I’ve never been to Kochi
About Kochi
Kochi is a city with a richer history than most of us know. The authenticity of India mixed with the innovation of the future. Are you planning on visiting? Because getting to know this city and all of its beauty is an enriching experience for any traveller.
The name Kochi means ‘small lagoon’ in Malayalam. The sea surrounding this city has played an important role till this day. Although a lot of people think so, Kochi is not actually the capital of India or Kerala. Many people do refer to the city as the financial and commercial capital of India because of the successful spice and fish trade.
Places to visit in Kochi
Before Western explorers set foot on land in Kochi the city was brimming with fishing spots. This was until somewhere in the 14th century.
But even now the coast of Kochi is filled with enormous Chinese fishing contraptions. The locals call these the ‘Cheena Vala’. They’re about ten metres high and they each need about six strong fishers to use their bodies as a counterweight for the high tide. To catch the fish they lower the rope pulleys and bring in their catch. The picture here shows one of those incredible structures, but you’ll only really appreciate the labour that goes into it after you’ve seen them in action.
You might be familiar with Vasco de Gama, the explorer who was the first to reach India by sea. He brought the industrial economy to Kochi by founding the first factory on Indian soil. He stayed in Kochi for the remainder of his days and died in 1524. The inhabitants dedicated a square to him. Whether he wasn’t able to make the journey back to Portugal or just fell in love with the city, we’ll never know. But I’m guessing the latter.
Through the years Kochi has seen a lot of change in industry and architecture, but some of the historical Portuguese buildings have stood the test of time. You can go to Fort Kochi and visit the oldest European church of India, the Saint Francis church. Built in 1503 by Portuguese monks. Apart from centuries worth of history, you’ll also find the tombstone of Vasco da Gama there.
Fort Kochi is also home to many museums, beaches and lovely restaurants. And if you really want to get to know the culture you can visit the Kerala Kathakali Centre where you can enjoy authentic Kathakali shows performed by incredible dancers.
Kochi’s nickname is Queen of the Arabian Seas. Which, in my opinion, is a pretty great nickname to have. Her harbour is one of the finest natural harbours of the world. Now that is saying something. We would definitely recommend visiting it when you find yourself in Kochi. Apart from majestic cruise ships that dock there you’ll find museums like the Cochin Port Heritage Museum. Although exhibits in musea usually portray life from hundreds of years ago, they remain interesting. It’s probably important for us humans to know about our history and past, but primarily, it’s just really fun to see.
For many centuries people from all over the world would buy and sell their spices through Kochi’s harbour. This has influenced the cuisine of Kochi massively. All over the city there are toddy shops (shappu’s), something the locals swear by. In toddy shops the food is authentic, the people are friendly and the spices are unparalleled. It might be out of your comfort zone, but isn’t this exactly what travelling should be? Visit Shappu Curry or Mullapanthal Shappu to get a taste of the real Kerala culture. As the title says, I’ve never been in Kochi myself. I just happened to stumble upon it and decided to write a blog about it. If there is one reason I would love to visit Kochi it would be because of the spices. The smells, the colours, the people.. By now I’m seriously considering booking a flight.
If you think of India and all you see is busy streets, tuk tuks and honking cars; you have not been to Kochi (I haven’t). Although this city is the centre of many commercial settings and futuristic infrastructure, the people seem to be living life more slowly than other places in India. There are many neighbourhoods where the people appreciate silence and mindful living. When visiting a new city we like to get lost wandering the streets. Just seeing people living their lives, happiness and hardship alike.
