207-929: Saint Thomas Christian denominations Syro-Malabar Catholic , Syro-Malankara Catholic , Latin Catholic Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church , Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Malabar Independent Syrian Church Chaldean Syrian Mar Thoma Syrian , St. Thomas Evangelical Protestant denominations Andhra Evangelical Lutheran , Assemblies Jehovah Shammah , Christian Revival Church , Church of North India , Church of South India , Garo Baptist , Indian Brethren , Indian Pentecostal Church of God , Church of God (Full Gospel) , North Bank Baptist Christian , Northern Evangelical Lutheran , Methodist Church , Presbyterian , The Pentecostal Mission , Seventh-day Adventist , United Evangelical Lutheran The Malankara Church , also known as Puthenkur ,
414-468: A Dominican , followed in 1321–22. He reported to Rome , apparently from somewhere on the west coast of India, that he had given Christian burial to four martyred monks. Jordanus, between 1324 and 1328 (if not earlier), probably visited Kulam and selected it as for his future work. He was appointed a bishop in 1328 and nominated by Pope John XXII in his bull Venerabili Fratri Jordano to the see of Columbum or Kulam ( Quilon ) on 21 August 1329. This diocese
621-495: A Persian merchant who visited Kerala during the reign of Sthanu Ravi Varma (9th century CE), records that there was extensive trade between Kerala and China at that time, based at the port of Kollam . A number of foreign accounts have mentioned about the presence of considerable Muslim population in the coastal towns. Arab writers such as Al-Masudi of Baghdad (896–956 CE), Muhammad al-Idrisi (1100–1165 CE), Abulfeda (1273–1331 CE), and Al-Dimashqi (1256–1327 CE) mention
828-463: A bishop –had great importance in the church of India in the centuries leading up to the formation of an independent Malankara Church. Though technically subordinate to the metropolitan, the archdeacon wielded great ecclesiastical and secular power, to the extent that he was considered the secular leader of the community and served as effective head of the Indian Church in times when the province
1035-479: A reformation movement under Abraham Malpan due to influence of British Anglican missionaries in the 1800s. The Mar Thoma Church employs a reformed variant of the liturgical West Syriac Rite. The St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India is an evangelical faction that split off from the Marthoma Church in 1961. CSI Syrian Christians are a minority faction of Malankara Syrian Christians , who joined
1242-653: A unicameral legislature. The Kerala Legislative Assembly also known as Niyamasabha, consists of 140 members who are elected for five-year terms. The state elects 20 members to the Lok Sabha , the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and 9 members to the Rajya Sabha , the upper house. The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body in India with the governor as its constitutional head and
1449-637: A High Priest for us. In 1912, a Catholicate was instituted in Malankara by the Syriac orthodox Patriarch Abdul Masih , thereby starting a century of legal proceedings between factions of the church which supported the Catholicate, and those who opposed it on behalf of the claims that, the Abdul Masih was excommunicated, Later Syriac Orthodox Church established Canonical Catholicate / Maphrianate of
1656-619: A Synod at Mavelikara , in protest against the interference of Anglicans in the affairs of the Malankara Church. There it was declared that Malankara Church would be subject to Syrian traditions and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch . The declaration resulted in the separation of the CMS missionaries from the communion with the Malankara Church. However, a minority from the Malankara Church, who were in favour of
1863-663: A Syriac Orthodox maphrian , consecrated Kattumangatt Abraham Mar Koorilos as the Metropolitan against Dionysius I . Abraham Mar Koorilos I led the faction that eventually became the Malabar Independent Syrian Church . From 1816 onwards, the Anglican Church Mission Society missionaries helped the Malankara Church, through their Help Mission. But on 16 January 1836, Metropolitan Dionysius IV of Cheppad , convened
2070-869: A bishop was regularized in 1665 by Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Jerusalem Bishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church. This led to the first permanent split in the Saint Thomas Christian community. Thereafter, the faction affiliated with the Catholic Church under Parambil Mar Chandy was designated the Pazhayakoottukar , or "Old Allegiance", while the branch affiliated with Mar Thoma was called the Puthenkoottukar , or "New Allegiance". These appellations have been somewhat controversial since both groups considered themselves
2277-583: A book about his travels titled The Travels of Joseph the Indian which was widely disseminated across Europe. Kerala Kerala ( English: / ˈ k ɛr ə l ə / / KERR -ə-lə ; Malayalam: [keːɾɐɭɐm] ), is a state on the southern west coast of India . It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act , by combining Malayalam -speaking regions of
SECTION 10
#17327726084762484-541: A continuation of the Mysore Plateau , are known for natural Gold fields, along with the adjoining districts of Karnataka . Minerals including Ilmenite , Monazite , Thorium , and Titanium , are found in the coastal belt of Kerala. Kerala's coastal belt of Karunagappally is known for high background radiation from thorium -containing monazite sand. In some coastal panchayats, median outdoor radiation levels are more than 4 mGy/yr and, in certain locations on
2691-510: A developing period of art, literature, trade and the Bhakti movement of Hinduism. A Keralite identity, distinct from the Tamils , became linguistically separate during this period around the seventh century. The origin of Malayalam calendar dates back to year 825 CE. For local administration, the empire was divided into provinces under the rule of Naduvazhis , with each province comprising
2898-509: A number of Desams under the control of chieftains, called as Desavazhis . Mamankam festival , which was the largest native festival, was held at Tirunavaya near Kuttippuram , on the bank of river Bharathappuzha . Athavanad , the headquarters of Azhvanchery Thamprakkal , who were also considered as the supreme religious chief of the Nambudiri Brahmins of Kerala, is also located near Tirunavaya. Sulaiman al-Tajir ,
3105-596: A prominent spice exporter since 3000 BCE . The region's prominence in trade was noted in the works of Pliny as well as the Periplus around 100 CE . In the 15th century, the spice trade attracted Portuguese traders to Kerala, and paved the way for European colonisation of India. At the time of Indian independence movement in the early 20th century, there were two major princely states in Kerala: Travancore and Cochin . They united to form
3312-595: A religious group, they refer to themselves as Mar Thoma Khristianis or in English as Saint Thomas Christians , based on their religious tradition of Syriac Christianity . However, from a religious angle, the Saint Thomas Christians of today belong to various denominations as a result of a series of developments including Portuguese persecution (a landmark split leading to a public Oath known as Coonen Cross Oath ), reformative activities during
3519-480: A revenue loss of over ₹ 20 billion (US$ 240 million). Kerala's 10% rise in GDP is 3% more than the national GDP. In 2013, capital expenditure rose 30% compared to the national average of 5%, owners of two-wheelers rose by 35% compared to the national rate of 15%, and the teacher-pupil ratio rose 50% from 2:100 to 4:100. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board is a government owned financial institution in
3726-541: A separate identity They had regular visitors from their home land. Some of their priests and bishops visited them. But these visiting bishops had no authority over Saint Thomas Christians. The Church is mentioned by Cosmas Indicopleustes (about 535). He notes that, "There are Christians and believers in Taprobane ( Sri Lanka ), in Malabar where pepper grows there is a Christian church. At a place known as Kalyan, there
3933-470: A ship bound for Cochin and Goa, and Archdeacon Thomas led his militia to Cochin demanding to meet with the Patriarch. The Portuguese refused, asserting that he was a dangerous invader and that the ship had already sailed on to Goa. Ahatallah was never heard from again in India, and rumours soon spread that Archbishop Garcia had disposed of him before he ever reached Goa. Contemporary accounts allege that he
4140-586: A strong service sector. In 2019–20, the tertiary sector contributed around 63% of the state's GSVA , compared to 28% by secondary sector , and 8% by primary sector . In the period between 1960 and 2020, Kerala's economy was gradually shifting from an agrarian economy into a service-based one. The state's service sector which accounts for around 63% of its revenue is mainly based upon hospitality industry , tourism , Ayurveda and medical services, pilgrimage, information technology , transportation , financial sector, and education . Major initiatives under
4347-571: Is Mahabali , an Asura and a prototypical just king, who ruled the earth from Kerala. He won the war against the Devas , driving them into exile. The Devas pleaded before Lord Vishnu , who took his fifth incarnation as Vamana and pushed Mahabali down to netherworld to placate the Devas. There is a belief that, once a year during the Onam festival, Mahabali returns to Kerala. The Matsya Purana , among
SECTION 20
#17327726084764554-415: Is a bishop sent from Persia.". St. Gregory of Tours , before 590, reports that Theodore, a pilgrim who had gone to Gaul, told him that in that part of India where the corpus (bones) of St. Thomas had first rested, there stood a monastery and a church of striking dimensions and elaborately adorned, adding: "After a long interval of time these remains had been removed thence to the city of Edessa." As per
4761-692: Is a coastal exclave surrounded by Kerala on all of its landward approaches. The Kannur District surrounds Mahé on three sides with the Kozhikode District on the fourth. In 1664, the municipality of Fort Kochi was established by Dutch Malabar , making it the first municipality in the Indian subcontinent , which got dissolved when the Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. The municipalities of Kozhikode , Palakkad , Fort Kochi , Kannur , and Thalassery , were founded on 1 November 1866 of
4968-534: Is a matter of dispute. The suggested locations are Ponnani , Tanur , Beypore - Chaliyam - Kadalundi - Vallikkunnu , and Koyilandy . Merchants from West Asia and Southern Europe established coastal posts and settlements in Kerala. The Israeli (Jewish) connection with Kerala started in 573 BCE. Arabs also had trade links with Kerala, starting before the 4th century BCE, as Herodotus (484–413 BCE) noted that goods brought by Arabs from Kerala were sold to
5175-700: Is an Eastern Catholic Church and it forms the major part of the Pazhayakūr while the latter is in communion with the Assyrian Church of the East since the late 19th century. The Chaldean Syrian Church thus represents the continuation of the traditional pre-Portuguese Church of the East in India. Later, a number of splits happened among the Jacobite Syrians due to the influence of foreign missionaries and internal conflicts. In 1772, Baselios Shakrallah ,
