Kochi & Ernakulam

Kochi Pop: 583,000 Area Code: 0484
Ernakulam Pop: 570,000 

The interesting city of Kochi is a scenic place situated on an island. It is the most visited city in Kerala. It has winding narrow streets lined with 500-year-old Portuguese houses. There is a Jewish community, a 16th century synagogue, India’s oldest church, and a palace built by the Portuguese. The palace contains some of the most impressive murals in India. There are also regular performances of traditional Kathakali dance-drama.

Fort Cochin and Mattancherry have a mixture of houses built in the medieval styles of Portugal, Holland, and England, each of whom ruled Cochin for a period of time. Ernakulam is much more modern. Kochi is one of India’s major shipping ports and it also has a major naval base. Dolphins can be seen while crossing the harbor by ferry.

Orientation
This place consists of the southern peninsula of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry, the mainland city of Ernakulam, and the island of Willingdon between the two. There are also the islands of Bolgatty and Gundu in the harbor. North of Fort Cochin is Vypeen Island. All are linked by ferries. There is a bridge from Ernakulam to Willingdon Island, and another from Willingdon Island to the Fort Cochin/Mattancherry peninsula. Most of the historical sites are in Fort Cochin and

Mattancherry, but there are few accommodations or restaurants there. The main railway and bus stations, along with most of the hotels and restaurants, are in Ernakulam on the mainland. The airport and two high-end hotels are on Willingdon Island.

History
Kochi was a simple fishing village until about 1340, when due to its good harbor, it became a wealthy port. Arab, Portuguese, British, Dutch, and Chinese traders all came. The Portuguese established the first European settlement in India in 1500 in Kochi. The first European fort was built in 1503. The Dutch took control of Kochi in 1663. Kochi prospered under the Dutch as they exported spices, coconuts, and coir (coconut fiber). The British took over Kochi in 1795. Kochi has both a Syrian Christian and a Jewish community.

Information
The Kerala Tourist Development Corporation’s Tourist Reception Centre (353-234), Shanmugham Rd, in Ernakulam, organize harbor cruises and can reserve a room at the Bolgatty Palace Hotel. There is a Kerala Tourism counter at the airport, which is open during flights.
The helpful Government of India Tourist Office (ITDC) (668-352; fax 668-297), next to the Malabar Hotel on Willingdon Island, can provide maps and brochures.

The private Tourist Desk (371-761), at Ernakulam’s main ferry station, has a good free city map and will book tours. The staff is helpful and informative. Outside the Tourist Desk is a board with a list of the area’s cultural events. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

The bi-monthly Hello Cochin and Jaico Time Table have good travel information and include timetables.

Medical Trust Hospital (371-852), MG Rd, in Ernakulam, is one of the best hospitals in the area. Gautham Hospital (223-055), in Fort Cochin, can be used in an emergency.

Guided Tours
The KTDC has daily boat tours to places in Kochi harbor—Fort Cochin (includes St Francis Church), Mattancherry Palace, the Jewish Synagogue, Willingdon Island, the Chinese fishing nets, and Bolgatty Island. The tour departs from the Sealord Boat Jetty near the Tourist Reception Centre at 9 am and returns at 12:30 pm. Another tour is held between 2 to 5:30 pm; Rs 50.
The KTDC Sunset Cruise goes from 5:30 to 7 pm for Rs 35. The cruise starts at the Sealord Boat Jetty and picks up more passengers at the Malabar Hotel/Tourist Office Jetty on Willingdon Island. This cruise is often cancelled, so check in advance.

The Tourist Desk (371-761) near the Ernakulam Jetty operates a three-hour backwater cruise which visits villages and coconut plantations. The cruise begins with a 45-minute bus ride (included in the price) to the boat jetty and three hours on the boat (9 am to 2 pm and 2 to 6:30 pm for Rs 250). It is a good cruise. The KTDC also does a similar tour (8:30 am to 2:30 pm for Rs 300).

Money
The best place to change money efficiently is Thomas Cook, MG Rd, near the Air India Building (Mon to Sat 9:30 am to 6 pm). You can also change money at the State Bank of India in Ernakulam. There is a branch on MG Rd and another opposite the KTDC Tourist Office on Shanmugham Rd. ANZ Grindlays (361-301), MG Rd, also changes money.

