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Kerala (Malayalam: കേരളം, pronounced [Kēraḷam]( listen)) is a state in the south-western part of India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganization Act bringing together the areas where Malayalam is the dominant language.
The state has an area of 38,863 km2 and is bordered by Karnataka to the north, Tamil Nadu to the south and the east and the Lakshadweep Sea[note] towards the west. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital and largest city of Kerala. Kochi, Kottayam and Kozhikode are other major cities. Kerala is also known for its so many small towns that scatter across the state.
From as early as 3000 BC, Kerala had established itself as the major spice trade centre of the world. A 3rd-century-BC rock inscription by emperor Asoka the Great attests to a Keralaputra.[4] Around 1 BC the region was ruled by the Chera Dynasty, which traded with the Greeks, Romans and Arabs. The Tamil Chera dynasty, Ays and the Pandyan Empire were the traditional rulers of Kerala whose patriarchal dynasties ruled until the 14th century.[5][6] The Cheras collapsed after repeated attacks from the neighboring Chola and Rashtrakuta kingdoms. Feudal Namboothiri Brahmin and Nair city-states subsequently gained control of the region.[7] Contact with Europeans after the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in 1498 gave way to struggles between colonial and native interests. By early 16th century, the Portuguese established their domination. They were defeated by the Dutch in 1663, who in turn were forced out of the land by the British East India Company in 1795, bringing the area under British dominion. After independence, the state of Kerala was created in 1956 from the former state of Travancore-Cochin, the Malabar district of Madras State, and the Kasaragod taluk of Dakshina Kannada.[8]
Kerala is a popular tourist destination famous for its backwaters, Ayurvedic treatments [9] and tropical greenery. Kerala has a higher Human Development Index than all other states in India.[10][11] The state has a literacy rate of 94.59 percent,[2] the highest in India. A survey conducted in 2005 by Transparency International ranked Kerala as the least corrupt state in the country.[12] Kerala has witnessed significant migration of its people, especially to the Persian Gulf countries during the Kerala Gulf boom, and is heavily dependent on remittances from its large Malayali expatriate community.
The name Kerala has an uncertain etymology. Keralam may stem from an imperfect Malayalam portmanteau fusing kera ("coconut tree") and alam ("land" or "location").[17]:122 Kerala may represent the Classical Tamil chera-alam ("declivity of a hill or a mountain slope")[18] or chera alam ("Land of the Cheras").[19]:2 Natives of Kerala, known as Malayalis, refer to their land as Keralam.[20] Kerala has been referenced in puranas as created by Parashurama by throwing his axe into the sea. The Aitareya Aranyaka is the earliest Sanskrit work that specifically mentions Kerala.[2] A 3rd-century-BC rock inscription by emperor Asoka the Great references Kerala as Keralaputra.[21]
It is not known if the region was inhabited during Neolithic times. Dolmens belonging to this period have been unearthed from Idukki district. The Edakkal Caves in Wayanad has inscriptions dating back to the stone age.[22] A cave near the Edakkal caves in Thovarimala, Wayanad district, known locally as "Ezhuthupara" also carries pre-historic carvings dating back to many millennia.
According to legend, Parasurama, an avatar of Mahavishnu, threw his battle axe into the sea; and from those waters, Kerala arose.[23]
Tabula Peutingeriana, the only known surviving map of the Roman cursus publicus.[29] :192–195, 303–307 The west Asian-semitic [30] Jewish, Christian, and Muslim immigrants[30] established Nasrani Mappila, Juda Mappila and Muslim Mappila communities.[30][31] The Jews first arrived in Kerala in 573 BC.[32][33] The works of scholars and Eastern Christian writings state that Thomas the Apostle visited Muziris in Kerala in 52 CE to proselytize amongst Kerala's Jewish settlements and convert them to Christianity. However, the year of his arrival is widely disputed due to lack of credible historical evidence.[34][35][36][37] Muslim merchants led by Malik ibn Dinar settled in Kerala by the 8th century CE and introduced Islam.
The Later Chera Kingdom (c. 800–1102), also called the Kulasekhara dynasty, was founded by Kulasekhara Varman who was also a Vaishnavaite saint. Ay kings ruled southern Kerala, but by the 10th century the Ay kingdom declined and became a part of the Chera Kingdom.[38] A Keralite identity, distinct from the Tamils became linguistically separate during this period.[39] The Kulasekhara dynasty came to an end by twelfth century, weakened due to the invasions by Pandyas and Cholas.[28] In the absence of a strong central power, the state became divided under small principalities governed by feudal rulers. The kingdoms of Kochi, Venad and Kozhikode emerged powerful.
