KOCHI:
- (colonial name Cochin) is a vibrant port city located on the SW coast of India in Kerala state. It is 63 kms from Alleppey (Alappuzha), our houseboat dock, & 730 kms from Madras (Chennai).
- is also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea & the Gateway to Kerala.
- has an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million. It is the 2nd largest city in Kerala, after the capital. It is also Kerala’s most cosmopolitan city.
- is one of India's major seaports.
- is the financial, commercial & industrial capital of Kerala, & perhaps the 2nd most important city on the west coast (after Mumbai/Bombay).
- has become a major destination for IT & ITES companies.
- is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command, the primary training center of the Indian Navy.
- has a shipyard that is the largest shipbuilding facility in India.
- is a still a major exporter of spices & is home to the International Pepper Exchange & the Spices Board of India.
- became a major port after the 1st port in the area was destroyed by massive flooding in 1340 AD, & the forces of nature created a natural harbor at the nearby Kochi.
- like other fast-growing cities in the developing world, suffers from major urbanisation problems such as poor sanitation, traffic congestion, environmental degradation, unemployment & crime. However, a private survey conducted in 2007 revealed that Kochi was the best city to live in India.
- has a high suicide rate which is three times higher than the national average.
- has one of the highest crime rates in India (1.7 times higher than the national average). Even so, another survey found that Kochi was one of the safest cities in India for women.
- almost half the population (47%) are Hindus & 35% are Christians, one of the largest Christian populations in India. [Did you know that Christianity reached India long before it reached Europe?]
- residents are becoming more cosmopolitan & increasingly fashion-conscious, often deviating from the traditional Kerala wear to western clothing.
- has the highest density of telephones in India.
- Kerala cuisine uses an abundance of coconut and spices.
General info about Kochi: http://www.cochin.org/
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These were the "primary sights" I missed which should be at the top of your list if you visit there. I would have seen most of these on my own. Our tour itinerary included the Fort + the harbour cruise. [Fort Kochi & Mattancherry are the old colonial quarters of the amalgamated city.]
“Fort Kochi” area:
- the famous Chinese fishing nets (the only place outside of China where these fishing structures are used.);
- St. Francis Church (constructed by the Portuguese in 1503. Vasco da Gama was buried here in 1524 but his remains were transferred to Lisbon in 1539. His tombstone is still in the church);
- Santacruz Cathedral (original church was built by the Portuguese in 1505, it became a cathedral in 1558, the British colonists destroyed it in 1795, the current structure was built in 1905, it became a basilica in 1984).
In Mattancherry area:
- Dutch Palace (originally built by the Portuguese in 1568, rebuilt by the Dutch in 1744. The palace has a fine collection of mural paintings depicting scenes from the Hindu epics);
- Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town (the synagogue was built in 1568, rebuilt 1662. It’s decorated with Chinese tiles & Belgian chandeliers. The city once had a large Jewish community);
- the Dharmanath Jain Temple (over 100 years old).
There good tourist info with photos etc here: http://www.cochin.org/tourism.htm
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KATHAKALI:
The Kathakali, which originated in Kerala in the late 16th century, is one of the most renowned & revered dance-forms of India. It is a dance-drama or story dance ('katha' means story and 'kali' means dance) performed by characters (mostly men) in vivid makeup & elaborate costumes & headdresses re-enacting stories from famous epics of Hindu & Indian mythology & folklore. Traditionally performed in temples & palaces, nowadays it can be seen in various venues such as cultural centers.
Kathakali can be best described as a visual art because there is no dialogue. The story narration & the conversation between two characters is solely achieved through mime with the remarkable use of facial & eye expressions, hand gestures, & body movements.
The performers are trained to do their own make-up which takes up to 10 painstaking hours to do in all its detail before a performance. (We went to the performance early so we could watch them apply their makeup.)
There are several Kathakali centers in Kochi. We went to the Cochin Cultural Centre on Manikath Road. More info here: http://www.onamfestival.org/kathakali.html http://www.indianetzone.com/1/kathakali.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathakali
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