Post and Email
The GPO (poste restante) is at Fort Cochin. You can also have mail sent to the main post office in Ernakulam on Hospital Rd, near the main boat jetty, as long as it is addressed to that post office.
You can send and receive email at Raiyaan Communication (351-387; fax 380-052; e-mail: raiyaan@giasmd01.vsnl.net.in), at Raiyaan Complex, Padma Junction, MG Rd, Ernakulam.
Visa Extensions
The Commissioner of Police (360-700), north end of Shanmugham Rd, Ernakulam, can extend visas. Extensions can take up to ten days, and you must leave your passport during this time.

Shopping
Bhavi Books, Convent Rd, Ernakulam, is a good book shop. Higginbothams, Chittoor Rd, Ernakulam, at the junction with Hospital Rd, is a decent bookshop. Idiom, near the synagogue in Mattancherry, has a very good selection of books, both in English and French. Across the street is Incy Bella, which is also a good bookshop.
There are handicraft emporiums on MG Rd, just south of Durbar Hall Rd.

SP & Co, Convent Rd, Ernakulam, is a good camera shop. Krishnan Nair Brothers, Convent Rd, has a good selection of film.

Manua Industries (352-513), Bannerji Rd, Kacheripady Junction, has a good selection of classical musical instruments.

Fort Cochin
Fort Cochin was the first European settlement in India (1500) and the first European fort (1503). The Portuguese Viceroy, Afonso de Albuquerque, built it. The fort no long exists.

St Francis Church (1503) was the first European-built church in India (known as Vasco da Gama Church). Portuguese Franciscan friars built it. Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India by sailing around Africa, died in 1524 in Kochi. He was buried under the floor of the church, but his remains were transferred to Lisbon fourteen years later. His tombstone is still embedded in the floor.

The church was originally wooden, but in the mid-16th century it was rebuilt in stone. Cochin came under Dutch control in 1663 and the church became a Protestant church in 1779. The walls have Dutch memorials on them. After the British occupied Kochi in 1795, the church became Anglican. The Church of South India now runs it.
Open Mon to Fri 9:30 am to 1 pm and 2:30 to 5:30 pm. English services Sun 8 am.

Santa Cruz Basilica This large, interesting church was built in 1902. It has an outstanding pastel-colored interior.

Chinese Fishing Nets  Along the northern shore of Fort Cochin are many large Chinese fishing nets. The nets are suspended and are attractive to look at.

Mattancherry

Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace) was built by the Portuguese in 1557 for Raja Virakeral Varma, the King of Cochin. The Dutch renovated the palace in 1665.

The palace is covered with almost 300 square metres of murals, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishna’s pastimes, and Puranas. These are some of the most impressive murals in all of India. The central hall on the first floor was the Coronation Hall of the Rajas. The ladies bedchamber downstairs has an interesting painting of Krishna with the cowherd girls. It is often locked and you may have to request that it be opened.

There is a Museum here with weapons, clothes, palanquins, furniture and oil paintings of the Cochin Rajas. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 5 pm; free. Photography is not permitted.
The temple in the palace is dedicated to Bhagavati. The two temples south of the palace are dedicated to Vishnu and Siva, and were built by the Portuguese. Only Hindus can enter these temples.

Jewish Pardesi Synagogue
Pardesi refers to “foreign” or “white”. The original building, constructed in 1568, was destroyed by Portuguese bombardments in 1662. It was rebuilt a year later. There is a 19th century oil burning chandelier made of many different colors of glass, and the synagogue has hand-painted, willow-patterned, blue and white 18th century Cantonese tiles from China. There are copper plates, written in ancient script, granting the village of Anjuvannam (near Kodungallur) to Joseph Rabban, a Jewish merchant, by King Bhaskara Ravi Varrman I (962-1020). To view the plates you have to ask the synagogue’s guardians. Near the entrance is a carved Ark house containing the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament). The Ark house has gold crowns on it given by the Maharajas of Cochin and Travancore. There is a stone slab, originally from a synagogue built in Kochangadi in 1344 (it no longer exists) with Hebrew inscriptions written on it on the inner surface of the wall that surrounds the temple.
The people at the synagogue are more than willing to answer any questions about the Jewish community or the temple. The synagogue is open to visitors daily except Saturday and Jewish holidays, 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm. Admission Rs 1.

