Ernakulam

Ernakulam, the commercial capital of Kerala, served by an international airport, fine communication facilities, excellent accommodation, modern amenities and a lot of attractive tourist places gives a breathtaking experience for its visitors and settlers. The district took its form on 1st April 1958, by carving out the areas of erstwhile Travancore, Kochi & Malabar kingdoms. The word Ernakulam was derived from a Tamil word 'Erayanarkulam' which means 'Lord Shiva's abode'.

The commercial capital of Kerala and the most cosmopolitan of Kerala’s cities, Cochin is a fascinating blend of cultures. From time immemorial, it has been the favorite destination of globe-trotters and explorers. Blessed by one of the finest natural harbors in the world, Cochin has been eulogised as the Queen of the Arabian Sea.

In and around Cochin are several cities of monumental value, but step into Fort Cochin, and you are in a totally different world. The Chinese fishing nets, the Jewish Synagogue, the Dutch palace, the Portuguese and British Architecture, all finely blend with the rich heritage of the land, intricately woven folklore and fact. With an international airport, an international sea port and a busy network of road and rail transport, the city is well connected to the rest of the world. You can either board a bus or hire a three-wheeled auto rickshaw. If you prefer the ferry, the trip begins either from the Main Boat Jetty or the Terminus Jetty near Willington Island.

Places Of Interest

MATTANCHERRY PALACE

It is also known as Dutch Palace, built by the Portuguese and presented to the Raja of Kochi in 1555 A.D. It acquired the present name after 1663 when the Dutch carried out extensions and repairs in the palace. It is interesting to note that at no time did the Portuguese or Dutch actually stay here. Its interiors are decorated with murals from the Ramayana and there are some lively displays of royal costumes and palanquins.

Timings: 1000 hrs to 1700 hrs. Closed on Fridays and national holidays.

JEWISH SYNAGOGUE

Situated In MATTANCHERRY the Synagogue was built in 1568 AD. The Great Scrolls of the Old Testament, the copper plates in which the grants of privilege made by the Kochi rulers were recorded and the exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles are of interest.

Timing: 1000 hrs to 1200 hrs and 1500 hrs to 1700 hrs. Closed on Saturdays and Jewish Holidays.

ST. FRANCIS CHURCH

Located at Fort Kochi this Protestant church was originally built by the Portuguese in 1510 AD and is believed to be the oldest church built by the Europeans in India. lt is here the remains of the inveterate traveler, Vasco da Gama were initially buried and 14 years later, his mortal remains were taken to Portugal .

SANTA CRUZ BASILICA CHURCH

Fort Kochi The Roman Catholic Church situated close to St. Francis Church and is worth visiting. Some beautiful paintings can be seen here.

ST. FRANCIS ASSISI CHURCH

St.Francis Assissi church popularly knows as Naduvileppalli,the most beautiful and old church in Ernakulam city, the blend of Portuguese and Kerala style of architecture.The unique feature churche's roof is that the entire hyper bolic para bloid shell roof rests only on the centre pillars on the either sides.It has completed 179th year existence....Hundreds of people come here at odd times to sit in the quiteness of the church to commune with god.

CHINESE FISHING NETS

Fort Kochi- The Chinese Fishing nets that line the sea-front and exhibit a mechanical method of catching fish by local fishermen in Fort Kochi. Said to have been brought from China by traders of Kubala Khan's Court, they are used at high tide.

BOLGHATTY PALACE

Bolghatty Palace is situated in Bolghatty Island a narrow palm-fringed Island easily accessible from the mainland. The Palace was built by the Dutch in 1744. Later, it became the seat of the British Resident and today this has been converted into a hotel run by the KTDC.

