Cochin Information
Cochin
consists of mainland Ernakulam, the islands of Willington, Bolgatty
and Gundu in the harbour, 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. The oldest church in India,
500-year-old Portugese 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 this harbour town.
The harbour is still at the heart of the city 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
troppical Malabar coast. Cochin is one of India's largest ports and
a major naval base.
Climate of Cochin
Being situated very close to the sea, Kochi has a moderate climate.
Heavy showers are experienced during the months June,July and August
due to the South-West Monsoon. The North-East Monsoon brings light
rainfall during the months September, October, November and
December. December to February is pretty cool. The annual rainfall
is about 310 cm . In summer the temperature rises to a maximum of 35
ºC while in winter it is around 25 ºC.
Reaching Cochin
Cochin By Air
International flights are operated from and to the Cochin
International Airport (Tel: 2610087/2610115), located 25 kms
northeast of the city at Nedumbassery. Destinations include Abu
Dhabi, Bahrain, Dhahran, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Muscat, Singapore and
Sharjah. Domestic flight services are operated by Indian Airlines
and Jet Airways. Air-India and Indian Airlines are the national
carriers. Foreign carriers operating from here are Emirates, Kuwait
Airways, Oman Airways and Silk Air.
Cochin By Train
Cochin is connected to various parts of the country by the Indian
Railways, the largest railway system in Asia. Trains are accessible
from Ernakulam Junction (General Enquiry - Tel: 131, Reservation
Confirmation / Availability - Tel: 1361 / 1362 / 1363, Reservation
Office: Enquiry - Tel: 132; Timings : 8 am to 8 pm, Sundays till 2
pm), Ernakulam Town (Tel: 2395198), and Cochin Harbour Terminus
(Tel: 2666050) railway stations.
Cochin By Bus
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation operates shuttle,
long-distance, and interstate express and super fast services from
the KSRTC bus station (Tel: 2372033). Also available from here are
interstate services of the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu State Transport
Corporations. Cochin is well connected by national highways with the
rest of the country. These are NH 17 (Ernakulam - Mumbai), NH 47
(Kanyakumari - Salem), and NH 49 ( Cochin - Madurai).
The Myriad Attractions of Cochin
Backwaters of Cochin
More popular as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi is a cluster of
islands on the vast expanse of the Vembanad Lake. Some of these
picturesque islands are Bolgatty, Vypeen, Gundu and Vallarpadam. The
lake opens out into the Arabian Sea here to form one of the finest
natural harbours in the world. It is this natural advantage that has
made Lochi a fascinating blend of the cultures and influences of
explorers and traders who visited this wealthy land. Boat cruises
from Kochi harbor to Willingdon Island, Mattancherry Place, the
Jewish Synagogue, Fort Kochi and Bolgatty Island. Sunset cruise. 3
hour backwater village cruises which include visits to coir villages
and coconut plantations.
Cochin Boat Rides
The Cochin Boat rides allow you to soak in the real beauty of
Cochin which lies in its backwaters extending east and south from
the harbour dotted with tiny islands formed naturally by alluvial
deposits from the rivers. The most beautiful of all the islands is
Bolghatty built by the Dutch. The sunset with the Chinese fishing
nets in the background can be seen while you enjoy your boat-ride.
St Francis Church
It is the oldest church built by European in India. On his 3rd
visit to Kerala, Vasco da Gama, the Portugese 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 the exact place where he was buried has
been marked out inside the church.
The Jewish synagogue
At the heart of what is locally called the Jew Town lies the
synagogue of the white Jews near Mattancherry palace. The synagogue
is now a fascinating mixture of shops, warehouses and spice auction
rooms. The Great Scrolls of the Old Testament and the Copper Plates
recording the grants of privilege made by the Cochin rulers to the
Jewish community are displayed here.
Willingdon Island
Willingdon Island, in the middle of Cochin harbour, is a British
legacy, created by Lord Bristow when he dredged the seabed to secure
the city’s future as an international port.
Santa Cruz Basilica
The Santa Cruz Basilica was built by the Portuguese and was later
elevated to a Cathedral by the Pope Paul IV in 1558. It escaped the
destruction by the Dutch conqueror in 1663 but was later demolished
by the British when they took over Cochin in 1795. There was no
church on the site for almost 100 years until Bishop Dom Gomez
Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. It was consecrated in
1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II
in 1984.
