KERALA THE LAND of coconut and kathakali, is a strip of green canopied land on the southern part of peninsular India bordered by the Arabian Sea on the western side and mountainous peaks on the eastern side.

National geographic society publication has listed Kerala as one of the '50 greatest places of a life time'. The only other destination from India is TAJMAHAL.

Exceptionally different from the rest of India it has developed attributes, which are exceptionally unique and are compared to the most advanced nations in the west in the field of literacy (which is about 90 per cent).

Health is another sector where Kerala has made tremendous progress and now the infant mortality rate is 1.3 per cent and Kerala is all set to achieve zero population growth soon. 37 per cent of the total funds are spent on education and health.

The merger of three regions with distinct identities, namely Travancore, Cochin and Malabar, formed Kerala. They were independent regions when India achieved independence.

Independent India integrated Travancore and Cochin to form Travancore-Cochin State on 1st of July 1949. Under the state reorganisation act of 1956, Malabar was merged with this entity and the present form took shape.

The people are friendly and are always ready to engage you in a debate,be it political or on any other topic. Left ideologies are very strong. In 957, the coalition led by Elamkulam Manakkal Sankaran Namboodiripad achieved the distinction of heading the first elected communist government in India.

The land reforms initiated by his government were an important operational input in the process of building the modern day Kerala.

Kerala posses one per cent of the total landmass of India, and three per cent of the total population.

The economy depends heavily on agriculture and fishing. 47 per cent of the bank deposits in Kerala are from those working abroad, and precisely this money from outside is the real sustaining factor of the economy. Kerala economy is termed as money order economy as it concentrates mainly on providing human resources.

Due to the absence of major industrialization, Kerala exploits the potential of its vast human resources. It has one of the largest migrant populations in India. They number about 1.4 million. And the most favorite destinations are Middle East and Saudi Arabia.

Economists studying the so-called development model of Kerala praise it for the achievements in the social sector with considerably little resources.

IBRD and other global institutions applauded this model. Recently Kerala has initiated a new development plan called "peoples plan campaign"; to achieve yearly plan targets.

40 percent of the total development plans are sought to achieve through this mechanism.

The main objective of this is to bring together officials, experts, elected representatives and people in an efective way to achieve better progress.

Like the greenery rivers which number as much as 44 and the backwaters are inextricably interwoven to the basic fabric of Kerala culture and life apart from being the main channels for carrying on trade and commerce from time immemorial.

The vast coastline stretching the entire length and sandy beaches is still mostly a guarded secret and are unspoiled by the moving band of tourists. But tourism is slowly picking up here, be it for backwater tourism, health tourism, beach tourism, and eco-tourism or just to experience its laid back and lethargic atmosphere.

Kerala's mystical and magical charm had attracted travelers from the entire expanse of the populated world. Of late the growing realisation in the west that natural drugs are more suited for body re-engineering than pill-swallowing quick-fix solutions are drawing them towards Kerala where traditional methods of healing are surviving as isolated pockets of knowledge.

Kerala is an ideal place to be in at any given period of time. The summer months are not very harsh, as in the rest of the mainland, and the cool shades are not far away either.

The monsoon arrives with a big bang drenching anything and everything in its path. This season is also ideal for attempting body rejuvenation therapy, which is quite famous now.

The monsoon showers cleanses the body and soul of the people as well as that of the land.

This land has also given birth to many legendary people including Adi Sankaracharya (788-820), a great savant and reflective thinker. Sri Narayana Guru, another great social propagandist and saintly leader tried to ameliorate the lot of the backward class; he represented, and radiates the message of equality of men.