2011年12月24日星期六

merry christmas~

merry christmas~

2011年8月4日星期四

Climate of Kerala

Climate

Kerala, being very close to equator, has a tropical climate. Kerala experiences heavy rains almost throughout the year, and is one of the wettest areas in the earth.

Kerala has three distinct seasons:

* Summer lasts from from mid-February to mid-May. The tropical sun is really hot and temperatures can go up to 35°C in the afternoons.
* The monsoon is in place from mid-May until early September. The North-East Monsoon winds bring heavy showers.
* Winter is mild and lasts from about mid-October to early February. Heavy rains occur from the last week of September until until early November, due to the retreat of the South-East monsoon. There is no snow in Kerala, although it is quite cold and misty in the mountain regions.

When in Kerala, carry an umbrella no matter what time of the year it is. You can be caught in a sudden shower in summer which will leave you drenched if you are unprepared. The Kerala sun coupled with high rate of humidity can be unforgiving in the summer months.

The temperature averages around:

* 28°C - 36°C daytime, 24°C - 30°C at night in summer seasons of March, April
* 20°C - 28°C daytime, 18°C - 25°C at night for the rest of the year

Temperatures may drop down to 10°C or sometimes even little below during Winter seasons (November, December) in Hilly areas of Western ghats, especially at popular hill-stations like Munnar and Wynad etc, which results a misty days and freezing nights coupled with light cold showers. However in other places, the temperatures never drop below 15°C.

Recently summers have become hotter. Though the maximum temperature on summers has never risen higher than 38°C, the rising humidity has made recent summers difficult. The height of the Kerala summer is normally between mid-March and May. Wear only light loose cotton clothes during this season. Consider a trip to hilly areas where the temperatures never exceed 26°C.

Kerala experiences mild winds throughout most of the year.

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

Understand

Understand

The tourism department of Kerala boasts that the state is God's Own Country. Once you visit, you will see where this claim comes from. The state really is blessed with great natural beauty, and diverse ecology.

The state is also considered to be one of the safest regions of India. Incidents of local people cheating tourists are almost non-existent. Kerala has high standards of living compared to its neighbours and other Indian states and has social lifestyle indices such as education and healthcare on an equal with Western countries. Therefore tourists can relax without being followed around by taxi drivers, touts, guides and similar. However still be prepared to put up with beggars who have migrated from poorer neighbouring states. Abundant rainfall means that you can find lush greenery that remains pretty much throughout the year. A holiday here is an opportunity for rejuvenation. You can get an Ayurvedic oil massage, spend a day or two on a houseboat with nothing to do but watch palm trees pass by, or just laze around on Kovalam or Varkala beaches. Thus tourism is more experiential here, rather than being composed of superficial sightseeing options.

Kerala was named as one of the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 places of a lifetime" by the National Geographic Traveler magazine. Kerala is is a state wedged between Western Ghats on eastern side and Arabian Sea on West, thus having a wide range of topography from high altitude mountains to golden beaches and is criss crossed by 41 rivers. The tributaries, unique backwaters, lagoons and numerous small islands provide many scenic attractions for visitors.

It is believed the land was created by Lord Parasurama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and hence also known as Parasuramakshetram (The temple of Parasurama).

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

Malayalam - Kerala's language

2011年6月22日星期三

Kerala Cities

Kerala Cities

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) — The capital, famous for its beaches, historical monuments and parks. The city is also famous for being a major IT hub as well as home of several educational institutions and research centers.

Alapuzha (Alleppey) — heartland of Kerala Backwaters with natural maze of canals criss-cross the city, leading to it being called the Venice of the East. The biggest boat race in India for the Nehru Trophy happens here every August.

Kochi (Cochin) — The commercial capital of Kerala, major port, the gateway of Kerala and cosmopolitan city, the largest urban agglomeration and the largest city of Kerala with unlimited shopping options.

Kannur — A historical town famous for its strong heritage, martial arts 'Kalaripayattu', temple art 'Theyyam', political movements, forts, beaches and spices/coffee growing hills.

