കൊല്ലം Kollam or Quilon, an old sea port town on the Arabian coast , stands on the Ashtamudi lake. Kollam, the erstwhile Desinganadu, had a sustained commercial reputation from the days of the Phoenicians and the Romans. Fed by the Chinese trade, it was regarded by Ibn Batuta, as one of the five ports , which he had seen in the course of his travels during a period of twenty four years, in the 14th century.
Kollam District which is a veritable Kerala in miniature is gifted with unique representative features - sea, lakes, plains, mountains, rivers, streams, backwaters, forest, vast green fields and tropical crop of every variety both food crop and cash crop, so called 'The Gods Own Capital'.
Thiruvananthapuram also known as Trivandrum is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. Referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as the "Evergreen city of India", the city is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills and busy commercial alleys. With almost 745,000 inhabitants per the 2001 census, it is the largest and most populous city in Kerala; the wider urban agglomeration has a population of more than one million. Apart from being the IT hub of the state with over 80% of the state's software exports, Thiruvananthapuram ranks first in the number of international tourists in Kerala also.The city is the state capital and houses many central and state government offices, organizations and companies. Apart from being the political nerve centre of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the University of Kerala, and to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre , Technopark, the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology and the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research . It is also considered as one of the cleanest cities in India.
Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)Location of Kerala in India Coordinates 8°30′27″N 76°58′19″E / 8.5074°N 76.972°E / 8.5074; 76.972 Country India Region South India
District(s) 14
Established 1 November 1956
Capital Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum)
Largest city Thiruvananthapuram
Governor R. S. Gavai
Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan
Legislature (seats) Unicameral (141 seats:
140 elected, 1 nominated)
Population
• Density 31,841,374[1] (12th) (2001[update])
• 819 /km2 (2,121 /sq mi)
Literacy 90.92[2][3]%
Official languages Malayalam
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area 38863 km2 (15005 sq mi)
ISO 3166-2 IN-KL
Portal: Kerala Seal of the State of Kerala
Kerala (Malayalam: കേരളം, pronounced [Kēraḷam]( listen)) is a state in the south-western part of India. It wascreated on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganization Act bringing together the areas where Malayalam is the dominant language.
Website kerala.gov.in
The state has an area of 38,863 km2 and is bordered by Karnataka to the north, Tamil Nadu to the south and the east and the Lakshadweep Sea[note] towards the west. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital and largest city of Kerala. Kochi and Kozhikode are other major cities.
A 3rd-century-BC rock inscription by emperor Asoka the Great attests to a Keralaputra.Around 1 BC the region was ruled by the Chera Dynasty, which traded with the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The Tamil Chera dynasty, Ays and the Pandyan Empire were the traditional rulers of Kerala whose patriarchal dynasties ruled until the 14th century. The Chera Kingdom were Patriarchal in descendency. The Cheras collapsed after repeated attacks from the neighboring Chola and Rashtrakuta kingdoms. Feudal Namboothiri Brahmin and Nair city-states subsequently gained control of the region.Kolla Varsham or Malayalam Era, which is assumed to have been established by King Udaya Marthanda Varma in 825 AD, serves as the official calendar of Kerala.Early contact with Europeans gave way to struggles between colonial and native interests. After independence, the state of Kerala was created in 1956 from the former state of Travancore-Cochin, the Malabar district of Madras State, and the Kasaragod taluk of Dakshina Kannada.
Kerala is a popular tourist destination famous for its backwaters, Ayurvedic treatments and tropical greenery. Kerala has a higher Human Development Index than all other states in India.The state has a literacy rate of 91 percent, the highest in India. A survey conducted in 2005 by Transparency International ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country.Kerala has witnessed significant migration of its people, especially to the Persian Gulf countries, starting with the Kerala Gulf boom, and is uniquely dependent on remittances from its large Malayali expatriate community.
Velikkakathu Sankaran Achuthanandan, (born 20 October 1923) is an Indian politician who has been the twentieth Chief Minister of Kerala state since May 2006. He has also been a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) since 1985. He was removed from the Politburo in July, 2009 on the allegations of violation of party committee.
Early life
Born on 20 October 1923 to Sankaran and Accamma in Alappuzha district of Kerala state, Achuthanandan had to face many hurdles from a very early age. He lost his mother when he was four years old and subsequently lost his father at age 11. This forced him to quit his studies after finishing 7th standard in school. He started working by helping his elder brother in a village tailoring shop. Later he took up the job of meshing coir to make ropes at a coir factory
KILIMANOOR.THRUVANANTHA PURAM
Kilimanoor (meaning the land of the bird and the deer) was once under a tribal chief during the anarchic days of the Ettuveetil Pillamar of Travancore. This chief rebelled against the Maharajah Marthanda Varma following which the region was annexed and given as freehold to the present Royal House of Kilimanoor.This Royal House of Kilimanoor has a history of more than 300 years. Although the earliest of the buildings were built much before, it was in 1753 that the Palace was built as the present complex. Kilimanoor palace occupies a prominent place in history of Kerala. In 1705 (ME 880) the son and two daughters of Ittammar Raja of Beypore Thattarikovilakam, a Kolathunadu royal house, were adopted by the Royal house of Venad. Ittammar Raja's sister and her sons, Rama Varma and Raghava Varma settled in Kilimanoor and married the now adopted sisters. Marthanda Varma, the founder of the Kingdom of Travancore was the son of Raghava Varma. Raghava Varma's nephew, Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran, married Marthanda Varma's sister. Their son came to be known as Dharma Raja Kartika Thirunnal Rama Varma. In 1740, when an allied force lead by Dutch Captain Hockert supporting the Deshinganadu king attacked Venad, an army from Kilimanoor tactfully resisted and then defeated them. Although a small victory, this was the first time an Indian army defeated a European power. In recognition of this feat, Marthanda Varma, in 1753, exempted the areas under control of Kilimanoor palace from taxes and proclaimed autonomous status. The present palace complex was also built during this time. The present Ayyappa temple. for the family deity, was also built.
Velu Thampi Dalawa held meetings at Kilimanoor palace planning his revolts on the British. He handed over his sword at the palace before going for his final battle against the British. India's First President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad received the Sword from the palace and it is now kept at the national museum in Delhi.
