The Kingdom of East Quilan

[Kingdom of Quilan]

The Kingdom of Quilan (Known as Kerala/Kollam locally) is a nation located on the southern Faramount islands. It is divided into 14 provinces with the capital being the Old City of Cochin. Quilt is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the nation, along with Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Brahui and Anglish.

Etymology 
The name Quilan comes from the Anglish term for a region called Kollam in the southern part of the nation. The earliest text to mention Quilan is the late Anglish text God's Own Country, written by William Cork. Quilan was alternatively called Calicut as well as Malabar. Until the arrival of the Anglish, the term Malabar was used as a general name for Quilan, along with the term Calicut. Locally, the nation used to be known as Kerala. Despite this, Malabar actually refers to the Western Coast of Quilan.

History
A substantial portion of Quilan may have been under the sea in ancient times. Fossil evidence suggest the existence of marine mammals in low elevation regions such as Kuttanad. The first major civilization which rose in Quilan was the Keram Kingdom, a fishing community in Southern Quilan. Pottery and clay artefacts suggest prehistoric trade with various other kingdoms in Alharu and Europa. The ruins of Keram also indicate the existence of a modern sewage system built by the ancient Quilites, considered one of the earliest waste management systems in Alharu. Called the Garden of Spices, Quilan was the heart of the spice trade in the Laccadives. Being located between two continents, it was also a major shipping outpost, with many merchants developing ports to dock their fleet. The growing influence and power of Quilan meant organization,which was the main reason for the development of a hierarchical administrative system. The highest subdivision of the nation (called "Rajya") was Pravishya (Province) followed by Jilla (District) and finally the Panchayat (Village association). Tax collection was handled by the Nikutiyan, a district level tax administrator, followed by Zamindars and other low level tax collecting officials, The Keram Kingdom fell in 100 BCE, just to be immediately replaced by the Kingdom of Malabar, which had emerged successful in the tripartite power vacuum involving the states of Malabar, Travancore and Calicut. The capital was changed from Kuttanad to Cochin. This period, sometimes called the Malabar Period, was the age which defined the Quilite cultural identity as various poets and authors brought in oral stories and poems, just as the distinct Dravidian script was beginning to develop. A cultural divide had also formed in the North, South and East, involving the Travancorians, the Calicutites and the Tamils. 

The establishment of the caste system was the moment when the cultural divide was at its height, as the muslim majority northern province of Calicut, the lower-caste dominated province of Tamizhum and the higher-caste dominated province of Thiruvithamkoor faced large nationalist movements (the first nationalist movement in the world) aiming to separate from the Kingdom of Malabar. The cultural divide had caused the decline of the political influence of the King, as prominent spiritual heads emerged in the provinces. With the fall of the Kingdom, 840 years of stable rule had gone under the gutter. Quilan now housed 37 warring principalities, of which three kingdoms, the Pandyas, the Zamorinate of Calicut and Travancore emerged as the prominent powers. With over two centuries of fighting, the tripartite kingdoms finally agreed to bring peace to the region and try to culturally unify the Dravidians. The Kingdom of Cochin was finally created after a royal marriage between the three kingdoms in 1,080. 

After years of social progress, the Cochin-Salvian Imperial war had lead to direct imperial rule over Quilan by the Salvian Rulers in 1,590. After 3 centuries of imperial rule, the Quilite Imperial Army had launched a mutiny against the Salvian Kingdom, finally gaining independence in 1947. The Salvian rule was a major contributor to the "Anglishization" of Quilite place names.  

Geography
Quilan's western coastal belt is relatively flat compared to the eastern region, and is criss-crossed by a network of interconnected brackish canals, lakes, estuaries, and rivers known as the Quilite Backwaters. The country's largest lake Vembanad, dominates the backwaters. Quilan's major rivers include the Periyar,the Bharathapuzha, the Pamba and the Chaliyar. The central part of the island features the Nilgiri mountain range, famous for its tea plantations. Considering the limited area for cultivation, most of Quilan's food supply is imported from other nations. Natural disasters such as floods and tsunamis have regularly interrupted life in Quilan. Most of Quilan's mangroves and forests have been gradually deforested to make space for cultivation, prompting a major "renaissance movement" to replant the forests. Being on of the most diverse ecosystems, the region is also threatened by extinction of endemic creatures.

Subdivisions
Currently, Quilan consists of 14 provinces, namely, North Calicut, South Calicut, Tulu Nadu, Mysore (Calicut Region), Tamil Nadu, Lanka, Puducherry, Nilgiri, Kongu Nadu, Seemandhra, Rayalaseema (Tamil Region) , Travancore, Palghat and Cochin(Travancore Region). 

Government
Quilan is an absolute monarchy, ruled by a King with the title of 'Zamorin'. Following various socialist reforms since independence, the Marxist Front of Quilan remains a significant political entity, influencing many decisions of the Zamorin. Following a partially communist economic system, owning private industries is highly discouraged. The Court of Justice in Cochin remains the centre of judicial power in the nation, headed by the Zamorin. 
Economy
As Quilan was a socialist welfare economy from the 1950s to 2000s, economic development was relatively slow. Following liberalization of the economy in 2015, double digit GDP growth has been recorded, although Quilan still remains backward in ease of doing business. With a 7 million strong expat population, the country receives 12 billion annually as foreign remittance. The country also hosts a thriving government-owned alcohol industry. Other major industries include tea, plantain, rubber, chemical and IT industries. Its sometimes considered a miracle how the nation has managed to have an HDI of 0.78. Quilan has been trying to convert itself into the IT capital of Eurth, as new IT parks have been opened in New Travancore, New Cochin and New Calicut. 
Transport
The nation has a well connected road network despite being a lower middle income nation. Metro systems have been built in New Cochin, and another one is being planned in New Travancore. The nation also hosts 4 international airports, mainly to facilitate the travel of expatriates, in New Travancore, New Cochin, Cannanore and New Calicut. An extensive inland water transport system also exists, as for the great river network, though the unchecked growth of water hyacinths has disrupted the system.
Demographics
The largest cities in the nation are New Travancore (900k), New Calicut (600k), New Cochin (600k), New Quilon (390k), Trichur (315k) and Cannanore (230k). Being a matrilineal society, women have a high standing in society. Despite this, most of Quilan still remains conservative relating to matters about social participation of women as well as the existence of the LGBTQ+. About 80% of Quilites speak Quilt as their first language, followed by 8% who speak Malayalam, 6% who speak Telugu,and 4% who speak Tamil, the rest being constituted by Kannada, Tulu, French, Anglish, Brahui, Konkan and indigenous languages. Half of the population adheres to Hinduism, 26% to Islam, 15% to Christianity, 7% Atheists, and the rest constituted by other religious minorities. Surprisingly, 95% of the population is literate. 
Culture
Quilan is an amalgam of different cultures. Some festivals celebrated in Quilan include Onam, Christmas, Eid, Thrissur Pooram etc. Most dance forms in Quilan are dravidian in origin, such as the Kathakali and Bharatnatyam. Most of Quilite cuisine is fermented and includes atleast one savoury side-dish. Elephants are an important part of Quilite culture, with multiple depictions of elephants in literature and architecture, as well as religion.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Kingdom of Quilan (see edit history)