Of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Kerala History

During my schooldays i never had an opportunity to learn about kerala, its society, its language although i was brought amidst all the above but was trained in a central School(kendriya vidyalaya). Although the school prepares you as an indian citizen.... it completely falls short of equiping students with regional heritage . The school equips the student with a better national identity (as an Indian) sans his regional roots. I never learnt malayalam in my school (although there was an unofficial attempt to teach it in the school it never took off). We learn more about indian history and none of history of kerala. Later in colleges when you meet friends from other schools then you know your handicap. In this global age it is not really necessary to know your heritage to make a living.

It is recently i completed the book "Ensuing of Venad" (വേണാടിന്റെ പരിണാമം) which was a very interesting historical document with timely references albiet few typo errors. The major eyopener for me was the evolution of societal setup in kerala. The influence of the namboodiris on the caste system (which was called as a "mental Asylum" By Swami Vivekananda) does not recieve much attention in the book. This caste system still controlls politics of the present kerala state.
The fact that region of kerala was never "rich" atleast economically can be made from the history. Kerala has always derived its riches from foriegn trade. Now it is by people working abroad that the economy is sustained. It never had a good agricultural setup or resources. The whole political history of kerala was governed either by internal squabbles for tutelary positions or over trade of Pepper. The book is also very candid about Shrewdness and superstisions Great king Anizham Thirunnal Marthanda Varma( who is infact called the restorer of the Kingdom of Travancore).