KOCHI – The Pleasures and Treasures of an Ancient Port Town

The Pleasures and Treasures of an Ancient Port Town

About 25 km north of Kochi on the legendary Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the fabled port of Muziris once straddled the ancient spice route on the seas from the first century BC. However, Muziris’ loss was ultimately Kochi’s gain when a cataclysmic shift in the Periyar River basin in 1341, resulting in a colossal flood, served as a death knell for Muziris which vanished without trace.

As revealed by Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, authored by Pliny, the Elder, it would take about 14 days to sail to Muziris from the ports located along the Red Sea. With Muziris having vanished, traders of yore were forced to quickly look for an alternative to protect their investment in bringing spices and gems to the Western world. Kochi was blessed by that same natural event as it created a natural harbour here.  This act of Nature was pivotal in changing the fortunes of Kochi, transforming it into a major port, a virtual melting pot of trade, commerce and culture shaped by the Arabs, Chinese, Jews, Romans, Portuguese, and the Dutch. Italian traveller Nicolas Conti in his travelogue was to observe quite succinctly that: “China is where you make your money, then Cochin is surely the place to spend it.” Because of its predominance in the pepper trade, along with that of Calicut (Kozhikode), medieval Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta spoke of Cochin (Kochi) as an important port city and market from as early as the 14th century.

A peep through the porthole

It might interest history buffs to learn that a chance rainstorm in the tiny township of Pattanam on the Malabar coast revealed traces of the lost port of Muziris 1.5km away. Amongst the finds recovered since 2005 were Roman coins, beads, pottery, ornaments and even a canoe. This has led to a wide interest in digging deeper into these surrounds to find greater archaeological evidence to pinpoint the location of the Indo-Roman port of Muziris. Speculation is rife that Pattanam itself could be the remnants of the lost port! Sadly, it’s a long haul still to uncover the bulk of the lost archaeological remains of this historic port. The Muziris Heritage Project is one of the biggest conservation projects in the country today.

Political Chess

The Kingdom of Cochin was a part of the extensive medieval-era Chera Empire whose tentacles were spread over vast tracts of South India including modern-day Kerala, with Thiruvanjikulam (near present-day Kodungallur in Thrissur district) as its capital. As the Chera empire started falling apart four major Swarūpams, self-formed/ independent ruling houses which controlled the regional territories, emerged in Kerala—these were), the Perumpadappu Swarūpam (Kochi), Kolaswarūpam Swarūpam (Kannur), the Nediyirippu Swarūpam (Kozhikode, and the Venadu Swarūpam (Travancore).

Over time the original local rulers of Kochi were reined in by the Zamorin of Calicut. The Portuguese, having been kicked out by the Zamorin of Calicut, and alive to the nuances of the volatile relationship between the rulers of Cochin and Calicut, came and settled in Cochin.

Pedro Álvares Cabral the Portuguese navigator established the first European settlement on Indian soil at Cochin in 1500. When the Portuguese quit Cochin, on came the Dutch in 1663, actively interfering in the local political feuds of the Cochin royals. Dutch control over the Kingdom of Cochin lasted till the death of Sakthan Thampuran in 1805. Brisk trade was conducted with shiploads carrying off not just pepper, but also cardamom, and other spices, well as coir, coconut, and copra.

Cochin then slipped into the hands of the British as a Protectorate. It stayed under British rule from 1814 till 1947 when India became independent. Kerala state was created by bringing together the provinces of Kochi, Malabar and Travancore in 1956.

Cultural Kaleidoscope

Spurred on by its colourful lineage as an eminent port dominating the Malabar international sea trade Kochi as a magnet for merchants from Europe, West Asia and China, thrives apace on its rich and varied cultural offerings that are a delight for the visitor.

A walking tour around Fort Kochi unravels many vignettes of its colourful past.  Vasco House was once home to the legendary Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama. At the Parade Ground let your camera do the talking while picking up scenes of locals playing cricket, football or baseball. By the shoreline where the iconic Chinese fishing nets vie for your attention, join a fishing boat heading to sea, or marvel over the frenetic action at the local fish auction of the fresh catch of the day.

Of immense importance and interest is the plethora of architectural diversity illustrated by Dutch, Portuguese and English structures scattered across mainland Ernakulam. A must-visit is the famous Kochi International Pepper Exchange where fortunes have been made since ancient times. Built by the Dutch in 1744 Bolghatty Palace offers beautiful views of the bay. It was to later serve as the dwelling place of the British Resident in the days of the Raj. It’s now run as a hotel.  

