Again I was tempting for a long journey.This time Travelling
Destination was Kochi the Queen of Arab
Sagar: Since the formation of Kerala in 1957, Kochi
has been the commercial capital of Kerala as well as the seat of the Kerala
High Court. Since 2000, Kochi has revitalized its economy, with a focus on
tourism, information technology, and the port. Kochi
got the title of
“Queen of Arab Sagar”
due to charming and tranquilizing beaches offering a breathtaking view and
natural beauty mixed with its pristine water and tranquil ambience.Ernakulam is
Railway station for Fort Kochi.
Colonization of India was started from Kochi. Portugal was first to
establish its base in Kochi, followed by the Dutch and English. From time
immemorial, the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch, and Portuguese have left
indelible marks on the cheek of history. Fort
is name of old Kochi. So when visiting Kochi,
it must be clear that actually your are going to see the old Kochi town.
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| Fishing Nets-Kochi |
Kochi was born in 1341, when a flood created a natural safe
port that swiftly replaced Muziris (Kodungallur, 50km north) as the chief
harbor on the Malabar coastline. The royal family transferred here from
Muziris in 1405, after which the city grew rapidly, attracting Christian, Arab
and Jewish settlers from the Middle East. The history of the European
involvement in Kochi from the early 1500s on wards is dominated by the
aggression of, successively, the Portuguese, Dutch and British, competing to
control the port and its lucrative spice trade.
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| Local Market near Fishing Nets at Fort Kochi |
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| Ferry For Fort Kochi |
Let us start from Ernakulam which
is over in the mainland part of Kochi city and well connected to the rest
of Kerala and India.
We boarded a ferry towards Fort Kochi for just Rs. 8 (to and fro).
It was a 30 mt journey. Surprised to get something this cheap. After a slow and
yet comforting ride, we reached Fort
Kochi.
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| Inside View of Ferry -Fort Kochi
ST. Francis church:
(Where The
Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama was buried.)
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| St Francis Church-Fort Kochi |
ST. Francis Church is the erstwhile resting place of
Vasco-da-Gama.The Portuguese explorer, Vasco
da Gama who opened
up the sea route to India , died in Kochi in 1524 when
he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this
church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.
ST. Francis Church is the erstwhile resting place of
Vasco-da-Gama.The Portuguese explorer, Vasco
da Gama who opened
up the sea route to India , died in Kochi in 1524 when
he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this
church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.
The first
church built by Europeans in India is in Fort Kochi? Christianity was already
prevalent in the region. It was efforts of St. Thomas, who arrived in 52 AD.
The Locals he converted had followed their religion for centuries before the
Portuguese arrived, bringing their own brand of Christianity.
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| Inside View of St. Francis Church-Fort Kochi |
The Hindu ruler gave them a strip of land, where they first built a fort, and within it, a church. This church, built of wood in 1503, was dedicated to Saint Bartholomew. Dutch arrived, and converted it to a Protestant Church, till it passed into British hands, and came to be called the ‘St. Francis Church’.
It is a catholic church. Located close to
St. Francis Church. This church was built originally by the Portuguese and
elevated to a Cathedral by Pope IV.
The foundation stone of the Santa Cruz church was laid on 3 May 1505, the
feast day of the Invention of the Holy Cross; hence the magnificent edifice
when completed was named Santa Cruz.
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| Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica-Fort Kochi |
When
Dutch conquered over the Portuguese in Kochi in 1663, they destroyed many Catholic
Churches but spared this Cathedral. When British took over Cochin they
demolished it. It then took over 100 years to build a new building at the same
site in 1887. Pope John Paul II proclaimed it a Basilica in 1984.
There are
frescoes and paintings covering almost every inch of the cathedral, from the
altar to the pillars, and walls to the ceiling. The art here is the work of
Antonio Moscheni, a Jesuit brother and painter. He passed away just four days
before the consecration of the church!
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| Indo Portuguese Museum-Fort Kochi |
It
is also known as the Dutch Palace
after it was renovated by the Dutch in 1663 and the wooden palace has some
interesting exhibits that help bring to life the multicultural history of
Cochin but the most impressive is the intricate and well preserved Hindu murals
depicting the famous epic of the Ramayana.
Besides the paintings, the
palace museum has family portraits of the Kochi royal family, and some of their
personal artifacts, and more interestingly, historical, geographical and
political timelines of the region, which are a big help in understanding the
history and heritage of Fort Kochi.