5382-626: Is appointed by the president of India for a five-year term. The leader of the party or coalition with a majority in the Legislative Assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, and the council of ministers are appointed by the governor on the advice of the chief minister. The governor remains a ceremonial head of the state, while the chief minister and his council are responsible for day-to-day government functions. The council of ministers consists of Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS). The Secretariat headed by
5589-723: Is derived from the Old Tamil word for 'lake'. Keralam may stem from the Classical Tamil cherive-alam 'declivity of a hill or a mountain slope' or chera alam 'land of the Cheras'. One folk etymology derives Kerala from the Malayalam word kera 'coconut tree' and alam 'land'; thus, 'land of coconuts', which is a nickname for the state used by locals due to the abundance of coconut trees. The earliest Sanskrit text to mention Kerala as Cherapadha
5796-521: Is divided into 14 districts with the capital being Thiruvananthapuram . Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state. The Chera dynasty was the first prominent kingdom based in Kerala. The Ay kingdom in the deep south and the Ezhimala kingdom in the north formed the other kingdoms in the early years of the Common Era (CE). The region had been
6003-551: Is first recorded as Keralaputo ('son of Chera [s]') in a 3rd-century-BCE rock inscription left by the Maurya emperor Ashoka (274–237 BCE), one of his edicts pertaining to welfare. At that time, one of three states in the region was called Cheralam in Classical Tamil: Chera and Kera are variants of the same word. The word Cheral refers to the oldest known dynasty of Kerala kings and
6210-569: Is forested. Four of the world's Ramsar Convention listed wetlands — Lake Sasthamkotta , Ashtamudi Lake , Thrissur-Ponnani Kole Wetlands , and the Vembanad-Kol wetlands—are in Kerala, as well as 1455.4 km of the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and 1828 km of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve . Subjected to extensive clearing for cultivation in the 20th century, much of the remaining forest cover
6417-776: Is now protected from clearfelling . Eastern Kerala's windward mountains shelter tropical moist forests and tropical dry forests , which are common in the Western Ghats. The world's oldest teak plantation 'Conolly's Plot' is in Nilambur . Kerala's fauna are notable for their diversity and high rates of endemism: it includes 118 species of mammals (1 endemic), 500 species of birds , 189 species of freshwater fish, 173 species of reptiles (10 of them endemic), and 151 species of amphibians (36 endemic). These are threatened by extensive habitat destruction, including soil erosion, landslides, salinisation , and resource extraction. In
Malankara Church - Misplaced Pages Continue
6624-486: Is still referred to as the "Garden of Spices" or as the "Spice Garden of India". Kerala's spices attracted ancient Arabs , Babylonians , Assyrians and Egyptians to the Malabar Coast in the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. Phoenicians established trade with Kerala during this period. Arabs and Phoenicians were the first to enter Malabar Coast to trade Spices . The Arabs on the coasts of Yemen , Oman , and
6831-579: Is the highest rank for a cleric in the Church of the East after the rank of bishop.) The Rulers of Kerala , in appreciation for their assistance, gave to the Malankara Nazranis, three deeds on copper plates. They gave the Nasranis various rights and privileges which were written on copper plates. These are known as Cheppeds, Royal Grants, Sasanam etc. These plates detail privileges awarded to
7038-449: Is the largest urban agglomeration. According to a survey by economics research firm Indicus Analytics in 2007, Thiruvananthapuram , Kozhikode , Kochi , Kollam , Thrissur are among the "best cities in India to live"; the survey used parameters such as health, education, environment, safety, public facilities and entertainment to rank the cities. The state is governed by a parliamentary system of representative democracy . Kerala has
7245-664: Is the late Vedic text Aitareya Aranyaka . Kerala is also mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata , the two Hindu epics. The Skanda Purana mentions the ecclesiastical office of the Thachudaya Kaimal who is referred to as Manikkam Keralar , synonymous with the deity of the Koodalmanikyam temple. The Greco-Roman trade map Periplus Maris Erythraei refers to Kerala as Celobotra . Kerala
7452-465: Is the small cross at Kottayam dated 7th century. In 829 CE, the Udayamperoor (Diamper) church was built. A priest (or bishop) from Persia Abo came to Kadamattom. With the help of a widow and her son, he built a small hut and lived there. He called the boy Poulose. Abo taught him Syriac and later ordained him as a deacon. After this deacon Poulose disappeared for twelve years. It is said that he
7659-736: Is the unified body of Saint Thomas Christians using the West Syriac Rite who claim origins from the missions of Thomas the Apostle . This community, under the leadership of Thoma I , opposed the Padroado Jesuits as well as the Propaganda Carmelites following the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653, which was taken to resist Western Catholic influences. The Malankara Church eventually came under
7866-575: Is wedged between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats . Lying between northern latitudes 8°18' and 12°48' and eastern longitudes 74°52' and 77°22', Kerala experiences humid tropical rainforest climate with some cyclones. The state has a coast of 590 km (370 mi) and the width of the state varies between 11 and 121 kilometres (7 and 75 mi). Geographically, Kerala can be divided into three climatically distinct regions:
8073-475: The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution of India , the local government institutions function as the third tier of government, which constitutes 14 District Panchayats , 152 Block panchayats , 941 Grama Panchayats , 87 Municipalities , six Municipal Corporations and one Township . Mahé , a part of the Indian union territory of Puducherry , though 647 kilometres (402 mi) away from it,
8280-500: The Achankovil River ; 128 kilometres (80 mi). The average length of the rivers is 64 kilometres (40 mi). Many of the rivers are small and entirely fed by monsoon rain. As Kerala's rivers are small and lacking in delta , they are more prone to environmental effects. The rivers face problems such as sand mining and pollution. The state experiences several natural hazards like landslides, floods and droughts. The state
8487-781: The Anglican Church in 1836, and eventually became part of the Church of South India in 1947, after Indian independence . The C.S.I. is in full communion with the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. By the 20th century, various Syrian Christians joined Pentecostal and other evangelical denominations like the Kerala Brethren , Indian Pentecostal Church of God , Assemblies of God , among others. They are known as Pentecostal Saint Thomas Christians . Their traditions go back to first-century Christian thought, and
Malankara Church - Misplaced Pages Continue
8694-600: The Arab states of the Persian Gulf during the Gulf Boom of the 1970s and early 1980s, and its economy depends significantly on remittances from a large Malayali expatriate community. The production of pepper and natural rubber contributes significantly to the total national output. In the agricultural sector, coconut , tea , coffee , cashew and spices are important. The state is situated between Arabian Sea to
8901-548: The Attappadi Forest east of Anakatti), the taluk of Kasaragod (now Kasaragod District ) in South Canara , and the erstwhile state of Thiru-Kochi (excluding four southern taluks of Kanyakumari district , and Shenkottai taluks). Kerala has the lowest positive population growth rate in India, 3.44%; the highest Human Development Index (HDI), 0.784 in 2018 (0.712 in 2015); the highest literacy rate, 96.2% in
9108-686: The Bombay Presidency (which had also included other regions in the western coast of India) of British India in the years 1792 and 1799, respectively. By the end of the 18th century, the whole of Kerala fell under the control of the British, either administered directly or under suzerainty . Initially the British had to suffer local resistance against their rule under the leadership of Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja , who had popular support in Thalassery - Wayanad region. After India
9315-487: The British Indian Empire , making them the first modern municipalities in the state of Kerala. The Municipality of Thiruvananthapuram came into existence in 1920. After two decades, during the reign of Sree Chithira Thirunal , Thiruvananthapuram Municipality was converted into Corporation on 30 October 1940, making it the oldest Municipal Corporation of Kerala. The first Municipal Corporation founded after
9522-583: The Chief Secretary assists the council of ministers. The Chief Secretary is also the administrative head of the government. Each government department is headed by a minister, who is assisted by an Additional Chief Secretary or a Principal Secretary , who is usually an officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary serve as the administrative head of
9729-492: The Church of the East , which was also established by Thomas the apostle according to early Christian writings. The Primate or Metropolitan of Persia consecrated bishops for the Indian Church, which brought it indirectly under the control of Seleucia . The Church of the East traces its origins to the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon , said to be founded by Thomas the Apostle . Other founding figures are Mari and Addai as evidenced in
9936-638: The Coonan Cross Oath . The oppressive rule of the Portuguese padroado provoked a violent reaction on the part of the indigenous Christian community. The first solemn protest took place in 1653, known as the Coonan Kurishu Satyam ( Coonan Cross Oath ). Under the leadership of Archdeacon Thoma, the St. Thomas Christians publicly took an oath in Mattancherry , Cochin, that they would not obey
10143-829: The Doctrine of Addai and the Holy Qurbana of Addai and Mari . This is the original Christian church in what was once Parthia : eastern Iraq and Iran. The See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon developing within the Persian Empire, at the east of the Christian world, rapidly took a different course from other Eastern Christians. The First Council of Nicaea , held in Nicaea in Bithynia (present-day İznik in Turkey ), convoked by
10350-420: The Dravidian word Mala ('hill'). Al-Biruni (973–1048 CE ) is the first known writer to call this country Malabar . Authors such as Ibn Khordadbeh and Al-Baladhuri mention Malabar ports in their works. The Arab writers had called this place Malibar , Manibar , Mulibar , and Munibar . Malabar is reminiscent of the word Malanad which means the land of hills . According to William Logan ,
10557-399: The East Syriac Rite , was purged of elements unacceptable by the Latin standards. Though the Saint Thomas Christians were now formally part of the Catholic Church, the conduct of the Portuguese over the next decades fueled resentment in parts of the community, ultimately leading to open resistance. Over the next several decades, tensions seethed between the Latin prelates and what remained of
SECTION 50