Willingdon Island, developed under the British became an important naval base. Today this frenetic commercial hub embraces the Cochin Port, the Naval Airport and the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. Bristling with trading and commercial setups it offers good hotels, and a well-served railhead.

The mid-16^th century Portuguese Mattancherry Palace built around a central courtyard and filled with rich nuances of its historic past is well worth a dekko. You should make a point to explore the cultural splendour of the heritage zone of the Mattancherry and Fort Kochi area. Home to 39 distinct communities it will blow you away that this small area is a linguistic paradise of 17 different languages spoken here. The fantastic variety of culinary temptations must be sampled to enjoy an even more immersive experience in this historic setting

An unmissable diversion is the uncovering of Kochi’s unique cafe art culture which opens up many conversations on art, history, heritage — and all things Kochi, over cups of coffee and tea. Discover how the art scene in Kochi has led to a mushrooming of cafes in the city—which in turn has unleashed a concerted effort to preserve the architectural heritage of Fort Kochi. Check out the over three-century-old spice warehouse which has been restored and reimagined as a cafe and an art showcase spot, which is bustling with high energy.

About 10km further away from Eranakulam at Thripunithura lies the sprawling Hill Palace spread over about 52 acres. The palace, the last seat of power of Cochin’s royal family, is a mass of structures, the oldest one amongst these believed to date back to the times of Raja Ravi Verma who ruled between 1853 and 1864. The royal abode from the days of the early rulers of Cochin has served as a museum since the 1970s. This archaeological museum features 15 galleries of some heft with contributions from the royals of Travancore and Kochi itself. This is the state’s largest archaeological and heritage museum, with plenty of room for several museums as well as a Deer Park, Prehistoric Park, and Children’s Park. The 1993 Malayali blockbuster Manichitrathazhu was filmed in the palace grounds in 1993.

Syncretic Spiritual Hub

Christianity came early to the shores of Kerala. St Thomas, of Christ’s ‘doubting Thomas’ fame, arrived here in the 1^st century CE. The locals who were influenced by the saint came to be known as Syrian Christians. Visitors are happy to enjoy a ‘culture through food’ experience while sampling traditional Syrian Christian culinary favourites such as mappas, stew, molee, Kozhi Pidi Chicken Curry, pidi, the rice flour dumplings cooked along with the chicken and Kuzhalappam, which is inspired by Sicily’s cannoli.

In the centre of Jew Town lies the Paradesi Synagogue. The first Jewish settlers in Kerala arrived at Kodungallur in the 1^st century CE. Kochi’s Jewish community was divided into two groups—the Black or Malabari Jews, said to be descendants of the original settlers, and the White (Paradesi) Jews, who arrived from the Middle East.

Enclosed within the historic Fort Kochi is the Portuguese-built 16th-century St Francis Church. It served as a temporary resting place for Vasco De Gama’s remains before they were returned, 14 years later, to Portugal.

Backwater Banquet

Kochi is an excellent base for exploring Kerala’s renowned backwaters, but has other charms aplenty in this water world landscape to hold the interest of the globetrotting visitor. A backwater cruise on a small country boat can be lots of fun as the big houseboats can’t navigate the narrower canals. This a great way to observe the local life by the waterline up close and personal. Stakeholders in this unique backwater ecosystem are boatmen, the coconut climbers/toddy tappers, the local guides, and the family with whom you might end up enjoying a meal cooked in a village home.

You can even opt for a cycling tour by the backwaters stopping by fishing villages, joining a local for a fishing boat ride and even a meal at a local home. There are outfitters aplenty who can customise a tour and help transform your backwaters experience into something infinitely richer and culturally rewarding.

ACCOMMODATION

Kochi has a vast selection of stay options, from 5-star hotels to guesthouses to match all budgets.

ACCESS

Air: Cochin International Airport, lies at Nedumbassery 18 km away from the city. It offers excellent domestic and international airlinks. Local transport into the city is readily available.

Rail: Ernakulam Railway Station offers good connections with major metros and cities in India

Road: Kochi has a range of well-primed bus services to major cities like Mumbai, Mangalore, Bangalore, Chennai, Kozhikode and Goa. The state-run KSRTC services include: Superfast, Express, and Garuda Hi-Tech to various destinations.