Last updated on May 21st, 2024 at 12:35 pm
Kerala, known as “God’s Own Country,” holds a myriad of hidden treasures and lesser-known facts that continue to astonish even its residents. While the name “Kerala” originates from the Malayalam words for coconut (‘Kera’) and land (‘Alam’), signifying its lush greenery and coconut palms, the state harbors numerous secrets waiting to be discovered.
There are numerous amazing facts about this land can be found online from birthplace of Ayurveda, 8000 years old Edakkal Caves to the dramatic dance form of “Kathakali”.
But, I know you are looking for some unique and unknown facts about Kerala that even don’t know to the Keralites (Kerala People) itself and also online.
In this blog post, I created a list of lesser known facts about Kerala that will give you a different angle of information about Kerala.
Who is this blog post for and How I wrote it?
I created this blog post for those who wanted to learn some unknown Kerala facts that are not available on the Internet.
The question is, How I did do that?
Last January I visited Kerala the god’s own country with my family and as a part of the tour, we hired a travel guide (Mr. Sreekumar) who is an expert in Kerala culture, history, and all.
Before leaving Kerala, we spent almost 5 days with him and absorbed most of the rare information about Kerala as much as I could. I have that guide’s Whatsapp number and contacted him again while writing the blog post to clear the doubts and clarification.
Moreover, I referred to the most available information online from the most trusted websites and only considered the “unknown” factor.
My Guarantee
Everything mentioned in this blog post is factually correct (in my best belief) because it is extracted from a trusted local Travel Guide, and websites like Wikipedia, Kerala Government sites, Kerala Tourism Official website, etc
I am sure you will get some unique amazing facts about Kerala from this post, that no one shared online so far…..
(until someone sees this information and updates their blog post with my information) 😞
Unknown Facts about Kerala
Now, are you ready to dig into some unknown Kerala facts? Let’s dive into deep to the topic.
1. The Arakkal dynasty was the only Muslim dynasty in Kerala.
This is one of the unknown facts about Kerala that even some Keralites don’t know. Ancient Kerala was ruled by princely states and kings. All of them were Hindu kings.
However, there was only one Muslim dynasty in the history of Kerala. That dynasty is known as the Arakkal dynasty. It was located in Kannur town in the Kannur district of in Kerala. The dynasty originated from a princess of the Kolattiri dynasty who converted to Islam.
As the only Muslim rulers in the Malabar region, they took the opportunity of the accession of Hyder Ali, the de facto ruler of the Mysore Sultanate. They stood against Chirakkal and increased their power by aligning with Hyder Ali and inviting him to invade Kerala. This dynasty lasted from 1545 to 1819.
2. Suchindram Prathyayam: Ordeal to prove innocence
Suchindram, also known as Suchindram Kaimukku, was a primitive practice that existed in the Kanyakumari district of South Travancore in Kerala.
According to this, when someone belonging to the Namboothiri sect is accused of crimes like sex or murder, this ceremony is organized on the premises of Suchindram temple. In that, he or she should dip his or her hand in boiling ghee and take the Rishabha mudra (seal) under it with his hand.
After three days everyone gathers again and examines the hand. If no wound or blister of any kind is found, he or she is acquitted. This ordeal, which lasted until the 19th century, was ended by Swathi Thirunal, the king of Travancore.
3. Kerala had a Dutch general named Eustachius De Lannoy.
In 1741, a war occurred between Marthandavarma, who was ruling Travancore, and the Dutch force who wanted to capture and rule the place. That battle is known as the Battle of Colachel. In that battle, Marthandavarma’s army routed the Dutch army and captured their commander Eustachius De Lannoy alive.
Instead of killing him, Marthandavarma appointed him as a commander to train his army in Western style, and strategies and create a disciplined army. This later allowed Marthandavarma’s Travantam Coor kingdom to subjugate more territories and make them part of it.
4. Kerala is Home to the Shortest Cow in the World
Kerala has the shortest cow in the world. Named Manikyam, this cow is just 61.1 cm tall and weighs a mere 40 kg. This cow of the Vechur breed, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, is famous for its dwarf stature. The fame of this cow has raised the region and the country to fame.
Here is more information on this cow.
