Ernakulam Tourism
Being the biggest metropolis in the state and the nerve centre of commercial and industrial activities, Ernakulam offers much potential for a casu8al or shopping spree visitor. HOwever, as we are less interested in the metropolitan face of the city we drove directly to see the hill palace at Thrippunithura, which is situated a few kilometers south of the city. Known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi's charms are manifold. From the Chinese fishing nets and heritage buildings of Fort Kochi to the old spice markets of Mattancherry and the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Ernakulam, buzzing with hotels, cinema halls shops and restaurants, the city combines the finest in tradition and modernity.
Ernakulam is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, with Alappuzha on the south, Idukki on the east, and Thrissur on the north. Ernakulam, one of the finest natural harbours in the world, is a major centre of trade and commerce. The present Ernakulam district includes Paravur, Aluva, Kochi, Kanayannur, Muvattupuzha, Kunnathunadu, and Kothamangalam taluks , which come under Fort Kochi and Muvattupuzha revenue sub-divisions.A majority of islands in Kerala are in Ernakulam district. The main islands here are Willingdon Island, Vypeen, Cheriya Kadamakkudi, Valiya Kadamakkudi, Ramanthuruthu, Ponjikkara, Vallarpadom, Kumbalam, Panangad, Cheppanam, Nettur, Pizhala, Kanakattuathuruthu, Korampadam, Cheranellur, Chathandu, and Chendamangalam. All these islands are well-populated.
Sights and Attractions in Ernakulam Kerala
Antique Shops in Jew Street
With the return of the Jews to Israel, their dwellings fell into disrepair and many were torn down to make way for newer structures. Anything that could be salvaged - woodwork, furniture, artefacts, vessels and brass work - of both utility and aesthetic value, found their way into antique shops that sprang up in the meandering alleys of Jew Town. Increasing demand, spurred on by tourism, brought traditional and contemporary bric-a-brac from all over the country into these shops.
Bhoothathankettu
Located 50 km from Ernakulam town, Bhoothathankettu is a scenic dam site with boating facilities and is surrounded by a vast virgin forest
Bishop's House/indo-Portuguese Museum
Resting atop a small hillock close to the Parade Ground, this quaint structure with its grand driveway was built by the Portuguese in 1506 for their governor. Today, it is the residence of the Bishop of Kochi. In the adjacent Indo-Portuguese Museum, precious artefacts collected from various churches are displayed.
Broadway
Located in the heart of the city, Broadway is bound by a maze of alleys and crossroads. Before MG Road usurped its position as the main street, Broadway, parallel to Shanmugham Road, was the widest in town, hence its name. The narrow street and crossroads on its flanks are choc-a-block with shops selling everything under the sun from shoes, clothes, medicine, furniture, curios and kitchenware to spices, gold, hardware, electronics and books.
Cherai Beach
Located on the northern end of Vypeen Island, about 25 km from the city, this is an idyllic beach without the crowds. Beach resorts abound
Chottanikkara Temple
This temple enshrines the Goddess Bhagavathi in three forms - Saraswati (the goddess of learning), draped in white; Bhadrakaali (the fierce and destructive form), dressed in crimson; and Durga (the divine mother), in blue. Devotees flock to this popular pilgrim centre, and those seeking liberation from torment and mental illness often dance themselves into a frenzy. A tree nearby is covered in long iron nails. hammered in by devotees using their foreheads to render troublesome spirits permanently immobile. In the nine-day Makam Thozhal festival, held in February-March, prospective brides and young girls pray for a happy married
Clock tower
Built in 1760 by Ezekiel Rahabi, an affluent Jewish businessman* the clock tower stands next to the synagogue. This is a great mystery as Jewish tradition does not have the custom of ringing bells.
Dutch Cemetery
The derelict granite and red laterite stone tombs of Dutch traders and soldiers lie serenely in a bed of heather bush and thistle under a green canopy. A mute yet sublime remnant of the once thriving European community in Kochi, the Dutch Cemetery, consecrated in 1724, now lies mostly in ruins.
