Kochi - The Destination
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Kochi
(Cochin) means different things to different
people. To some, it is a world-famous port,
while to others it is a business center and
a fascinating reflection of Kerala's vibrant
multifaceted personality. In Cochin or Kochi,
dawn is not often a thing of breathtaking beauty,
but a casual smear of tinted light where sea
and sky unite. Daybreak is full of indeterminate
promise. A slow lividness at the mist-obscured
harbor mouth meets the swelling untamed surge
of the ocean. Cargo-laden barges and vallams
or country boats move, ponderously slow, over
the sprawling vastness of the Vembanad
Kayal , Kerala's largest
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that spreads full bosomed
and silver gray in the sultry sun.
Kochi has been an important trading port
since ancient times. Today, the land of
spices that attracted the European traders
is a quaint blend of the old and the new,
the Indian and the Western. Popularly
referred to as the Queen of the
Arabian Sea, Cochin is today
the commercial and industrial capital
of Kerala.
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Being
a major harbor from the times of the British
and Portuguese, Cochin has a rich heritage
of forts, churches and temples. A visit
to these ancient marvels gives you an
overview of the political, religious and
commercial developments of the city. The
Dutch Palace at Mattancherry
is renowned for its wall murals depicting
scenes from the Ramayana. Fort Kochi,
though now in ruins, contains many remains
of Indo-European architecture. The
Jewish Synagogue at the heart of what
is locally called the Jew Town is an intriguing
mixture of shops, warehouses and spice
auction rooms . The St.
Francis Church , the |
| oldest
European church in India, stands as the
pride of Fort Cochin. The Santa Cruz
Basilica,
originally built in 1557 by the Portuguese,
was used as a warehouse by the British
in the 18th century. The Chinese fishing
nets are huge cantilevered fishing nets
believed to have brought to Kochi by Chinese
traders. The Hill Palace Museum
at Tripunithura houses the collections
of the Cochin and Travancore royal families.
Finally, the Willingdon Island, named
after Lord Willingdon, is the headquarters
of the Southern Naval Command of India.
Get charmed by this captivating destination
of Cochin in Kerala, truly God’s
own country.
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Kochi - Facts at a Glance
| State
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Kerala |
| Area
: |
8700
sq kms |
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Temperature : |
24°C
- 32°C (Summers)
25°C - 36°C (Winters) |
| Rainfall
: |
310 cm |
| Language
: |
Malayalam, English |
| Best
Season : |
December –
May |
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History of Kochi
Kochi has existed on the trading map of India
since the Roman times. It was on the main trade
route between Europe and China. From the 18th
century onwards, the outer region to the inland
bay was under British control. The inner harbor
was part of the state of Kochi while most of
the hinterland was in the separate state of
Travancore. This political division resulted
in hampering of the development of the harbor
until 1920-23.
Kochi was declared a major port in 1936. With
its opening, there was a complete reorientation
of shipping and commercial activities on the
Malabar Coast. With its year-round shipping
facilities, it is the busiest port south of
Bombay, lying as it does on the direct route
to Australia and the Far East from Europe and
serving the vast southern hinterland of industrial
areas and plantations. It is a passenger port
for the United Kingdom and America in South
India. Moreover, it is one of the few ports
of the world with all the three main forms of
transport-land, sea, and air, concentrated in
the same place.
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