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Rivers
 Kerala is a land of rivers and
backwaters. Forty-four rivers cut across
Kerala with their innumerable tributaries and branches. But these
rivers are comparatively small and being entirely monsoon fed, practically
turn into rivulets in summer, especially in the upper areas. The longest river
is Bharatapuzha. The rivers are rich in associations regarding Kerala's
tradition. Kaladi near Periyar was the birth place of the great Sankara.
Kerala has a continuous chain of lagoons and backwaters. Back waters
form a specially attractive and economically valuable feature of Kerala. They
include lakes and ocean inlets, which stretch irregularly along the coast. The biggest
backwaters is the Vembanad lake some 200sq.km in area, which opens
out into the Arabian sea at Cochin Port. The Periyar, Pamba, Manimala,
Achenkovil, Meenachil and Moovattupuzha rivers drain into this lake. The other important
backwaters are Veli, Kadhinamkulam, Anjingo, Edava, Nadayara, Paravoor,
Ashtamudi, Kayamkulam, Kodungallur and Chetuva. The Sasthamcotta lake in Kollam
district is a major fresh water lake in Kerala, it is situated in a
picturesque setting with a high hills on three sides.
 The deltas of the
rivers interlink the back waters and provide excellent water
transportation in the low lands of Kerala. The whole land is
endowed with a panoramic beauty of landscape. The mid land and the coastal
areas are densely populated and the main towns and cities are situated in the
coastal regions. From North to South, there are many principal ports and towns
like Kannur, Badagara, Quilandy, Kozhikode, Beypur, Ponnani, Kochi, Alappuzha,
Kollam, Thiruvanatapuram, Kovalam and Vizhinjam.
Climate
The year is divided into three seasons. From February to May it is hot. The
south-west monsoon begins in June and continues till the full moon in October
or November. In this season, there is fairly good rainfall without
intermission. It is followed by fair weather during December - January. Some
times in March or April there may be thunder storms with rains, but this
may not last long. Then the weather become very sultry. In the mountain ranges,
there is heavy fog from April. Kerala has a moderate and balanced climate
throughout the year.
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