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Kerala Forum

An Internet based forum on Kerala - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!

A little History

Historically Kerala had been in the news from pre-biblical times. Geographically, this piece of land, sandwiched between the ocean and hills, had no easy access from the main land on the east, but was comparatively easier to reach by sea during the few centuries just before Christ. Apparently traders from west and east found their way into Kerala, seeking the rich crop of spices, sandalwood and timber.

Phoenicians were the pioneers in sea trade with Kerala. King Solomon bought ivory, apes, sandalwood and peacocks. It is said that "Ophix", a place south of Trivandrum is where King Solomon's ship anchored. Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Malays and Chinese followed for the spices. St Thomas, the apostle, landed in the port of Muziriz (Cranganore) in AD 52. These visits influenced our culture to a very great extend. Roman historian of 1st century Pliny writes that Roman emperors were lavish in their use of luxury items from India. Exports from Rome did not cover the costs of the imports (one expensive item was pepper!). Rome had to pay a great deal in gold! [Probably explains the craze for gold ornaments among Kerala women even today!]

More recently, Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese traveller, landed in Calicut in 1498. They were followed by the Dutch in the 17th century and the French in the 18th. The British gained fullcontrol in the late 18th century. Today, one would see miles and miles of swaying palms along the shore, the backwaters and the valley making it the greenest state of India.

In 1947

At the time of independence, Kerala was the spice garden of India contributing to as much as 13% of the foreign currency from exports (spices, coir, tea...). The state never got its proportionate share of industries or educational institutions. In 1957 the first ever elected Communist Govt came to power in Kerala. This was dismissed in 1959. Political instability continued for a long time. The state had been under direct rule from the center many times. Keralites travelled and worked all over India. Bombay had a major share of clerical and skilled Keralites. The Indian Army had also a large number of Malayalees at lower ranks (next to Sikhs).

Gulf Money!

With no proper government in place, the changes were slow to come. The industries suffered because of labour strikes. In the late 60s and early 70s the situation was completely changed by an external factor - oil rich Gulf! In the early days, Muslim workers from Chowghat found 'gold' by working for oil companies in Kuwait and 'Persia' (Iran). Others followed soon. Soon the barren deserts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi started drilling 'black gold'. With no propsect of finding any job at home and hearing of unbelievable petro-dollars there was a mass exodus from Kerala to Gulf - skilled and unskilled, educated and not-so-educated. Today 60 to 80% of the Indians in Kuwait, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain are from Kerala. According to Malayala Manorama year Book 2000, there is one person in Gulf per 5 households in Kerala!