After Vasco Da Gama's arrival in Kozhikode in 1498, the Portuguese began to gain control of the lucrative pepper trade.[40][41][42] On 25 March 1505, Francisco de Almeida was appointed the Viceroy of India with his headquarters at Kochi. The period from 1500 to 1571 saw constant battles between the Saamoothiri and the Portuguese until the latter were defeated and their fort destroyed by the Zamorin's forces at Chaliyam. The fall of Chaliyam fort marked the beginning of the end for the Portuguese in the great game of the East. Elsewhere, the Portuguese had established forts at Kannur, Cochin and Kollam .
FUJAIRAH
Fujairah is the only Emirate of the UAE that is almost totally mountainous. All the other Emirates, like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are located on the west coast, and are largely covered by desert. Consequently, Fujairah boasts a higher than average yearly rainfall of the UAE, allowing farmers in the region to produce one crop every year.
The weather is seasonal, although it is warm for most of the year. The months of October to March are generally regarded as the coolest, with daytime temperatures averaging around 25 °C (77 °F) and rarely venturing above 30 °C (86 °F)—with temperatures climbing to over 40 °C (104 °F) degrees in the summer. The winter period also coincides with the rainy season and although by no means guaranteed, this is when Fujairah experiences the bulk of its precipitation. Rainfall is higher than the rest of the UAE. partly because of the effect of the mountains that encircle the Emirate, and partly because the prevailing winds are easterly bringing with them water-laden clouds off the warm Indian Ocean.
Power is ultimately held by the ruler of Fujairah, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, who has been in power since the death of his father in 1974. The Sheikh supposedly makes money himself through his own business, and the government funds are used for social housing development and beautifying the city, although there is little distinction between the state and his personal wealth. The ruler can make any decisions regarding any aspect of law, although federal laws are never repealed.
The Sheikh and his immediate family heads the cabinet of Fujairah, and a few members of respected local families make up the advisory committees. The Sheikh must ratify any decisions by the cabinet. After the ratification, such decisions may be enacted into law as Emiri decrees, which are usually effective immediately.
Travel in and around Fujairah and the surrounding towns of Khor Kalba, Khor Fakkan, Kalba and Masafi has been made easy by the development of modern highways over the last 30 years, since gaining independence in 1971. Highways are funded by the federal government directly, and contracts are tendered centrally. This is meant to safeguard the quality and delivery of the contracts and prevent corruption from damaging the construction. Highways are vital due to the unavailability of any other means of transport. There are some buses in Fujairah but not for travel; they are for schools, colleges and some companies or they come from other cities. There are no railways yet in Fujairah, though in 2008 a railway network connecting all the Persian Gulf states was planned.[4] The car and the truck are the main mode of transport. Most daily activities can become impractical, if not impossible, without a private vehicle.
Newcomers and tourists can use the taxi system, which operates all day and night. There is no central booking system for private companies, but the government is planning to apply one. Taxis are hailed by standing at the roadside and flagging one down. Fares within the city are fixed at AED 4 per journey, which equates to one dollar and nine cents(USD) or 50 pence (GBP). Destinations which are slightly outside the main city, such as the Beach Motel, Fujairah Hospital and the Jail attract a higher fare of 6 AED.
As of 2007 All taxis are metered. Uniformed in color (Mostly Yellow with green stripes) and report to a head company known as Cars. The meter starts from a minimum of 2 AED. A ride cost an average of 6 AED. [5]
The Fujairah International Airport is near the city, with a large falcon statue at the airport roundabout.
S i a c h e n G l a c i e r
The Siachen(the place of roses) glacier, 72 km, in the East Karakoram is one of the longest glaciers in the Himalaya and Karakoram. It has number of peaks, side valleys and at its head lies the Indira Col, the divide between South and Central Asia. The Nubra river drains the glacier and ultimately joins the Shyok river near Khalsar. On the west lies the West Karakoram (now under Pakistani control) and towards the east is the Shyok basin, forming the border with China. The northern slopes of the Indira Ridge leads to the Shaksgam valley.
WHAT IS AK 47 ?
the Ak 47 and the Ak74 are two different weapons. The Ak47 is a mass produced assault rifle that takes a 7.62 mm round.The AK74 is more of a precision rifle with a lighter round, 5.45 mm and a unique muzzle break. This means that it has less kick. ( among other things) Both of these rifles have been around for a long time, the Ak74 isn't the " modern rifle"
3 years ago
