At a glance cochin.jpg (6213 bytes)Area: 87.341 sq.kms. Comprising of mainland Ernakulam. Old Cochin, including Mattancherry, Fort Kochi, Palluruthy, and Thoppumpady, Willingdon Island, the suburbs of Edappally and the exurbia of Kalamassery, Thrikkakara and Kakkanad to the northeast, and Tripunithura to the southeast. About the city Kochi is a lovely seaside city in the state of Kerala. The Western Ghats on the east and the Arabian sea on the West, makes this narrow strip of land bountiful. It is 220 km away from Trivandrum, the state capital, 578 km from Bangalore and 731 km from Chennai. Mattanchery The Mattanchery Dutch Palace was built by the Portuguese as a gift for the local king. But the Dutch repaired it, and the name just stuck. Now a museum, the palace, like many others in Kerala, boasts of a hall full of murals narrating stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. There are also old colonial maps of Kochi and royal memorabilia. The museum is open 10 am to 5 pm everyday except Fridays. The Jew Street of Mattanchery is the only remaining Jewish settlement in India. With its cobbled pathway, neat little shops and houses on either sides, wrinkled old ladies in floral frocks, and men leaning on their canes watching people go by, you get the feeling that time just froze. Fort Kochi A walk through this area takes you through Kochi's history. End it with the stunning sunset spectacle over the Arabian Sea. The last rays of the sun paint the waters shades of gray, orange and red, before the night wipes it all away in a single stroke. Bolgatty Palace On a tiny island, the palace was built by the Dutch and later housed a British resident. The property has been developed into a hotel by Kerala Tourism, complete with a golf course and enchanting tree top like honeymoon cottages. Chinese fishing nets From Vasco Da Gama Square, walk down the short promenade to see these cantilevered fishing nets reeling out catches all through the day. They speak of a rich legacy, handed down generations ever since traders from Kublai Khan's court left them over 600 years ago. Wellingdon Island This island between Ernakulam and Fort Kochi is home to the Southern Naval Command. The island is entirely manmade. It was dredged out of the backwaters and the sea. It is connected to the mainland by the Venduruthy Bridge. The view from the bridge is spectacular. On the Ernakulam side, you can see the tall crane of the Kochi Shipyard, one of the major ship building yards in India and on the island side you can see the Navy vessels. Religious Places Chottanikkara Temple Is a major pilgrim centre, just around 12kms away from the city. Devotees believe that the mother goddess can cure mental disorders. There are buses every 5 minutes to this temple from Kaloor bus stand. St Francis Church Constructed in 1503 by Portuguese Franciscan friars, this is the oldest European-built church in India. It was here that the famous Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was interred for 14 years before being taken back to his homeland. The headstone still talks about this. It is closed to visits on Sundays due to the masses. Santa Cruz Basilica This 16th century Catholic church is still in service. Masses are held every Sunday. Vallarpadam church Situated in the Vallarpadam Island, this church is devoted to the Mother Mary. It is an old church dating back to 1522. Jewish synagogue Originally built in 1568 and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1662, it is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth. Look out for the exquisitely hand-painted blue inlaid floor tiles specially ordered in from China. What makes it more remarkable is the fact that no two tiles are similar. The synagogue is open daily from 10 am to noon, and 3 pm to 5 pm, except Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Festivals In Kochi, the seasons bring a festive cheer. Vishu: Heralds the traditional Malayalee New Year. The hue for the festival is yellow. For Hindus, it is steeped in rituals. They wake up early in the morning and look at the auspicious vision called the Vishu Kani. It is a small arrangement of yellow flowers, gold, a kind of cucumber and all things yellow in a yellow bowl. Then everyone flocks together for the Vishu Kaineetam, the token money, from the elders of the family, which is pocket money for the kids. You get a feeling that the land too is celebrating, for during this season, the kanikkonna trees (cassia trees) lining the roads bloom with bright yellow flowers. Evenings see a burst of crackers lighting up the skies. Onam (August- September): The harvest festival of Onam touches each and every Malayalee across the globe. In Kochi, the major attraction is the festive background set up by two famous temple towns - Thrikkakkara and Tripunithara. The ten days preceding Onam, sees both these towns come alive with all the festive regalia. At Tripunithara, it's Athachamayam which is a ten