Yatra to kochi

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Yatra to Kochi, Kerala, IndiaA Travelogue Trip to Kochi, Kerala, India A chance visit to historical city of Kerala, India, Now Kochi, once that was famous Port city of Cochin, vied for by European powersPortuguese and Dutch then landed in hands of British. This has impacted the city, culture, Architecture, Psyche, and thinking process

By Gaurang Katyayan Mishra @kamlesm

When I came to know that I have to go to Kochi to attend a workshop, I was very excited. Since childhood, I have heard a lot about Cochin. It was INS Cochin which I heard first that too from my father. He was in Indian Navy.

It was a historical place. The Portuguese and Dutch people landed here centuries ago i.e. about 14th century. Portuguese had occupied it for about 160 years. In 1683 the Dutch caught this area and ruled for 112 years, later it became a British colony. That was the time all the colonial powers were eyeing for our India. They were all dreaming of looting immense wealth. They had heard about this land through travellers and thought to occupy it and make it their slave. Thus European countries wanted to become wealthy just by looting this land. Now they are wealthy countries, if I may say so, they have become so after taking away wealth of our countries- those who were their colonies.

I mean it was a historical PORT CITY, since people landed here coming by sea route. The name lingered. When we went on LTC tour in 1976 that time we could not see much of that part of Keral.

I searched in google. I came to know there are so many words. Kochi, Cochin. Kozhikode etc., I was confused, as to which Airport I should select for ticket? since the name of my destination was Kochi, I took ticket for Kochi. In kochi itself there were two airports, thanx to the google earth.

Other was naval area. Why they renamed it as Kochi instead of Cochin?

On reaching I tried to get the feel of air of Kochi. It was a busy city, bustling with lot of activities. It is growing with high pace. Infrastructural projects are on rise. The ride from airport to the city is bit long, but adventurous, as I felt. So much greenery around, but it was being occupied by concrete. Few new roads and high rise buildings are coming up. So it was different from image of a historical city, it is now a commercial city. I saw few aquaculture fieldswhere prawns, shrimps are cultured(?).

These were low lying fields lined by high mud bunds & symbol of Keral-coconut trees @kamlesm all around the field.

At airport I saw lots

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of newly wedded couples disembarking from many private airlines. Thus it is becoming as a tourist spot also, mostly as a honeymoon spot. In my flight few fellow passengers were wearing black cloths. Small kids were also there.

Later I learnt that they were visiting Sabarimala. That means if I am correct it is en-route to a pilgrimage.

We were put in Abad hotel. Abad means “well settled�. Road seemed busy during evening & night. It has cinema halls, eatery, many shops- garments, utility, electronics, utensils, medicines and most prominently jewellery shops.

Towards one end there was an Ayurveda clinic, I think of kotakal warrior connection??.

I was desperate to see the sea as my father told about his navy days. I was thinking to see palaces, temples or fort or any such historical thing. Which, I came to know through reading books.

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Walking in street in evening I found these were busy. We reached at a place from where many boats were leaving for various destinations. I had read that Keral is country of backwater, thus I

could easily guess people traveling through sea route also. This picture of a board tells distances of various places from that jetty. At first I could not believe that people may be visiting to such far off places as Kolam. But his board tells that it was 155 Km from Kochi Or Astamudi which was 147 Km and people may be visiting?

Since it was a workshop organised by a Ministry. People from all over country came to attend workshop.

A boat was there to carry whole team. We boarded the boat.

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While walking at jetty, I got sight of a tall statue. It looked very much pleasing to me.

I thought this as a pious soul, may be the Mother Mary. Only that name I knew?. It looks as if saying “keep marching ahead and do your duty”. I clicked few photos of this tall statue. The famous words “Ekla chalo” came to mind. See how the Bengali words came to mind while I was in Keral.

At jetty there was a big shopping complex.

