cochin, Alleppey, Thiruvananthapuram - over 4 days, marks the festivites of the Great Elephant March.

Celebrations begin at Trichur where 30 bejewelled elephants line up for the temple festival. There is beating of drums, accompanied by a mood that is upbeat. Tourists get an opportunity to feed the tuskers out of their hands, and this is followed by a performance of some select folk dances of Kerala.

The next stop -- Cochin offers an oportunity for shopping and relaxation while Alleppey again brings up frenzied activity. There are exciting snake boat races — cheered on by a massive crowd which has gathered on the waterfront.

Day Four brings you to Trivandrum for a visit to its museums, the art galleries, the royal palaces, and much more. Here the Elephant March draws to a close with the pomp and revelry reminiscent of Kerala’s rich cultural past. The event is marked by seaside bar-be-cue and a fireworks display.

Monsoon Rejuvenation Holidays

"Recharge your body, mind and soul start life anew" says Kerala's Rejuvenation Holidays Package, offering herbal treatments, massages, yoga, meditation, etc. etc.

This unique health holiday, based on ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, offers you two kinds of options - rejuvenative and therapeutic. Both, in addition to treating an ailment, stress on its prevention. They believe in treating not just the affected part but the individual as a whole.

So when you take this holiday you have Body Immunisation and Longevity Treatment; Body Sudation; Beauty Care; Body Slimming; Overall Fitness; Treatment for Chronic headaches, Insomnia, Mental tension and cases of Hysteria, Hallucination and Insanity; Treatment to alleviate Osteoarthritis, Leukemia etc. Treatment for Spondylosis, rheumatic diseases like Arthritis, Paralysis, Hemiplegia, nervous weaknesses and nervous disorders, and much more.

A note of caution though!

Go to only those centres which are recognized and approved by the Department of Tourism, Kerala.