Kerala Heritage Tour (South India)

Rich in tradition and heritage, the culture of Kerala has a charm of its own reflecting in the distinctiveness of their language, dress, culture and institutions. The heritage of Kerala unfolds many of its magic as you take a journey to the heart of Kerala through its unique arts, architecture, festivals, cuisine and all that emanates the Malayalees flavor. Kerala Heritage Tours gives you the rare opportunity to experience to wonders of Kerala Cuisine, Kerala Handicrafts, Martial Arts in Kerala, Dances of Kerala, Festivals of Kerala, Forts in Kerala,Mosques in Kerala. Churches in Kerala and Synagogues in Kerala.

Kerala Cuisine
The exotic cuisine of Kerala brings to you some of the tastiest foods on earth.
The hot and spicy cuisine offers exquisite epicurean experience. What sets apart the food here from its other Indian counterparts is its fabulous fresh, aromatic and flavored nature. The land and the food are rich with coconut and fish. No Kerala dish is complete without chilies, curry leaf, mustard seed, tamarind and asafoetida.

Kerala Handicrafts
Kerala has the tradition of making beautiful handicrafts with ivory, bamboo, palm leaves, seashells, wood, coconut shells, clay, cloth, metals, stone etc. The artists, experts in handicrafts are either hereditary or practicing amateurs who has great interest in the art. Antique handicraft items can be seen in palaces, old heritage homes and museums, etc. The fascinating variety of flower vases, ash trays, ornamental plates, jewel boxes, miniature boats, elephants, idols, kathakali masks and embroidery works are sure to amaze you. More than an art, handicrafts in Kerala have evolved into a rich small scale industry.

Martial Arts in Kerala
Kerala is renowned for its varied martial art forms. Kalaripayattu, Parisa Kali, Velakanni, Valeru, Kunderu, Njaninmel Kali are to name a few. Kalaripayattu holds the honor of being one of the oldest and most scientific system of martial training existing in the world today. The martial arts form of Kerala have been considerably influenced by the north Indian fighting traditions, embodying the martial and spiritual practices of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islamic Sufism.
Dances of Kerala
Most of the dance forms in Kerala have a religious overtone, performed in connection with harvests, festivals etc. The costumes and ornaments are peculiar to the places to which they belong. These dance forms combine simplicity with depth, mundane with divine. There are more than fifty well-known folk dances in Kerela. The Kaliyattom, Mudiyettu, Kolam Thullal,Padayani, Kolkali, Parichamuttukali, Thappukali, Kuravarkali, and Thiruvathirakali are the most popular ones.

Festivals of Kerala
The festivals of Kerala have a long history and tradition behind them. Festivals in Kerala are an inseparable part of the socio-cultural structure and every community, every religion has a reason to celebrate about all through out the year. Onam, Vishu, Navaratri, Aaranmula Boat Race , Cochin Carnival , Sabarimala Festival , Malabar Mahotsavam, Aarattu, Jagannatha Festival, Thirunakara Festival , Vettukadu Perunal are to name a few.

Forts in Kerala
History has it that Kerala had been the center of much political intrigues and has witnessed the influx of various foreign powers which later took root in different parts of the state. The massive forts built by these colonial powers are evidences of the foreign influence on history as well as, on architecture. Pallippuram Fort, Palakkad Fort, St. Angelo's Fort, Bakel Fort, Dutch Palace stand high bearing the marks of power, aggression and politics.

Mosques in Kerala
Kerala came in contact with Islam, perhaps earlier than in many parts of India . The mosques in Kerala are generally covered structure, with walls made of laterite blocks, consisting of a large prayer hall in the centre with covered verandhas on all the sides. Charachira Jama Masjid, Nainar Mosque, Kanjiramattom Mosque, Cheraman Jama Masjid, Odathil Mosque, Malik Dinar Mosque attract pilgrims from all over the country.

Churches in Kerala
The churches of Kerala justifies its inter religious harmony which has always encouraged religious tolerance against fundamental fanaticism . St. Mary's Church, Cheriapalli, St. Mary's Church, Manarcad, St. George's Church, Puthupalli, St. Thomas Mount, St. Joseph's Monastery, Mannanam are few of the famous churches of Kerala.

Synagogues in Kerala
The synagogues in Kerala - Chennamangalam, Mala, and Ernakulum - have standardized traditional architectural patterns – a central bimah of brass or silver metal on a concrete or stone base, an ark on the western wall and a balcony, usually above the eastern entry to the sanctuary that is used by the reader on certain holidays. The women's gallery lies behind the balcony, with a stairway leading up to it, usually from outside the building.