Cricket, the great popular sport
For European malicious tongues, it would be so boring that the British would never have succeeded in exporting it anywhere other than their colonies! India played its first official match against England in 1932. After its second World Cup victory (in 2011), created in 1975, it ranks second in the number of victories behind Australia (5). A semi-finalist in the 2019 edition, India hosted the last World Cup in autumn 2023. Cricket is even more enthusiastically embraced in India than soccer is in France - it's a real passion! And, since the 1980s, the sport has also helped to ease relations between India and Pakistan, another famous national team. Some political scientists even speak of "cricket diplomacy".
Field hockey, a national sport
Field field hockey was introduced to India by the British. India played for the first time at the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928. A national sport, field hockey brought India a string of Olympic gold medals (8 gold). Between 1928 and 1956, the country broke all records, winning 6 consecutive gold medals, scoring 178 goals and conceding just 7. The last field field hockey World Cup was held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela in January 2023, and India was eliminated in the Round of 16 by New Zealand.
A land of badminton
Poona, an Indian racket game played by officers of the British Empire in the 1860s, is the ancestor of badminton. It is played indoors, on a court 13.40 m long and 5.18 m wide, with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock. Although the competitions are largely dominated by neighboring China, this Olympic sport has won three medals, one silver and two bronze, for the Indian delegation. India will host the 30th World Championships in 2026.
Kabaddi, an age-old sport
It's a popular team sport in India, but also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia, Japan and Iran. Over 4,000 years old, kabaddi is a popular team sport in rural India. Its name is frequently shouted at matches. It derives from a Hindi word meaning "to hold one's breath", a crucial action in this sport. It's a kind of "dodgeball" between two teams of seven men who compete on a field.
Yoga and well-being
You'll find a wide range of activities linked to physical, mental and spiritual well-being: yoga, meditation, massage, ayurvedic treatments, traditional Kerala martial arts courses, ashram retreats...
Yoga. The country is steeped in two different philosophies, each encompassing very different currents of practice. There are the stika philosophies, which recognize the authority of the Vedas such as Hinduism, and those which reject them. The aim of yoga teaching is to achieve liberation from the patterns that generate suffering. The practitioner of yoga is known as a yogi. There are two distinct forms of yoga: Hatha Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. Hatha yoga consists in the practice of specific exercises, the aim of which is to strengthen the mastery of body and mind until the liberation of a higher consciousness. Yoga as we know it in the West is a derivative form, often stripped of its spiritual substance. Bhakti Yoga consists in the adoration and devotional worship of a personal god. Its founder, Basava, rejects Brahmin supremacy and the caste system. Bhakti is easily accessible. While it does not remove the injustice inherent in the caste system, it does provide individuals with temporary respite.
Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine whose aim is to provide dietary and lifestyle advice so that healthy people can stay healthy and others can improve their health. It is widespread in Kerala. Many schools offer training courses, from the most superficial to the most advanced. You'll find them in your guidebook, from Kannur to Chowara, via Kozhikode.
Coastal paradise
In Kerala, the Malabar coast offers little-frequented palm-fringed white sand beaches in the north, and more festive seaside resorts in the south, such as Varkala, a veritable little corner of paradise where you can forget the rest of the world while enjoying freshly caught fish and seafood in the shade of coconut palms. Some of these beaches are narrow strips of sand wedged between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters, offering idyllic landscapes (at Marari Beach, on Vypeen Island in Kochi or at Poovar, in the south of the state).
The backwaters, unique sites in the world
This collection of lakes, rivers, canals and swamps, set amid lush tropical vegetation along the Malabar coast, is often the highlight of a stay in Kerala. A cruise aboard a houseboat, gliding slowly along the palm-shaded canals, is an unforgettable experience. It's also an opportunity to observe the life of small villages. It's an accessible experience even for budget travellers. The most popular backwaters are in southern Kerala, but you can also find them in the north, near Nileshwar. The best time to visit them is from September to May.
Captivating nature reserves
India boasts almost a hundred national parks and a multitude of nature reserves, including some of the most prestigious in Kerala. Hoping to catch a glimpse of a tiger in the wild (in the Periyar Widlife Sanctuary and Wayanad Nature Reserves) or to observe elephants, leopards, monkeys, bears or birds in their natural habitat, is a must. Located in the mountains of the Western Ghats, these parks have been created to preserve some of the richest biodiversity in the world, so access is often limited to guided tours (by foot, jeep, boat or elephant!), so as not to disturb an already fragile ecosystem. Many of these parks close during the monsoon season, so be sure to get the facts before you go. Accommodation is often limited, so book well in advance.
