Beautiful aerial view of Kerala

Beyond backwaters. Kerala

Welcome to Kerala! From the spice gardens of Wayanad to the tea plantations of Munnar, the state's landscape is a feast for the senses. Located along the Malabar Coast in southwestern India, Kerala is characterised by an intricate network of lakes, hill stations, brackish canals, estuaries, beaches and rivers. Featured in today's image are the backwaters, which are a nexus of several water bodies, often likened to bayous, stretching over 900 kilometres.

The state of Kerala was created on November 1, 1956, when the Malayalam-speaking regions of Malabar, Cochin, Travancore and South Canara were merged. The rich cultural heritage here encompasses various traditional performing arts. Among these, Koodiyattom stands out as a form of Sanskrit drama recognised by UNESCO as a Human Heritage Art. Other notable Keralite performing arts include Kathakali, Koothu, Thullal, Padayani, Theyyam and Thirayattam, which are vibrant ritualistic performances enacted in sacred groves and village shrines.