10 Things You Should Know About Malayali Culture

A prosperous and erudite state, the people of Kerala are proud of their culture and are attached to their traditions. Thus, it is not just the land but also the culture and heritage of Kerala that justify the state’s sobriquet of ‘God’s Own Country’. Here are the most remarkable aspects of Malayali culture that you need to know.

Onam festival

The biggest festival celebrated by Malayalis is Onam. It is celebrated in honour of the mythical King Mahabali, who ruled over the land of the Malayalis. It spans over ten days, and celebrations are marked by decorative floral patterns at the entrance of the home.

Fresh flowers are plucked each morning and arrayed in appealing patterns

Kathakali and Mohiniattam dance

The face-art in Kathakali is by itself a very distinct art-form

Love of bananas, beef, coconut, and fish

Food is an intrinsic part of Malayali culture and there are some staple favourites of Malayalis wherever they are in the world. Coconut and fish are available in abundance, so are widely consumed. Coconut is used in almost every dish in Kerala’s cuisine, including snacks, main courses, and desserts. Beef is another favourite of the meat eating Malayali, combined with porotta for a perfect combination. Ubiquitous bananas are also an intrinsic part of snacks, main dishes, and desserts.

Huge bunches of bananas hanging in roadside shops for sale is a common sight all around Kerala

Obsession with gold

The yellow metal is cherished by Malayalis not just for ornamentation purposes, but as a mark of honour during marriages and as a financial investment. Keralite brides are famous for being decked in gold.

Boat races

The traditional boat race of Kerala, known as vallam kali, is a race of canoes, or snake boats. The method of creating these boats dates back 650 years, when they were first created for the harvest festival. Among the several boat races throughout the state, the Jawaharlal Nehru Trophy is the biggest.

Just before the action began for the famous Nehru Trophy snake boat race in Alappuzha

Adoration of elephants

Elephants are beloved to all Malayalis. Their importance in every aspect of the culture is reflected in the fact that the elephant is the state animal. It’s on important emblems such as the masthead of the Government of Kerala, the logo of the government transport buses and on some newspapers. These gentle giants are also an important part of temple festivities.

Caparisoned elephants during a temple festival in Kerala

Penchant for quality cinema

Malayalam cinema ranks among the best in the world in terms of story-driven plots and cinematography, and are regular winners at international film festivals. The realistic portrayal of the intricacies of human life are a hallmark of Malayali films. World class filmmakers such as Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ramu Kariat, and Sreenivasan are Malayalis, as are actors Mohan Lal, Mammootty, Shobana, and Manju Warrier.

Fahad Faasil in a popular Malayalam film Maheshinte Prathikaram

Kerala’s martial art form, Kalaripayattu

One of the oldest surviving martial art forms in the world, the current form of Kalaripayattu dates back to the sixth century. Vedic sage Agastya is considered as the founding father of the combat form, which includes a combination of steps and postures, known as chuvattu and vadivu. The main aim is the coordination of body and mind.

Kalaripayattu is intrinsically connected with healing and medicine

Steamed foods

A characteristic of Kerala’s cuisine is the steamed foods. Using rice as the primary ingredient, a number of dishes such as vellayappam, idiyappam, and idly are produced by steaming. Made with coconut milk, they form an excellent healthy breakfast or snack. They can be eaten with chutney and gravy, and are very popular.

Kozhukatta is a sweet dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut and jaggery

Palatial homes

It is said that the ultimate achievement of a Malayali’s life is determined by the size of his house. While this notion may be changing, stately homes with full amenities are a ubiquitous sight throughout the state. A distinctive feature is the grand boundary wall and opulent gate.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.