Nov 1: Keralites celebrate 54th Anniversary of 'Kerala Piravi' on Nov 1 as the state was formed on Nov 1, 1956. In Malayalam, the dominant languauge in the state, Kerala Piravi means the day Kerala was formed. After India gained independence on Aug 15, 1947, the southern state Kerala was formed from three independent provinces of Malabar, Cochin and Travancore. The name 'Kerala' was formed from an imperfect Malayalam portmanteau fusing 'Kera' (coconut tree) and 'alam' (land or location). Kerala has an area of 38,863 km2 and is bordered by Karnataka to the north, Tamil Nadu to the south and the Lakshadweep Sea towards the west. Kerala is a popular tourist destination famous for its backwaters, Ayurvedic treatments and tropical greenery. Kerala is covered with intense tropical forest, beautiful beaches, sea cliffs, rocky coasts. According to Hindu mythology, Kerala was formed by Parasurama, an avatar of Mahavishnu. He threw his battle axe into the sea and from those waters, Kerala arose.