day run up to Onam, the day when a huge procession is taken out. It was a custom to mark the victory march of the King of Kochi and today it still retains the majestic charm. The caparisoned elephants, folk art forms, floats and musical ensembles form part of the procession. And at Thrikkakkara, the celebrations are steeped in ritual observances. It is also the time when the shopping picks up with a lot of discount sales. The end of December sees the flags being hoisted for the Fort Kochi Carnival. It is a time for unlimited fun and frolic at the beaches. It is also the time when local fairs and temporary stages for performing arts pop up along the Vasco Da Gama Square. Christmas is also special here. Entertainment Catch up on movies There are nine movie halls in a 5-km radius of the city centre. The Sarita, Savitha Sangeetha (Phone: 2366183 ) complex is where to head for Malayalam movies. Sridhar (phone: 2352529) on the marine drive is the place for English and Hindi Movies. The twin theaters of Shenoys and Little Shenoys (phone: 2368891) usually play Malayalam movies. Kerala Fine Arts Society hall Almost every evening, the fine arts hall hosts various cultural programmes like dance and music festivals. Check the local news paper for event listings. Kaashi Art Cafeu> Located at Fort Kochi, the cafes an paradise for art buffs. On display are many paintings by local artists. Check the local newspapers for event listings. Chavara Cultural Centre doubles up as a school of fine arts. There are regular plays and art exhibitions. Check the local newspapers for event listings Kerala is famous for its traditional art form the kathakali, which means the story dance. There are various centres around Fort Kochi and the Chitoor road which performs watered down version of this art form. The normal play is supposed to last the night through! We would rather say it is encapsulated version of the original kathakali. But offers a novice enough insight into the art form. The dressing up called the 'chutti kuthu' takes about 2 hours, and if you are early, you can watch this. Some of the popular centres are the See India Foundation on Chitoor Road, the Art Kerala, on the chitoor road, and the Kerala Kathakali centre near the promenade at Fort Kochi. Do spare two hours and get initiated into this art form. Nightlife Nightlife is still not a fad, and pubbing meets with raised eyebrows. But Coffee Beanz a joint on the Marine drive offers Saturday night outs. Le Meridian and Taj have Saturday night blasts for the young. Must Do, Must See Submit yourself to the famous masseurs and their herbal oils. They will wring, thump, whack, twist and squeeze all the right muscles till you believe you have attained nirvana. All the leading hotel chains (Taj Group, Le Meridian) offer one-off as well as complete Ayurvedic treatments. Kerala Ayurvedha Pharmacy Limited has a treatment centre off MG Road. Kottakal Ayurveda sala, MG Road, in the city centre. Hire a boat and explore the backwaters. The boatman-cum-guide will happily give you short lectures on prawn cultivation, coir making and toddy tapping. Try out the homestays at Kumbalangi Tourist village: Here, you will be treated as a member of the family in a traditional kerala house hold for the entire period of your stay. Local visits to shrimp farms are also on the itenary. Kidding around Veegaland Come winding down the slides and splash into the waters. Get wet at the water games. Veegaland is a much sort after game zone for kids and elders alike. About 10 kms away from the city it sees a heavy rush during holidays and weekends. Subash Park In the heart of the city, kids can play here while you watch the sun disappear into the sea. Hill Palace It used to be the palace of the kings of Kochi, but now it is a museum. The sprawling estate houses a small zoo, and a play area for kids. Dream World Some 35 km away is Dream World, a water theme park that's ideal for summer afternoons. For Adventure Freaks The lakes and the sea beckon. You can hire speedboat and go racing to where the sea meets the lake. You can also hire paddle boats though the legwork can get a bit too tiring. This can be negotiated by talking with the private boat operators at the boat jetty near the GCDA Shopping Complex, on the Marine Drive. There are occasional water skiers in the lake. The Kerala government and other private tour operators do water cruises daily. And it comes in cheap at about Rs 75 per person. The best place to get the boat is at the boat jetty just behind the GCDA Shopping Complex, on the Marine Drive. Like to tee off Head out to the 16-hole golf course at Bolgatty Island. There is an old pony to keep the kids engaged while you play it out. Fishing here is an experience which cannot be forgotten. And we are not speaking of casting the hook and waiting, and waiting and waiting. We are speaking of coaxing friendly fishermen to let you fish with the Chinese fishing nets silhouetting the