Calming Kerala

Fort Kochi is a region in the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. This is part of a handful of water-bound regions toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Kochi was a fishing village in the Kingdom of Kochi in the pre-colonial Kerala. The territory that would be later known as Fort Kochi was granted to the Portuguese in 1503 by the Rajah of Kochi, after the forces of Afonso de Albuquerque helped him fighting the forces of Saamoothiri of Kozhikode. The Rajah also gave them permission to build Fort Emmanuel near the waterfront to protect their commercial interests. The first part of the name Fort Kochi comes from this fort, which the Dutch later destroyed.

1. Chinese Fishing Nets

2. Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace)

3. Pardesi Sinagogue

4. Antique Markets

5. St. Francis Church

6. Kathakali Show

To cover the above places and experiences, one need a half day or full day city tour of Fort Kochi. 

1. Vehicle cost

2. Entry fees

3. Guide cost

The given sightseeing can be done if have hired vehicle for the full day or planning to take one. However it is at discretion of vehicle company to do it. Also one has to make sure that the same falls in given kilometer limits by the company

The Museum of Kerala History is situated in Edappally at a distance of 10 kms from Ernakulam Junction.  The museum was built and maintained by Madhavan Nayar Foundation. A statue of Parasurama greets the visitors at the entrance of the Museum.

The Museum also has a Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures with a unique collection of over 200 paintings. The gallery displays the works of some of the greatest exponents of Indian art including Raja Ravi Varma, Mammiyoor Krishhan Kutty Nair, Jamini Roy, Manu Parekh and M F Hussain.

A one hour light & sound show is presented with life-size sculptures of 87 personalities who shaped the history and culture of Kerala in the last 2000 years. It has a museum of kerala history, Dolls Museum and Contemporary  Indian Art Gallery and Centre for Visual Arts. 

Vehicle Cost

Entry fees

1. The given sightseeing can be done if have hired vehicle for the full day or planning to take one. However it is at discretion of vehicle company to do it. Also one has to make sure that the same falls in given kilometer limits by the company.

2. The cost of sightseeing is given for reference and planning purposes only. The same has to be paid directly on spot.

Timings : Any time during the day (Sunset is a good time to visit)

It is believed to have been introduced in Kochi by Chinese explorer Zheng He, from the court of the Kubla Khan. The fishing net established itself on the Kochi shores between 1350 and 1450 AD.

The Chinese Fishing Nets at Fort Kochi is a must visit attraction in Kerala. These are fixed land installations, used for fishing in a unique method. These nets are fixed on bamboo and teak poles holding it horizontally by huge mechanisms so as to pull them down into the sea. These nets are weighed by large stones tied to ropes. Operated by a team of six fishermen, the height of the Chinese fishing nets is around 10 meters, each sprawling to 20 meters over the water body. Each net has a fixed operating depth and due to this a net cannot be repeatedly worked in tidal waters. There are different fishing nets for operation which are based on the state of the tide. 

The sight of the Chinese nets, suspended in mid air and standing in line on the beaches, when silhouetted against the sunset is breathtakingly beautiful. It is, undoubtedly, one of the most photographed sights in Kochi. For the best view of the nets, head to the Vasco da Gama Square, the narrow walkway that runs along the Fort Kochi beach.

For the best views, come at dusk with your camera to capture that quintessential shot of Kerala’s fishing nets and calm seas backlit by the setting sun.

No entry fee is required. The fisherman demonstrate how the fishing is done with Chinese Fishing Net. One can club this attraction with the city tour of Kochi. 

 Vehicle cost

1. The given sightseeing can be done if have hired vehicle for the full day or planning to take one. However it is at discretion of vehicle company to do it. Also one has to make sure that the same falls in given kilometer limits by the company.

2. The cost of sightseeing is given for reference and planning purposes only. The same has to be paid directly on spot.

The Jewish synagogue was built in 1568, almost 1500 years after the beginning of the Jewish connection with Kerala. It was built on the land, adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace, given by the erstwhile king of Cochin. Its also known as Paradesi Synagogue. The word Paradesi means foreigner in many Indian languages. It refers to the White Jews -  A mixture of Jews from Kodungalloor, Middle East and Europe.

The synagogue, the oldest in the Commonwealth, was built by the Jewish community of Cochin. In 1662, it was destroyed by the Portguese and then reconstructed, two years later, by the Dutch.

 The large main hall of the synagogue catches the attention of  rare antique objects . The light falling through the large open windows make the sight of chandeliers and lamps more delightful. These glass chandeliers dangling from the ceiling belong to the 19th century and were imported from Belgium.

The ceramic tiles on the floor were brought from Canton, China in the 18th century by Ezekiel Rahabi, a renowned Jewish businessman.

Each tile is different from one another in its design and it never fails to capture the admiration of the visitors. The marvellous construction of the synagogue is revealed in all its features including the splendid pillars.

There is an exclusive gallery for women. Two gold crowns presented to the Jewish Community by the Kings of Kochi and Travancore are also kept here. Another valuable possession of the synagogue is the copper plates belonging to the 4th century with inscriptions in Malayalam. The inscriptions describe the privileges granted to the community by the erstwhile Cochin king. It is written in kannadiyezhuthu script or mirror image writing. An oriental rug gifted to the Jews by the last Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie is also kept in the synagogue.

Due to the dwindling number of Jews in Kochi, it is difficult to complete a minyan - the number of men needed to sustain a synagogue). The service is conducted only when the quorum of ten male members is met.

Vehicle Cost

1. The given sightseeing can be done if have hired vehicle for the full day or planning to take one. However it is at discretion of vehicle company to do it. Also one has to make sure that the same falls in given kilometer limits by the company.

2. No sleeveless tops, mini skirts, shorts. Full shirts & trouser for men & long skirts below knee for women. Visitors are expected to entre barefoot