On one side was this jetty and other side was a busy road. By now I came to know @kamlesm that city has quite a deep influence of Christianity. Almost on every road you can find either church like signs, or structures, or some church affiliated school or hospitals etc. another influence is that people speak English. Keral is one of the state having highest literacy rates in country.

Signs of modernity were evident through these high rise buildings. I could see lot of experimentation also in architecture. I have observed that in cities people do not get influenced by religious aspects while choosing a flat in multi-storeyed buildings. @kamlesm See that building in pic here have houses in inclined slope. They might be projecting these apartments as having sun light or separate terrace. On that road there were many multi-storeyed buildings. I had always dreamt of sleeping in terrace under open sky… always.

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moonlight….dreams

With so many people living there then there must be some attraction in it? As our boat started moving more symbols of developments came in sight.

There was this huge flyover. It takes people from one shore to

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another. There were many such bridges at multilevel.

A succesfull Port should have good connectivity. That can be achieved through big roads, for cargo movement.

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When boat reached further little inside the sea I saw some resort like structures along the shore.

Since it is a Port City it has floating population, either for commercial activity or tourist. The green and big shoreline offers great opportunity for such tourism related endeavours. Kochi is making full use of its potential. @kamlesm

But we cannot say full, but yes it is bubbling with such activities, as I saw. With global exposure it is now becoming a global hub of activities.

Recently it was famous for a controversy on Art activist related activity (Biennale of arts).

Many Boats full of people started emerging on both sides of sea creek.

The guide accompanying our team pointed towards a large structure having several high cranes, stacked containers, few ships being loaded with those containers and few were being unloaded, and He said that this is the largest container port in India? Our boat travelled past that ship container port. On the other side at far end many

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ships were there. The boat slightly took a turn towards left and at that point I could see one of the largest Naval ship. It was there for repairs. In that area many big or small ships were sailing. Many of them were of Navy, coast guard etc.

On One boat LOTS Bridge was written on the body. Was it for making bridge

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across sea channel.

Suddenly on the right side I saw a beautiful @kamlesm boat. That was truly a boat. It must be a tourist boat. It was in kind of round shape. It had eco-friendly material. Bamboo thatched mats. It was a fine example of why tourists are attracted to Kerala.

They always dream to have a boat ride in the back water.

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On the way there were other boats in the sea, shipping, fishing & tourist?

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We travelled towards a place called the Mattanchery. This word sounded like mutton to me. The place is famous in history of Keral. The Dutch connection was evident.

When the boat enters a canal, on left side I saw naval ships lining on the port side and on the right side there were many houses. Each of these building was with architecture of old type. I guessed may be that is

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influence of Dutch. Designs of old type of inclined and sloping roofs are there. This indicates @kamlesm @kamlesm

the heavy rains in that area.

We reached the jetty of Mattancherry. Few steps ahead just in front was a gate. This was gate of that very historical place for

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which it is famous, the mattanchery palace. Most interesting story behind it is that it was build by Dutch.

This branch of royals had conection to the Travancore royal palace.

When I reached the palace gate I found this board stating that it is a archeological museum. Most sad part was that camera was not allowed inside it. @kamlesm

Much of the thrill was lost since I was dreaming to click lots of pictures from inside of palace. As palace life always is of interest to me.

Inside the palace there were photographs of royal family. No one can imagine the way royal ladies lived or dressed till you see yourself.

There were large mural paintings in palace and I think these are best example of Indian art heritage. Few exhibits were also there, a palanquin was there. Large painting of Martand Varma or other royal kings are displayed. I was surprised to see the Coronation hall. It was so narrow that I thought how a crowd of people could stand in it. I was sweating, it was so hot inside. Once you are inside the palace you loose the time and space, you become a part of palace and I started imagining living in that era? Sitting in front of window of palace, looking out in the garden, how one could have felt in past centuries?

