Spices shaped Kerala's tryst with destiny. It was the fragrance of spice that awakened the curiosity of the explorers. Many braved mighty oceans and seas to seek this land out for its veritable treasure. Keralas spice trade with the world dates back to the 3rd millennium BCE. The Malabar Coast of Kerala was witness to the arrival of Arabs, Chinese, and European powers like the Portuguese, the French and the British. The spices of Kerala had become the most treasured and traded commodity.