#173277260847610764-421: The High and Late Middle Ages . However, the dominance of Middle East traders was challenged in the European Age of Discovery . After Vasco Da Gama 's arrival in Kappad , Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to dominate eastern shipping, and the spice-trade in particular. Following the discovery of sea route from Europe to Malabar in 1498, the Portuguese began to expand their territories and ruled
10971-406: The Idukki district is the highest peak in south India, is at an elevation of 2,695 m (8,842 ft). The Western Ghats mountain chain is recognised as one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity and is listed among UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The chain's forests are considered to be older than the Himalaya mountains. The Athirappilly Falls , which is situated on
11178-408: The Idukki district , which lie on the eastern highland made by Western Ghats . They are locally known as "muniyara", derived from muni ( hermit or sage ) and ara (dolmen). Rock engravings in the Edakkal Caves , in Wayanad date back to the Neolithic era around 6000 BCE. Archaeological studies have identified Mesolithic , Neolithic and Megalithic sites in Kerala. The studies point to
11385-495: The Kerala High Court and a system of lower courts. The High Court, located in Kochi, has a Chief Justice along with 35 permanent and twelve additional pro tempore justices as of 2021 . The high court also hears cases from the Union Territory of Lakshadweep . In Kerala, local government bodies such as Panchayats, Municipalities, and Corporations have existed since 1959. However, a significant decentralization initiative began in 1993, aligning with constitutional amendments by
11592-427: The Leader of the Opposition . According to the Constitution of India , Kerala has a parliamentary system of representative democracy ; universal suffrage is granted to residents. After independence, the state was managed as a social democratic welfare economy . The "Kerala phenomenon" or " Kerala model of development" of very high human development and in comparison low economic development has resulted from
11799-402: The Malankara Syrian Church ) addressed to the head of the Anglican Church Missionary Society , as translated from the Syriac original: In the Name of the Eternal and Necessary Existence, the Almighty. Mar Dionysius, Metropolitan of the Jacobite-Syrians in Malabar, subject to the authority of our Father, Mar Ignatius, Patriarch, who presides in the Apostolic See of Antioch of Syria, beloved of
12006-481: The Persian Gulf , must have made the first long voyage to Kerala and other eastern countries . They must have brought the Cinnamon of Kerala to the Middle East . The Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BCE) records that in his time the cinnamon spice industry was monopolized by the Egyptians and the Phoenicians. It is noted in Sangam literature that the Chera king Uthiyan Cheralathan ruled most of modern Kerala from his capital in Kuttanad , and controlled
12213-421: The Puthenkūr , gradually adopted the Miaphysite christology and affiliated themselves to the Oriental Orthodox Communion . In this process, the traditional Persian liturgy of the erstwhile Church of the East in India was replaced among them and this transformation was completed by the 19th century. The Paḻayakūr constitute the contemporary Syro-Malabar Church and the Chaldean Syrian Church . The former
12420-445: The Reconquista , which they hoped to spread across the world. Facilitating this objective was the Padroado Real , a series of treaties and decrees in which the Pope conferred upon the Portuguese government certain authority in ecclesiastical matters in the foreign territories they conquered. Upon reaching India the Portuguese quickly ensconced themselves in Goa and established a church hierarchy; soon they set themselves to bringing
12627-411: The Reformed ideologies of the missionaries, stood along with them and joined the Anglican Church . These Saint Thomas Anglicans became part of the Church of South India , after the Indian independence in 1947. So they are also called CSI Syrian Christians. In the 19th century, a reform movement inspired by British missionaries led to the formation of the independent Mar Thoma Syrian Church under
SECTION 60
#173277260847612834-399: The Saint Thomas Anglicans of the Church of South India and the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India . Historically, Malabar traded frequently with the nations of the Middle East , and traders from Egypt , Persia , and the Levant frequently visited Malabar for spices . These groups included Arabs, Jews and also Christians, and the Christians who visited here maintained contact with
13041-426: The Synod of Diamper , their Church was forcibly merged into the Latin Catholic Church and their eccesiastical province of India was downgraded to become a suffragan see of the newly erected Archdiocese of Goa , administered by Latin Padroado . Thus, the Archdiocese of Cranganore , the most ancient episcopal see in India was deprived of its all-India jurisdiction and was made an inferior to the Archdiocese of Goa, that
13248-473: The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch , as being the only competent ecclesiastical authority historically authorized to ordain and appoint bishops to the Malankara Metropolitan . The ruling declared Dionysious V the rightful Malankara Metropolitan owing to the acceptance by the vast majority of Malankara Christians and appointment by Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch wherefrom he received direct consecration. The judgement also dismissed all claims of
13455-400: The Thiruvithamcode Arappally in Kanyakumari district. The Apostle also preached in other parts of India . The visit of the Apostle Thomas to these places and to Mylapore on the East coast of India can be read in the Ramban Songs of Thomas Ramban , set into 'moc', 1500. He was martyred in 72 at Little Mount, a little distant from St. Thomas Mount , and was buried at San Thome , near
13662-443: The Travancore Royal Family , and were defeated at the Battle of Colachel in 1741. An agreement, known as "Treaty of Mavelikkara", was signed by the Dutch and Travancore in 1753, according to which the Dutch were compelled to detach from all political involvement in the region. In the 18th Century, Travancore King Sree Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma annexed all the kingdoms up to Cochin through military conquests, resulting in
13869-400: The United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress ; and the Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)). As of 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election , the LDF is the ruling coalition; Pinarayi Vijayan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is the Chief Minister, while V. D. Satheesan of the Indian National Congress is
14076-417: The social status system according to their professions with special privileges for trade granted by the benevolent kings who ruled the area. After the 8th century when Hindu Kingdoms came to sway, Christians were expected to strictly abide by stringent rules pertaining to caste and religion. This became a matter of survival. This is why St. Thomas Christians had such a strong sense of caste and tradition, being
14283-421: The 14th century, Ravi Varma Kulashekhara (1299–1314) of the southern Venad kingdom was able to establish a short-lived supremacy over southern India. After his death, in the absence of a strong central power, the state was divided into 30 small warring principalities; the most powerful of them were the kingdom of Zamorin of Kozhikode in the north, Kollam in the far-south, Kochi in the south, and Kannur in
14490-406: The 15th century caused two major religions, Buddhism and Jainism , to disappear from the land. It is known that the Menons in the Malabar region of Kerala were originally strong believers of Jainism . The social system became fractured with divisions on caste lines. Finally, the Kulasekhara dynasty was subjugated in 1102 by the combined attack of Later Pandyas and Later Cholas . However, in
14697-407: The 16th century witnessed the Portuguese colonial overtures to bring St Thomas Christians into the Latin Catholic Church , administered by their Padroado , leading to the first of several rifts ( schisms ) in the community. The attempts of the Portuguese culminated in the Synod of Diamper in 1599 and was resisted by local Christians through the Coonan Cross Oath protest in 1653. This led to
14904-410: The 1950s. Kerala's economy depends significantly on emigrants working in foreign countries , mainly in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf , and the remittances annually contribute more than a fifth of GSDP. The state witnessed significant emigration during the Gulf Boom of the 1970s and early 1980s. In 2012, Kerala still received the highest remittances of all states: US$ 11.3 billion, which
15111-503: The 2018 literacy survey conducted by the National Statistical Office, India; the highest life expectancy, 77.3 years; and the highest sex ratio , 1,084 women per 1,000 men. Kerala is the least impoverished state in India according to NITI Aayog 's Sustainable Development Goals dashboard and Reserve Bank of India 's Handbook of Statistics on Indian Economy . Kerala is the second-most urbanised major state in
15318-487: The Apostle in the 1st century. They are also known as "Nasranis" as well. The Syriac term "Nasrani" is still used by St. Thomas Christians in Kerala. It is part of the Eastern Christianity institution. Historically, this community formed a part of the Church of the East, served by metropolitan bishops and a local archdeacon . By the 15th century, the Church of the East had declined drastically, and
15525-659: The Apostles foreigners? Granting that Judea was the country of Peter, what had Saul to do with the Gentiles, Luke with Achaia, Andrew with Epirus, Thomas with India, Mark with Italy?." Ambrose (340–397) writes "When the Lord Jesus said to the Apostles, go and teach all nations, even the kingdoms that had been shut off by the barbaric mountains lay open to them as India to Thomas, as Persia to Mathew." There are other passages in ancient liturgies and martyrologies which refer to
15732-481: The Archdeacon of India the "head of the faithful in India", implying an elevated status by at least that time. In the recorded period of its history, the office of archdeacon was substantially different in India than in the rest of the Church of the East or other Christian churches. In the broader Church of the East, each bishop was attended by an archdeacon, but in India, there was only ever one archdeacon, even when
15939-553: The East Bishop during the 1870s. The Assyrian Church is one of the descendant churches of the Church of the East. Thus it forms the continuation of the traditional church of Saint Thomas Christians in India. Oriental Protestant denominations include the Mar Thoma Syrian Church and the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India . The Marthoma Syrian Church were a part of the Malankara Church that went through
16146-822: The East Syriac liturgy of the historic Church of the East. The Oriental Orthodox faction includes the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church , resulting from a split within the Malankara Church in 1912 over whether the church should be autocephalous or rather under the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch . As such, the Malankara Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox Church independent of
