Kerala is a tourist's paradise in South India. It is an Indian state divided into 14 districts for administrative purpose. The capital city of the state of Kerala is Thiruvanathapuram. Malayalam is the principal spoken language of the state and the residents are known as Malayalis.

The geographical location of Kerala favors the charm and beauty of the place and it is visited by a number of tourists every year. Extended beaches and backwaters are the major attractions of Kerala. The Arabian Sea is located in the west of Kerala and on its east one can observe the beauty of the Western Ghats. In the north, Kerala is bordered by Karnataka and in the east and south, the state is bordered by Tamil Nadu.

Kerala is mostly referred as Keralam by the residents of the state. The etymology of the word “Kerala” is not certain. It might have derived from the “Chera-alam”, a classical Tamil word.

The state of Kerala, was mentioned as early as in 800 B.C in Mahabharata - an Indian epic. Kerala was referred as Keralaputra in a rock inscription by Asoka the Great in 3rd Century B.C. Initially Kerala was a part of Tamilakam and the region was under the rule of the Cheras. Besides the Chera Kingdom, the Namboothiri Brahmin and Nair city states also emerged as major powers in Kerala. St. Thomas the Apostle visited Kerala during the 1st Century A.D. Muslim, Jewish and Christian immigrants visited and settled in the state of Kerala.

Kerala had trade relations with major countries of Europe. But later these contacts gave rise to conflicts among the native powers and the foreign interests. On 1st November in 1956, Kerala was recognized as a state by the States Reorganisation Act.