Palace with its beautifull murals, aura, design kindles lots of imagination in me

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I found this faรงade above the gate very interesting. Was it really built by Dutch? The GajLakshmi adorns the gate. This shows how religious practice and belief were followed all throughout India? The Gaj Lakshmi is known to everyone from Jammu to Kanyakumari and from @kamlesm Assam to Gujrat. The intricate wood carving is very beautifully done. It must have required great patience to make such carving.

There is a courtyard around the palace that houses a shiv temple. It is surprising to note that on other side of the wall of palace there is a Jew synagogue in the famous jew street. The royal highness had given the land to Jews to build synagogue.

After coming out of the palace on the right hand side from the gate leads a road to main bazar. It is a total commercial street. Everything is now being sold on this street, From Handicraft to stone sculptors. @kamlesm

Eatery is also there, few I found selling the pickles, organic bottled ones.

One restaurant was unique, I tried to see and found that it was eating places but from the street it looked like a museum where all the antique pieces of arts were exhibited.

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There was a big boat, big tub, big horse, big elephant and big human sculptors. I could not afford any of such works, so I could not gather strength to step inside that shop.

I thought them as out of bound for me.

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I

tried to restrain myselfSwamaryada

I wanted to memorise whatever my eyes were catching glimpses of.

All that was so precious, I felt, as if my touch will make it dirty. My eyes were amazed with this grand show of wealth.

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At the end of this bazar is Jew Street, which is the earliest settlement of Jews in India. Here lived Jew families who settled here centuries ago in 1500AD. But few years back they migrated to other parts of world.

Few even returned to their land-Israel.

I heard One old lady still lived there. I was @kamlesm eager to see her. But when I reached this street, it was already noontime. At this house two people a woman and a man stopped me, and told she is taking rest. Thus my dream to meet her was shattered. I saw the room and found few embroidered cloths were decorated here and there. It was sad that whole of Jew street is devoid of Jew families. In All houses I saw Non-Jew people.

Either they must have purchased or taken on hire?? But strangely, Whole Street still sells the embroidery works. At the end of street one Synagogue is there that was built in 1567? Raja gave the land. The wall is common to the palace, temple. Camera and shoes are not allowed inside. So I could not click photos. I went there as an Indian ( read as so called a Hindu). It was so mystic inside. In one room several photos, items are on display. Gift of royalties, religious art facts, script I could not read. There were few pardesi people managing the place, this is also referred to as Pardesi synagogue.

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Few pics I have taken On the way from Mattanchery to Fort Kochi..

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Such big and majestic buildings lined the banks of that sea creek.

While our boat travelled I could see lots of such old buildings, guessed that all those might have been built during those Portuguese, Dutch rule. @kamlesm

Through the creek or canal our boat returned back and on the way again I met with few people fishing on their log boats. They just looked like a big log of tree but boys were riding on it as if they are expert rider on horse.

We disembarked on a place from there we walked further. That was the way to Fort Kochi. I was imagining about a fort as we see in Rajasthan.

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I found this display. This was Vasco-da Gama Square. It kindled imagination. I was standing on the ground @kamlesm where once Vasco-da-Gama landed in India. Lived here and was buried here.

St Francis Xavier reached Kochi in 1530 and introduced Christian mission. Is it same who is referred in Goa also? I thought?

St Francis Church housing the TOMB of VASCO DA GAMA. Vasco da Gama was not the first, Admiral Cabral arrived in 1500. During the fights

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with Zamorin of Calicut Portuguese then sent D Gama. He fought and took over the control in 1503 and Since then Portuguese ruled.

Later I think his remains were taken away to his homeland in 1539? As the guide told.

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Life at the beach was full of colors. I just felt that whole beach is dependent on this fishing. I saw huge nets, boats, drying fish, fishermen everywhere.

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Gaurang Katyan Mishra

I still have doubt why these nets are called Chinese nets? Why they are not Indian?