- Name: Manikyam
- Height: 61.1 cm (24.07 in) from hoof to withers
- Weight: 40 kg
- Age: 6 years old
- Breed: Vechur
- Location: Kerala, India
- Owner: Akshay N V
- Remark: A local celebrity in her hometown
5. Home to Twin Town or Village of Twins
credit: Hemis/Alarmy Stock Photo & tripoto
Kodinhi village in Malappuram district is famous for its features. This village is popularly known as Twin Town or Village of Twins. There are about 220 pairs of twins in this village. Scientists from many parts of the world are coming to this village to study the cause of this phenomenon. Unfortunately, no one has been able to figure out why so far.
6. Oldest Living Teak Tree in the world
The oldest living teak tree in the world is in Kerala. Also known as Kannimari, this teak tree is more than 460 years old and is located in the Parambikulam Tiger Sanctuary in Palakkad district. In 1994-95, the Government of India conferred the “Maha Vriksha Puraskar” on this first teak tree. According to information collected in 2011, this tree is 40 meters tall and 7 meters wide.
7. Villarvattom Dynasty was the Only Christian Dynasty in Kerala
Similar to the Muslim Dynasty, there was only one Christian dynasty in the history of Kerala. It is known as the Villarvattom Dynasty. The Villarvattom dynasty, a Christian royal lineage in Kerala, India, initially at Chennamangalam, later moved to Udayamperoor and expanded under Chera kings. King Thomas, baptized as Villarvattom Thoma Rajavu in 1599 by Archbishop Menezes, was a notable ruler. With his death in 1701 without an heir, the Christian line of kings in Kerala ended.
8. India’s First Digital State
Kerala is the first digital state in India. It has linked all villages in the state under the National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN). In 2020, then the President of India President Pranab Mukherjee officially declared Kerala as the first Digital State in India by launching a digital empowerment campaign in Kozhikode.
9. Home to the First European Fort in India
Pallipuram Fort was the first fort constructed by Europeans in India. Built in 1503, it is situated in Kochi and considered the oldest European fort in the country. Known also as Manuel Fort, it got its name from King Manuel, who ruled the ports during that period.
10. Port mentioned in Pliny’s Natural History
Muziris Port is a port that was once called the gateway to India. This harbor on Kodungallur is also the port featured in Pliny’s Natural History.
11. World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Airport
Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is the world’s first fully solar-powered airport. It produces 40 Megawatts of electricity through its solar field, which is more than its requirements to run the airport.
12. Of the Seven and a half Churches Built by Christ’s disciples, seven are in Kerala.
In AD 52, one of Christ’s disciples, St. Thomas, first came to India to preach Christianity. He built 7 big mosques and one small mosque which is known as Ezharappalli (Seven and a Half Church)i. Seven of these mosques are in Kerala, while the smaller mosque, or “half mosque” is located in present-day Tamil Nadu.
13. Kasaragod was the most influential district of Jainism in Kerala.
The Jains once had a good influence in Kerala. It was most present in the Kasaragod district. It is clear from some historical constructions. Two Jain temples can be seen there. Those temples are Parshwanatha Basati and Chaturmukha Basati. Jain temples can also be seen in many places in Kerala. Among them are the Jain temple at Batheri, which was destroyed during Tipu’s campaign, and the Jain temple at Mancheri in Malappuram.
14. The Ananthapura Lake temple is the only Lake Temple in Kerala
There are many temples in Kerala. But Kasargod district has something unique that cannot be seen anywhere else in Kerala. Yes, a temple erected in the middle of a lake. Known as the Ananthapura Lake temple, it is located in the village of Ananthapura in Manjeswaram taluk of Kasaragod district.
This 9th-century temple is believed to be the Moolasthana or original abode of Lord Ananthapamanabha of the famous Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala.
15. The Forest Department of the Government of Kerala started from a timber depot.
The first timber depot in Kerala under the government system was started by Raja Keshavadas, known as the great Divanji of Travancore, at Alappuzha. He was the Dewan (Prime Minister) of Karthika Tirunnal Rama Varma, the ruler of Travancore from 1758 to 1798. This timber depot later led to the formation of the Forest Department in Kerala.
16. Richest Temple in the world
There is only one answer to the question of which is the richest temple in the world. It is the Padmanabha Swamy Temple located in Thiruvananthapuram. Estimates put the value of precious gems, diamonds, gold coins, and jewelry stored in its vaults at around one trillion US dollars. These are centuries old is also the reason for this impressive price.
17. Chembakassery Dynasty was the Only Brahmin Dynasty in Kerala
In the history of Kerala, there was a dynasty called Chembakassery. The territory of the Chembakassery princely state included the present-day Ambalapuzha, Purakkad and Kuttanad regions. This princely state was ruled by Brahmin kings known as Devanarayanas, whose era is described by historians as the golden age of Chembakassery.