16353-594: The East in India renamed to Catholicos of India of the Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church . In 1665, Gregorios Abdul Jaleel , sent from Patriarch Ignatius Abdulmasih I introduced West Syriac Rite in India. By 1809, the Jacobite Syrians fully incorporated the Antiochian Syriac Rite liturgy after the assembly of parish representatives met at Kandanad, Kerala and resolved to fully implement the move to West Syriac Rite through
16560-529: The Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos . The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis , was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period . The port at Tyndis which was on the northern side of Muziris , as mentioned in Greco-Roman writings, was somewhere around Kozhikode . Its exact location
16767-600: The Elder and the author of Periplus of the Erythraean sea, Muziris in Kerala could be reached in 40 days' time from the Egyptian coast purely depending on the southwest monsoon winds. The Sangam works Puranaooru and Akananooru have many lines which speak of the Roman vessels and the Roman gold that used to come to the Kerala ports of the great Chera kings in search of pepper and other spices, which had enormous demand in
16974-785: The French in 1785. In 1757, to resist the invasion of the Zamorin of Kozhikode , the Palakkad Raja sought the help of the Hyder Ali of Mysore . In 1766, Hyder Ali defeated the Zamorin of Kozhikode – an East India Company ally at the time – and absorbed Kozhikode into his state. The smaller princely states in northern and north-central parts of Kerala ( Malabar region ) including Kolathunadu , Kottayam , Kadathanadu , Kozhikode , Tanur , Valluvanad , and Palakkad were unified under
17181-809: The Holy See in Rome. This includes the aforementioned Syro-Malabar Church as well as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church , the latter arising from an Oriental Orthodox faction that entered into communion with Rome in 1930 under Bishop Geevarghese Ivanios (d. 1953). As such the Malankara Catholic Church employs the West Syriac liturgy of the Syriac Orthodox Church, while the Syro-Malabar Church employs
17388-627: The Israelis [Hebrew Jews] at Eden. In the 4th century, the Knanaya or Southist Christians also migrated from Persia and lived alongside the early Syriac Christian community known as the Saint Thomas Christians who trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. A second Chera Kingdom (c. 800–1102), also known as Kulasekhara dynasty of Mahodayapuram (present-day Kodungallur ),
17595-693: The Jews at "Maliyankara" on the sea coast. Jews were living in Kerala from the time of Solomon. Later, large numbers of them arrived in 586 BC and 72 AD. Malabari Jewish tradition hold these facts. Its traditionally believed that during his stay in Kerala , the Apostle baptized the Jews and some of the wise men who adored the Infant Jesus . The Apostle established seven "and a half" churches in Malabar at Kodungalloor ( Muziris ), Paravur , Palayoor , Kokkamangalam , Niranam , Nilackal , Kollam , and
17802-410: The Malankara Church a valid document to administer the church and ended the legal dispute among the two factions. The modern-day descendants of the Malankara Church are: Saint Thomas Christian denominations The Saint Thomas Christian denominations are Christian denominations from Kerala , India , which traditionally trace their ultimate origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas
18009-538: The Malankara Church and valid bishopric of Syriac Orthodox Church in India. After greeting you with a holy kiss, let that, which we are relating to each one of you, be known to you, o brethren, my beloved, namely that the apostolate to you of Gregorios, that is, the venerable Abdal-Jaleel, was from the divine Providence, because you were not able to appoint and to consecrate for yourselves venerable bishops. Afterwards, you were in need and have already sent three times [envoys to us]. And we yielded [to your request] out of
18216-647: The Malankara Church. As such the Church in India was in ecclesiastical communion with the Church of the East , otherwise called the Persian church. The Malankara Church was headed by a Metropolitan consecrated from the Persian Church and ordinary administration of the Church was vested upon a local, dynastic archdeacon, who was referred to as the Head of the Malankara Christian community. ( Archdeacon
18423-402: The Malankara Church. The British colonial administration abstained from extending their crucial endorsement to any one faction, thereby disengaging themselves from local church matters. Thus, the rival parties had to settle their disputes, entirely by means of court litigations. Dionysious V and his supporters filed a case on 4 March 1879. (Case O.S. No. 439 of 1054) demanding the possession of
18630-670: The Malankara Yakkobaya Orthodox Syrian Church, adopted the title Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church . On 3 July 2017, the Supreme Court of India passed a judgement in favour of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church on the question of who is the legitimate Malankara Metropolitan and who has the authority to manage the affairs of the Malankara Church and its properties. It equivocally declared the 1934 Constitution of
18837-748: The Messiah. Love from Christ, and from the People of all the Churches, to Lord Gambier, the illustrious, honour able, and renowned President... We, who are called Syrian-Jacobites, and reside in the land of Malabar, even from the times of Mar Thomas, the holy Apostle, until the wall of Cochin was taken in the reign of King Purgis, kept the True Faith according to the manner of the Syrian Jacobites, of real glory, without division or confusion. But, by
19044-657: The Muslim communities in Kerala. Some historians assume that the Mappilas can be considered as the first native, settled Muslim community in South Asia . The known earliest mention about Muslims of Kerala is in the Quilon Syrian copper plates . The inhibitions, caused by a series of Chera-Chola wars in the 11th century, resulted in the decline of foreign trade in Kerala ports. In addition, Portuguese invasions in
19251-667: The Nasranis. The First Council of Nicaea , held in Nicaea in Bithynia (present-day İznik in Turkey ), convoked by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in 325, was the first Ecumenical council of the Christian Church, and most significantly resulted in the first uniform Christian doctrine, called the Nicene Creed . Many historians have written that ‘’Mar John, the Bishop of Great India’’ attended
19458-716: The Patriarch of Antioch, whereas the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church is an integral part of the Syriac Orthodox Church and is headed by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch. The Iraq -based Assyrian Church of the East 's archdiocese includes the Chaldean Syrian Church based in Thrissur . They were a minority faction within the Syro-Malabar Church, which split off and joined with the Church of
19665-608: The Persian Church suffered severe persecutions. The persecuted Christians and even bishops, at least on two occasions, sought an asylum in Malabar. The Rock crosses of Kerala found at St.Thomas Mount and throughout Malabar coast has inscriptions in Pahlavi and Syriac . It is dated from before the 8th Century. In 825, the arrival of two bishops are documented, Sapor and Prodh. Le Quien says that "these bishops were Chaldaeans and had come to Quilon soon after its foundation. They were men illustrious for their sanctity, and their memory
19872-552: The Portuguese Catholic bishops and the Jesuit missionaries. Unfortunately there was no Metropolitan present in the Malankara Church at that time. Hence in the same year, at Alangad, Archdeacon Thoma was ordained, by the laying on of hands of twelve priests, as the first known indigenous Metropolitan of Kerala, under the name Thoma I. The Portuguese missionaries attempted reconciliation with Saint Thomas Christians but this
20079-658: The Portuguese were consistently able to outmaneuver the newcomers or else convert them to Latin Catholicism outright. In 1575 the Padroado declared that neither patriarch could appoint prelates to the community without Portuguese consent, thereby cutting the Thomas Christians off from their hierarchy. By 1599 the last Metropolitan, Abraham, had died, and the Archbishop of Goa, Aleixo de Menezes , had secured
20286-611: The Portuguese, organized themselves as the independent Malankara Church, entered into a new communion with the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch , and they inherited the West Syriac Rite from the Syriac Orthodox Church, which employs the Liturgy of Saint James , an ancient rite of the Church of Antioch , replacing the old East Syriac Rite liturgy. The Eastern Catholic faction is in full communion with
20493-418: The Roman Emperor Constantine I in 325, was the first Ecumenical council of the Christian Church, and most significantly resulted in the first uniform Christian doctrine, called the Nicene Creed . It is documented that John, the Bishop of Great India attended the council. The prelate signs himself as "John the Persian presiding over the Churches in the whole of Persia and Great India." Some centuries following,
20700-416: The Saint Thomas Christians were in a difficult position. Though prosperous owing to their large stake in the spice trade and protected by a formidable militia, the tumultuous political climate of the time had placed the small community under pressure from the forces of the powerful rajas of Calicut , Cochin , and the various smaller kingdoms in the area. When the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama arrived on
20907-445: The Saint Thomas Christians, and in 1653, Thomas and representatives of the community met at the Church of Our Lady in Mattancherry to take bold action. In a great ceremony before a crucifix and lighted candles, they swore a solemn oath that they would never obey Garcia or the Portuguese again, and that they accepted only the Archdeacon as their shepherd. The Malankara Church and all its successor churches regard this declaration, known as
21114-553: The Saint Thomas Christians. Protests on the part of the natives were frustrated by events back in the Church of the East's Mesopotamian heartland, which left them devoid of consistent leadership. In 1552, the year of Jacob's death, a schism in the Church of the East resulted in there being two rival patriarchates, one of which entered into communion with the Catholic Church , and the other of which remained independent. At different times both patriarchs sent bishops to India, but
21321-572: The South Indian coast, the leaders of the Saint Thomas community greeted them and proffered a formal alliance to their fellow Christians. The Portuguese, who had keen interest in implanting themselves in the spice trade and in expanding the domain of their bellicose form of Christianity, jumped at this opportunity. The Portuguese brought to India a particularly militant brand of Christianity, the product of several centuries of struggle during
21528-542: The Southwest monsoon, and the rest from September to December corresponding to Northeast monsoon. The moisture-laden winds of the Southwest monsoon, on reaching the southernmost point of the Indian Peninsula , because of its topography, divides into two branches; the "Arabian Sea Branch" and the "Bay of Bengal Branch". The "Arabian Sea Branch" of the Southwest monsoon first hits the Western Ghats, making Kerala
