Kerala's civilization
can be traced back
to about 3000 years. It looks like previously Humans avoided the deep forests
which has been mostly 'Tiger Land'. While Tigers and Humans don't
mingle well (for obvious reasons)
the Humans arriving over a period of 2,300 years lived pretty much in harmony
with each other. People from Egypt, Mesopotamia and Phoenicia have been
amongst the first to reach Kerala. During the 8th century the Aryans began to arrive
in large numbers in Kerala. Though these tribesmen from Russia and Central Asia
first came as invaders, they were ultimately absorbed
by Kerala's culture.
In the 15th century came the Portuguese and other Europeans.
As part of an 'Open Door' policy race-mixing was actually encouraged. Roman
Catholic Religion arrived in Kerala with the Portuguese - who also introduced cultivating
of pineapple, papaya, cashew nuts and tobacco. In 1661 the Dutch took over
the role of the Portuguese and cultivated coconuts, rice and indigo. And
from the end of the 18th century the British controlled all of India until
Independence in 1949.
Today the people of Kerala represent some kind of
'ethnological museum'. Sometimes racial strains can be easily recognized
amongst Keralites (the people of Kerala).
