Kerala is known for harmonious coexistence between Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. Centuries of trade, migration, and shared cultural practices foster a mutual respect which is visible in Kerala’s festivals and daily life, where communities interact with notable tolerance and a strong sense of social cohesion.
Christianity in Kerala is traced to Saint Thomas the Apostle, believed to have arrived in AD 52, and Kerala’s Christian churches feature ornate altars, vivid murals, gilded carvings, and intricate woodwork, blending European and local artistic traditions.
This plaque in a church in Kottyam on the backwaters took me by surprise. Haile Selassie I visited Kerala in 1956, and was warmly received by church leaders, reinforcing historic ties between Ethiopian and Indian Christianity and celebrating shared ancient religious traditions and cultural links.