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| Bishop House-Fort Kochi |
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| Bishop House-Fort Kochi |
The Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi
t is believed that Jews first came to Kerala to trade in
spices and ivory during King Solomon’s reign.Jewish Synagogue,
situated at one end of the Jew Street, is at short walk from Mattancherry bus stand or from the boat jetty. Jews
fleeing the Spanish inquisition in the early 16th century also reached Kochi,
followed by immigrants from Baghdad, Yemen and other parts of the Middle East.
The newcomers, called paradesis (foreigners), constructed
their own synagogue in 1568 just 30 yards from the maharajah's palace.
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| A lane leading to Synagogue--Fort Kochi |
This orthodox synagogue houses the sacred Torah scrolls written in goatskin and gold crowns gifted by various kings inside the carved red and gold tabernacle. The 18th century Chinese hand-painted blue and white tiles are a unique feature of the Synagogue. None of these exquisite 1100 porcelain tiles are identical.
The Synagogue also has Hebrew inscriptions dating back to the 14th
century. The painting gallery at the entrance depicts the history of Jews in
Kerala from the times of King Solomon.
Jew
Street,Fort Kochi
The
Jew Street of Kochi, one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. The place tells us about the life styles and
customs of the communities that coexisted in the past.. Still having the charm
of the old people happened to live here.
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| An Antique Shop at Jews Street-Fort Kochi |
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| Jews Street-Fort Kochi |
These days, walking on the Jew Street in Fort Kochi, one can
still find the busy spice market, which once had a sizable number of Jewish
people engaged in spice trade. Nowadays, one would also come across curio shops
run by those from Kashmir; selling mostly wood carvings, oil lamps, spice
boxes, snake boats and books on Indian subjects. Most of the Jewish settlers
here have now left for their homeland Israel.
Chinese Fishing Net – Fort kochi
The ever lasting beauty of Kochi ,
brewed by the hands of history, It is a world of its own, retaining the
specimens of a bygone era and still proud of those days. If you can smell the
past, nothing can stop you from walking through these streets.
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| Fishing Nets-Fort Kochi |
The Chinese fishing nets are the most recognizable landmarks in Fort
Kochi, and are most visited for the fascinating sight they provide against the
setting sun. However, there is more to them, than just their appearance. There
are many stories about how these nets came to India.
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| Fishing Nets |
The nets work on the concept of a cantilever―a pile of rocks is tied to
ropes on one end, while the other side contains the net. A group of men raise
or lower the rocks, while one walks on the bamboo pole to balance the weight.
Some say that the nets were brought by Chinese traders during the reign
of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, while others attribute it to the great
Chinese navigator, Zheng He in the 14th century. Some even claim that it was
the Portuguese who brought them here from China! However, the most interesting
thing about them is that they are only seen here, in and around Cochin!
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| Local Market near Fishing Nets |
Itenenry of Kochi is incomplete
without a walk at promenade of Marine Drive and shopping in Lulu Mall,the
India’s largest shopping Mall.
Marine Drive of Kochi
The Marine drive in Kochi is one of the best places to spend quality
time leisurely in the city and provides an amazing view of the sea.The promenade is
with a walkway of about three kilometres. The best thing about Marine Drive is that it is well
maintained and cleaned properly and also has sitting arrangements for the
visitors.
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| Sun sets at Marine Drive-Fort Kochi |
Lulu Shopping Mall, Edapally
Kochi also has India’s largest shopping mall in
Edappally – Lulu Shopping Mall owned and operated by EMKE Group. For a shopping
experience in Kochi there are lots of markets but a visit to Lulu Mall is a
treat with air conditioning and 300+ food outlets, stores and restaurants. Spanning 17 acres with a total built up
area of 2.5 million square feet, the mall has a total retail space of
1.7 million square feet.
This is end of
my Travelogue of Kochi. I walked back to home Aligarh with charm of Kochi the Queen of Arab Sagar engraved in my
memory for ever. My camera is full of such memories.The ever lasting beauty of Kochi
brewed in the hands of history, frozen in time and takes it to the rich
colonial heritage. There are innumerable heritage buildings, some dating
back to the times of Vasco Da Gama, the first Portuguese sailor to India. If
you can dream the past, nothing can stop you from walking through these streets
of Kochi.
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| Beach --Fort Kochi |