Kerala Cochin
Cochin
Cochin, the commercial and industrial capital of Kerala, has one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Kerala's prime tourist destination, it spreads across islands and promontories in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and Backwaters.
Its main sections: modern Ernakulam in the east and the old districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin on a peninsula in the west are linked by a complex system of ferries.
Fort Cochin
Called the Old Fort, the Fort Cochin is the first and the foremost fort built by the Europeans in India.
Initiated by the Dutch, the Fort was also developed by the British.The Fort as a whole consists of many amazing structures.
The Fort houses the memory of Vasco Da Gama, the first European to land on the coast of India in the year 1498. The old fort comprises a huge Portuguese style mansion, the St. Francis church and the basilica of Santa Cruz.
Chinese Fishing Nets
The huge Chinese cantilevered fishing nets were brought by the Indian traders from the royal court of Kublai khan, the famous Mongol Emperor and founder of the Yuan Dynasty of China.
These nets were erected by the traders in around 1350 to 1450 AD and are set up on the teak wood and bamboo poles. The nets offer interesting sights when they are lowered into the sea to catch the big cats underwater.
Mattancherry Palace
Constructed in the year 1557, the magnificent Palace was presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Cochin as a gift by the Portuguese Traders.
Complete with extraordinary murals and scenes from the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the palace also displays the Dutch maps of Old Cochin.
The royal coronation and the palanquins are splendidly presented. Renovated in 1663 by the Dutch, the palace show case the wonderful attires of the Maharajas who ruled the place from earlier times.
St. Francis Church
The St, Francis Church has the reputation of being the first church built by the Dutch in the year 1503AD. It is also the burial place of Vasco Da Gama, the Portuguese trader and sailor, the first European to discover India. The great traveler was buried here in 1524 before his remains were taken to Lisbon, Portugal in about 1538.
Jewish Synagogue
Located at Fort Kochi, about 10 km from Ernakulam town, constructed in 1568, is the oldest in the Commonwealth. Destroyed in a shelling during the Portuguese raid in 1662, it was rebuilt two years later by the Dutch.
Located at Fort Kochi, about 10 km from Ernakulam town, constructed in 1568, is the oldest in the Commonwealth. Destroyed in a shelling during the Portuguese raid in 1662, it was rebuilt two years later by the Dutch.
Mid-18th century hand painted, willow patterned floor tiles from Canton in China, a clock tower, Hebrew inscriptions on stone slabs, great scrolls of the Old Testament, ancient scripts on copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the erstwhile Cochin rulers were recorded etc., are articles of interest here. The area around the Synagogue is a centre of spice trade and curio shops.
Bolgatty Island
Near the historic town of Fort Kochi in Ernakulam district, the commercial capital of Kerala, is the Bolgatty Island. This lush, lovely island is famous for its palace of the same name. The Bolgatty Palace, built in 1744 by the Dutch and later taken over by the British, is today a popular hotel run by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.
Other Attractions of Cochin
Hill Palace Museum, Thripunithra
At a distance of 10 km from Kochi is situated the royal residence of the Kochi family. Thought to be built in 1865 AD, the palace complex consists of 49 buildings created in the architectural style of traditional Kerala. The hill palace is bounded by 52 acres of terraced land consisting of a Deer Park and horse riding facilities. Much to the wilderness of the visitors, a heritage museum portraying the 19th Century paintings and murals is among its main attraction.
Shopping:
Cochin is popular for the decorative handicraft found abundant in the Kerala state Handicraft outlets and the Coirs that adores the front room of the house. The coir board showrooms are in Mullassery Canal Road.
Accommodation at Cochin
Cochin provides a relaxed stay to its visitors providing all amenities from running water, air conditioning to conference rooms. Some of the renowned hotel situated at Fort Cochin is Brunton Boat Yard, Malabar House, Taj Malabar at Willingdon Island and some of the business hotels in Ernakulam are Harbour View Residency, The Renaissance, The Woods Manor>
How to Reach Cochin
By Air:
Cochin airport is well connected with domestic and international flights, plenty of flights from middle east, Singapore and Srilanka and it also has daily flights to Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Calicut.
By Rail:
Cochin is connected to major cities and towns of India by an extensive rail network. The city has three important railway stations namely, Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town.
By Road:
Three National Highways (NH) 47, 17 and 49 joins Cochin with major cities of South and West India. Regular buses are available to these places on a daily basis.
Best time to visit: Between October and February