VALLARPADAM CHURCH

The Basilica of Our Lady of Vallarpadam adds another landmark to its growing reputation with the completion of 20 stations that will depict the 20 mysteries of the rosary. The 20 stations will features the mysteries that are celebrated by Catholics all over the world. These include the Joyous Glorious, Sorrowful Mysteries and the Mysteries of Light that were added to the original by Pope John Paul II. The Vallarpadam Church, which was already a national pilgrim centre, was raised to the status of a Basilica on the basis of a request submitted by Archbishop Daniel Acharuparampil of Varappuzha in December 2003.The Vallarpadam church was bestowed a special status by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. In 1951, it was declared a pilgrim centre.

HILL PALACE MUSEUM (Tripunithura-682301 Tel: 781113)

Hill Palace Museum is situated 12 km away from Eranakulam on the Eranakulam Chottanikkara route.Different types of sculptures, collection of rare coins,old weapons, manuscripts in ancient scripts and collection from Kochi Royal Family are exhibited here. Tourist may also visit the Deer Park situated there. Horse riding facility is also available. The Parishith Thampuran Musueum situated at the Durbar Hall Ground together with its collection were transferred to Hill Palace Museum in 1997.

Timings: 9:00 hrs to 12:30 hrs and 14:00 hrs to 16:30 hrs. Closed on Mondays & National holidays. Admission : Rs. 10/- per adult; Rs. 5/- per child. Camera Rs. 20/- Video Camera Rs. 1000/- for photography.

WILLINGDON ISLAND

A man-made island created from the material dredged while deeping Kochi Port. Situated between the main land Emakulam and the old town Mattancherry and separated by the backwaters. Willingdon Island is an important part of Kochi. The Govt. of India Tourist Office, the Southern Naval Command Headquarters, the Seaport, Naval Airport, Railway terminus, Customs House, Kochi Port Office etc are all located in this island.

MUSEUM OF KERALA HISTORY (Edappally, Kochi - 682024 Tel: 558296)

Situated at Edappally 10 km on the National Highway from Eranakulam on the Alwaye route. Presents one hour light and sound spectacles of life-size sculptures in concrete, of the makers of Kerala history, together with the background music and commentary with glimpses of the vastness and diversity of Kerala's history over the centuries.

Timings: 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30 12:00, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00 15:30, 16:00

Closed on Mondays and Public holidays.

Admission: Rs. 5/- per adult and Rs.2/- per child/student upto 12 years Rs.2.50

M. N. F. GALLERY OF PAINTINGS & SCULPTURES

The centre for Visual Arts and Gallery Paintings & Sculptures is situated at Edappally about l0km from Emakulam and located next to Museum of Kerala History. It houses about two hundred original paintings of recognized Indian masters, both contemporary and of the past. There is also a large collection of modern sculptures in marble, bronze, granite etc.

Timings: 10:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs. Admission: Rs.5- per adult and Rs. 3- per child/student.

Mangalavanam-" The green lung of Kochi city"

The ecologically sensitive Magalavanam is safely tucked away behind the Ernakulam High Court. This evergreen forest land in the heart of Kochi is a green oasis for many migratory birds as a nesting ground. Visitors to Mangalavanam are captivated by the sheer variety of migratory birds that have nested atop the huge trees.

Get a little closer and the birds fly away, leaving behind the eggs and newborns at the mercy of crows and kites. These birds are sensitive to the presence of human beings.

Mangalavanam is the only existing green lung in Kochi city, offering a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds and supporting many varieties of mangroves. As a source of oxygen, the rare eco-system in the heart of Kochi city, Mangalavanam has been keeping pollution under check. Thus, it supports to become rich resource for eco-tourism.

CHITRAM ART GALLERY (Kochi - Tel: 351295)

Opposite Air India, M. G. Road, Eranakulam Exhibit regularly collection of paintings.

 KUMBALANGHI - ALL SET TO REACH OUT TO INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS Some time in August, Kumbalanghi, the first model village in the country, will play host to 80- odd high-end tourists from the United States. This visit is expected to cement the position of this village, on the city suburbs, as a much sought after tourist destination in the state.

