Kochi, also known as Cochin, is a coastal city in the state of Kerala in southwest India. It’s an agglomeration of small islands and peninsulas, all interconnected by ferries and bridges. Many, like us, choose to stay in Kochi as a steppingstone to go on a houseboat cruise in the Kerala backwaters. Most of the historic sites are concentrated in and around the small area of Fort Kochi.
The most famous are the Chinese fishing nets. Fort Kochi is the oldest European settlement in India. This is apparent in the city’s architecture. Highlights include St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica, Paradesi Synagogue and Mattancherry Palace. But our favorite place to visit was the private Kerala Folklore Museum which is located on another peninsula nearby.
We opted to book a city tour with our hotel to get the most of our visit since we only had one day in Kochi. Our guide showed us the highlights of Fort Kochi, but he also brought us to a local meat and fish market. It was interesting to meet some of the people that worked there. We were even invited to attend the butcher’s daughter’s upcoming wedding!
Speaking of weddings, by a strange turn of events, a newlywed couple asked us to be in their wedding pictures with them. So, we did and wished them the best of luck and a lifetime of happiness.
I must say that visiting the market was heartbreaking (especially as scuba divers and ocean lovers) because we saw so many endangered fish species on display including 6-inch long hammerhead sharks, stingrays, fish and lobsters with roe. Our guide told us that these catches are not permitted but there are no controls and the fishermen only think of today. Many use large fishing nets and just keep all the bycatch.
Places to see in Kochi
Chinese Fishing Nets
In fort Kochi these famous Chinese fishing nets can be viewed from the Vasco da Gama Square and Mahatma Gandhi Beach.
These large nets are fixed structures and function like a pulley system. Men pull on ropes to lift the heavy net out of the water and slowly drop it back down once empty. The ropes are weighed down by stones making it possible to lift and lower much more weight with less men.
Our guide told us that since the fishermen catch less fish due to overfishing, they started letting tourists on their platforms to take pictures in exchange for money. He also said that one of them is quite aggressive and doesn’t like it when people take pictures from a distance without paying. We didn’t pay and watched from afar keeping an eye out for the grumpy fisherman. These nets have been owned by local families for generations. (Inside I was still fuming at what I saw on display at the market!).
As far as the beach goes, I would definitely stay out of the water. It was filthy and full of litter. I’d even be wary of eating the fish caught here.
St. Francis Church
St. Francis Church was the first European church in India. Built by Portuguese traders it dates back to 1503. Vasco Da Gama, a Portuguese explorer was buried here in 1524. But his remains were later taken to Portugal. They are now at the Jeronimos Monastery in Lisbon. However, his tombstone is still in the church here.
Nearby, there’s the Dutch Cemetery. This historic burial ground of European colonists was consecrated in 1724. We had to content ourselves with looking at it from the locked gate since it was closed at the time of our visit due to some recent vandalism.
Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica is one of the oldest Catholic churches in India. The original structure was built by the Portuguese in 1505. When the Dutch assumed control of the city, they used it as an armory. Under British rule the cathedral was destroyed. In 1887 the bishop endeavored to rebuild the cathedral, but the construction was only completed under the reign of his successor.
The current cathedral was sanctified in 1905 and in 1984 Pope John Paul II raised the status of Santa Cruz Cathedral to Basilica.
Paradesi Synagogue
Built during 1568 the Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in India. It has a beautiful floor made of hand-painted porcelain tiles from China. None are identical. Belgian crystal chandeliers dangle from the ceiling and these are lit only on special occasions. Sadly, only two people still attend services. Our guide told us that when they stop going, the synagogue will likely be taken over by the government and it will get destroyed in the long run.
Unfortunately, no pictures were allowed inside. You can find it at the end of a busy shopping street in the Jewish sector.
Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)
This Portuguese palace features frescoes depicting the Rajas of Kochi and revered Gods of the Hindu faith like Lord Krishna. At the time of our visit most of the murals were under renovation and it wasn’t possible to view them. On display were life-size paintings of the Kings of Cochin and royal artifacts. Most notable was a large ivory ornate carriage used to transport the king.
In the textile section we saw some traditional clothing, and this is where we were horrified to learn about the Kerala breast tax. Until 1924 Hindu women of the lower caste had to pay a tax if they wanted to cover their breasts. This discriminatory British law was abolished after a Cherthala woman died after cutting off her own breasts in protest of this law. Simply unimaginable that such a thing could be imposed.
Kerala Folklore Museum
Set in a beautiful three-story building, this museum is a must-see. It contains an exquisite collection of traditional artifacts, sculptures, musical instruments, puppets, masks and jewelry. The central carved wooden staircase is also nice to see. The entire contents are part of a private collection amassed over the years by Mr. and Mrs. George Thaliath.
A museum guide greets you on each floor and provides a free guided tour. We found the information useful to make sense of it all because there’s a lot of stuff on display in this museum. Some of it is even for sale!
Conclusion
Even if our time was short in Kochi, we found that one day was enough to see all the places we wanted to see. We even had time to check out a shopping street near Marine Drive in the Ernakulam district of Kochi. This is where we had an interesting encounter with a man, Noushad, that had become a YouTube sensation after he gave all the clothes from his store to help monsoon flood victims. Can you imagine giving away the whole content of your store? It takes a special person to do that and it was an honor to meet him!
Of course, our tour included a couple of carpet stores. We made the mistake of mentioning that we would like to get a small carpet for our cat and the guide kept bringing us to all his friends’ stores (Note to self, zip it!).
Make sure to read my other posts about India: