Recently, a proposal to rename Kerala as Keralam was approved by the Kerala Assembly unanimously. The natives of the place Keralites/Malayalis pronounce the state’s name as “Keralam.” Combining the words Keram, which means coconut tree, and Alam, which means land, creates the name Keralam. Keralam thus refers to the “Land of Coconut Trees.
But, The Question is…
Is Kerala known only as “Keralam?”
No.
Before it became known as Kerala, the state went by many other names.
In ancient Tamil texts, Kerala was referred to as Cheralam. Cheralam, or the land of Cheras, is the name given to the region because it was ruled by the Chera Dynasty.
There is yet another interpretation of Cheralam. Cher means to meet in Malayalam. Kerala is a coastal region where land meets the sea.
Among the foreign merchants, Kerala was typically referred to as Malabar.
Kerala has been referred to by many Arab writers as Malibar, Manibar, Mulibar, and Munibar.
Malabar may also be a term with origins in the connections between Arab and Persian cultures. Mountains are referred to as Mala in Malayalam, and a country or continent is referred to as Barr in Persian and Arabic.
When traders came to market their goods here, they gave Kerala a variety of names in a variety of texts. They all have names for this location that are easy for them to say. Kerala is another name that has been changed to accommodate non-Keralite pronunciation.
The name is more than just a name. It is more than that. It is a depiction of the various cultural interactions and exchanges that have taken place over many centuries in Kerala. The name perfectly captures the diverse range of customs, languages, and traditions that have shaped this area’s distinctive identity.