Fort Kochi: A potpourri of Cultures

The 'Queen of Arabian Sea', holds different meanings for people of different tastes. The place is best suited for trade, tourism and wanderlust owing to its multicultural roots

If Kerala is ‘God’s Own Country’, then Fort Kochi is a jewel in its splendid glory. Called as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’, the city is a potpourri of many cultures. Located in Ernakulam district of Kerala, Fort Kochi has a strategic location due to its proximity to the Arabian Sea on the West and the Western Ghats on the East that harbinger sea trade and tourism.

L’Officiel India DigitalRead L’Officiel India in the digital libraryEvery issue and every cover story, on TCG Media.Read now

Kochi’s charm lies in the fact that it holds different meanings for people of varied tastes. For the art aficionados, the place is a perfect abode for a nosedive into the city's multicultural and historical fabric ensued by colonial buildings, spice markets, art connoisseurs, museums, exhibition galleries, heritage hotels or maybe just street-side art shops! The place’s historical significance can be marked by the fact that it had been once colonised by Portuguese, Dutch and British that have influenced its culture. For instance, the Mattancherry Palace is a fulcrum of history. Built-in 1545 C.E, by the Portuguese for a King of Kochi Dynasty, the palace came to be prominently known as a Dutch Palace as it was renovated several times under the Dutch. Its spacious halls, leading one to another surrounding the central courtyard, houses many murals from Hindu epics like Mahabharata, Ramayana, Kalidasa's murals, alongside magnificent portraits of Kings of Kochi.

Fort Kochi is akin to a wonderland for shoppers who are looking for antiques, artefacts, bronze instruments, handicrafts stuff and sumptuous cuisines!

The other colonial architecture can be seen in St. Francis Church where the famous explorer Vasco Da Gama was laid to rest. Built-in 1503 C, the church is the first Portuguese church in India and bears a quintessential Persian architectural charm that will transport you to centuries-old times the moment you enter it.

Another major attraction that will bewitch one is the Jewish Synagogue in Jew Town Enclave of Fort Kochi. It is a testament to the times when Jews fled their homeland of Israel in 12th and 13th centuries and came to settle in the colonies of Kochi. Today, one can find artsy cafes, shopping harts and showrooms in the maze of hipster lanes near the Synagogue. The lanes and boulevards are further beautified with bright coloured walls of houses and symmetrical tree lines that make for picture-perfect snaps and postcard of memories.

Indeed, Kochi’s tryst with explorers, foreign communities and travellers make it a melting pot of cultures. And when we add spices to this potpourri, then it makes for a truly exotic experience.

One can find the finest of spices like ginger, cloves cardamom, turmeric and pepper in Mattancherry and Jew Town. The places have huge warehouses with local workers meticulously engaged in the process of deriving the magical powders and drying them in the sun for final shipment.

Since spices remind us of the hustling and bustling life near markets, Fort Kochi is akin to a wonderland for shoppers who are looking for antiques, artefacts, bronze instruments, handicrafts stuff and sumptuous cuisines!

The rich palette of food in Fort Kochi offers British, Pan European, Indian dishes. That includes a wide array of locale dishes like Beef Curry with Parotta, Meen Molagita Curry, Banana Fritters, Appam to global ones like Prawns, Grilled Salmon, Pork Ribs, Sushi, Kebabs, Banoffee pie and a lot more!

While you have traversed through the historical monuments, palaces, bylanes, shopping centres, cafes and markets, a visit to Kochi is incomplete without the breezy ferry ride!

Boat rides known as Jetty’s are a major attraction and the most convenient way to travel from mainland Kochi to other parts like Fort Kochi, Ernakulam, Customs and Willingdon Island and other places where you wish to go as per your itinerary.

In the evening, you can catch the enamouring sunset and photograph the silhouettes of cantilevered Chinese fishing nets around the seashores of Fort Kochi. Just sitting by the shores and watching the vast expanse of the sea against the sky provides one with solace and tranquillity by the end of the day!