In 'God's own country', the dances abound, traditions are passed on as inheritances from one generation to the next, and the whole year is one long festival. Nature paints its canvasses in heavenly shades as the inhabitants celebrate the spirit of the Gods. You could be searching for the Gods in one of Kerala's innumerable temples, you could be partaking in one of the thousands of local traditions, or you could simply be sitting back and being hypnotised by one of its local dances. Whatever you do, we can promise one thing – your soul will not be untouched. Over the centuries, different religions found their way to Kerala's shores and were welcomed into the tolerant society's folds. Buddhism and Jainism were the earliest recorded religions to come to Kerala. Hinduism was revived later and Buddhism and Jainism merged into the mother religion. Jewish people fleeing persecution in their homeland, migrated to Kerala in the early centuries, the influence of which is seen in many Christian sects such as the Knanaya Christians of Kerala who are Jewish Christians. The Muslim community in Kerala, known as the Mapillas, was founded in the 8th century with the advent of the Arabs who came to trade. With the advent of the British in the late 18th century, the English language assumed importance. This brought about a tremendous impact on the life and culture of the people of Kerala. The state was therefore constantly subjected to the influence of multiple cultures. It was only at a much later stage that a distinctive culture began to take shape. It is conjectured that Malayalam, the official language of Kerala, started developing as a separate language during this period. It was at this time that Ayurveda also took its roots in Kerala. Even today, it is practised mostly in Kerala with the specialty of panchakarma, involving medicated oil massages. Because of the peculiar geographical features that nature has bestowed on it, Kerala is isolated from the rest of the country. This isolation is reflected in the myriad art forms that have evolved here over the centuries. Elsewhere in India, the inspiration for art was manifested in the architectural marvels of the rock cut temples or in the magnificent murals of Ajanta caves. But, in Kerala, man found his own body as a supreme medium for artistic expression. The art form called 'Chakyar koothu', for example, is presented as a mono act, as in the early style of Sanskrit plays. In koodiyattam more than one actor takes part in the performance. Krishnanattam, ramanattam and Kathkali are other forms of art, which evolved in places of worship. Temples have also been the centres of artistic expressions..