This synagogue is located in an area known as Jew Town. Many shops in the area still have Jewish names. It is said that the Jews in Kerala go back to the 10th century BC.

It is believed that the first Jewish community was established 30km north of Cochin in 72 AD. Around 500 AD, Jews immigrated in a good number from Iran and Iraq to engage in business and trade. In the 16th century, the Portuguese evicted the Jews and they moved to Cochin, where they were protected by the Raja of Cochin.
Most of the members of the Jewish community either emigrated to Israel in the early 1950s or moved to Mumbai; there are only about twenty members left in Kochi. There is no local rabbi, so the elders are all authorized to carry out religious ceremonies and marriages. There are about 80 Jews in Kerala and about 5,000 in India, most of whom live in Mumbai.

Ernakulam

Parishath Thampuram Museum contains sculptures, 19th century paintings, coins, Mughal paintings, and interesting temple models. It is located in a traditionally designed Keralan building, which was once Durbar Hall. Located on Durbar Hall Rd, the museum is open daily except Mon 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 4:30 pm. Admission free.

Vypeen Island
There are miles of basically empty beaches here. Cherai Beach attracts the most foreigners. There is a lighthouse at Ochanthuruth (open daily 3 to 5 pm) and the early 16th century Palliport Fort (open only on Thurs).

Ferries go between High Court Jetty in Ernakulam to and from Vypeen Island from 5:30 am to 10 pm about every twenty minutes. Ferries also go between Fort Cochin and Vypeen from the ferry landing across from the bus stand.

Dance and Entertainment
At the Cochin Cultural Centre lessons are given in yoga, dance, music, costume making, and other subjects.

At the ENS Kalari Centre (809-810), Kalaripayatu, traditional Keralan martial art is taught. This school is about 9km from the center of the city.

Kathakali Dancing
There are three main places that host performances of Kathakali Dance in Ernakulam. First an explanation of the dances is given explaining the meaning of different facial expressions and hand movements. Then there is a dance performance for about one hour. Admission is usually Rs 50. These performances should be booked in advance, especially during the busy season.

Sree Indian Foundation (369-471), Devan Gurukalam, Kalathiparambil Lane, near the Ernakulam Junction railway station, has an open-air, rooftop performance. P K Devan gives a good explanation of the history of the dance. The makeup application begins at 6 pm and the performance goes from 6:45 to 8 pm. Questions can be asked after the performance.

Cochin Cultural Centre (367-866), Souhardham, Manikath Rd, south of Ernakulam Junction railway station, is an A/C theater which resembles a temple courtyard. Makeup starts at 5:30 pm and the performance is from 6:30 to 8 pm.

Kerala Kathakali Centre, Cochin Aquatic Club, River Rd, Fort Cochin, near the bus stand. Young Kathakali artists do excellent performances here. Putting on makeup starts at 5 pm and the performance is from 6:30 to 7:30pm. Last ferry from Fort Cochin to Ernakulam departs at 9:30 pm.

If the above three places are full you may want to go to the following two places, which are also good.

Art Kerala (336-238), 346 Kannanthodath Lane, Valanjambalam, Ernakulam, has performances at 6 pm.

Kerala Kathakali Kendra (355-003), Bolghatty Palace Hotel on Bolghatty Island, has performances at 6 pm. Makeup at 4 pm.

Near Kochi
The Museum of Kerala History, in Edapally, 10km northeast of Ernakulam, is open daily except Mon 10 am to noon and 2 to 4 pm. Admission Rs 3. Bus #22 goes to Edapally.
Thripunithura

The Hill Palace Museum, in Thripunithura, 12km southeast of Ernakulam, on the way to Chottanikkara, has exhibits of items belonging to the Travancore and Cochin royal families. There are sculptures, weapons, silver filigree jewel boxes, an eighth century Jewish Torah, and many more interesting objects. Open daily except Mon 9 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 4 pm. Admission Rs 2. Buses #51 or #58 go to Thripunithura.

During the main festival (Oct-Nov) at the Shri Purnatrayisa Temple, classical music and dance and Kathakali dance are performed for several days. Mornings and evenings there are processions of fifteen decorated elephants while drums are beaten in unison. During this time non-Hindu, who are not normally allowed in the temple, can enter.

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides