Kochi Diaries

One of the saddest things about living the expat life is that the children born to us expat parents are quite rootless. Though they travel so much with us and has seen so much of the world at such tender ages, its truly ironic that they know next to nothing of their own city and country. In a step towards remedying that we set out in the morning to show the children the iconic landmarks of the Queen of the Arabian Sea and some more personal landmarks around which so many childhood memories swirl around.

Starting from Edapally, we crossed almost the entire length of the city as we made our way to Willington Island, more commonly known as just the Island. Though the children find the concept of traversing a city on their own quite alien right now, I found it pretty hilarious to see their expressions while describing the lengths I used to travel to go for tutions at Kacheripady, movies at the now deserted Lulu-Mymoon theatre, shopping at South, the Thevara college which had a hand in educating half our family etc.

Pointing out our old homes at Mamangalam, Girinagar, Ravipuram brought out lots of half-forgotten stories from their grandmother who is always game for a walk down the memory lane. Looking back, I am still wondering how active we were in the younger days clambering up the famous red Kochi private buses which would literally would make you run to catch up with it. And once you somehow manage to enter these possessed vehicles, one needed to navigate oneself as far away as possible from the idle hands of the mallu gentlemen, who somehow has the weird notion that the women who enter buses are part of the vehicle’s furniture and needs to be constantly polished with all or any part of their anatomy.

Unpleasant things aside, going back to the largest artificial island in India, it was created from the soil dredged from the construction of Kochi Port way back in 1936. Named after the then Viceroy of India, the 1^st Earl of Willington, it is almost exclusively owned by the Govt of India and houses Cochin Port Trust, Kochi Naval Base and a personal favorite Cochin Customs House. I remember the old-world charm of the graceful Taj Malabar from when I was a little girl trailing shyly behind my parents in complete awe of the surroundings.

From the Island, at the Cochin Shipyard we could spy gigantic ships with their bellies up taking well deserved breaks and getting all their kinks ironed out, so that they can set out for their next journey all spick and span. Having stayed opposite to the Cochin Shipyard in my school days, it’s with great pride that I now realize, that I used to wait for my school bus at the gates of the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India.

From there we made our way to the original spice town of Kochi … Mattancherry. Apparently, there are two sets of stories regarding the evolution of the name. The first easy one being, that it was a cheri/street lined with mutton butchers. And the second one being that it was named after “Ancherry Mattom”, a Namboothri Illam. Though the roots of its name are still under the scanner, it is pretty amazing to realize this ancient trade hub is home to a Jain Temple, Jewish Synagogue, Goan temple, countless local churches, temples and mosques.

The Paradesi Synagogue was built in 1567 on the land given to the Yehudan Mapillar by the then Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma right next to the Mattanchery Palace temple with which it shares a common wall. The most surprising aspect of this Synagogue is that it is still functioning for the 5 Jews that still reside in Kochi at the last count. Though the synagogue boasts of many marvelous artifacts, the thing that has always caught my attention is floor which is tiled with hand painted 18^th century Chinese porcelain tiles each one of which is unique.

Much like my children, I have also been lacking and has not known a crucial piece of my history all these years. Koonan Kurishu Satyam. This happened way back on the 3^rd January 1653. We, the Christians of Kerala take immense pride in the fact (Note the use of the word ‘fact’. We have no doubt!) we are Saint Thomas Christians……ie, people converted into Christian faith by one of Jesus’ own 12 disciples. In the wake of Vasco Da Gama there was an influx of Portuguese traders and evangelists allied with the Roman Catholic Church. They created enough tensions among the Saint Thomas Christians and this eventually led to a permanent split in the community.  The quaint story of the oath goes that a huge rope was tied across the cross and stretched across the multitudes that thronged the church to swear by the Cross that they refuse to align themselves with the Portuguese Colonists. This brought about the famous stoop for the Cross and it’s still a venerated monument in this part of the town.

Right next to Mattancherry is Fort Kochi which is mostly known for its immense Chinese Nets that dot its coastline. After promenading along the Chinese Nets and getting my reluctant subjects to pose for some pictures, we somehow managed to escape the anglicized shopkeepers selling trinkets and fishes. The tree lined streets were dotted with open air seating at restaurants for tourists to rest and recuperate where fresh catch can be consumed, much like most of the European fishing villages, although a little dirtier I would say.

While trying to find our way to a particular hotel for lunch, I was pleasantly surprised to notice ‘The Pepper Palace’ a café at Fort Kochi which played the role of ‘Café Agape’ in the movie ‘Premam’. It’s a testimony to the number of times we have seen that movie, that I could recognize the Café just from outside while passing by in a car. Maybe next time with my better half who enjoys the movie almost as much as I do, we will visit The Pepper Palace and feel the place for ourselves.

That was a pleasant ending to a day most of which I spend trying to make my fusspots comfortable. Just another day. Just another Town. Only today it’s my town.