Kerala Holidays - Cochin


Kochi formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala.
Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the eastern part of the mainland Kochi. The civic body that governs the city is the Corporation of Cochin, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority and the Goshree Islands Development Authority.
The city of Kochi (pop. 601,574) is Kerala's largest city and is part of an extended metropolitan region (pop. 2.1 million), which is the largest urban agglomeration in Kerala. It is the most densely populated city in the state. Kochi city is also a part ofGreater Cochin region and is classified as a B-1 grade city by the Government of India, making it the highest graded city in the state. Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala. Kochi has been ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine.
The city lies about 220 kilometres (137 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, and about 180 kilometres (112 mi) south of Kozhikode, the third largest city in Kerala. Heralded as the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese Empire in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in India. It remained the main seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state.

Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, andKochi.The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin as Kogin which is seen in the seal of the synagoguewhich is still owned by the community. The origin of the name "Kochi" is thought to be from the Malayalam word kochu azhi, meaning 'small lagoon'. Yet another theory is that Kochi is derived from the word Kaci meaning 'harbour'. Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti (15th century), and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi, named after the river connecting the backwaters to the sea. After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to a closer anglicisation of its original Malayalam name, Kochi, in 1996. However, it is still widely referred to as Cochin, with the city corporation retaining its name as Corporation of Cochin.

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at 9°58′N 76°13′E, spanning an area of 94.88 square kilometres (36.63 sq mi). The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, and to the east is the urbanized region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.
The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, the suburbs of Edapally, Kalamassery and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad Lake. Most of these islands are very small, varying in extent from six square kilometre to less than a square kilometre (1,500 to less than 250 acres).
Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium, teri's, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters.
Predominant rock types found here are Archaean-basic dykes, Charnockites and Gneisses. An ecologically sensitive area, the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in the central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds.

Air

The air gateway to Kochi is the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) located at Nedumbassery, which is about 25 km (16 mi) north of Kochi city, and handles both domestic and international flights. It is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds.
The Cochin airport provides direct connectivity to popular international destinations in the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore and to most major Indian cities apart from tourist destinations like Lakshadweep. Kochi is also the headquarters of the Air India Expressservice. With a terminal area of 831,000 sq ft (77,200 m2), and a passenger capacity of 1800, it is the largest airport in the state and the fourth busiest international airport in India in terms of international passengers, and seventh busiest overall

Road

Kochi is well connected to neighboring cities and states via several highways. It is a node in the North-South Corridor of the National Highway system.

National Highways

The NH544 formerly known as NH47 connects Salem to the city of Kochi via Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur and is part of the North-South Corridor of India's National Highway System.The entire stretch of NH544 passing through Kochi and its urban agglomeration has four lanes, with some stretches six-laned.
NH66 connects Kochi with Panvel near Mumbai and passes through major junctions like Edappally and Vytilla in the city before terminating at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
NH966A is a 17.2 km (10.7 mi) four-lane stretch of highway connecting Kalamassery to the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal. The four-laning of the stretch is nearing completion and carries 11 major bridges and a grade separated interchange where it branches off NH47.
NH966B is a 6 km (3.7 mi) stretch of highway connecting Kundanoor Junction on the mainland to the Willingdon Island. It is the shortest stretch of highway on the Indian National Highways system.
NH85 connects Kochi to Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu passing through Madurai thus providing another link to the North-South CorridorNational Highway System.

State Highways

Several state highways also connect Kochi with other parts of Kerala.SH 15, Ettumanoor-Ernakulam Road, connects the city to Kottayam. SH 41, Palarivattom-Thekkady Road, provides a corridor to the eastern parts of the district. SH 63, Vypeen Pallipuram Road and SH 66, Alappuzha – Thoppumpady road are coastal roads that serve the narrow sliver of land between the backwaters and the sea.

