Etymology The name Kerala has an uncertain etymology. Keralam may - TopicsExpress



          

Etymology The name Kerala has an uncertain etymology. Keralam may stem from an imperfect Malayalam portmanteau fusing kera (coconut tree) and alam (land or location). Kerala may represent the Classical Tamil chera-alam (declivity of a hill or a mountain slope) or chera alam (Land of the Cheras). Natives of Kerala, known as Malayalis, refer to their land as Keralam. The Matsya Purana mentions the Malaya Mountains in Kerala as the setting for the story of the Matsya Avatara of Lord Vishnu and King Manu (King Satyavrata). The Vamana Purana also mentions King Mahabali as the righteous and virtuous ruler that has his capital in Kerala. Kerala has been referenced in puranas as created by Parashurama by throwing his axe into the sea. The Aitareya Aranyaka is the earliest Sanskrit work that specifically mentions Kerala. A 3rd-century-BC rock inscription by emperor Asoka the Great references Kerala as Keralaputra. Similarly, the Roman trade map Periplus Maris Erythraei references the Chera territory as Cerobothra. —
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 15:14:29 +0000

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