TOURIST GUIDE

 

Kerala, as a state, came into existance on November 1, 1956. At the time of formation, there was only 5 districts. The number of districts later increased to 14. Kasargod being the last one. The districts are divided into Taluks and again subdivided into villages for administrative convenieance. At present there are 63 Taluks and 1452 villages.With total area of 38863 sq. km. Idukki is the largest district in Kerala and Alappuzha is the smallest and is the only district in Kerala without any area under forest cover.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Capital
Trivandrum(Thiruvananthapuram)
Area
38,863 Square Kilometers
Boundaries West
Indian Ocean
Boundaries Southeast
Tamil Nadu
Boundaries Northeast
Karnataka
People
Keralite (Malayalee)
Number of Districts
14
Dominant Religions
Hindus(60%), Muslims(20%), Christians(20%)
Climate
Tropical
Summer Season
March to May
Rivers and Lakes
44 Rivers, 34 Lakes
Airports
Cochin, Trivandrum, Calicut
Legislative Assembly
140 Seats
Rajya Sabha
9 Seats
Lok Sabha
20 Seats
Oldest Foreign Coins Found
Roman BC 40 - AD 78
Literacy Rate Male
93.5%
Literacy Rate Female
86%
Formation
November 1, 1956
Formed from
Travancore-Cochin(south) and Malabar(north)
Location
Southwestern India
Geographical Units
Midlands, Lowlands, and Highlands
Seashore:
585 Kilometers
Population:
30,511,500
Population Density
750 per Square Kilometer
Currency:
Indian Rupee
Time
GMT + 5Hours and 30 Mins
Official Language
Malayalam,English and Hindi
Agriculture
Rubber, Coffee, Tea, Rice, Cardamom, Pepper and Cashew
Special Products:
Coir, Handloom, Metal Mirror And Handicrafts
Oldest Recorded Artifact Regarding Kerala
Ashoka BC 272-BC 232
Earliers Microlithic Artifacts Found
Calicut 4000BC
Official Animal
Elephant
Official Tree
Coconut
Official Bird
Hornbill (Vezhambal)
Official Flower
Cassia Fistula (Kanni Konna)

Money: No limitation of foreign currency that visitors can bring.
Banks : Banks are open for transaction from 10.00 to 14.00 hrs on all days except Sundays (10.00 to 12.00 hrs).
Best time to visit : November to April Rejuvenation programmes: May to September
Suitable dress: Cotton outfits, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen lotion etc.
Credit cards : Main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres accept major credit cards.
Narcotic : Severe punishments including imprisonment are imposed for possession of narcotic drugs.
Food : Standard restaurants offer a variety of cuisines including Continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Kerala style.
Emergency numbers: Police control room: 100, Fire station:101, Ambulance: 101
Time : [Hours fast (+), slow (-) on IST]
USA: -10.30, Germany: - 4.30, Canada: - 10.30, France: - 4.30, Australia: + 4.30, Spain: -4.30, UAE: - 1.30
Water : Drink bottled drinking water or drinking boiled water from houses/restaurants. It is not advisable to drink water rivers, streams, lakes or dams. Mineral/drinking water is available in sealed bottles.

Temple dress code
Footwear inside the temple and entry into the sanctum sanctorum are banned in all the temples.
Other customs and codes of conduct and dress in temples across the State vary from each other.
Some temples do not permit entry to non-Hindus, while some do. Shirts for men and pants are banned from some temples and allowed in some others. Where they are banned, men have to be in mundus and women, in saris, half-saris or long skirts.

Nudity
Nudity is not allowed in any Kerala beach.
Footwear in houses
Visitors to most Kerala houses leave their footwear outside before entering the house.
Ayurvedic treatment
For Ayurvedic treatment, ensure an authorised centre.
Demonstrativeness in public
Behaviour demonstrating affection in public like hugging or kissing is not an accepted practice in Kerala.
Wildlife sanctuaries
To visit a wildlife sanctuary, prior permission has to be taken from the concerned authority of the sanctuary. For further enquiries, contact: The Chief Conservator of Forests, Thiruvananthapuram 695014. Ph: ++ 91-471-2322217
KERALA DISTRICTS Click the name of the districts

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