The tourist group will arrive in the luxury liner, Pacific Princess, and will spend a whole day in Kumbalanghi. "We have been taking small groups, but this is the first time a group this big is being taken there. Our effort has always been to promote Kumbalanghi as a typical Kerala village," said Mr. Unni Menon, branch manager of Travel Corporation of India who will be doing the ground handling for the cruise liner.

Hospitality

Even while the tourist flow increased during the last couple of seasons, the village had not advanced much with respect to hospitality extended to high-end tourists. There is at present only one quality resort that can cater to high-end tourists, who may not be keen on home stays.

Kumbalanghi now has around 10 home stays. The village panchayat and tourism coordination committee are encouraging residents to convert more homes to receive tourists.Foreign tourists mostly prefer houses with water frontage. So we have been getting enquiries from many such residents in the village. We issue forms through the District Tourism Promotion Council and guide them how to go about it. Once it is ready, the place will be listed in the tourism department's website, said Mr. M.P. Sivadathan, panchayat president.

As part of the model tourism project, around 100 families in the village will be trained on traditional cuisine. The home stays will be the main window through which this will be popularized.

Training Sessions

Already, training sessions on country boats, hand -carved cot and art forms like thiruvathirakkali and kaikottikkali are common in the village. Another one being planned for Chavuttunadakom the traditional theatre art of the land.Equipping the local public in preserving their culture and showcasing it are important components of the model - tourism project that is being funded jointly by Union and State governments and United Nations Development programmes.

Generating Income

The tourism project has been successful in generating income for local people. A batch of women, who were trained in making artifacts such as baskets, got an order from outside the state for materials worth 5 lakhs.On the infrastructure side, the construction of a park at the entrance of the village will begin by the end of this month. The park, which will come up on either side of the main road will occupy around one acre and is expected to cost 40 lakhs The first phase of the work, costing 25 lakhs will begin soon. The park will have food courts for traditional cuisine, playground for children and parking space for vehicles coming to the village.

Fort Kochi

THE MELTING POT OF CULTURES

The commercial capital of Kerala and the most cosmopolitan of Kerala’s cities, Cochin is a fascinating blend of cultures. From time immemorial, it has been the favorite destination of globe-trotters and explorers. Blessed by one of the finest natural harbors in the world, Cochin has been eulogised as the Queen of the Arabian Sea.

In and around Cochin are several cities of monumental value, but step into Fort Cochin, and you are in a totally different world. The Chinese fishing nets, the Jewish Synagogue, the Dutch palace, the Portuguese and British Architecture, all finely blend with the rich heritage of the land, intricately woven folklore and fact.

Reaching Fort Cochin

With an international airport, an international sea port and a busy network of road and rail transport, the city is well connected to the rest of the world.You can either board a bus or hire a three-wheeled auto rickshaw. If you prefer the ferry, the trip begins either from the Main Boat Jetty or the Terminus Jetty near Willington Island.

Walking through Fort Cochin

Walking through this old Portuguese settlement at a leisurely pace, will take you up to an hour and a half. The most pleasant time for the walk is between 9 am and 12 noon or between 3 pm and 6 pm. The most ideally suited attire in this sub tropical country is cottons and soft walking shoes or thong. A wide-brimmed straw hat is of great help on a sunny day.

Fort Cochin. Where time stands still

"If China is where you make your money, then Cochin is surely the place to spend it."

When Nicolas Conti, the legendary Italian traveler said this, Cochin was flourishing in trade as one of the most desirable destinations approachable by sea. And Fort Cochin, once an obscure fishing hamlet, found itself at the hub of all this bustling activity. It was soon to be the first European township in trade as one of the most glorious cities in its history.

Fort Cochin probably has the best preserved history of colonial times and the ideal way to bring it alive is to take a walk down its old colonial roads, with its tree-lined avenues and quaint little lands and beside the seashores – where magnificent Chinese fishing nets sketch a spectacular skyline. It is believed that Chinese travelers during the reign of Kubla Khan had introduced this art of Chinese fishing to Cochin.

