Page 87 - SST Class 04

formed many lagoons or backwaters, which are used for
transportation and fishing. On the occasion of Onam, boat-
races are held here. Farming and tourism are main
occupations. The important crops grown here include
coconut, tea, coffee, rice, cardamom, rubber etc. Coconut is
an important part of food as well as occupation. Coir
industry is based on coconut as the raw material. Kerala is
visited by a large number of people for naturopathy. Kerala backwaters

Men in Kerala wear lungi-shirt and women wear saree. People speak Malayalam,
English and other South Indian languages. Rice is their staple diet. The classical dance

form, Kathakali , is popular here.
Know It!
Thiruvananthpuram is the capital of this state. Calicut and
Kochi are major seaports and Alwaye, Ernakulam, v Kerala has the highest
rate of literacy in India.
Kozhikode and Trichur are important industrial centres.

Puducherry

Puducherry (Pondicherry) has been named after its district of the same name which is
also its capital. It has a total of 4 districts. Farming, fishing
and tourism are the chief occupations. Industries too have

come up here. The important crops grown here are rice,
millets, pulses and ragi in addition to some cash crops such
as sugarcane, groundnut and cotton. There are textile mills,
sugar mills, tile factories and distilleries.
People in Puducherry speak Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and

French. The famous places here are Aurobindo Ashram
and Maitri Mandir. Aurobindo Ashram

Islands

There are two groups of islands in India : Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep .

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Located in the Bay of Bengal, about 1,255 km from Kolkata,
these islands form a union territory with capital at Port
Blair . There are over 300 islands in this group, of which
only 37 are inhibited. Tourism, fishing and farming are
chief occupations. The important crops grown here are rice,
maize, coconut, pineapple, rubber and papaya. A number
of tourists visit here to enjoy the scenic beaches and
Cellular Jail

Life in Coastal Plains and Islands 87