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| COCHIN
(KOCHI) INDIA - PAST AND PRESENT |
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Cochin (Kochi)
India consists of mainland Ernakulam, the islands of Willington,
Bolgatty and Gundu in the harbor, Fort Cochin and Mattancherry
on the southern peninsula, and Vypeen Island north of Fort Cochin,
all linked by ferry.
The influence
of Chinese, Jews, Arabs and Europeans is evident in Cochin and
its people. Cochin hosts the oldest church in India, 500-year-old
Portuguese houses, old tiled houses built in the Chinese pagoda
style, the famous Chinese fishing nets, a Jewish community whose
roots go back to the Diaspora, synagogues and mosques all tell
the fascinating story of Cohin as a harbor town.
The harbor is still at the heart of Cochin and pepper, sea food,
rubber and coir are exported from here. Despite this, Cochin is
an attractive city with serene back-waters, lagoons overhung with
feathery coconut palms and picturesque islands.
The older parts of Fort Cochin and Mattanchery are an unlikely
blend of medieval Portugal, Holland and an English country village
grafted onto the tropical Malabar coast. Cochin is one of India's
largest ports and a major naval base.
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| WHAT
TO SEE IN COCHIN (KOCHI) |
Bolghatty
Palace - Once a mansion of the British Resident and now a hotel,
is in palm fringed Bolghatty Island
Mattancherry Palace - The palace (Dutch Palace) was built
by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to the Cochin Raja, Veera
Kerala Varma. The Dutch renovated it after 1663, and hence the palace
has another name, 'Dutch Palace'.
The most important feature of Mattanchery Palace is the murals in
the bedchambers and other rooms, which depict scenes from the Ramayana,
Mahabharata and Puranic legends connected with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna,
Kumara and Durga. These murals are some of the most beautiful and
extensive, and are one of the wonders of India.
The Shiva temple in Ettumanur ( near Kottayam) has similar murals.
Jewish Synagogue - Constructed in 1568, this is the oldest
synagogue in the Commonwealth. A stone slab from Kochangadi synagogue
(built in 1344, and has then disappeared), inscribed in Hebrew,
can be found on the inner surface of the wall.The synagogue has
hand-painted, willow pattern floor tiles brought from China.
St. Francis Church - Built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan
friars, this is India's oldest European-built church. The original
structure was wood, but was rebuilt in stone in mid-16th century.
Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India, died in Cochin
in 1524 and was buried here for 14 years before his remains were
transferred to Portugal. The tombstone still stands in Cochin.
Cochins' Famous Chinese Fishing Nets - Lined along the sea-front,
these fishing nets exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish,
introduced by Chinese traders from the court of Kublai Khan. These
nets are also seen along the backwaters between Cochin (Kochi) and
Kottayam, and between Alleppey (Alappuzha) and Quilon (Kollam).
They are mainly used at high tide.
Parishath Thampuran Museum - Housed in what was previously
Durbar Hall, constructed in traditional Kerala style, the museum
contains collections of 19th century oil paintings, old coins, sculptures
and Mughul paintings and exhibits from the Cochin Royal family. |
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