Feb 24, 2008 08:10 AM
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A LIFE TIME EXPERIANCE
Fort Kochi,
a part of the modern Indian town Kochi
(Cochin), looks like a rural
small town. It still has the atmosphere of Indian colonial history, and its
landmarks are the Chinese fishernets. Fort
KochiWalking through this old Portuguese settlement at a
leisurely pace, will take you up to an hour and a half. The most pleasant time
for the walk is between 9 am and 12 noon or between 3 pm and 6 pm* is an ideal point for
planning and starting day trips and tours in South India..when we walk throught he streets we can realize that we are walking through the great history
The Dutch Designs
While traveling down the streets of Fort
Cochin,
the Dutch influence is profound, they laid out most of the town in its present
form. In doing this, they cut down the Fort to about a third of its original
extent, when they wrested it from the Portuguese in AD 1663.
During the Dutch era, Fort
Cochin
climbed the heights of fame as a rich commercial center, major military base,
an illustrious cultural hub, a noted ship building yard and an age old center
of Christianity.
Pierce Leslie Bungalow*
This charming Mansion was the office of Pierce Leslie & Co., coffee
merchants, founded in 1862. A representative of Fort Cochin Colonial Bungalow,
this building reflects Portuguese, Dutch and local influences. Characteristic
features are wood panels that form the roof of ground floor, arched doorways,
carved doors and sprawling rooms. Water front verandas are always an added
attraction to such house.
OldHarbor* House
This house that was once a boat house and built in 1808 is the possession of
Carrit Moran & Co. renowned Tea brokers, who now use it as their residence.
*Koder House
This magnificent building constructed by Samuel. S. Koder of the Cochin
Electric Company in 1808 is a supreme example of transition from colonial to
Indo-European Architecture.
*Delta Study
Once a warehouse, this heritage Bungalow built in 1808 is presently a high
school with the same name*.
*Santa
Cruz Basilica
This historic Church was built by the Portuguese and elevated to a
Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. In 1795 it fell into the hands of the
British when they took over Cochin,
and was demolished.
In 1887 Bishop Dom Gomes Ferreira commissioned a new building at the same site.
The Church has since been proclaimed a Basilica in 1984 by Pope John Paul II.
Vasco House
Believed to have been the residence of
Vasco da Gamma, this is one of the oldest Portuguese residence of Fort Cochin**. Built in the early 16th
century Vasco House sports the typical European glass paned windows and Balcony
cum Verandas characteristic of the times.
*VOC Gate
The large wooden gate facing the parade
ground with monogram(VOC) of the once mighty Dutch East India Company carved
on it was built in 1740.
*The United Club
One of the four elite clubs of British
Cochin, the United Club today serves two roles- as a class room for the nearby St. Francis Primary School by day and card room for the
current listed members by evening. Until 1907 the building housed the offices
of Fort Cochin Municipality.
The Bishop’s House
Built in 1506 as the residence of the Portuguese Governor, the Bishop’s House
stands on a little hillock near Parade Ground. The building was acquired by
Dome Jos Gomes Ferreira, the 27th Bishop of the Diocese of Cochin whose
jurisdiction extended over Burma, Malaya and Ceylon in addition to India. A powerful man for his
time.
FortImmanuel
This bastion of the Portuguese in Cochin was a symbol of the strategic
alliance between the Maharajah of Cochin and the Monarch of Portugal, after
whom it was named. Built in 1503, the fort was reinforced in 1538. By 1806 the
Dutch, and later the British, had destroyed most of the fort walls and its
bastions. Today, remains of this once imposing structure can be seen along the
beach.
The DutchCemetery
The tomb stones here are the most authentic
record of the hundreds of Europeans who left their homeland on a mission to
expand their colonial empires and changed the course of history of this land.
The cemetery was consecrated in 1724 and is today managed by the Church of South India**.
*Thakur House
This graceful building holds within itself a reflection of the colonial era.
The Bungalow was built on the site of the Gelderland Bastion, one of the seven
Bastions of the old Dutch fort. Earlier known as Kunal or Hill Bungalow, it was
home to the managers of the National Bank of **India during the British
reign. Today, the Bungalow belongs to Ram Bahadur Thakur and Co., the renowned
Tea Trading firm.
The Cochin Club
The club, with its impressive library and a collection of sporting trophies, is
housed in a beautifully landscaped park. In the early 1900s when the club had
just become operational admission was restricted to the British. Today, though
the club retains its traditional English ambience, its rules are more liberal
and the membership of 250 includes women as well. Strangely enough, alcohol is
not served on the premises*.
*St. Francis Church
Walking on from
the Chinese fishing nets brings you to a typically English village green. In
one corner stands the church of St.Francis, the first European church in
India. Originally built in wood and
named Santo Antonio, it was probably associated with Franciscan friars from Portugal. Exactly when it as founded
is not known, but the stone structure is likely to date from the early
sixteenth century; the land was a gift off the local raja, and the title deeds,
written on palm leaf, are still kept in the church today. The facade, with
multi curved sides, became the model for most Christian churches in India. Vasco da Gama was buried
here in 1524, but his body was later removed to Portugal.
Bastion Bungalow
Built in the Indo-European style way back in 1667, the Bungalow gets its name
from its location on the site of the Stromsburg Bastion of the old Dutch fort.
The building blends beautifully into the circular structure of the bastion, has
a tiled roof and a typical first floor verandah in wood along its front
portion. Though it has been said that a network of secret tunnels runs beneath
the Bungalow, none have been found. Today, the Bungalow is the official
residence of the Sub Collector.
ANOOP.V