Public Transport

The primary form of public transport within the city is largely dependent on privately owned bus networks. The state-run also operates its services in the city through the Thirukochi service. The major bus terminals in the city are Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Jetty and the private bus terminal at Kaloor. An integrated transit terminal namely The Mobility Hub at Vytilla is under 2nd phase of construction. The terminal acts as a hub for long distance bus services away from the city centre, and also to provide access to the other public transport facilities.
Kochi is one of the few cities to be granted the new generation air-conditioned low floor and non air-conditioned semi low-floor buses under the JNNURM city transport development project. Call taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos) are available for hire throughout the day.
Development of road infrastructure not keeping pace with the increase in traffic is a major problem faced by Kochi, like most other parts of Kerala

Rail

The city has two major railway stations – Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town (locally known as the South and North railway stations respectively). The main rail transport system in Kochi is operated by the Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways, and comes underThiruvananthapuram Railway division.
The South station is one of the busiest railway stations in South India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily. The North station situated on the northern side of the city, caters mostly to long distance services that bypass the South station, and also is an additional halt station for many trains. The railway line connecting these two stations cuts the city longitudinally in two, with three narrow bridges connecting the two halves.
Edapally Railway Station is a smaller halt station for passenger services and few express trains. The major station at Aluva, Thripunithura station, and the halting stations at Kalamassery, Nettoor, Kumbalam and Aroor serves the outskirts of the city and the surrounding metropolitan area.
The spur line to the port, and the Cochin Harbour Terminus station are temporarily out of commission because of an accident at the harbour bridge. A spur line exclusively for freight traffic connects the International Container Transshipment Terminal to the main line at Edapally. India's longest rail bridge – the 4.62 km long Vembanad Rail Bridge is also part of this line. In addition, Southern Railways are planning a suburban railway system connecting Kochi to nearby towns and cities, using Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit services, with the first services expected to begin in early 2011 between Kollam and Ernakulam for which works are underway.
There is a historic station named as Ernakulam Terminus(station code:ERG) situated behind the High Court. Great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and The British Viceroy have visited Cochin through this old railway station. Ernakulam Terminus was the first station to serve the city but had to be abandoned in the early 1960s. Now this station operates as a goods depot of Southern Railway

Kerala Holidays Destinations in Kochi

Backwaters of Kochi are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. In Cochin, the stretch from Kochi Azhi to Munambam Azhi, the serene backwaters are popularly known as Veeranpuzha. It is the northern extension of Vembanad Lake. Vembanad Lake (Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is India's longest lake, and is the largest lake in Kerala. It is also one of the largest lakes in India.

Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. The walkway has two contemporarily constructed bridges, the Rainbow bridge and the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge.The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi. Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings.

Fort Kochi : situated on the Fort Kochi/Mattancherry peninsula, is the historical part of the city and home to many tourist attractions, such as the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, theMattancherry Palace and the Santa Cruz Basilica.

Hill Palace : is the largest archaeological museum in Kerala, near Tripunithura. It was the administrative office of Kochi Rajas. Built in 1865, the Palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, spreading across in 54 acres (220,000 m2). The complex has an archaeological Museum, a Heritage Museum, a Deer Park, a prehistoric park and a children's park.

 

Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry, Kochi, featuresKerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.Mattancherry Palace with its medieval charm is situated at Palace Road, Mattancherry, Kochi. It was built by the Portuguese and presented to Veera Kerala Varma (1537–65), Raja of Kochi, in 1555 AD.The palace is a quadrangular structure built in Nālukettu style, the traditional Kerala style of architecture, with a courtyard in the middle. In the courtyard there stands a small temple dedicated to 'Pazhayannur Bhagavati', the protective goddess of theKochi royal family. There are two more temples on either side of the Palace, one dedicated toLord Krishna and the other to Lord Siva. Certain elements of architecture, as for example the nature of its arches and the proportion of its chambers are indicative of European influence in basic Nāluketttu style.

Jewish Synagogue : or the Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in Kochi in South India. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people orCochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by the Raja of Kochi, RamaVarma. The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica : a church built originally by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558, was spared by the Dutch conquerors who destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the British demolished the structure and Bishop Dom Gomez Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II in 1984. This magnificent church is a must see destination for tourists who come to Kochi.

