Kerela?…Keraala?…Kerala?! The great name debate.
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet…
…wrote Shakespeare and this is very true of Kerala. However one question we get asked (far too often to be ignored) is how one spells/ pronounces Kerala. Kerela?.. Keraala?…Keralaa? we are asked by well meaning travellers. We thought this would be a good time to set the record straight and give you an etymology lesson that will resolve this crisis once and for all.
Several theories abound about the origins of the word ‘Kerala’. One theory suggests that the name comes from the Sanskrit (Indian) term ‘keralam’ meaning ‘land added on’. (By the way ‘Keralam’ is how Kerala is officially known). Another version suggests that the name was given to the land by Chera Kings who ruled the region in the 12th century.
The version we like best (and think is the most logical explanation) is the most popular theory that ‘Kerala’ is derived from the words ‘Kera’ (meaning coconuts) and ‘Elam’ (meaning land). Simply put, ‘land of the coconuts’.
One only has to fly over Keralan airspace, over miles of land carpeted by lush coconut trees, to know why we think this theory has to be the most plausible one.
So here’s a literal equation to remember the exact name;
Kera (Coconuts) + Elam (Land) = Keralam or Kerala (Land of the Coconuts)
Don’t worry if even this doesn’t help you remember. Maybe Shakespeare was right after all… a rose will smell sweet by any name…So whether you are planning a holiday to Kerela, Keralaa or Kerala- just call the Kerala Travel Centre on Freephone 0808 178 9799 and we would be more than happy to put together a holiday of a lifetime for you.