21735-583: The West. The lure of spices attracted traders from the Middle East and Europe to the many trading ports of Keralaputera (Kerala) — Tyndis, ( Ponnani ), Muziris , near Kodungallur, Niranam, Bacare, Belitha, and Comari ( Kanyakumari ) long before the time of Christ. Thomas the Apostle in one of these ships, arrived at Muziris in 52, from E’zion-ge’ber on the Red Sea. He started his gospel mission among
21942-493: The Western Ghats' rain shadow . 41 of Kerala's west-flowing rivers, and 3 of its east-flowing ones originate in this region. The Western Ghats form a wall of mountains interrupted only near Palakkad ; hence also known Pal ghat , where the Palakkad Gap breaks. The Western Ghats rise on average to 1,500 metres (4,900 feet ) above sea level , while the highest peaks reach around 2,500 metres (8,200 feet). Anamudi in
22149-732: The Zamorin forces in the battle at Chaliyam Fort . An insurrection at the Port of Quilon between the Arabs and the Portuguese led to the end of the Portuguese era in Quilon . The Muslim line of Ali Rajas of Arakkal kingdom , near Kannur , who were the vassals of the Kolathiri , ruled over the Lakshadweep islands. The Bekal Fort near Kasaragod , which is also largest fort in the state,
22356-531: The archdeacon. In 1491, the archdeacon sent envoys to the Patriarch of the Church of the East, as well as to the Coptic Pope of Alexandria and to the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch , requesting a new bishop for India. The Patriarch of the Church of the East Shemʿon IV Basidi responded by consecrating two bishops, Thoma and Yuhanon, and dispatching them to India. These bishops helped rebuild
22563-561: The background of Western Ghat mountain ranges, is also known as The Niagara of India . It is located in the Chalakudy River and is the largest waterfall in the state. Wayanad is the sole Plateau in Kerala. The eastern regions in the districts of Wayanad , Malappuram ( Chaliyar valley at Nilambur ), and Palakkad ( Attappadi Valley), which together form parts of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and
22770-574: The backwaters; it lies between Alappuzha and Kochi and is about 200 km (77 sq mi) in area. Around eight percent of India's waterways are found in Kerala. Kerala's 44 rivers include the Periyar ; 244 kilometres (152 mi), Bharathapuzha ; 209 kilometres (130 mi), Pamba ; 176 kilometres (109 mi), Chaliyar ; 169 kilometres (105 mi), Kadalundipuzha ; 130 kilometres (81 mi), Chalakudipuzha ; 130 kilometres (81 mi), Valapattanam ; 129 kilometres (80 mi) and
22977-477: The battle of Purakkad in 1755. In 1761, the British captured Mahé , and the settlement was handed over to the ruler of Kadathanadu . The British restored Mahé to the French as a part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris. In 1779, the Anglo-French war broke out, resulting in the French loss of Mahé . In 1783, the British agreed to restore to the French their settlements in India, and Mahé was handed over to
23184-596: The central government. The Kerala Panchayati Raj Act and Kerala Municipality Act were enacted in 1994, establishing a 3-tier system for local governance. This system includes Gram Panchayat, Block Panchayat, and District Panchayat. The Acts define clear powers for these institutions. For urban areas, the Kerala Municipality Act follows a single-tier system, equivalent to Gram Panchayat.These bodies receive substantial administrative, legal, and financial powers to ensure effective decentralization. Currently,
23391-564: The coast, it is as high as 70 mGy/yr. Kerala's western coastal belt is relatively flat compared to the eastern region, and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected brackish canals, lakes, estuaries , and rivers known as the Kerala Backwaters . Kuttanad , also known as The Rice Bowl of Kerala , has the lowest altitude in India , and is also one of the few places in world where cultivation takes place below sea level. The country's longest lake Vembanad , dominates
23598-802: The coastal lowlands to 20.0–22.5 °C in the eastern highlands. Most of the biodiversity is concentrated and protected in the Western Ghats . Three-quarters of the land area of Kerala was under thick forest up to the 18th century. As of 2004 , over 25% of India's 15,000 plant species are in Kerala. Out of the 4,000 flowering plant species; 1,272 of which are endemic to Kerala, 900 are medicinal , and 159 are threatened . Its 9,400 km of forests include tropical wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests (lower and middle elevations—3,470 km ), tropical moist and dry deciduous forests (mid-elevations—4,100 km and 100 km , respectively), and montane subtropical and temperate ( shola ) forests (highest elevations—100 km ). Altogether, 24% of Kerala
23805-737: The community by the then rulers. These influenced the development of the social structure in Kerala and privileges, rules for the communities. These are considered as one of the most important legal documents in the history of Kerala . Three of these are still in the Orthodox Theological Seminary (Old Seminary) in Kottayam and two are at the Mar Thoma Church Headquarters in Tiruvalla. The position of archdeacon –the highest for clergy who are not
24012-504: The consecration of Archdeacon as Metropolitan of the Syriac Orthodox Church as per the apostolic standards of Kaiveppu (traditional legitimate way of laying hands by a valid Bishop). The 18th century saw the gradual introduction of West Syriac liturgy and script to the Malabar Coast, a process that continued through the 19th century. The arrival of Mar Gregorios in 1665, marked the introduction of Oriental Orthodoxy in India through
24219-480: The council. Church life bore characteristics of a church which had its origin and growth outside the Graeco-Roman world . There was no centralized administrative structure on a monarchical pattern. The territorial administrative system which developed after the diocesan pattern within the eastern and western Roman empires did not exist in the Indian Church. "They have the uncorrupted Testament Which they believe
24426-416: The country with 47.7% urban population according to the 2011 Census of India . The state topped in the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals according to the annual report of NITI Aayog published in 2019. The state has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine languages, mainly Malayalam and sometimes English . Hinduism is practised by more than half of
24633-432: The declaration Kandanad Padiyola , which had been already partially implemented by the same assembly in 1789 at Puthiyacavu. The church of Saint Thomas Christians constituted a single church until the 16th century. It formed the community of the East Syriac Eccesiastical Province of India . Later some rifts erupted in their church due to the colonization of India by the Portuguese padroado Latin Catholic missionaries. After
24840-496: The department they are assigned to. Each department also has officers of the rank of Secretary, Special Secretary, Joint Secretary etc. assisting the Minister and the Additional Chief Secretary / Principal Secretary Each district has a district administrator appointed by government called District collector for executive administration. Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats , for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs. The judiciary consists of
25047-441: The development of ancient Kerala society and its culture beginning from the Paleolithic Age, through the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic Ages. Foreign cultural contacts have assisted this cultural formation; historians suggest a possible relationship with Indus Valley civilisation during the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age . Kerala has been a major spice exporter since 3000 BCE, according to Sumerian records and it
25254-402: The earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. However, the Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504) . However, the allegiance of the Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut . The Portuguese took advantage of the rivalry between the Zamorin and the King of Kochi allied with Kochi. When Francisco de Almeida
25461-408: The earliest glimpses of life in the city. Ma Huan (1403 AD), the Chinese sailor part of the Imperial Chinese fleet under Cheng Ho ( Zheng He ) states the city as a great emporium of trade frequented by merchants from around the world. Abdur Razzak (1442–43), Niccolò de' Conti (1445), Afanasy Nikitin (1468–74), Ludovico di Varthema (1503–1508), and Duarte Barbosa witnessed the city as one of
25668-511: The eastern highlands; rugged and cool mountainous terrain, the central mid-lands; rolling hills, and the western lowlands; coastal plains. Pre-Cambrian and Pleistocene geological formations compose the bulk of Kerala's terrain. A catastrophic flood in Kerala in 1341 CE drastically modified its terrain and consequently affected its history; it also created a natural harbour for spice transport. The eastern region of Kerala consists of high mountains, gorges and deep-cut valleys immediately west of
25875-422: The ecclesiastical infrastructure and reestablish fraternal ties with the patriarchate, but the years of separation had greatly affected the structure of the Indian church. Though receiving utmost respect, the metropolitan was treated as the spiritual authority in his own diocese; the Archdeacon was firmly established as the real power in the Malankara community. At the time the Portuguese arrived in India in 1498,
26082-434: The erstwhile regions of Cochin , Malabar , South Canara , and Travancore . Spread over 38,863 km (15,005 sq mi), Kerala is the 21st largest Indian state by area . It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west. With 33 million inhabitants as per the 2011 census , Kerala is the 13th-largest Indian state by population . It
26289-436: The far north. The port at Kozhikode held the superior economic and political position in Kerala, while Kollam (Quilon), Kochi , and Kannur (Cannanore) were commercially confined to secondary roles. The Zamorin of Calicut was originally the ruler of Eranad , which was a minor principality located in the northern parts of present-day Malappuram district . The Zamorin allied with Arab and Chinese merchants and used most of
26496-530: The first state in India to receive rain from the Southwest monsoon. The distribution of pressure patterns is reversed in the Northeast monsoon, during this season the cold winds from North India pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and precipitate it on the east coast of peninsular India. In Kerala, the influence of the Northeast monsoon is seen in southern districts only. Kerala's rainfall averages 2,923 mm (115 in) annually. Some of Kerala's drier lowland regions average only 1,250 mm (49 in);
26703-458: The forests, sonokeling , Dalbergia latifolia , anjili , mullumurikku , Erythrina , and Cassia number among the more than 1,000 species of trees in Kerala. Other plants include bamboo , wild black pepper, wild cardamom , the calamus rattan palm, and aromatic vetiver grass, Vetiveria zizanioides . Indian elephant , Bengal tiger , Indian leopard , Nilgiri tahr , common palm civet , and grizzled giant squirrels are also found in
