Kerala Attractions

Kerala, located in the southern peninsular India, is a state offering a variety of experiences. From one corner of the state to the other, it is replete with attractions that are significant both in terms of history and architecture. Besides, there are some ready to capture a traveller's imagination at the very first sight. Places of worship like Sabarimala and Gurunayur are renowned pilgrimage centres in southern India. The caves of Edakkal provide an interesting account of the earliest of human settlements. No matter, wherever you go, Kerala is always ready to welcome and satiate all the needs of holidamakers.

Sabarimala Temple
It's not easy to visit the Sabarimala Temple for several reasons, yet this very fact attracts the devotees all the more for they believe these difficulties are there only to test their devotion towards Lord Ayappa. There is a specific period for which the temple is open to the public – from November 15 to January 19. It is located on the Sahyadri mountains at the height of 950 meters and is surrounded by forests all around.

Bekal Fort
You have known Kerala for its backwaters. You've heard of the state also for its beaches. Now is the turn of the largest and best preserved fort of Kerala, the Bekal Fort. A renowned place of great archaeological and historical interest, Bekal Fort is about 350 years old. There is a proposal underway to develop this place into a tourist complex which, it is hoped, will radically transform the place.

Athirapilly Waterfalls
The travelling is always taxing on your body, though you forget everything once you reach your destination. The picture changes drastically once you reach the top as the sudden rushing sound of the cascading waterfall makes you feel that the water has begun to fall only now. Though the fact is that the waters have maintained this suddenness for a long time and they are still persevering. The Athirapally waterfalls are 80 feet high which start at the high ranges calmly and come crashing down through the gorges.

Edakkal Cave
Just imagine how people used to live in the ancient times. This is the very place which is considered to be one of the earliest habitations of the humans. But that's not the only reason why you should visit the place. The Edakkal caves are the richest pictographic gallery of its kind. The Edakkal caves are only 12 km away from the Sultan Bathery and are located in the Ambukuthi hills in the Wayanad district of Kerala. There are formations of two natural rocks which were formed by splitting of an enormous rock.

Napier Museum
The structure of the Napier Museum was built in the 19th century. It is a unique example of the Indo Sarcenic structure which brings to the fore the rich heritage of the state. Located in the centre of the city, the place is named after the former Governor General of Madras, Sir John Napier. The museum is also known by the name of Government Art Museum. The Napier Museum is one of those rare places where the building is of as much significance as the collections within it are.

Guruvayoor Temple
If you take into account the sheer number of devotees visiting this temple, the Guruvayoor temple ranks right there on the top with the most popular Hindu temples of India. The place is known as the Dwarka of South India. It is believed that maximum number of marriages and Annaprasham (the rice feeding ceremony for the infants) take place in the Guruvayoor temple. The presiding deity of the temple is said to be 5000 years old. There were many attempts to destroy the temple which couldn't destroy the spirit of the temple. The most important festival which takes place in the temple is the Utsavam and it continues for 10 days. Many cultural programmes are also conducted in the period. The eighth day is the day of grand feast. The flag of the temple is lowered to mark the end of the festival.