Mattancherry, Fort Kochi trip

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ Saint Augustine

A spectacular island on the banks of Arabian Sea- Kochi,which adds flavour to a wanderers life with a perfect mixture of history,faith,modern life,international trades through Sea and so on.

We started our journey from Pathanamthitta district around 4 am to Kochi by Bus.Reached Vyttila hub, Kochi around 8 am.From there we boarded the Kochi metro to Maharaja's junction.Had a delicious breakfast from nearby restaurant.Food was average,puri masala and filter coffee. After breakfast we crossed the road and reached Marine Drive.

Then enjoyed a short trip in boat near Marine Drive,which covers Places like Goshree bridge side,Bolgatty palace and Vypin island side,where small islands inhabits nests for migratory birds.Boat ride costs 100 rs per person. After one hour ride we headed towards Public ferry service station to reach Fort Kochi.We reached Fort Kochi within 15 mins.

Harbour area was quite crowded with markets for fresh fishes,Oysters,crabs and shrimps..Huge container ships were anchored on shore.Big Chinese fishing nets, Steam boilers (of the cranes used in Cochin dry dock for 20 years from 1956. It used coke, coal, and firewood as fuels. Notable use of these cranes included attending annual repairs of dredger Lord Willingdon and Lady Willingdon),Gunnary At Fort Emmanuel,Shipping Anchor etc. were on the shore depicts a smaller portion of a vast history of Kochi kingdom.

We hired an auto rickshaw from Fort Kochi to Mattancherry, hardly 2.5km away. Got down near Jews town,an amazing street antique shops, Synagogue and Jews cremation ground,old Jews bungalows etc. Before the entrance to Jew street ,there stands an awesome architectural Beauty named Dutch PalaceThe Mattancherry Palace or The Mattancherry Palace ,which was built by Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi. The palace is one of the finest examples of the Kerala style of architecture interspersed with colonial influences.

The Dutch palace has a fascinating collection of mural paintings and anitque royal regalia including furniture and weapons.The palace is a two-storeyed structure, built in traditional Kerala naalukettu (quadrangular) model with four separate wings opening into a central courtyard. While the central courtyard houses a temple of the royal deity Pazhayannur Bhagavathi, the two other temples situated on either side of the palace are dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva.

Outside, the palace looks simple, but elegant with the white walls on the front and the sloping roof. Long and spacious halls, arches etc are another characteristics of the palace. The ground floor harbours the ladies room with a staircase to the kanithalam room. The square shaped Coronation hall, royal bed chamber, dining hall, assembly hall and the staircase room are situated on the upstairs.

It took almost 2 hours inside the Palace.After that we visited Jew Town,Synagogue and antique shops. Photography is denied inside the Synagogue.Even though the walk through the Jews town was amazing and delightful where the breeze carries the fragrance of perfumes from nearby shops. Jews Town,the oldest settlement of Jews in India, with roots that are claimed to date back to the time of King Solomon.

Our one day trip to the Fort Kochi and Mattancherry is still as fresh as the fragrance of perfumes in the wind.A journey well blended with history, nature,emotional and sentimental pasts of a community-The Jews.

From there ,we headed towards Kayees Rahmatulla Cafe famous for mouth watering mutton biriyani,it's on Gujarat road,residential area of people from Gujarat especially Jains.Historically, Jains from Kutch & Saurastra used to come to Cochin, Kozhikode and Alleppey for business. This temple was built in 1904 CE by Hirubhai Jivraj Dhanji constructed this temple in memory of her husband Jivraj Dhanji.Then visited the church and area where The Coonan Cross Oath took place,( also known as the Great Oath of Bent Cross, the Leaning Cross Oath or the Oath of the Slanting Cross, taken on 3 January 1653 in Mattancherry, was a public avowal by members of the Saint Thomas Christians of the Malabar region in India, that they would not submit to the Jesuits and Latin Catholic hierarchy, nor accept Portuguese dominance).

Then visited St.Francis Church,which is almost 2.9km away from Jews Town.

History has it that Vasco da Gama died during his third visit to India in 1524. Thereafter he was buried inside the St. Francis Church, but after 14 years, his body was moved to Lisbon and now located at Jerónimos Monastery.Church has graves of many Dutch and Portuguese members.

Saint Francis Church, in Fort Kochi, originally built in 1503, is one of the oldest European churches in India.and has great historical significance as a witness to the European colonial ambitions in the subcontinent.A ground near the church is the place to celebrate great Cochin Carnivals during the last week of December till January 1st to welcome New Year with entertainment.

Thus we winded up our one day trip with history,nature's beauty ,sea breeze and handful of antiques and awesome food.