ERNAKULAM (Kochi or Cochin )
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Ernakulam is the green commercial capital of Kerala with one of the finest natural harbors in the world. From here, ships set sail for foreign ports with pepper, seafood, rubber and coir. From times immemorial, Arabs, Chinese, Dutch, British and Portuguese seafarers followed the sea route to Cochin and left their impressions on the town. The harbor is the nucleus around which Cochin has grown to become the Queen of the Arabian Sea.
Ernakulam is located on the coast of the Arabian sea with Kottayam and Alappuzha districts on the south, Idukki on the east and Thrissur on the north. The commercial capital and the most cosmopolitan city of Kerala, Ernakulam, is also known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. With one of the finest natural harbors in the world, Kochi is the most modern city of Kerala where the best shopping, markets and bazaars are located. |
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| Places of interest: |
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| Bolgatty Island : |
| This long narrow palm-fringed island, easily accessible from the mainland is where the Bolghatty Palace is situated amidst 15 acres of lush green lawns. Built by the Dutch in 1744, it became the seat of the British Resident later. In 1976, the palace was converted to into a hotel under the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. The palace has a golf course on its grounds. This island is connected by frequent ferry services with the mainland Ernakulam. Boats to this island start from the High Court Jetty. Country boats (Machuvas) can also be hired near the Jetty. |
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| Chinese Fishing Nets Fort Kochi : |
| The Chinese fishing nets are a fascinating sight to us. These nets, at the entrance of the harbor and along the backwaters with pivots of wood, were introduced by traders from the court of Kublai Khan in 1350AD. They can be seen all along the backwaters of Kerala. |
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| St.Franchis Church : |
| This centuries old church at Fort Kochi was originally built completely of timber and later reconstructed in stone masonry. The Protestant Dutch, converted to an Anglican church, restored it in 1779. |
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| Wellindon Island : |
| This is a man made island created from the materials drudged while deepening the Cochin Port. Lord Bristow was the architect of this island. The Harbor, Airport and Harbor Railway Terminus are in this island. |
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| Loafer’s Corner/Princess Street : |
| One of the earliest streets to be constructed in Fort Kochi, Princess Street with its European style residences still retains its old world charm. |
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| Kalady : |
| Kalady is the birth place of Sri Sankaracharya, the Great Indian Philosopher who lived in the 8th century, it is situated on the banks of river Periyar, there are two Shrines in memory of Sri Sankaracharya. One dedicated to him as Dakshinamoorthy and the other to the Goddess Sharadha. The ancient Shree Krishna Temple situated here was the family temple of Adi Sankaracharya. Adi Sankaras shrines in Kalady are open to all pilgrims irrespective of religion or caste. Kalady is connected by road with important cities in South India. |
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| Art Complex-Madhavan Nayar Foundation : |
| This museum is the only one of its kind in Kerala. The complex consists of the Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures that presents over 200 original paintings by contemporary Indian Artists, some of them internationally acclaimed and works of reputed Indian sculptors. The Centre for Visual Arts is reserved for authentic reproductions of selected world masters from Leonardo da Vinci to those of the present century. The centre also exhibits certain larger-than-life mural reproductions of ancient Indian Art. It is located at Edappally, 10 Kms. north of Ernakulam, on the Ernakulam-Aluva road. |
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| Ernakulam Siva Temple : |
| This temple is situated at the centre of the town, near the Durbar Hall Grounds. The presiding deity is Lord Siva and the annual festival in the temple is celebrated for eight days during January - February every year. The festival is rounded up with the Aarattu procession when the image of the deity is taken for a sacred bath in the temple pool. A cultural festival is also held with a variety of programmes of music concerts, Kathakali, etc., as part of celebrations. |
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| Hill Palace Museum : |
| Tripunithura - It is the largest archeological museum in Kerala. Set on top of a hillock, this prodigious palace-turned-museum displays 13 categories of exhibits, including paintings, carvings and other royal antiquities donated by the Cochin and Travancore royal families and the Paliam Devaswom. The Heritage museum located on the rear side of the palace buildings familiarizes with the traditional lifestyles of ancient Kerala. The museum premise has also been converted into a botanical garden with exotic tropical trees from Central America to Australia. It is situated 12 Km. away from Ernakulam on the Ernakulam-Chottanikkara route. |
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