Other Definitions
malabar (dict)
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MalabarFor the towns in Indonesia and the USA, see Malabar, Indonesia / Malabar, Florida Malabar Region The Malabar region lies along the southwest coast of the Indian peninsula and forms the northern part of present-day Kerala state. The region formed a part of Madras state until the formation of the Indian state of Kerala in 1956 united this area and the erstwhile Thiru-Kochi (Travancore-Cochin) kingdom were united. Prior to the imposition of British rule from the 17th century onwards, chieftains -- notably the Kolathiris of Kasargod, Zamorins of Calicut and the Valluvokonathiris of Walluvanad -- ruled Malabar. Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast, in historical contexts, refers to India's southwest coast, lying on the narrow coastal plain of Karnataka and Kerala states between the Western Ghats range and the Arabian Sea. The coast runs from south of Goa to Cape Comorin on India's southern tip. The Malabar Coast features a number of historic port cities, notably Kozhikode (Calicut), Cochin, and Quilon, that have served as centers of the Indian Ocean trade for centuries. Because of their orientation to the sea and to maritime commerce, the Malabar coast cities feel very cosmopolitan, and hosted some of the first groups of Christians, Jews, and Muslims in India. Geographically, the Malabar Coast, especially on its westward-facing mountain slopes, comprises the wettest region of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains. The term Malabar rainforests refers to one or more distinct ecoregions recognized by biogeographers: - the Malabar Coast moist forests formerly occupied the coastal zone to the 250 meter elevation (but 95% of these forests no longer exist)
- the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests grow at intermediate elevations
- the South Western Ghats montane rain forests cover the areas above 1000 meters elevation
The Monsooned Malabar blend of coffee bean comes from the area.
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