KERALA PLAINS

narrow strip of coastland, southwestern India, fronting the Arabian Sea to the west and constituting almost all of Kerala state and most of the Malabar Coast (q.v.). With an area of approximately 11,000 square miles (28,000 square km), the plains are indented by numerous shallow lagoons, known locally as kayes, that are formed by sand dunes and which are known locally as teris. The sandy beaches are covered with coconut palms. According to the Puranas, the region, also known as Parasurama-Khetram, was reclaimed from the sea by the sage Parasurama. The Kerala Plains lie below 33 feet (10 m), with hills of the Western Ghats, the Nilgiri, and the Southern Ghats to the east. Narrow in the north and wide in the south, the plains are about 330 miles (530 km) long and from 12 to 60 miles (19 to 96 km) wide. Many streams crisscross the plains and serve as inland waterways, constituting about one-fifth of India's total length of waterways. The Periyar River is the most important river that crosses the plains. About half of the land is under cultivation, mainly planted with rice and cassava. Sugarcane, ginger, ragi (cereal grass), peanuts (groundnuts), and sesame seeds are also grown. Cash crops include coconut, pepper, betel nut, cardamom, rubber, coffee, and tea. Cashews, tea, and fish are processed; cement, aluminum, rayon, and electrical goods are manufactured; and coir, plywood, and paper are made. The plains are densely populated, and Malayalam, an offshoot of Tamil, is the local language. The chief towns include Cochin, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Alleppey, Trichur, and Quilon.