Legend apart, there is irrefutable evidence that long ago the land strip was under Arabian sea. June-Aug and the second half of Oct are periods of rains. Non-stop, very heavy rains and floods can be expected during the monsoon. Humidity is very high round the year, except for brief periods. Malayalam is the local language, English is an additional official language and used in towns.
Rice is the staple diet.
Kerala recipe is entirely different in content and preparation from that of north India. Common items include idli, dosa, sambar, coconut-vegetable dishes, fish, pappad. Banana leaves are used traditionally as plates.