A Day In Cochin
Explore the city in a day with Anamaria Asurdoaei
As soon as you land in Cochin, or Kochi as some call it, you find yourself in an India totally different from what we are used to seeing on TV. Cochin is a major port city in the Indian state of Kerala. People here are free spirited and enjoy a stress-free lifestyle.
You have two options on how to go about your time in Kochi; either you go with the flow, or you waste months planning things when in actual nothing would go according to the plan. Let’s face it, when things are spontaneous and catch us by surprise, the sense of adventure is stronger.
I personally chose the first option and hired a tuk tuk so I could explore the city in the most authentic way possible. One thing you must know as a foreigner to the country is that you must bring your best negotiation skills along.
Starting my adventure about 36km away from the city, I couldn’t help but feel the freshness of the air. I went straight to the Mattancherry Palace and Museum that was built in 1555 by the Portuguese for the Raja of Kochi.
As soon as you enter through the old-fashioned gate, you come across fruit sellers, selling slices of pineapples, leaving you refreshed.
The palace looks more like a mansion or an old-fashioned villa, a quadrangular structure built in Nalukettu style, the traditional architecture of Kerala. Here you pay an entrance fee of five Rupees, but you are not allowed to use cameras inside. A mystical feeling captures you as you step into the well preserved rooms through small wooden doors that send you back in time.
One thing that makes you enjoy the palace is the fact that the rooms are not festooned with too much art or antiques. It’s just enough to get your attention and wonder how things were in that era. You can see a collection of art, royal regalia and exhibits, but it is the murals that make the entire trip worth it. The warm coloured murals depict religious scenes from Hindu art.
Also impressive are the portraits of the Rajas of Cochin, from 1864 onwards, painted by local artists in a western style. The details are so precise that it makes you believe that the Rajas are looking right through you. The colours used and the way the eyes are painted makes them more absorbing.
After that short tour, your next stop would be to do some shopping on Princess Street, which is one of the oldest streets in Fort Kochi. The prices here are usually marked up but you can also find some of the best quality of souvenirs, specially made for tourists who want to grab a good trinket to remember the journey by. Another thing that you must be careful of is that the drivers have connections with all the shops or get a certain commission; hence you might be taken to the most overpriced shops by your tuk tuk guide. You must negotiate, and if they see a genuine interest from your end, they are willing to bring the price down.
Once shopping is over, you can visit the St. Francis Church in Fort Kochi, which is one of the oldest European churches in India. Originally built in 1503, it has a great historical significance as a voiceless witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, died in 1524 and his remains were entombed in the church. His body was removed and sent back to Lisbon after fourteen years.
Another fact is that Cochin hosts the largest religions in one place. A church, a mosque, a Jewish temple and a Hindu temple at a very short walking distance from each other is a sight to behold. People live in peace and happiness, something that the entire world could learn from.
If the heat is getting to you, your next stop should be Vasco da Gama Square, a small park with an opening by the sea. Here, you can grab some street food and fresh coconut water and continue on your trip energised. People visit this place to shoot movies, make short reality shows, dance or do wedding photography.
You will particularly love how the fishermen masterly catch fresh fish by the sea. Once you pick your catch, you can have it cooked in front of you at the Tree House Restaurant which is similar to an improvised house made of reed. Here you will see pots of different spices that flavour the food. It may not be easy to sit around the restaurant because of the pungent smell of the sea food and spices, but I strongly recommend it because the food tastes simply delicious.
Another interesting thing to do at da Gama Square while waiting for the ferry to take you across the river is to watch the sunset. You can see the Chinese fishing nets while the sun gets ready to turn out and let the moon watch over, as they call it, “God’s own country.”
