Legend

As with every thing in India, Kerala also has legend associated with it. According to the legend, warrior Sage Prasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, raised the land crust that forms the State from the depth of the ocean. He had waged an epic series of vengeful wars on the Kshatriyas and there came a moment when he was struck by remorse at the wanton annihilation he had wrought.

He offered severement, the sage heaved his mighty axe into the midst of piece of land extending from Gokarnam to Kanyakumari Kerala is also called Parasuramakhsethra, the land of Parasurama. According to some geologists, there are indications that most of the land that forms the state was once under the sea and might have surfaced gradually by a series of earthquakes or volcanic eruptions.