In AD 1341, a cataclysmic flood threw open the estuary at Cochin. Thanks to the strange ways of nature, out of this land-locked area was born one of the finest natural harbors of the east. This in turn paving the way for a deluge of seafaring visitors, from the Arabs to the Chinese and later, from the Portuguese to the British. The features of the latter ones characterize the façade of Fort Cochin, to a great extent.

The Portuguese

Walking through Fort Cochin will transport you back to the last years of the 15th century. When the adventurous Vasco da Gamma and valiant Cabral let their religions to this land lured by the fabulous riches of Malabar Coast and established flourishing trade relations.

In 1553 with the permission of Maharaja of Cochin, Fort Immanuel , the first European Fort in India was constructed here. Within its vast confines, the Portuguese built houses, Churches and other buildings while generously contributing to the indigenous cultural fabric, the standard of which still endures.

The Dutch Designs

While traveling down the streets of Fort Cochin, the Dutch influence is profound, they laid out most of the town in its present form. In doing this, they cut down the Fort to about a third of its original extent, when they wrested it from the Portuguese in AD 1663. During the Dutch era, Fort Cochin climbed the heights of fame as a rich commercial center, major military base, an illustrious cultural hub, a noted ship building yard and an age old center of Christianity.

The British

The last side of colonial regime seen at the Fort Cochin are those of British, who took over the town in 1795.After those glorious years it was then relegated to the role of an administrative outpost. Yet, the spices and tea trade kept it in the lime light. In many of the Bungalows here, you will notice the grandeur of European Villa; evidence of distinct strain of Indo/European Architecture that matured mostly in this period.

Detours into the past

After the enlightening walk through Fort Cochin, and if ones curiosity is still asking for more, walk on for the Jewish settlements of Mattancherry is just 20 minutes away. The Dutch Palace and the Jewish Synagogue, that are over 400 years old, are places where you can treat be immersed in the glorious past of this land.

Chinese Fishing Nets/Vasco da Gamma Square

These huge cantilevered fishing nets are the legacy of one of the first visitors to Malabar Coast. Erected here between 1350 and 1450 AD by traders from the Court of Kubla khan, these nets are set up on teak wood and bamboo poles. The best place to watch the net being lowered into the sea and catch being brought in is Vasco da Gamma square, a narrow promenade that runs along along the Beach. The square is an ideal place to idle with stalls serving fresh delicious sea food and tender coconuts.

Pierce Leslie Bungalow

This charming Mansion was the office of Pierce Leslie & Co., coffee merchants, founded in 1862. A representative of Fort Cochin Colonial Bungalow, this building reflects Portuguese, Dutch and local influences. Characteristic features are wood panels that form the roof of ground floor, arched doorways, carved doors and sprawling rooms. Water front verandas are always an added attraction to such house.

Old Harbor House

This house that was once a boat house and built in 1808 is the possession of Carrit Moran & Co. renowned Tea brokers, who now use it as their residence.

Koder House

This magnificent building constructed by Samuel. S. Koder of the Cochin Electric Company in 1808 is a supreme example of transition from colonial to Indo-European Architecture. Features like Veranda Seats at the entrance, floor tiles set in a chess board pattern, red colored brick like façade, carved wood furniture and a wooden bridge connecting to separate structure across the street are unique to this Bungalow.

Delta Study

Once a warehouse, this heritage Bungalow built in 1808 is presently a high school with the same name.

Santa Cruz Basilica

This historic Church was built by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. In 1795 it fell into the hands of the British when they took over Cochin, and was demolished.

In 1887 Bishop Dom Gomes Ferreira commissioned a new building at the same site. The Church has since been proclaimed a Basilica in 1984 by Pope John Paul II.