Kollam (Quilon) — A commercial town famous for its cashew & coir industries, surrounded by backwaters and lakes.

Kottayam — known for its latex, literacy and letters and as major educational centre. Munnar hill station is nearby.

Kozhikode (Calicut) — Most prominant city of Malabar area,where Vasco da Gamma landed for the first time in India, and one of the world's oldest thriving trade centres. A very clean city known for its friendly inhabitants.

Palakkad — gateway to Kerala by land through the Palghat Pass in Western Ghats; known for its paddy (rice) fields, hills, traditional homes, cuisines and composite culture. Tipu Fort, Malampuzha Gardens, Silent Valley National Park are nearby.

Thrissur (Trichur) — the cultural capital of Kerala and also famous for jewellery shops and silk sarees. Temple festivals with caparisoned elephants like Thrissur Pooram. Athirappilly falls, Guruvayur Temple are nearby.

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

喀拉拉邦

喀拉拉邦(Kerala),印度西南部的一个邦,濒临阿拉伯海,全邦面积为3.8万多平方公里,人口3184 多万。首府为特里凡得琅(Trivandrum),官方语言为马拉雅拉姆语(Malayalam)。

喀拉拉邦河流纵横,遍布南北,江河湖泊里,商船、渔船和游船络绎不绝,给当地人民提供了便利的水路交通。漫长的海岸线为喀拉邦与海外各地联系提供了方便。该邦几乎四季如春。

喀拉拉邦文化发达,是印度很知名的人文圣地,也是唯一完好地保存着梵文、古代印度医学寿命吠陀、传统古武术卡拉里帕亚图、天文学、喻伽经等古代经典的地方。

该邦是印度重要的农作物种植邦,盛产椰子、甘蔗、橡胶、咖啡、茶叶、花生、香蕉、豆蔻等。粮食作物主要是水稻。渔业发达,鱼的产量居各邦首位。

~维基百科~

Kerala

Kerala, a state in Southern India is known as a tropical paradise of waving palms and wide sandy beaches. It is a narrow strip of coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats in a cascade of lush green vegetation, and reaches to the Arabian sea. Kerala borders the states of Tamil Nadu to the east and Karnataka to the north. It is also known for its backwaters, mountains, coconuts, spices and art forms like Kathakali and Mohini Attam.

It is the most literate state in India, and a land of diverse religions, where you can find Hindu temples, mosques, churches, and even synagogues. With world class tourist sporting options, ayurvedic spas and treatments, eco-tourism initiatives, a large number of visit options ranging from beautiful high altitude blue mountains to pristine rain forests to golden sun-sand beaches and an enormous range of accommodation, Kerala has much to offer the visitor.

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

Cities

Cities

There are many cities in South India. Below is a list of the nine most notable. Other cities are listed on their specific regional page.

Bangalore — the Garden City, Pub City, Silicon Valley of India, Land of Silk, Gold, Sandal, Incense etc.

Chennai (Madras) — the largest city of South India, the City of Temples, home of famous Marina Beach, Automobile Capital of India.

Kochi (Cochin) — the Queen of the Arabian Sea, one of the largest port city with a strong air of colonial European cultures and unlimited shopping

Coimbatore — Manchester of South India

Hyderabad — Pearl city of India, and part of Silicon Plateau with Bangalore

Madurai — City famous for its Meenakshi Amman Temple, it was among the nominees for the new list of 7 wonders of the world for its architecture

Mysore — twin city of Bangalore. Famous for the Royal Palace, Brindavan Gardens

Pondicherry — French Enclave in India. Commonly known as "Peaceful Pondicherry"

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) — The evergreen city of India with greenery everywhere,it is the capital of Kerala State and famous for various large monuments, palaces and beaches.

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

South India

South India includes major states in peninsular India and the two island groups of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar.

Andaman and Nicobar
Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
Kerala
Lakshadweep
Pondicherry
Tamil Nadu

~Info courtesy of Wikitravel~

2011年6月20日星期一

Welcome

Vanakkam (Tamil) and Namaskaram (Malayalam)!
Welcome to my travel blog of Southern India~ 欢迎到访~