shoreline. It works on a complex system of weights and counterweights, but the fishermen let you haul up the nets and even offer to cook the catch for a nominal price. Nature enthusiasts should definitely head out to Athirappally and Vazhachal waterfalls, about 35 km from Kochi city proper. How to reach Road: The government-run Kerala State Road Transport terminus is very near the Ernakulam Junction Railway station. You can get buses to all cities in Kerala from here. Private buses and long-distance luxury buses to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa and other cities in India operate out of Kaloor Bus Station. Rail: So you have decided to come to Kochi. But here, you will find yourself facing a small problem. The reservation counter at the railway station may say, sorry, we do not have trains to such a place. Do not feel lost, tell that that you need to go to Ernakulam. Kochi, is part of Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala, the God's Own Country. The city boasts of three railway stations: Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction stations cater to the passenger needs where as the Harbour terminus has been degraded to a container terminus. There are regular trains to all parts of Kerala in addition to long distance trains to Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Air: The Kochi International Airport at Nedumbassery is about 30 km from the city and has daily flights to the Middle East and Singapore. Domestic flights to Bangalore, Chennai, Calicut, Trivandrum, New Delhi, Mumbai take off on a daily basis from here. The airport is built in keeping with the traditional temple architecture of Kerala. It gives a feeling that you are really in God's Own Country. Water: Cruise ships to Singapore operate out of Kochi. Ships to Lakshadweep sail out of the port twice a week. Getting Around: Buses run by the state transport department and private operators are the cheapest, but not too high on comfort. Three-wheeled auto -rickshaws are the local favourite. Charges are per hour or per kilometer. Taxis and rental cars are good options. Distances 25 km from Kodungaloor 190 km from Thekkady 65 km from Alleppey Best Seasons Being situated very close to the sea, Cochin-Kochi has a moderate climate, with heavy rains during June-August due to the southwest monsoon. Winter starts from December and continues till February. In summer, the temperature rises to a maximum of 35°C and 25°C in the winters. Annual average rainfall is 310 cm. Places in and around Mattancherry The Dutch Palace at Mattancherry is renowned for its wall murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana. Fort Kochi, though now in ruins, contains many remains of Indo-European architecture. Cochin-Kochi, Cochin-Kochi Travel, Tourist attractions in Cochin-Kochi, Weekend trips from Cochin-Kochi Excursions, Events in Cochin-Kochi, Festivals in Cochin-Kochi The European have left random imprints in Fort Cochin. The massive buttresses, which are so conspicuous a feature of the place, were put up by the British to protect the houses that had been shaken by the force of an explosion that blew up the cathedral of Santa Cruz. In fact, they themselves had bombarded the church fearing a possible restoration of Dutch supremacy in Cochin. In spite of it all, the Santa Cruz Basilica still stands in a spirit of sturdy resistance. St. Francis' Church, The chief landmark though is St. Francis' Church, built in the early 16th century. It is the pride of Fort Cochin. The most magnificent pageant enacted here was the burial of Vasco da Gama in 1526. Nevertheless, it was to be a temporary resting place for this "armed interloper," as after sixteen years later, his son Pedro da Silva Gama took away the mortal remains of his father back to Portugal. St. Francis' Church is the oldest existing European church in India. From this choir, for the first time in India, resounded the sonorous chants of Rome. The church began life as a wooden structure built by the five friars who accompanied the Portuguese to Cochin in 1503. The Franciscans, followers of St. Francis Xavier who visited Cochin in the early 16th century, raised the present edifice. The most enduring impression of Fort Cochin is the enigma of the Chinese fishing nets. Like totems from another age stranded in time, they perch along the backwaters. Curious clumsy things with no bright counterfeit graces. The Chinese fishing nets are the most efficient means of backwater fishing and Font Cochin is full of them. Cochin-Kochi, Cochin-Kochi Travel, Tourist attractions in Cochin-Kochi, Weekend trips from Cochin-Kochi Excursions, Events in Cochin-Kochi, Festivals in Cochin-Kochi The Dutch palace at Mattancherry was actually built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin ruler Vira Kerala Varma in 1555 as an act of expiation for the plunder and desecration of a temple near the Raja's palace by a hot-headed young Portuguese officer