18. Highest gold consumption state in the world
Kerala is the largest gold-consuming state in the world. If you get a chance to attend weddings in Kerala, you will understand it first hand. You can see a bride adorned with gold ornaments. There are many reasons for Malayali’s obsession with gold. Gold is an asset that can be converted into cash as soon as possible in case of emergency, and this is just one of the reasons.
19. The First Butterfly Park in Asia is in Kerala
Safari Park is Located at Thenmala, Kollam District of Kerala, India. Kerala can be proud of the fact that it’s Asia’s first butterfly park. It hosts more than 125 different species of butterflies and other flying creatures. The Safari Park is located at a distance of 66 km from Kollam City.
20. First Fully Electrified State in India
One of the many achievements that Kerala has achieved is that Kerala is the fully electrified state in India. Kerala achieved this feat in May 2017.
21. India’s First Electronic Voting occurred in Kerala
As you know, India is the biggest democracy in the world. So, every 5 years there will be an election in every state for the legislative assembly and the Parliament of India. In 1982, Kerala achieved another title, it became the first state in India where electronic voting was conducted. It was conducted at North Paravur in 1982.
22. Home to the Highest Church in India
The tallest Christian church in India is in Kerala. Known as the Our Lady of Dolours Basilica ( Puthen Pally), it is 79 meters (259 ft) tall and has 3 towers is the tallest church in India. The annual special event here is the Feast of St. Mary in September. It is the most famous Marian pilgrimage in the Thrissur district of Kerala.
23. World’s Highest Tea Plantation
Have you heard about Kolukkumalai Tea Plantation? located in the Idukki district of Kerala, it is the world’s highest tea plantation. At an altitude of 7130 feet or 2170 meters above sea level, it is near to Kerala – Tamil Nadu borders.
24. World’s Oldest and Largest Teak Plantation in the World
Nilambur Teak Plantation in the Malappuram district of Kerala is the oldest and largest teak plantation in the world. Another amazing fact about Nilambur Teak Plantation is that the wood travels more than 8000 kilometers from Kerala, India to Rolls Royce Plant in Goodwood, England. Here the wood is being used in Rolls Royce cars for Veneers and Dashboard crafted by experienced workers. The quality of the Veneers has always been appreciated in Rolls Royce.
25. The first state in India to recognize tourism as an industry.
There are many cases in which Kerala falls into the first category. Did you know that Kerala was the first to declare tourism as an industry in India? According to a study by Center for Public Policy Research, tourism accounts for 23.5 percent of total employment in Kerala. Moreover, Kerala’s tourism model is also highly liberalized tourism models.
26. State that started the lottery system
Yes, unemployment is a big problem. Kerala too, are its victims. Especially the marginalized section of people in Kerala. In 1967, Kerala started its first lottery in the government sector to help them. By doing so, Kerala became the first in India.
27. The first state in India to start Air Ambulance.
Kerala is the first state in India to launch an Air Ambulance. It is intended to facilitate speedy organ transplants. It was launched by Oommen Chandy in 2016, while he was the Chief Minister of the state. The state-owned six-seater aircraft is operated by the Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology. And it marks a significant milestone in the realm of healthcare transportation in the state.
28. The first state to make sports education a subject
Kerala is the first state in India to include sports education in the curriculum. This initiative was the part of Total Physical Fitness Programme of the State Government.
29. The state has formulated a special policy for the differently abled
The Kerala government has formulated schemes aimed at the holistic development of differently abled individuals in Kerala. These initiatives encompass a wide array of strategies to enhance disability prevention, early identification, and rehabilitation services within the state.
30. The first state to implement the Water Metro project
India’s first Water Metro was launched in Kerala. The Kochi Water Metro was launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2023 and it will connect various 10 islands in the Malabar coast.
31. The first state in India to prepare a bird Atlas.
The Kerala Bird Atlas (KBA) is the first state-level bird atlas in India. This atlas was curated for years and finally launched covering many number of birds species found in the state of Kerala.
Read Also: 100 Interesting Facts about Kerala State (History, Culture, and More)
Conclusion
Now, let’s conclude this blog post on unknown facts about Kerala. I hope you got some amazing facts about Kerala that even Keralites didn’t know.
Do you know any unknown Kerala facts too, then share them with us in the comment section. Consider sharing with your family members and friends. Thanks for reading!
