One of the finest natural harbours on the Arabian Sea coast, Kochi, earlier known as Cochin, has been a port of call for foreign traders from early times. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in the buildings and structures representing different regions of the world. A city of peninsulas and islands, today it is Kerala’s commercial hub.

In Cochin, it is very common to see a Mercedez Benz and a temple elephant waiting patiently at the same traffic light. It is an extraordinary blend of two quite disparate cultural traits. There are probably more denomination of Christianty in Kerala than elsewhere in the world and they too celebrate church festivals with the same joyous abandon as the Hindus.

Foreign influences in Cochin provides an interesting study. In the backwaters one may glimpse a fisherman wearing a Chinese conical hat; around the harbour are traditional Dutch buidings : Malayalam hymns emanate from Portuguese churches.

Cochin consists of mainland Ernakulam,the manmade island of Willingdon and natural island of Bolgatty Vypeen Ramanthuruth Vallarpodam and Gundeu. Fort Cochin and Mattancherry on the southern peninsula, and Vypeen island north of fort Cochin, are all linked by ferry.

Cochin has eccentricities inherent in its nature, like a circular Hindu temple (of a kind not seen outside Kerala). There is a Jewish synagogue here, built in 1568. Surrounding the synagogue is a Jewtown, the city’s never center for its all important spice trade. And there is Fort Cochin, said to be the oldest European settlement in India. Alleppey, the center for the annually staged Nehru boat races, is only 64 km. Cochin is also a springboard for travelling to the Lakshadweep Islands.

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