Sightseeing : Kerala
fort cochinlmattancherry, most of the attractions are in old cochin. fort cochin is at the northern end of the peninsula, and mattancherry is at the southern end. The main attractions in fort cochin are the chinese fishing nets, which you also encounter on a trip through the ‘backwaters’. The nets aren’t really good, as often when they are lifted they are empty, and when there is a fish in them, a hungry crow usually takes it.
The unimposing church ofst francis is of interest to sightseeing fans and also historians. It is supposed to be the first european church built in india. The famous explorer, vasco da gama, was buried here in 1524, but fourteen years later his body was exhumed and taken back to portugal.
The dutch palace and. Jewish synagogue are both in mattancherry. The dutch palace was not built by the dutch as you might expect from the oame, but by the portuguese in 1520. The dutch, as the next colonists, carried out extensive renovations in 1663 - hence the current name. The jewish synagogue dates from 1568 and is open for tourists between
10-12 and 5-7pm, but not on saturdays or jewish holidays. Nearby is the jewish quarter where jews have resided since just after the dutch occupation. There are two types of jews in cochin: the white jews (only around 11 families, about 50 people) who have married only within their race, and the numerous black jews who have intermarried with the local population.
The tourist reception centre in Ernakulam has a three and a half hour sightseeing tour which begins at 9am and 2pm. It leaves from the jetty opposite the sealord hotel, but you can also get on at the tourist office jetty on willingdon island. The tour takes in the dutch palace, jewish synagogue, chinese fishing nets, st francis church, the coir factory on gundu island and bolghatty island.
Kerala is the home of the famous kathakali dance which is a form of dance drama. Performances can be seen at the see india foundation or at art kerala, both near the ernakulam railway station, 7-10.30pm.