26910-1176: The forests. Reptiles include the king cobra , viper , python , and mugger crocodile . Kerala's birds include the Malabar trogon , the great hornbill , Kerala laughingthrush , darter and southern hill myna . In the lakes, wetlands, and waterways, fish such as Kadu , Red Line Torpedo Barb and choottachi ; orange chromide — Etroplus maculatus are found. Recently, a newly described tardigrade (water bears) species collected from Vadakara coast of Kerala named after Kerala State; Stygarctus keralensis . The state's 14 districts are distributed among six regions: North Malabar (far-north Kerala), South Malabar (north-central Kerala), Kochi (central Kerala), Northern Travancore (south-central Kerala), Central Travancore (southern Kerala) and Southern Travancore (far-south Kerala). The districts which serve as administrative regions for taxation purposes are further subdivided into 27 revenue subdivisions and 77 taluks , which have fiscal and administrative powers over settlements within their borders, including maintenance of local land records. Kerala's taluks are further sub-divided into 1,674 revenue villages. Since
27117-401: The forty-second of his "Carmina Nisibina" that the Apostle was put to death in India, and that his remains were subsequently buried in Edessa , brought there by a merchant. St. Ephraem in a hymn about the relics of St. Thomas at Edessa depicts Satan exclaiming, "The Apostle whom I killed in India comes to meet me in Edessa." Gregory Nazianzen , (329–389), in a homily says; "What! were not
27324-411: The gradual schism among the Christians, with one faction reuniting with the Catholic Church and the other faction remaining steadfast against the Latin missionaries. The former faction came to known as Paḻayakūr and latter, led by Thoma I , came to be known as Puthenkūr . Thoma I was regularised as a canonical bishop in 1665 by Archbishop Gregorios Abdul Jaleel of the Syriac Orthodox Church and thus
27531-573: The great of Wessex in England sent donations to the Christians in Malabar. Marco Polo visited Malabar on his return journey from China . He wrote about the people whom he saw in Malabar, this way. "The people are idolaters, though there are some Christians and Jews among them. They speak a language of their own. The king is tributary to none." The two Rock crosses of Kerala are found at Kottayam, one each at Kadamattam, Muttuchira and at St.Thomas Mount, in Mylapore. and throughout Malabar coast has inscriptions in Pahlavi and Syriac. The earliest
27738-399: The holy book." In short, the St. Thomas Christians of Kerala have blended well with the ecclesiastical world of the Eastern Churches and with the changing socio-cultural environment of their homeland. Thus, the Malabar Church was Hindu or Indian in culture , Christian in religion , and Judeo-Syriac-Oriental in terms of origin and worship. According to the 1st century annals of Pliny
27945-434: The holy see of St.Thomas the Apostle". The life-style of the Saint Thomas Christians might be stated as "Indian in culture, Christian in faith and Oriental in worship". Socially and culturally these Saint Thomas Christians remain as a part of the wider Indian community. They keep their Indian social customs, names and practices relating to birth, marriage, and death. They have Biblical names ( Mar Thoma Christian names ). At
28152-400: The independence of India as well as the second-oldest Municipal Corporation of the state is at Kozhikode in the year 1962. There are six Municipal corporations in Kerala that govern Thiruvananthapuram , Kozhikode , Kochi , Kollam , Thrissur , and Kannur . The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation is the largest corporation in Kerala while Kochi metropolitan area named Kochi UA
28359-490: The industrial sector include Cochin Shipyard , shipbuilding, oil refinery, software industry, coastal mineral industries, food processing, marine products processing, and Rubber based products. The primary sector of the state is mainly based upon cash crops . Kerala produces a significant amount of national output of the cash crops such as coconut , tea , coffee , pepper , natural rubber , cardamom , and cashew in India. The cultivation of food crops began to reduce since
28566-408: The influence of the Syriac Orthodox Church but later split successively, leading to the creation of churches across various denominations and traditions. The Malankara divisions and branchings have resulted in the present-day Jacobite Syrian Christian Church , Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church , Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church , Malabar Independent Syrian Church , Syro-Malankara Catholic Church ,
28773-413: The king of Vijayanagara Empire. Later Kozhikode and Venad seem to have rebelled against their Vijayanagara overlords, but Deva Raya II quelled the rebellion. As the Vijayanagara power diminished over the next fifty years, the Zamorin of Kozhikode again rose to prominence in Kerala. He built a fort at Ponnani in 1498. The maritime spice trade monopoly in the Arabian Sea stayed with the Arabs during
28980-443: The lands of Kerala were recovered from the sea by the axe-wielding warrior sage Parashurama , the sixth avatar of Vishnu (hence, Kerala is also called Parashurama Kshetram 'The Land of Parashurama' in Hindu mythology). Parashurama threw his axe across the sea, and the water receded as far as it reached. According to the legendary account, this new area of land extended from Gokarna to Kanyakumari . The land which rose from sea
29187-406: The leadership of Kozhikode admirals known as Kunjali Marakkars , which compelled them to seek a treaty. The Kunjali Marakkars are credited with organising the first naval defence of the Indian coast. Thunchaththu Ezhuthachan , who is considered as the father of modern Malayalam literature , was born at Tirur ( Vettathunadu ) during Portuguese period. In 1571, the Portuguese were defeated by
29394-493: The leadership of the then Malankara Metropolitan, Mathews Mar Athanasius . Meanwhile, the majority of the members of the church, resisted the movement and strengthened their affiliation to the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch at the Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876. They were led by Pulikkootil Joseph Mar Dionysios , who was consecrated by Patriarch Ignatius Peter III . In 1875, Patriarch Ignatius Peter IV excommunicated Mathews Athanasius , Thomas Athanasius and their followers from
29601-417: The legend as a source of history once generated much debate among South Indian historians. The legend was used by Kerala chiefdoms for the legitimation of their rule (most of the major chiefly houses in medieval Kerala traced its origin back to the legendary allocation by the Perumal). According to the legend, Rayar , the overlord of the Cheraman Perumal in a country east of the Ghats , invaded Kerala during
29808-517: The love of Christ, and have sent to you our Fathers, our Father Mor Baselios, that is, Patriarch Yaldo, together with those who accompany him, not in order that he stays with you, but in order to fill your need and to consecrate for you venerable [bishops] and metropolitans. And after having fulfilled your requests, send them back to us. We do not want him to come to us after a long period, but after three years. MS Samanvaya Syr 18 Letter from Dionysious Punnathara (a nineteenth century prelate of
30015-408: The major trading centres in the Indian subcontinent where traders from different parts of the world could be seen. The king Deva Raya II (1424–1446) of the Vijayanagara Empire conquered the entirety of present-day state of Kerala in the 15th century. He defeated the Zamorin of Kozhikode, as well as the ruler of Kollam around 1443. Fernão Nunes says that the Zamorin had to pay tribute to
30222-425: The modern city of Chennai . The body of Apostle Thomas was translated to Edessa, Iraq. It is now in Ortona , Italy . Relics of Apostle Thomas were translated to the San Thome Cathedral in Chennai and to St Thomas Church in Palayur, near Guruvayoor at Chavakkad Taluk, Thrissur District in Kerala. Several ancient writers mention India as the scene of St. Thomas ’ labours. Ephrem the Syrian (300–378) writes in
30429-503: The mountains of the eastern Idukki district receive more than 5,000 mm (197 in) of orographic precipitation : the highest in the state. In eastern Kerala, a drier tropical wet and dry climate prevails. During the summer, the state is prone to gale-force winds, storm surges, cyclone-related torrential downpours, occasional droughts, and rises in sea level. The mean daily temperature ranges from 19.8 °C to 36.7 °C. Mean annual temperatures range from 25.0 to 27.5 °C in
30636-434: The native Christians under their dominion. Towards this goal, the colonial establishment felt it necessary to conduct the Saint Thomas Christians fully into the Latin Church , both in bringing them into conformity with Latin church customs and in subjecting them to the authority of the Archbishop of Goa . Following the death of Metropolitan Mar Jacob in 1552, the Portuguese became more aggressive in their efforts to subjugate
30843-432: The native hierarchy. This came to a head in 1641 with the ascension of two new protagonists on either side of the contention: Francis Garcia, the new Archbishop of Kodungalloor, and Archdeacon Thomas , the nephew and successor to Archdeacon George. In 1652, the escalating situation was further complicated by the arrival in India of a mysterious figure named Ahatallah . Ahatallah arrived in Mylapore in 1652, claiming to be
31050-436: The oldest of the 18 Puranas , uses the Malaya Mountains as the setting for the story of Matsya , the first incarnation of Vishnu, and Manu , the first man and the king of the region. Poovar is often identified with biblical Ophir region, known for its wealth. The legend of Cheraman Perumals is the medieval tradition associated with the Cheraman Perumals (literally the Chera kings ) of Kerala. The validity of
31257-476: The oldest order of Christianity in India . The Archdeacon was the head of the Church, and Palliyogams (Parish Councils) were in charge of temporal affairs. They had a liturgy -centered life with days of fasting and abstinence. Their devotion to the Mar Thoma tradition was absolute. Their churches were modelled after Jewish synagogues . "The church is neat and they keep it sweetly. There are mats but no seats. Instead of images, they have some useful writing from
31464-410: The permanent schism among the Thomas' Christians of India, leading to the formation of Puthenkūr (New allegiance, pronounced Pùttènkūṟ ) and Pazhayakūr (Old allegiance, pronounced Paḻayakūṟ ) factions. The Pazhayakūr comprise the present day Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Syrian Church which continue to employ the original East Syriac Rite liturgy . The Puthenkūr group, who resisted
31671-399: The permission to "die, and kill, and seize"). A substantial portion of Kerala including the western coastal lowlands and the plains of the midland may have been under the sea in ancient times. Marine fossils have been found in an area near Changanassery , thus supporting the hypothesis. Pre-historical archaeological findings include dolmens of the Neolithic era in the Marayur area of
31878-468: The population, followed by Islam and Christianity . In 2019–20, the economy of Kerala was the 8th-largest in India with ₹ 8.55 trillion (US$ 100 billion) in gross state domestic product (GSDP) and a per capita net state domestic product of ₹ 222,000 (US$ 2,700). In 2019–20, the tertiary sector contributed around 65% to state's GSVA , while the primary sector contributed only 8%. The state has witnessed significant emigration, especially to
32085-423: The port of Muziris , but its southern tip was in the kingdom of Pandyas , which had a trading port sometimes identified in ancient Western sources as Nelcynda (or Neacyndi ) in Quilon . Tyndis was a major centre of trade, next only to Muziris , between the Cheras and the Roman Empire . The lesser known Ays and Mushikas kingdoms lay to the south and north of the Chera regions, respectively. Pliny