Loafer’s Corner/ Princess Street

One of the earliest streets to be constructed in Fort Cochin, Princess Street with its European style residences still retain its world charm. The best view of this quaint street can be had from loafer’s corner. The traditional meeting place and hangout of the jovial locals of this area.

Vasco House

Believed to have been the residence of Vasco da Gamma, this is one of the oldest Portuguese residence of Fort Cochin. Built in the early 16th century Vasco House sports the typical European glass paned windows and Balcony cum Verandas characteristic of the times.

VOC Gate

The large wooden gate facing the parade ground with monogram (VOC) of the once mighty Dutch East India Company carved on it was built in 1740.

Parade Ground

The colonists conducted their military parades and drills. The building around the ground housed their defense establishments. Today, the largest open ground in Fort Cochin, the parade ground is a sports arena.

The United Club

One of the four elite clubs of British Cochin, the United Club today serves two roles- as a class room for the nearby St. Francis Primary School by day and card room for the current listed members by evening. Until 1907 the building housed the offices of Fort Cochin Municipality.

The Bishop’s House

Built in 1506 as the residence of the Portuguese Governor, the Bishop’s House stands on a little hillock near Parade Ground. The façade of the house is characterized by large Gothic Arches and has a circular garden path winding up to the main entrance. The building was acquired by Dome Jos Gomes Ferreira, the 27th Bishop of the Diocese of Cochin whose jurisdiction extended over Burma, Malaya and Ceylon in addition to India. A powerful man for his time.

Fort Immanuel

This bastion of the Portuguese in Cochin was a symbol of the strategic alliance between the Maharajah of Cochin and the Monarch of Portugal, after whom it was named. Built in 1503, the fort was reinforced in 1538. By 1806 the Dutch, and later the British, had destroyed most of the fort walls and its bastions. Today, remains of this once imposing structure can be seen along the beach.

The Dutch Cemetery 

The tomb stones here are the most authentic record of the hundreds of Europeans who left their homeland on a mission to expand their colonial empires and changed the course of history of this land. The cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and is today managed by the Church of South India.

Thakur House

This graceful building holds within itself a reflection of the colonial era. The Bungalow was built on the site of the Gelderland Bastion, one of the seven Bastions of the old Dutch fort. Earlier known as Kunal or Hill Bungalow, it was home to the managers of the National Bank of India during the British reign. Today, the Bungalow belongs to Ram Bahadur Thakur and Co., the renowned Tea Trading firm.

David Hall

Though built around 1695 by the Dutch East India Company, David Hall gets its name from one of its later occupants, David Koder, a Jewish business man. The Hall was originally associated with Hendrik Adriaan van Reed tot Drake stein, renowned Dutch commander better known for his 'Hortus Malavaricus', a pioneering compilation of the flora of the Malabar coast.

The Cochin Club

The club, with its impressive library and a collection of sporting trophies, is housed in a beautifully landscaped park. In the early 1900s when the club had just become operational admission was restricted to the British. Today, though the club retains its traditional English ambience, its rules are more liberal and the membership of 250 includes women as well. Strangely enough, alcohol is not served on the premises.

St. Francis Church

Built in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan Friars, this is India’s oldest European Church. This was initially built of timber and later reconstructed in stone masonry. It was restored in 1779 by the Protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican Church by the British in 1795 and is at present governed by the Church of South India. Vasco da Gamma was buried here in 1524 before his remains were moved to Lisbon, Portugal. The tombstone can still be seen in the premises.

Bastion Bungalow

Built in the Indo-European style way back in 1667, the Bungalow gets its name from its location on the site of the Stromsburg Bastion of the old Dutch fort. The building blends beautifully into the circular structure of the bastion, has a tiled roof and a typical first floor verandah in wood along its front portion. Though it has been said that a network of secret tunnels runs beneath the Bungalow, none have been found. Today, the Bungalow is the official residence of the Sub Collector.