South India
South India is one of the beautiful Part of India which includes the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the union territories of Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry. Which cover almost 19.31% and covering the southern part of the peninsular deccan plateau. South India is around the Bay of Bengal in the east, Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Tungabhadra and Vaigai are important rivers in south India.
There are some awesome cities there like Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Madurai, Mysore, Kozhikode, Salem and Mangalore. South India is full of beautiful tourist places like Goa, Kerala, Mangalore, Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshya deep, Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Madurai, KOVALAM etc. It is not only popular for its natural beauty but also famous for Indian spices because it is the main agriculture here. This part of India is also famous for beautiful temples and Cuisines. One can enjoy here nice spa and massage because South India is the most recommended place where you can get high quality massage parlor and Ayurveda centers.
The majority of the people in South India speak Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. The economy of South India has registered higher than national average growth over the past three decades. Literacy rate in the south India is higher than the national average with approximately 81% of the population capable of reading and writing. The fertility rate in Southern part of India is 1.9, the lowest of all regions in India. European people arrived in south India between 15th – 18th century, French and British were involved in a protracted struggle for military control over the South India. Now let’s explore some interesting facts of South India.
Festivals South India
Onam
It is one of the important festivals of Kerala. Everyone celebrates it in the beginning of the first month of the Malayalam calendar. It is the harvest festival of Kerala. Onam festival was declared the national festival of Kerala in 1961. The carnival of Onam goes four to ten days. The first and the tenth day,) Altham and Thiru Onam) are the most significant days. We celebrate this festival to welcome the King Mahabali who, according to the popular legend, used to visit his people annually on the festival of Onam. Onam is incomplete without mentioning the Onam Sadhya. It is a nine-course meal which includes the seasonal vegetables served on Banana leaves.
Thrissur Pooram
It is the most famous festival of Kerala which people celebrate in the month of MEDAM according to the Malayalam calendar when the moon rises with the Pooram star in the month of April or May. The Raja Rama Verma started this festival from the VADAKKUNATHAM Temple. This festival begins with flag hoisting and fireworks. People prepare and exhibit the various crafts like the golden elephant caparison, elephant accoutrements and ornamental fans. The last day is known as Pakal Pooram where idols are taken back to their respective temples.
Hampi Utsav
HAMPI Utsav is celebrated in the state of Karnataka on the first week of November. This festival of HAMPI goes for three days in the first week of November and also popular as the Vijay Utsav. The puppet shows, fireworks and the processions display the cultural of this place and it includes heritage site such as rock climbing, rural and water sports. It also shows the handicrafts and puppets created by the local craftsmen.
Ugadi
This interesting festival is popular in Andhra Pradesh and it comes in the month of Chaitra March or April according to Hindu calendar. This festival means the Telugu New Year and starting of the Hindu lunar calendar. Women make rangolis and uses mango leaves to decorate the entrances of homes and shops and Business offices. UGADI is a festival of joy and happiness for beginning of a new year. The culinary delights of this festival include some dishes like Bellam, Semiya, PAYASAM, BATANI and PULUSU. The UGADI PACHADI is a beautiful mix of six different flavors, from sweet to bitter, symbolic of the different phases of life. People visit temples to seek blessings for wealth, prosperity and success.
Mahamaham Festival
This festival will be celebrated in Tamil Nadu at year 2028. Because on that day Jupiter will enter in the sign of Leo. Everyone celebrates this festival once in twelve years in the holy MAHAMAHAM pond in the Kumba Onam town in Tamil Nadu. The festival starts with taking a bath in the MAHAMAHAM pond. People believe that once in twelve years holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna meet at this place and taking a bath here takes away all of our sins. This tank has twenty holy wells which are name of twenty holy rivers of India.Â
Pongal
People celebrate this festival with joy and happiness everywhere in Tamil Nadu on 14th January every year. Actually, Pongal is the harvest festival of Tamil Nadu. The word Pongal meaning is ‘to boil’ which associate with the idea of milk boiling in a clay pot, a symbol of prosperity in Tamil Nadu. It is known as LOHRI and Makar Sankranti in other parts of the India. On this festival, people harvest crops like cereals, turmeric, sugarcane and rice. Two important activities of the day are the boiling of rice and milk in an earthen pot which all offer to the God Sun.
Mysore Dussehra
This Beautiful festival is very popular in Karnataka which comes in September or October. ‘’Dussehra’’ is one of the festivals that indicates the victory of good or evil. People enjoy a big celebration of this festival in Mysore over a period of ten days. On this occasion they illuminate The Mysore Palace with almost 100,000 lamps daily in the evening and the special durbar where everyone warship the royal sword. The kings of Vijayanagar kingdom started celebrating this festival from 15th century. Everyone celebrates the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari who killed the demon on this day of Vijay Dashami. The traditional celebration of the festival includes the Jambo SAVARI, (A parade of beautifully adorned elements that carry the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari). This torch-light parade is also popular as PANJINA KAVAYITHU. which starts from Mysore Palace and ends at BANNIMANTAP.Â
Karga
Keraga festival is celebrated in Karnataka on the Full moon of Chaitra in March or April. It is one of the oldest festivals of Karnataka. It is celebrated in honor of Goddess Shakti at the famous temple in Bangalore state. The festival shows rich cultural heritage of Karnataka. People celebrate this festival for nine days with massive rituals.
South Indian Traditional Costume
South Indian Traditional cloth for women is sari but now a days they wear salwar and kurta and skirt as well but, in the offices, women wear pant and shirt, while the men wear a type of LUNGHI, which could be in white color LUNGHI or Black but usually people prefer white because south India is bit hot so white color is a bad conductor of heat so people use white. On the occasion of marriage men also wear shirt with LUNGHI or pant. But in temple men usually wear only lungi and upper part they cover with a shawl.
Cushine of South India
South Indian food is known for its spicy and aromatic smell. Hyderabad biryani serves directly from the clay pot and the dosa is made with fresh grind rice paste. Dishes from South India are not only delicious but also nourishing and digestible actually all south Indian dishes are light and easy to cook and digestive. Rice is the staple food of South India, where coconuts and spices are often uses in abundant for flavor, seasoning, nutrition, taste and appearance in the dish. Some south Indian dishes name is Dosa, idly, sambar, fish with rice, chicken with rice, uthappam, Vada, Samosa, Dal, Baji puri etc.
Weather of South India
Weather of South India is usually hot and humid. But in winter Season is the best time to visit south India because the temperature remains between 20–30 °C and less humidity. Winter season starts from December till February, during the winter we experience less rain and less humidity. However, best time to visit south India is end of the year till February. But one can visit south India throughout the year because there is very less changes in the temperature. The climate in Southern India season has very slight variations.
Monsoon Season has only marginally more rain than other time. One should wear light weight clothes and carrying an umbrella is recommended the year. In addition, during summer many people move to hill stations, which provide relief from the extreme heat of the lowlands. Most of the hotels use air-conditioning during hot weather. But there are some advantages of this summer as well because it helps to grow some awesome spices plants in the whole south India.