32292-526: The power of the Franks, our Jacobite Syrian Fathers and Leaders were prohibited from coming from Antioch: and, because we had no Leader and Head, we were like Sheep without a Shepherd; or, like Orphans and Widows, oppressed in spirit, without support or help. In the year of our Lord 1653, came our Spiritual Father, Mar Ignatius, the Patriarch, from Antioch to Malabar.... Again, in the year of our Lord 1753, came to us some holy Jacobite Syrian Fathers from Antioch, who turned us to our true ancient faith, and set up
32499-401: The province had multiple bishops serving it. Following the collapse of the Church of the East's hierarchy in most of Asia in the 14th century, India was effectively cut off from the church's heartland in Mesopotamia and formal contact was severed. By the late 15th century India had had no metropolitan for several generations, and the authority traditionally associated with him had been vested in
32706-416: The question of autonomy. The faction that supported the Patriarch of Antioch was known as Bava Kakshi (Patriarch faction) and those who supported the Malankara Metropolitan came to be called Methran Kakshi (bishop faction). The former came to be known as the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church , which got incorporated into an arch-diocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church later and the latter, initially known as
32913-449: The reformists and their leader Thomas Athanasius to the Metropolitanate or its assets. They separated and established the Reformed Mar Thoma Syrian Church . In the 1950s, a faction that demanded further conformity to Protestant doctrines, surfaced within the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. In 1961, they split and formed the St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India . However this church underwent a further split in 1912 due to internal disputes and
33120-427: The relationship with their home Church in Persia, which was also established by St. Thomas the Apostle. Following is a rough chronology of events associated with St. Thomas Christianity. Doctrine of the Apostles states that, "India and all its countries . . . received the Apostle's hand of priesthood from Judas Thomas…." From an early period the Church of St. Thomas Christians came into a lifelong relationship with
33327-488: The rightful Patriarch of Antioch who had been sent by the Catholic pope to serve as "Patriarch of the Whole of India and of China". Ahatallah's true biography is obscure, but some details have been established. He appears to have been a Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Damascus who converted to Catholicism and went to Rome in 1632. He then returned to Syria in order to bring the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Hidayat Allah into communion with Rome. He had not accomplished this by
33534-423: The rise of Travancore to pre-eminence in Kerala. The Kochi ruler sued for peace with Anizham Thirunal and the northern and north-central parts of Kerala ( Malabar District ), along with Fort Kochi , Tangasseri , and Anchuthengu in southern Kerala, came under direct British rule until India became independent . Travancore became the dominant state in Kerala by defeating the powerful Zamorin of Kozhikode in
33741-402: The rule of the last Perumal. To drive back the invading forces the Perumal summoned the militia of his chieftains (like Udaya Varman Kolathiri , Manichchan , and Vikkiran of Eranad ). The Cheraman Perumal was assured by the Eradis (chief of Eranad) that they would take a fort established by the Rayar . The battle lasted for three days and the Rayar eventually evacuated his fort (and it
33948-442: The rulers of Mysore and were made a part of the larger Kingdom of Mysore . His son and successor, Tipu Sultan , launched campaigns against the expanding British East India Company , resulting in two of the four Anglo-Mysore Wars . Tipu ultimately ceded the Malabar District and South Kanara to the company in the 1790s as a result of the Third Anglo-Mysore War and the subsequent Treaty of Seringapatam ; both were annexed to
34155-449: The same time they follow a number of Jewish customs like worship, baptism, wedding and other ceremonies which are entirely different from Western Churches. The rulers of Kerala, always appreciated the contributions of St. Thomas Christians to the country and society. Thazhekad sasanam and deeds on copper plates bear witness to it. Five sheets of the three copper plates are now in the custody of St. Thomas Christians. In 883 King Alfred
34362-447: The seas between Ormus and the Malabar Coast and south to Ceylon . They established a trading centre at Tangasseri in Quilon during 1502 as per the invitation of the then Queen of Quilon to start spices trade from there. The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur , who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut , sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode. As a result, the Kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu ) became one of
34569-439: The seminary and the control of assets of the Church. Thomas Athanasius was then the Metropolitan. During the course of this litigation (1879–1889), answering a question Thomas Athanasius Metropolitan said, The Episcopal throne of Patriarch is the throne of St. Peter, while the throne of Malankara Church is that of St. Thomas. Malankara Church is as old as the Church in Antioch, equal in status, and both are independent. A meeting
34776-474: The seven "and a half" churches established by Thomas the Apostle during his mission in Malabar. These are located at Kodungalloor ( Muziris ), Paravur , Palayoor , Kokkamangalam , Niranam , Nilackal , Kollam , and the Thiruvithamcode Arappally in Kanyakumari district . The Nasranis are an ethnic people, and a single community. As a community with common cultural heritage and cultural tradition, they refer to themselves as Nasranis . However, as
34983-549: The shares from Union tax pool) amounted to ₹ 674 billion (US$ 8.1 billion) in 2020–21; up from ₹ 557 billion (US$ 6.7 billion) in 2019–20. Its non-tax revenues (excluding the shares from Union tax pool) of the Government of Kerala reached ₹ 146 billion (US$ 1.7 billion) in 2020–2021. However, Kerala's high ratio of taxation to GSDP has not alleviated chronic budget deficits and unsustainable levels of government debt, which have impacted social services. A record total of 223 hartals were observed in 2006, resulting in
35190-416: The state government allocates around 40% of the state plan outlay to local governments. Kerala was declared the first digital state of India in 2016 and, according to the India Corruption Survey 2019 by Transparency International , is considered the least corrupt state in India. The Public Affairs Index-2020 designated Kerala as the best-governed state in India. Kerala hosts two major political alliances:
35397-481: The state look for other reliable sources of income, instead of relying on remittances to finance its expenditure. As of March 2002, Kerala's banking sector comprised 3341 local branches: each branch served 10,000 people, lower than the national average of 16,000; the state has the third-highest bank penetration among Indian states. On 1 October 2011, Kerala became the first state in the country to have at least one banking facility in every village. Unemployment in 2007
35604-441: The state of Thiru-Kochi in 1949. The Malabar region , in the northern part of Kerala, had been a part of the Madras province of British India , which later became a part of the Madras State post-independence. After the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 , the modern-day state of Kerala was formed by merging the Malabar district of Madras State (excluding Gudalur taluk of Nilgiris district , Lakshadweep Islands, Topslip ,
35811-407: The state of Kerala under the States Reorganisation Act . A Communist -led government under E. M. S. Namboodiripad resulted from the first elections for the new Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1957 . It was one of the earliest elected Communist governments anywhere. His government implemented land and educational reforms which in turn, reduced income inequality in the state. The state
36018-400: The state to mobilise funds for infrastructure development from outside the state revenue, aiming at overall infrastructure development of the state. In November 2015, the Ministry of Urban Development selected seven cities of Kerala for a comprehensive development program known as the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). A package of ₹ 2.5 million (US$ 30,000)
36225-417: The submission of the young Archdeacon George, the highest remaining representative of the native church hierarchy. That year Menezes convened the Synod of Diamper , which instituted a number of structural and liturgical reforms to the Indian church. At the synod, the parishes were brought directly under the Archbishop's authority, certain "superstitious" customs were anathematized, and the traditional variant of
36432-402: The term Kerala . From the time of Cosmas Indicopleustes (6th century CE) itself, the Arab sailors used to call Kerala as Male . The first element of the name, however, is attested already in the Topography written by Cosmas Indicopleustes . This mentions a pepper emporium called Male , which clearly gave its name to Malabar ('the country of Male'). The name Male is thought to come from
36639-482: The time Hidayat Allah died in 1639, after which point Ahatallah began claiming he was Hidayat Allah's rightful successor. In 1646, he was in Egypt at the court of the Coptic Pope Mark VI , who dispatched him to India in 1652, evidently in response to a request for aid from Archdeacon Thomas. Reckoning him an impostor, the Portuguese arrested him, but allowed him to meet with members of the Saint Thomas Christian clergy, whom he impressed greatly. The Portuguese put him on
36846-538: The time of the British (6,000 - 12,000 Jacobites joined the C.M.S. in 1836, after the Synod of Mavelikara; who are now within the Church of South India ), doctrines and missionary zeal influence ( Malankara Church and Patriarch/Catholicos issue (division of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church (1912)). St. Thomas Christian families who claim their descent from ancestors who were baptized by Apostle Thomas are found all over Kerala . St. Thomas Christians were classified into
37053-426: The tradition of Saint Thomas Christians , St. Thomas the Apostle established his throne in India and India was his See (Kolla Hendo), therefore the see of the metropolitan of Saint Thomas Christians was India and used the title Metropolitan and Gate of all India. In Syriac Manuscript Vatican Syriac Codex 22 the title given for the Metropolitan of the Saint Thomas Christians was "the superintendent and ruler of
37260-431: The true heirs to the Saint Thomas tradition. Thoma I with 32 churches (out of a total of 116) and their congregations were the body from which the Malankara Syrian Puthenkūr Churches originated. In 1665, Gregorios Abdul Jaleel, a bishop sent by the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, arrived in India, and the Saint Thomas Christians under the leadership of the Archdeacon welcomed him. The Gregorios Abdal Jaleel regularised
