Published on Nov 15, 2020
Kerala Piravi Greetings Malayalam : Kerala Day or Kerala Piravi (#KeralaPiravi) is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Kerala as an independent State in the Republic of India on November 1, 1956.
Prior to this unification, Kerala was divided into three independent provinces of Malabar, Cochin, and Travancore. Malabar Presidency constituted the northernmost territories of Kerala that included Thalassery, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
A Communist-led government under E. M. S. Namboodiripad came to power following the first elections for the new Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1957. It was one of the earliest elected Communist governments, after Communist success in the 1945 elections in the Republic of San Marino.
It is believed that Kerala was formed by Parashurama, the 6th incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu. According to Hindu mythology, he threw his axe (parashu) across the sea northwards from Kanyakumari to carve a land and the place where the axe landed formed Kerala.
Kerala is a long narrow stretch of 560-km of land, with a width of just 120 km. On the one side, it has an Arabian sea, while on the other side it has mountain ranges. There are 44-rivers running through Kerala. It is also unique because the state is covered with dense tropical forests, beautiful beaches, backwaters, cliffs, and fertile plains.
According to Archaeologist, the first citizens of Kerala had a tint of Negrito. It is believed that these people were hunters, and still inhabit in the remote mountain ranges of Southern India. They were proficient in interpreting natural phenomena, and also possess good knowledge of herbal medicine.
Negrito was followed by Austric, the present-day Australian Aborigines. These people introduced farming. They cultivated rice and vegetables.
Then came the Dravidian, and they absorbed all the skills from the Negrito and Aborigines. They strongly believed in Mother Goddess.
On Kerala piravi day, the spirit of Malayalam is dawned in the heart of every Malayalee. It is a proud moment since it is a commemoration of God’s own Country. Today the society in Kerala is a mix of people from different sects of Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.
1. Kerala was formed following passage of the States Reorganisation Act 1956, separating it from Madras Presidency and the merger of Travancore-Cochin state with the Malabar district.
2. After a popular movement, Fukyali Kerala culminated the formation of Kerala.
3. The state was formed to combine Malayalam-speaking regions.
4. Kerala stretches across 560-km of land, with a width of just 120 km.
5. Kerala is also called God's Own Country for its beautiful beaches and its backwaters.
6. The state has the Arabian Sea at one side while mountain ranges on the other.
7. Kerala is also known for its exotic spices and has attracted foreigners from across the world.
8. Kerala has 94 per cent literacy, one of the highest in India.
9. Modern Kerala is divided into 14 districts with Thiruvananthapuram as the state capital.
10. The earliest Sanskrit text to mention Kerala as Cherapadha is the late Vedic text Aitareya Aranyaka.
