Rivers – Nurturing cultures

Rivers always carry an aura of romance along with them. You can listen to the gurgling of the water, you will be enchanted by the sparkling water surface when sunrays scatter on it and you can be transcended into a philosophical mood, watching the incessant flow of the river. If you enjoy such sceneries, you will surely love Kerala, the God’s own country, the small State that houses more than 40 rivers.

History shows you that great civilizations often emerged on the banks of rivers. You might have heard about the role that the Nile River played in forming the Egyptian civilization and that of Sindhu River in the nourishment of Indus Valley Civilisation.

The rivers in Kerala, (for that matter, of any place), foster art, culture and the very life existing on their banks and River Nila is a fine example for this. It became a Muse for the writers who stayed on its banks, an inspiration for painters, dancers and musicians. It can boast of having produced a series of famous artists and writers, like P Kunhiraman Nair, VKN, M T Vasudevan Nair et al. (It will be a long list if I put down the names of all the famous personalities who were inspired by the river.)

Other rivers in Kerala too had made no less contribution to the regions on their banks. Rivers also provide the right ambience to relax, rejuvenate and revive your spirits, No wonder, there are many a kerala ayurvedic resort situated on the banks of the river and they provide you the much coveted tranquil ambience, away from all the bustle of the city life and it imparts a positive, rejuvenating energy to you.