Now days it has become fashion to call

everything as unIndian. As if we in India had nothing before the advent of the Europeans? All wrong things are being propagated. I had an argument with the guide. He pointed towards a fan of cloth hanging in ceiling and said these were brought by Portuguese. I said you are wrong, even such type of fans were hanging in my grandfather’s house in Hardoi, UP. So do you think is it due to Dutch/Portuguese that he had these type of fans in UP? Here is what I got from wiki??

King Unni Goda Varma Tirumulpadu(Trimumpara Raja) warmly welcomed Pedro Ă lvares Cabral on 24 December 1500 and negotiated a treaty of alliance between

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Portugal and the Cochin kingdom, directed against the Zamorin of Calicut. Goda means the eldest son of Rani thus this word is added in name. Since virtually the cochin at that time was under control of Zamorin of Calicut and they wanted to get free from his control. Cochin became a long-time Portuguese protectorate (1503– 1663) providing assistance against native overlords. After the Portuguese, the Dutch East India Company(1663–1795) followed by the English East India Company (1795– 1858, confirmed on 6 May 1809), protected the Cochin state.

Cochin was probably first kingdom to sign any treaty with any European power.

Oldest or the first fort built by Portuguese was at Fort Kochi may be 1503. First it was built by wood later it was made permanent with stone etc. Royal King provided all the help such as material and men. Then somehow after approx. 160 years of Portuguese rule few members of Cochin family got help from Dutch. Dutch got hold of the fort Kochi and ruled till the British came. There were times when it was attacked by Mysore, Hyder Ali etc also. Portuguese traded spices from this Port City. Earlier a city kodungalur was famous as port city but there was no mention of Kochi.

A flood in 1341 destroyed Koungalore and nearby city Kochi got into prominence.

Ma Huan Chinese travelor mentioned it and in 1440 an Italian travelor Nicolo Da Conti came here and mentioned it or that means first time anywhere Kochi was found written? Those times it was famous Port city for International trade with Chinese, Yavanas (Roman & Greeks), Arabs, Jews. Thus for centuries it traded spices etc?

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People and people everywhere on the beach at FORT KOCHI, busy with fishing activity.

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Fishermen or rather fisher women had put few stalls for selling the fishes on Fort Kochi Beach.

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See these majestic fishing nets. Could not resist clicking

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At Fort Kochi there was usual gathering of people as we find at any tourist place in India.

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There are few shops of ice creams, fast food, soft drinks, tea. But most amazing thing I found that street vendors selling handicraft items like jewellery, few bags, embroidery items etc similar to what we find on the Janpath at New Delhi. Those women wearing the dress have GujratiRajasthani motifs. Many were there selling the beads, cloths etc on the road side. I was surprised to see those women there at Fort Kochi, so cut off place but full of tourists. Surprised with the imagination as what those women selling crafts of Saurastra at Fort Kochi as I seen many doing at Janpath New Delhi? I have no answer to this interesting aspect of Tourism related economic activity. And why a tourist at Fort Kochi will be interested to buy a craft of Saurastra??

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Gaurang Katyan Mishra

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Everything is written here, so needless to say anything now

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It was a jetty from where all boats leave and people boarded It was on the way between mattan chery and fort kochi. And may be some other routes also, as this was very busy jetty. @ kamlesm

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Many things are left, which I wanted to write. But since time is less and I have no patience now.

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Gaurang Katyan Mishra

On the street of ABaD hotel, in front of a shop I saw this pond.

I think it was some cloth shop? they had decorated the front portion of shop with most creative design.

It was in shape of Sea Shell and had beautifull fishes. I thought how they are protected in night?

There was a guard

outside Kochi is a famous and busy buiseness HUB. Enjoy your visit to Kochi. I bought a pack of Banana chips from Airport.

I could have bought it from the street behind the Hotel but resisted. However at Airport I thought to buy as a souvenir @ kamlesm

Gaurang Katyan Mishra

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