Healthcare, Politics and Religion in Kerala

I decided to do a little research and add this information since Kerala is different in so many ways to the rest of India. We have seen many Christian churches since we have been traveling here in what we thought was a primarily Hindu/Muslim nation. We have also witnessed numerous political rallies along the way, and, we have nothing but wonderful things to say about their approach to healthcare, since our Ayurveda massages are part of that system and a friend back in the US who works in public health told us Kerala’s public health system is used as a model world- wide.

State Background

The state of Kerala gained it’s independence and became it’s own state in 1956. Population is about 33 million. Kerala has a higher human development index than all other states in India. The state has a literacy rate of 91 percent, the highest in India. Primary level education, health care and elimination of poverty are among the best in India. Kerala is also known as the least corrupt state in the country. The Kerala government states gender relations are among the most equitable in India and the Third World. Many of its people work in the Middle East; their remittances home adding greatly to Kerala’s prosperity.

Healthcare

Life expectancy (73 years) is among the highest in India. The healthcare system here has garnered international acclaim. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) designated Kerala the world’s first “baby friendly” state because of its effective promotion of breast-feeding over formulas and more than 95% of Keralite births are hospital-delivered. Aside from Ayurveda, and Unani, many other forms of traditional medicine, including Kalari, Marmachikitsa and Vishavaidyam are practiced (Google is your friend here). These treatments are partly responsible for drawing increasing numbers of medical tourists. A new home-based palliative and chronic care movement is sweeping through Kerala. Go here for the very interesting details:

http://infochangeindia.org/200903167658/Health/Features/Kerala-spearheads-community-care-health-revolution.html

Politics

My mother is going to LOVE this one :o)

This is a politically conscious state, where power alternates between left and centrist parties. The state hosts two major political alliances: The United Democratic Front (led by the Indian National Congress) and the Left Democratic Front (led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist)) at present, the Communist Party is the ruling coalition. Strikes, protests and marches are common in Kerala due to the comparatively strong presence of labor unions. I find it interesting that with Kerala’s positive statistics regarding healthcare, education, etc., it seems the Communist party is doing pretty well in taking care of its business and people. Maybe this is related to the fact that there are elections and no ultimate ruling party….?

Here is a photo of a communist motorcycle rally we passed along the road:

Religion

Of course Hinduism is the religion of the majority (56%), practiced here with a rare rigor prohibits non-Hindus from entering most temples.

Here are a few photos of Hindu temples:

Islam (25%) has been here since the 7th century.

Here are a couple of photos of a large group of Muslim children (girls at the front, boys at the back) being led by men, to worship at a Mosque. This is what our driver Murali thought. No idea what the banner says.

Christianity

What really surprised us is the number of Christian churches dotting the landscape. About one quarter of the population here identify as Christian (about 20%). Who knew? It all started back in 52 AD when St. Thomas, one of the direct Disciples of Christ, came here and established 7 churches, of which 4 exist even today. The Portuguese who arrived in 1498 introduced Latin rights. Later during the British rule, the Church Mission Society of London began its work in the country. Today, there are five distinct branches of Christianity in Kerala, the Roman Catholic Church following Syrian, Latin or Malayalam liturgies, the Orthodox Syrian Church, the Mar Thomas Syrian Church, the Church of South India and the Nestorian Church. This explains why most of the school children we have talked to are all attending some sort of Christian school. Many, many of them wear crosses around their necks. Some of them have pointed to the Celtic cross I wear and ask “Jesus”?

Here are a few photos of churches, named after every Saint you can imagine:

Judaism is also present. The traders from the Middle East brought Judaism into Kerala in the 7th Century AD. Later these traders settled in Kochi. Jew Town in Kochi is the testimony to Judaism in Kerala. Today it is one of the few places in the World where Jews are living in peace. Imagine that in this part of the world!! There is a Synagogue in Jew town. Today, Jew town is one of the most popular tourist locations in Kerala.