PEOPLE AND LIFESTYLE OF KERALA Known As : Malayalis Traditional Attire : Saree (women), Mundu (men) Matrimony : Matrilineal system Known For : 100% literacy rate, Healthcare awareness, Lowest infant mortality

Kerala Woman

History of Kerala

Religion

Language

People And Lifestyle - A Rich Culture In A Colourful Cradle

The Kerala people are different....Do not get confused they are different in their customs, traditions, culture, food and almost everything. The lifestyle of Kerala people is quite fascinating, that leave the travelers in awe. Talking of their festivals, their dress sense, culture Kerala people have a unique style that is hard to find any where else.

"Kerala is a puzzle because the relatively high quality of life there simply doesn't fit with the tenets of economic science. It's an absolute non sequitur that people could be happy and satisfied at consumption levels which are half that of Haiti."
--- Will Alexander, Professor at California Polytechnic State University

Red, green, white and flashes of gold. These are the colours of a Malayali, a chaste identity roosting in God's own country. The uniqueness is in the art and architecture of Kerala, in her music and poetry, in her dance and drama, and then in its people. Denizens of varied topography, of sand and sea, of tropical and artic, all nurturing a universal cult of brotherhood in this leaf-shaped land of Kerala. They say that if you want to see beauty, come India. We say, if you want to see Indian beauty, come Kerala. Those big, innocent eyes that reminds always that this is not the end, the wheatish appearance that reminds one of the dusk, those riotous long hair united with a fragrant 'gajra' (string of jasmine) that lends an extraordinary elegance to the person wearing it. Look at those men. Tall, dark, handsome, and curled hair together with their sporty looks..all these only add colour to a perfect holiday vacation. You come, you see and you will be impressed by the technological simplicity of the culture along with the cheerfulness of the people, seemingly out of all proportion to their material wealth.

It Is All About The People of Kerala

History tells us that the earliest inhabitants were animists. Some aboriginal tribes who could be the descendents of these early people, still live in the jungles and mountain retreats, living off the produce of the forest - collecting honey, snaring birds, making baskets - and doing some subsistence farming. Others enjoy a unique cosmopolitan outlook. Malls, money, massages, mohini. Still there are others who like to spend their time spinning coir in their courtyard and leave their children to take the cattle for a graze. Like to? Well they have to. Otherwise there will be no fire to bake the bread. A unique blend of moneyed and meager. Isn't it?

Yet in terms of quality of life, Kerala is an astonishing success story. In contrast to the rest of India and most other low-income countries, Kerala has hundred percent literacy and this has resulted in greater health care opportunities and health awareness among the people at levels close to those in the West.

Women in Kerala are generally far better off than women in the rest of India. The women in the state enjoy high social status mainly due to the historical matrilineal system, known as Marumakkathayam, which allows women to inherit the family property. Moreover, higher education and equal opportunities have given the women of Kerala a certain independence of spirit.

People of Kerala

The Malayali Style Quotient

Plan a holiday trip in summers and you can be a part of the much-hyped Kerala festivals. People wake up in the morning and take their kids for a bath. The morning ablution follows with a Surya Pranam (pray to sun). Then comes the colours. Red, green, white a flashes of gold. Women in bright embroidered sarees and glittering jewelleries designing beautiful floral patterns in the courtyards. Kids in colourful dresses playing hide and seek in the gardens. Men dressed in the traditional 'Kasavu Mundu', a three to four meter long cotton twin cloth with silk border, greeting each other with 'namaskaram' (a way of greeting/hello). In the evenings, the whole house illuminates with the radiance of earthen lamps, simplicity and cordiality.

Culture And Tradition In A Fist

The beauty of a Malayali family lies in the way they live. They usually prefer to live together with their spouses and offspring in one homestead and under the authority of the eldest member. They are brought up in an ambiance of love since their childhood and hence they bestow the same, and sometimes even more, to all overlooking trivial constraints like caste, creed and colour. They begin their day by touching the feet of the elders and pray for universal happiness before going to bed. Even then, they spend their afternoons playing cricket and their evenings drinking toddy. Really, the string by which they hold their cultural values and social traditions is awe-inspiring. Remember to remove your shoes before entering a house, especially if that belongs to a brahmin. The mansions are not overwhelmingly decorated, but still inject a charm in the air. It is not surprising that it might belong to a millionaire. Simple, modest and cozy. That is the definition of their stay.

The Beauty of Blending

So, this is Kerala. A land which lies outside the contours of economics. Here people might not understand the complexities of life but still they know how to enjoy life. At every turn of this mortal voyage, you will find Malayalis creating new strands of fraternity everywhere. You will find them as far as Middle East and south-east Asia, like Indonesia and Malayasia. Such is the art of friendship. Such is the art of blending with foreign cultures. And after that you have heard so much about this palm-fringed land, it is difficult to hold yourself planning a holiday in God's own country.