Kerala History
An Overview of Kerala's Past

Kerala's coast has long been inundated with visitors, meaning that Kerala history is one flavoured by worldwide influences. These are reflected in the state's architecture, religious faiths, ideologies and culture even to this day.

Parasurama is said to have freed the region of the oppressive Kshatriya kings and filled five lakes with their blood. Seeking penitence for his sins, he was told he must hand over the conquered lands to the Brahmins. At Gokarna he was blessed by the goddess of the earth, and when he reached Kanyakumari in southern India he threw his battle-axe northwards across the sea. The place where it landed rose from the sea and became Kerala.

The legend may well stem from an earlier myth of the Chera Dynasty (ancient Dravidian-Tamil rule that pre-dates the Bahmin influence) in which the Chera King, Chen Kuttuvan threw his spear into the sea to claim the land.

Evidence of Kerala's stone-age past can be seen in engravings at the Eddakkal Caves in Kerala's Wayanad district. These engravings lie on an ancient trade route and depict humans, animals, tools and writings that point to an advanced prehistoric people. The oldest of the engravings are thought to be 8,000 years old.

The Chera Dynasty ruled parts of modern day Kerala from around 300 BC. This was another of the four Dravidian-Tamil dynasties formed by the hunter tribe of Villavar. The Chera Dynasty held influence in the area until the 12th Century AD. Frequent fighting took place between the Cheras and the Pandyas but trade on the coast flourished.

The west coast's lucrative spice trade was mentioned in the Sangam works (Pandyam literature dating from between 300BC to 300AD). Further evidence of extensive trade with this region comes from Arabic, Greek and Roman coins found near modern day Thrissur. Items exported included pearls, spices, ivory, timber and gems. In the 13th Century, Pandyan was described as the richest Empire in the world.

Ever increasing waves of Muslim traders introduced Islam to Kerala, and in the 7th Century AD and they began to settle the region and aquire influence on the coastal trade. Arab Muslim traders dominated the sea trade with Kerala from the 9th to the 15th Century, (though Arab trade in Kerala history dates back centuries).

The Dutch ruled coastal Kerala until attacks from various local kings and leaders of the region throughout the 18h Cenury weakened their control. The British were able to take control of the Malabar region in the 1790's following the Anglo-Mysore wars and treaties were formed with the leaders of Cochin and Travancore making these areas princely states of British India.

In 1947 India achieved independence from the British, and the states of Kochi and Trivancore merged into one state in 1949. Kerala as an independent state was created on the 1st Novemeber, 1956 and elections were held in 1957.

Following the 1957 elections, one of the world's first freely elected communist governments was formed in Kerala, and communist parties have held control of the Kerala Legislative Assembly (government of Kerala) frequently throughout Kerala history of the second half of the 20th Century.