Bolgatty Palace : Built by the Dutch in India, it is located in the scenic island popularly known as Bolgatty island in Kochi. One of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside Holland, this quaint mansion, built in 1744, by Dutch traders, was later extended and lush green gardens were landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor's palace for the Dutch and later in 1909 was leased to the British. It served as the home of the British Governors, the seat of the British Resident of Cochin during the British regime. In 1947, when India gained independence, the palace became the property of the state and later converted into a heritage hotel resort.
Kochi International Marina: Kochi, nevertheless is an excellent stop for yachts, and the marina is placed ideally within the city, attached to the shoreline of the historic Bolgatty Palace Hotel in Bolgatty Island.

Willingdon Island : A man-made island named after Lord Willingdon a former British Viceroy to india. Southern Naval Command, Cochin Harbour, Port Trust head quarters, Best hotels in the city,, major trading centers etc. are situated at Willingdon Island.

Museum of Kerala History: Important scenes of Kerala history are portrayed through sculptures. Greeting the visitor outside the museum is a statue of Parasurama, the mythological safe who is said to have created Kerala.

St.Francis Church: originally built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent.
Pallipuram Fort It was built by the Portuguese in 1503. It is the oldest existing European fort in India. In 1789 the Dutch captured the fort in 1661 and sold it to the State of Travancore. This fort is situated in the northern extremity of the Vypeen island.

 

 

Holidays Destination around Cochin

 

Athirappilly Falls : is in the neighboring Thrissur district and is around 60 km from Kochi. The Chalakudy River, 145 kilometres (90 mi)long, originates in the Anamudi mountains (Western Ghats) and flows through the Vazhachal Forest toward the Arabian Sea. Forest wildlife includes the Asiatic elephant, tiger, leopard, bison, sambar, and lion-tailed macaque. Plantations in the area contain teak,bamboo, and eucalyptus. The river initially runs smoothly but becomes more turbulent as it nears Athirappilly. At Athirappilly Falls, the water surges around big rocks and cascades down in three separate plumes. Below the falls, the river remains turbulent for about1 kilometre (0.6 mi) until it reaches Kannamkuzhi. Then it calms and flows smoothly until reaching the dam at Imburmuzhi.

Cherai Beach : is a beach is just 30 km from Kochi. The 15 km of long golden beach is shallow, and attracts swimming and sunbathing.Cherai village is a part of Vypin Island.

 

Kalady : is a popular pilgrim center because it is the birthplace of Sri Adi Sankara, one of India's foremost philosopher-saints who preached the Advaita or monastic philosophy.
Bhoothathankettu : is a dam and tourist site. It is situated in the village of Pindimana, about 50 km away from the Kochi. Bhoothathankettu is connected to the Salim Ali/Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, where visitors can see different varieties of birds and animals. The Idamalayam reservoir is about 12 km distance from the site.
Chottanikkara Temple : is a famous temple of the Hindu mother goddess Bhagawati. Bhagawati is one of the most popular deities in the area, and she is worshipped at the temple, along with Lord Vishnu, in three different forms: as Saraswati in the morning, draped in white; as Bhadrakali at noon, draped in crimson; and as Durga in the evening, decked in blue. 'Chottanikara Magam' is the famous religious festival in the temple.
Paliam Palace,Chendamangalam : It is about 42 km from Kochi. The Paliam Palace, residence of the Paliath Achans, hereditary Prime Ministers to the former Maharajas of Kochi, is one of the architectural splendours of Kerala. The Palace is over 450 years old and houses a collection of historic documents and relics.
Malayattoor : is one of the most prominent Christian pilgrim centers in the Ernakulam district of Kerala. The Malayatoor Church of Cochin attracts a large number of devotees from not just Kerala, but also all over India.St. Thomas is believed to have landed in Kerala at Kodungallur (Cranganore) in AD 52. Oral tradition says that while travelling through Malayattor, faced with hostile natives, he fled to the hilltop where he is said to have remained in prayer and that he left his foot prints on one of the rocks. According to beliefs, during prayer, he touched a rock, upon which blood poured from it.










*accuracy of the facts and figures provided cannot be guaranteed