Shopping in Cochin
The items are of immense beauty for the simple reason that
Keralities are gifted artisans. Among Kochi's best buy are
metalware, camel-bone carvings, wood carvings, articles made of
coconut shels, baboo cane, embroidered screwpine mats; grass mats;
and several other types of handicrafts. Kochi also has several
antique dealers. Jewellery, readymade garments, and ethnic
hand-woven textiles follow closely. The major shopping centres are
on M.G.Road which cuts across the heart of the city, and the Marine
Drive including Broadway. Shops open at 10 a.m. and close around 8
p.m. Generally all shops remain close on Sundays.
Cherai (Beach)
This lovely beach bordering Vypeen island is ideal for swimming.
Dolphins are occasionally seen here. A typical Kerala village with
paddy fields and coconut groves nearby is an added attraction of
this beach.
Vypeen island (21 km from the city) is a major centre for commerce.
The island which is connected to the main land by a bridge is more
easily accessible by boat. The ferry ride over the backwaters takes
just 30 minutes.
Koder House
Koder House, this magnificent building is a supreme example of the
transition from colonial to Indo-European architecture. Features
like verandah seats at the entrance, floor tiles set in a chess
board pattern, red coloured brick like facade, carved wood furniture
and a wooden bridge connecting to a separate structure across the
street are all unique to this bungalow.
Chinese fishing Nets
These huge cantilevered fishing nets are the legacy of one of the
first visitors to the malabar coast. Erected here between 1350 and
1450 ad by Traders from the court of kublai khan, these nets are st
up on teak wood and bamboo poles. The best place to watch the nets
being lowered into the sea and catch being brought in is the vasco
da gama square, a narrow promenade that runs along the beach.
Dutch Palace
The Dutch palace at Mattancherry was actually built by the
Portuguese and presented to the Cochin Raja in AD 1555. The palace
acquired its present name in 1663 when the Dutch carried out some
extensions and repairs in it. The main attractions of the palace lie
in its wall murals that depict the scenes from the Ramayana.
Excursions From Cochin
Kalady
45 km from Cochin. Once a remote village in Kochi, Kerala, Kalady
the birth place of Adi Sankaracharya, the great Indian philosopher
of the 8th century AD is now a famous pilgrim centre. He propounded
the philosophy of Advaita. Adi Sankaracharya was born here in 788,
as the only son of Sivaguru and Aryamba, a Kerala Brahmin couple.
At the age of 16 he completed his studies of the Vedas. There are
two shrines in memory of Adi Sankaracharya. One dedicated to him as
Dakshinamoorthi and the other to the goddess Sharada maintained by
Sringeri Mutt.
Malayatoor
47 km from Cochin. Malayatoor is famous for its Catholic church
atop the Malayatoor Hills (dedicated to St. Thomas) whichis at an
elevation of over 600 metres. The annual pilgrimage in March-April
is very popular and thousands undertake the arduous climb to the
hills. St Thomas, apostle of Jesus, is believed to have prayed at
this shrine.
Guruvayoor
100 km from Cochin. Sriman Narayana in his form as Krishna is
enshrined in Guruvayur, a shrine that is believed to cure all
incurable diseases and is thronged by devotees round the year.
Situated about 30 km. from Trichur, South Malabar, Guruvayur is a
simple structure as compared to many other temples of India but
nonetheless has its own charm about it. The name Guruvayur is
derived from Guru, Brihaspati, who is the revered preceptor of Devas
and Vayu, Wind.
Alwaye Palace
On the banks of River Periyar stands imposing Alwaye.Palace
ruminating over a past, long and eventful. One of the finest palaces
in the state with beautiful circular verandahs overlooking the
river. Now being used as Alwaye Guest House.
Periyar Wildlife Santuary
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary at Thekkady in Kerala, is one of the
16 Project Tiger Reserves in India. About a century ago, a British
engineer, Col. J. Pennycuick, chalked out a plan to dam the Periyar
River, subsequently, a dam was constructed in 1895. This resulted in
the adjoining forests being granted protection, by the Maharaja of
Travancore. The 55 sq km reservoir and the surrounding forests,
provide protection to the animals within. Today, Periyar is
undeniably, one of the most impressive wildlife sanctuaries in the
world.
The terrain is basically hilly, and the only flat areas of the
sanctuary are the grasslands, at the edges of the lakes. Impregnable
forests and open grasslands make for a sustaining environment, for
both the carnivore and herbivore population of the reserve.
Fairs and Festivals
The Kodikuthu festival takes place at the mosque in
December-January. For the fun seekers Cochin the beautiful Cherai
Beach is an ideal retreat. Swimming is the best thing to do and
there are chances of you spotting dolphins here too. Near by is a
classic village of Kerala with paddy fields and coconut groves.
