A Day in Kochi, Kerala – Visiting the Land of the Gods
My recent trip to India brought
me to a beautiful coastal city in a south-western state also known as the Land of
the Gods: Kochi.
Lonely Planet, the famous travel guru, ranked Kochi as the seventh of the top 10
cities to visit in 2020. I wonder if my father and his friends knew about
Kochi's charm when they chose it as the venue for their college reunion. I was
fortunate to have had the opportunity to unwind with my parents and their
fun-filled group of friends as we explored some of the sights and scenes of
this city.
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| Kerala – the Land of the Gods |
Kochi for First-Time (and Frequent) Visitors
- Kochi, also known as Cochin, is the financial, commercial, and industrial capital of Kerala. It's no surprise that Cochin is the largest and most densely populated city in the state.
- Kochi is an important port city on the west coast of India, so it's not surprising to see many large ships docked here. She is also fondly known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea.
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| Kerala's port city |
- Kochi had been occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch, and then the British. You'll notice many of these influences around the older parts of the city.
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| At Fort Kochi |
- Does Cochin sound familiar? Cochin was the name given to the city by the British during their occupancy. In 1996, the name was reverted to Kochi, its original Malayalam name.
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| Wait for me...wait for me |
Getting to and Around Kochi
You can get into Kochi by rail,
road, or air. On an earlier visit, I took a train to Kochi. This time, I flew
in and was warmly welcomed by these majestic elephants.
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| Greeted by elephants |
To travel around Kochi, you can
opt for local taxis, Uber, and autos (the local three-wheelers). For this visit,
we took a hired bus to explore some of the famous places in the city.
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| We are ready! Are you? Let's go! |
The Weather in Kochi
Kochi’s climate centres on
tropical monsoon season, which means it's going to be moderately hot here. Comfortable
cotton wear is advisable. If you don't have any, you can always pick up a few
clothes in Kerala.
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| Shop! Not me |
A Few Kochi Essentials
Just like in any other major
Indian city, you'll also find the regular traffic jams, tasty eateries, and
stalls with piping-hot coffee. Once you acclimatise to these, I guarantee you
that your trip is going to be a blast.
Despite being a densely populated
city, most people I interacted with in Kochi were calm, warm, and polite when
speaking to me.
The local and official language of
the state is Malayalam, but English and Hindi are widely spoken in restaurants
and touristy places. I communicated with traders at the smaller gift shops in
what I thought were the commonly shared vocabularies between Tamil and
Malayalam. I am pretty sure I did satisfactory job, because when I left with
the purchases, we were both beaming ear to ear.
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| Coffee & Chai onboard. 💗 Anytime. Anywhere 💗 |
Exploring Kochi
Here are some suggestions for
your trip to Kochi.
Fort Kochi
There are lots
of numbers to share, so do bear with me for a bit. This area was originally a
fishing village in precolonial Kerala. The town became as Fort Kochi when it
was granted to the Portuguese in 1503 by the Rajah of Kochi, after the forces
of Afonso de Albuquerque helped him fight the forces of Saamoothiri of
Kozhikode. The Dutch captured Fort Kochi 160 years later. In 1795, the British
took control and remained until 1947.
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| Guess what I am? |
If you have limited time to spend in
Kochi, I highly recommend you visit this area, as you’ll see the various
historical influences here. The entire area can be explored by foot, and it’s
easy to get mesmerised by its charm for hours.
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| We were once grand boilers. Come find me |
St Francis Church
This church is
one of the oldest churches in India. St Francis Church was originally built in
1503 by the Portuguese. Vasco Da Gama, the famous Portuguese explorer, died in
Kochi in 1534 and was originally buried in this church. His remains, however, were
removed to Lisbon 14 years later.
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| Time for history revision |
Mattancherry Palace Museum
Interestingly,
this museum building was built by the Portuguese in 1553. When the Dutch took
control of the state, they made extensive renovations to Mattancherry and called it the
Dutch Palace. The structure of the building is solid wood, built in Nālukettu
style, a traditional Kerala style of architecture.
Today, you can
see Kerala's mythological murals and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.
Photography of the exhibits is not permitted, but I did take some photos of the
fine woodwork. A small fee is charged at the entrance.
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| Mattancherry Palace Museum a.k.a The Dutch Palace |
Chinese Fishing Nets
No trip to
Kochi is complete without having seen the Chinese fishing nets, also known as stationary
lift nets. Just looking at the pictures I took of these famous nets never fails
to calm my nerves.
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| Chinese fishing nets - stationary lift nets |
Chinese
fishing nets were introduced back in the 14th century when Chinese explorers
arrived in India. The nets are fixed-land installations for fishing. More
formally, they’re known as shore-operated lift nets.
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| Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi |
Jew Town
Jew town is in
the old Cochin quarters. Be sure to take a slow walk around and pick up
souvenirs while exploring this beautiful area. Today there are many cafes and
handicraft shops along these old streets.
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| At the Fort Kochi neighbourhood |
When you are here, don't forget to
look out for the Paradesi Synagogue that was built in 1568.
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| Paradesi Synagogue at the old Cochin quarters |
Local Souvenir Hunting
Trust me, you
are not going to be disappointed. I just fell in love with the colours and
charming items offered at a bargain. I’m not usually drawn to shopping, but
this time I couldn't resist picking up a couple of mementos.
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| OMG...look who is shopping in Kochi |
Get a Refreshing Drink
The
temperature can get high, so it's essential to stay hydrated. Here is a
reminder to do so.
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| Stay hydrated...some times it feels hot as an oven 😎 |
Watch a Local Cultural Performance
India is so
rich in traditions and classical dance. Kathakali is a form of Indian
traditional dance that originates from this region. We didn't get to see a
performance, but we're fortunate to see two performers at the hotel where we
stayed at.
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| Kathakali performers |
Sunset at the Harbour
If you have
more time and are spending the night in Kochi, then don't miss an opportunity
to see the glorious Indian sunset by the harbour. It’s simply amazing!
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| Queen of the Arabian Sea |
Over at the
harbour, you can also opt for a sunset cruise through the backwaters, which
will offer views of the marine drive, Chinese fishing nets, and the point where
the Kochi lagoon meets the Arabian sea. I do this every visit, and I am never
disappointed or bored. For me, this is the icing on the cake.
And, what's just as good is to enjoy the sunset with some local coffee or chai, like what I am doing here.
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| Sun set, golden memories |
And, what's just as good is to enjoy the sunset with some local coffee or chai, like what I am doing here.
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| See you soon. 💛 |
This trip was very special. It
was a reunion of friends and I got to be a party crasher. I was reminded that
strong bonds are built and sealed over time. Where we live doesn’t have to
matter. The distance in between nor the seas can truly separate us. I wish this
group many more happy years of good health, prosperity and reunion meet-ups.
Counting Stars, Reaching Delphi.
Wishing everyone good health, happiness, safety and peace.
Stay calm, safe, and healthy
while together we overcome the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Never forget the
days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me
yours.
— Ludwig Van
Beethoven
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| Never forget the days I spent with you |
*** Note : This travel was made made prior to the Covid-19 virus related travel ban.