Folktales from India: How Kerala came to be

“Thousands and thousands of years ago, Paresham and his brother Laksham decided they were tired of wandering in the icy Himalayas. They have the head of a vast ocean towards the south, not far from the Sahyadri ranges. That’s where they decided to go and live.

But when the ocean heard of their plans, he was enraged. He did not want them in his kingdom. When the two brothers approached, he threw waves a hundred meters high against them. He made the sky dark and sullen and sent sea monsters near the coast to frighten off the god-brothers. ‘War’, the ocean cried.

‘War,’ cried the brothers.

That evening an insect was flying home when the water from a big wave almost drown it. The ocean rescued it from the waves and said, ‘You can do me a favor, little bother.’

The insect was pleased to be addressed in such terms by the mighty ocean. ‘Anything you request, my lord,’ he said, ‘shall be done.’

‘Fly with hundreds of your brothers to the place where those two brothers are resting. One of them has a mighty bow. I want you to gnaw your way through it so it will snap when they use it,’ said the ocean. The insect agreed.

Knowing what the insects have done, the ocean felt secure. when he saw the brothers the next morning, he said, ‘Aha! I shall sweep you away from with my mighty waters! I shall sweep the land away, the houses, the boats, the temples.’

‘Alright,’ said Pareshram coolly. He drew the bow; though it broke, the arrow went flying and pierced the ocean´s bosom.

The ocean was honorable and retreated after his defeat. He left thousands of fertile acres, called the Konkan, for the brothers, and whoever should want to inhabit the land.

This land was very fertile and green. On it grew coconut trees and betelnut trees, and flowers and fruit of every color. They were many rivers and lakes, and there were green fields soothing the aye. People from all over the place came to inhabit the land as it became famous for its fertility.