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Cochin, India,
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Like most cities in India, Kochi has a very long and illustrious history.
But, the origin of the name is still shrouded in mystery. Many theories
exist, but none are strong enough to be conclusive. Some historians
believe that Kochi is a modified form of the word 'Cochazhi' which in
Malayalam means 'small sea'. Others are of the opinion that 'Kochi' was
named so by the Chinese. According to them, traders from the court of the
Chinese ruler Kublai Khan, gave Kochi the name of their homeland. The
peculiar Chinese fishing nets found here, the only place outside China
where it has been spotted, can possibly be attributed to the heavy Chinese
influence the city has had in the past. Still another theory is that Kochi
is derived from the word 'Kaci' meaning 'harbour'.
Chinese Fishing Nets, Fort Kochi
The chinese fishing nets (Cheenavala) are distinctly unique to Cochin. It
is believed that traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan
introduced these nets here. Oddly, these nets are found only in Kochi,
outside China! Many fishermen earn their livelihood by fishing using these
massive nets. A whole stretch of the coast along Fort Kochi and Vypeen are
dotted with these nets.
Fort Kochi beach
A stroll along the beach, particularly at sunset with the chinese fishing
nets and sailing ships in the background, is a memorable experience. Many
European style bungalows can be seen along the shoreline. The coastal
stretch has loads of small stalls, which make on demand mouth-watering
traditional cuisines using freshly caught fish.
St. Francis Church, Fort Kochi
It is the oldest church built by Europeans in India. On his 3rd visit to
Kerala, Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese trader who reached India from Europe
by sea, fell ill and died in Kochi. He was buried in the St. Francis
Church. Later his remains were taken back to Portugal. In spite of that,
his burial spot inside the church has been clearly marked out.
Hill Palace, Tripunithura
Built in the 19th century by the Raja of Kochi, this palace served as the
seat of the Raja of the Kochi province. The palace has been converted into
a museum displaying a fine collection of articles showing the wealth and splendour of the Rajas of Kochi, including the thone and the crown. The
musuem also houses a large collection of archaeological findings. Hill
Palace is located 16km east of Cochin in Tripunithura, a satellite town of
Cochin.
Parikshith Thampuran Museum
This Rajas of Cochin used to conduct their durbars in this impressive
building located within the Durbar Hall grounds. It was later converted to
a museum which has a treasure trove of archaeological findings and relics
including old coins, sculptures, oil paintings and murals. The building
has been taken over by the Kerala Lalitha Kala Academy and now houses the
Gallery of Contemporary Art. All the exhibits of the museum have been
moved to the Hill Palace museum.
Willingdon Island
This man-made island was created in 1933 by sand dredged while deepening
the backwaters for the Cochin Port, under the direction of Sir Robert
Bristow. A while back the Airport, Sea port and the railway terminus
(Cochin Harbour Terminus) were situated on this island. Today, it is the
home of the Cochin Port and the headquarters of the Sourthern Naval
Command. The airport continues to be the naval air station, while the main
airport has been moved to Nedumbassery, 30kms north-east of Cochin. Most
of the trains now terminate at Ernakulam Junction instead of Cochin
Harbour Terminus.
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