37467-407: The wealth from Kozhikode to develop his military power. Kozhikode became the most powerful kingdom in the Malayalam speaking region during the Middle Ages . At the peak of their reign, the Zamorins of Kozhikode ruled over a region from Kollam ( Quilon ) in the south to Panthalayini Kollam ( Koyilandy ) in the north. Ibn Battuta (1342–1347), who visited the city of Kozhikode six times, gives
37674-555: The west and Western Ghats mountain ranges to the east. The state's coastline extends for 595 kilometres (370 mi), and around 1.1 million people in the state are dependent on the fishery industry, which contributes 3% to the state's income. Named as one of the ten paradises of the world by National Geographic Traveler , Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India, with coconut-lined sandy beaches , backwaters , hill stations , Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery as its major attractions. The word Kerala
37881-432: The west coast of India, i.e., Malabar . Shapur II the Great was the ninth King of the Sassanid Empire from 309 to 379. During that period, there was persecution against Christians. So in AD 345 under the leadership of Thomas of Cana 72 families landed at Muziris near Cranganore. They formed the group known as Knanaya Christians. They cooperated with the Malankara Church, attended worship services together but remained
38088-433: The word Malabar comes from a combination of the Dravidian word Mala (hill) and the Persian / Arabic word Barr (country/continent). According to the Sangam classic Purananuru , the Chera king Senkuttuvan conquered the lands between Kanyakumari and the Himalayas . Lacking worthy enemies, he besieged the sea by throwing his spear into it. According to the 17th-century Hindu mythology work Keralolpathi ,
38295-478: The work of St. Thomas in India . These passages indicate that the tradition that St. Thomas died in India was widespread among the early churches. Many writers have mentioned that the Apostle established seven "and a half" churches in Malabar. They are: Doctrine of the Apostles states that, "India and all its countries...received the Apostle's hand of priesthood from Judas Thomas…." From 345 AD, when Knanaya Christians arrived from Persia , they had continued
38502-445: Was partitioned in 1947 into India and Pakistan , Travancore and Kochi , part of the Union of India were merged on 1 July 1949 to form Travancore-Cochin . On 1 November 1956, the taluk of Kasargod in the South Kanara district of Madras, the Malabar district of Madras (excluding the islands of Lakshadweep ), and Travancore-Cochin, without four southern taluks and Sengottai taluk (which joined Tamil Nadu), merged to form
38709-463: Was a product of the Portuguese colonialism in the sixteenth century. Although the metropolitan status was soon restored, the colonial subjugation continued. In 1653, as a move for independence, the Saint Thomas Christians made the Coonan Cross Oath against the oppressive Latin Catholic hierarchy. The Pope responded to the issue by sending Propaganda Carmelite missionaries, assigning them the responsibility for reunification. This eventually culminated in
38916-547: Was a well known exorcist. He is well known in Kerala as Kadamattathu Kathanar. Abo died and was buried in Thevalakara church (now St. Mary's Orthodox Church). There are many accounts of visits from Rome, before the arrival of Portuguese. John of Monte Corvino , was a Franciscan missionary who traveled from Persia and moved down by sea to India, in 1291 Odoric of Pordenone who arrived in India in 1321. He visited Malabar, landing at Pandarani (20 m. north of Calicut ), at Cranganore , and at Kulam or Quilon . Jordanus ,
39123-451: Was absent a bishop. Unlike the metropolitan, who was evidently always an East Syriac sent by the patriarch, the archdeacon was a native Saint Thomas Christian. In the documented period, the position was evidently hereditary, belonging to the Pakalomattam family, who claimed a privileged connection to Thomas the Apostle. Details on the archidiaconate prior to the arrival of the Portuguese are elusive, but Patriarch Timothy I (780–823) called
39330-451: Was also affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , and in 2018 received the worst flooding in nearly a century. In 2024, Kerala experienced its worst landslides in history. With around 120–140 rainy days per year, Kerala has a wet and maritime tropical climate influenced by the seasonal heavy rains of the southwest summer monsoon and northeast winter monsoon . Around 65% of the rainfall occurs from June to August corresponding to
39537-433: Was alternatively called Malabar in the foreign trade circles . Earlier, the term Malabar had also been used to denote Tulu Nadu and Kanyakumari which lie contiguous to Kerala on the southwestern coast of India, in addition to the modern state of Kerala. The people of Malabar were known as Malabars . Until the arrival of the East India Company , the term Malabar was used as a general name for Kerala, along with
39744-405: Was appointed as Viceroy of Portuguese India in 1505, his headquarters was established at Fort Kochi ( Fort Emmanuel ) rather than in Kozhikode. During his reign, the Portuguese managed to dominate relations with Kochi and established a few fortresses on the Malabar Coast. However, the Portuguese suffered setbacks from attacks by Zamorin forces in South Malabar ; especially from naval attacks under
39951-399: Was built in 1650 by Shivappa Nayaka of Keladi . The Portuguese were ousted by the Dutch East India Company , who during the conflicts between the Kozhikode and the Kochi , gained control of the trade. The arrival of British on Malabar Coast can be traced back to the year 1615, when a group under the leadership of Captain William Keeling arrived at Kozhikode, using three ships. It
40158-409: Was convened by the Maharaja of Travancore , before the final verdict was given, Athanasius testified that, Malankara Church was never under any foreign rule and that he was unwilling to move away from the teachings or give the authority and the Church possessions to a foreign Patriarch. The final verdict which came on 12 July 1889 from the Royal Court of Travancore, upheld the conservative position on
40365-483: Was declared for each of the cities to develop service level improvement plan (SLIP), a plan for better functioning of the local urban bodies in the cities of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad. The Grand Kerala Shopping Festival (GKSF) was started in 2007, covering more than 3000 outlets across the nine cities of Kerala with huge tax discounts, VAT refunds and huge array of prizes. Lulu International Mall at Thiruvananthapuram
40572-413: Was drowned in Cochin harbour, or even that the Portuguese burned him at the stake. In reality, it appears that Ahatallah did in fact reach Goa, whence he was sent on to Europe, but evidently died in Paris before reaching Rome, where his case was to be heard. In any event, Garcia's dismissive response to the Saint Thomas Christians' appeals only embittered the community further. This was the last straw for
40779-411: Was established by Kulasekhara Varman , which ruled over a territory comprising the whole of modern Kerala and a smaller part of modern Tamil Nadu. During the early part of the Kulasekara period, the southern region from Nagercoil to Thiruvalla was ruled by Ay kings , who lost their power in the 10th century, making the region a part of the Kulasekara empire. Under Kulasekhara rule, Kerala witnessed
40986-434: Was estimated at 9.4%; chronic issues are underemployment , low employability of youth, and a low female labour participation rate of only 13.5%, as was the practice of Nokku kooli , "wages for looking on". By 1999–2000, the rural and urban poverty rates dropped to 10.0% and 9.6%, respectively. The state's budget of 2020–2021 was ₹ 1.15 lakh crore (US$ 14 billion). The state government's tax revenues (excluding
41193-494: Was filled with salt and unsuitable for habitation; so Parashurama invoked the Snake King Vasuki , who spat holy poison and converted the soil into fertile lush green land. Out of respect, Vasuki and all snakes were appointed as protectors and guardians of the land. P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar theorised, that Senguttuvan may have been inspired by the Parashurama legendary account, which was brought by early Aryan settlers. Another much earlier Puranic character associated with Kerala
41400-427: Was held sacred in the Malabar Church. They constructed many churches and, during their lifetime, the Christian religion flourished especially in the kingdom of Diamper." The beginning of Kolla Varsham resulted in the origin of Christianity in Kerala as an individual religion outside vedic Vaishnavism In 190, Pantaenus , probably the founder of the famous Catechetical School of Alexandria , visited India and
41607-417: Was in these ships that Sir Thomas Roe went to visit Jahangir , the fourth Mughal emperor , as British envoy . In 1664, the municipality of Fort Kochi was established by Dutch Malabar , making it the first municipality in the Indian subcontinent , which got dissolved when the Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. The Dutch in turn were weakened by constant battles with Marthanda Varma of
41814-416: Was led by Palliveettil Chandy, cousin of Thoma I , who was consecrated as a bishop in 1663 by Carmelite missionaries of the Catholic Church . He was supported by other prominent Saint Thomas Christian leaders including Kadavil Chandy Kathanar and Vengūr Givargis Kathanar. This made it essential to rectify the illegitimacy of the consecration of Archdeacon as Metropolitan. Episcopal consecration of Thoma I as
42021-445: Was nearly 16% of the US$ 71 billion remittances to the country. In 2015, NRI deposits in Kerala have soared to over ₹ 1 lakh crore (US$ 12 billion), amounting to one-sixth of all the money deposited in NRI accounts, which comes to about ₹ 7 lakh crore (US$ 84 billion). Malappuram district has the highest proportion of emigrant households in state. A study commissioned by the Kerala State Planning Board , suggested that
42228-400: Was not successful. Later Pope Alexander VII sent the Syrian bishop Joseph Sebastiani at the head of a Carmelite delegation who succeeded in convincing the majority of Saint Thomas Christians, including Palliveettil Chandy Kathanar and Kadavil Chandy Kathanar . The Catholic faction constantly challenged the legitimacy of the consecration of the archdeacon as Metropolitan by priests. The faction
42435-413: Was seized by the Perumal's troops). Then the last Cheraman Perumal divided Kerala or Chera kingdom among his chieftains and disappeared mysteriously. The Kerala people never more heard any tidings of him. The Eradis of Nediyiruppu , who later came to be known as the Zamorins of Kozhikode , who were left out in cold during allocation of the land, was granted the Cheraman Perumal 's sword (with
42642-424: Was the first in the whole of the Indies , with jurisdiction over modern India, Pakistan , Afghanistan , Bangladesh , Burma , and Sri Lanka. In 1347, Giovanni de' Marignolli visited Malabar. Another prominent Indian traveler was Joseph, priest over Cranganore. He journeyed to Babylon in 1490 and then sailed to Europe and visited Portugal , Rome, and Venice before returning to India. He helped to write
42849-428: Was translated for them by St. Thomas the apostle himself." Theophilus (ca 354) as recorded by church historian Philostorgius mentions about a church, priests, liturgy, in the immediate vicinity of the Maldives , which can only apply to a Christian church and faithful on the adjacent coast of India. The people referred to were the Christians known as a body who had their liturgy in the Syriac language and inhabited
#475524