Fort Kochi Beach
Overlooking the Arabian Sea, with its legendary Chinese fishing nets dotting the foreground, Fort Kochi beach offers views of fiery sunsets. A colourful carnival on New Year's Day is a major draw. A novelty here is the waterfront shacks that offer the catch of the day prepared according to taste. Massive granite embankments have been built to arrest sea erosion along the shore.
Hill Palace Museum
This one-time residence of the Raja of Cochin at Thripunithura has been converted into the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. The hill-top palace, built in 1865, and consisting of 49 buildings, stretches across 52 acres of lush greenery. Exhibits displayed in its 18 galleries include the royal throne and chairs, pictures of the rulers of Cochin, Thanjavur paintings, 14th century wood-carvings, inscriptions, megalithic remains, crown, ornaments, and mural paintings. Jewellery, porcelain and epigraphy artefacts are housed in separate galleries.
Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi
The two-acre property in the heart of the city where the Maharaja of Cochin once held his durbars is now known as the Durbar Hall grounds. These grounds were also used for football games, exhibitions, military parades and processions from the nearby Shiva Temple. The one-time Parikshit Thampuran Museum situated here has been converted into an academy that showcases contemporary arts.
Kochi
A small area that was once bequeathed to a member of the royal family; Kochi later expanded to form a kingdom and then the State of Cochin. It gradually developed into a centre of trade and colonial rule, and eventually, shrank in size, but not in stature, as it evolved into the modern town of Kochi as we know it today.
Kumbalangi
A tiny village facing the Kochi backwaters in the western part of city, it is the first eco-friendly tourist village in India Kalagraamam, the artists' village, is a major attraction.
M.G.Road
Mahatma Gandhi Road is the lifeline of the city. Lined with every type of commercial enterprise from garment showrooms and jewellery shops to a host of restaurants, it remains the most expensive piece of real estate in the city.
Marine Drive
This scenic strip offers a spectacular view of the backwaters and the harbour and is packed with buildings ranging from corporate offices and banks to luxury hotels, cinema halls, restaurants, cafes and supermarkets. The drive is the most popular hangout for the locals.
Maritime Museum
Established in 2001 to create awareness of India's maritime history, the museum actually consists of two bunkers, as carefully preserved as the exhibits, which have been converted into galleries. One is devoted to the maritime heritage of India through the ages, whereas the other showcases shipbuilding activities in India, beginning from the Indus Valley civilisation to modern times.
Museum of Kerala History
The brainchild of the industrialist and philanthropist, R Madhavan Nair, this museum at Edapally is 10 km from the city and showcases the history of the State from the Neolithic Age to the modern period through pieces of sculpture. The one-hour light and sound show emphasises the richness of Kerala's past. The gallery of paintings holds 200 pieces of art by contemporary Indian artists and world masters. The Gallery of Miniatures is a treasure trove of Indian miniature painting.
Pardesi Synagogue
Constructed in 1568, this synagogue was destroyed in 1662 by cannon fire during a Portuguese raid and was rebuilt two years later when Kochi came under the Dutch yoke. The 19lh century glass chandeliers from Belgium, painted blue willow-patterned Chinese floor tiles from the 18th century, and the gallery for women with its slender gilt columns are interesting features. A 4th century copper plate carries the Maharaja's inscription in Malayalam, but in the unique kannadiezhuthu script that is decipherable only with the aid of a mirror.
Santa Cruz Basilica
A monumental structure with a brilliant blue dome, the basilica was built by the Portuguese in 1506 and recognised as a cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. Demolished in 1795 by the British, a new building was commissioned at the same site in 1887 by Bishop Dome Gomes Ferreira and later proclaimed a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
Shiva Temple
Popularly known as 'Ernakulathappan', the god of this temple is associated with the name of city. Lord Shiva, the chief deity, faces west towards the sea, considered a rarity. The Shiva and Parvati idols, found in kirathamurthy form, are claimed to be swayambhoo or 'self-created'.
SNC Maritime Museum
This museum was established in 1989 to. display the different maritime activities of the Indian naval forces. The star attraction is the vallom (boat) made of a single piece of wood, the thampakam. Once owned by the Raja of Ambalappuzha, it is said to be over 300 years old.
Spice Market
Jew Street in Mattancherry is saturated with the smell of ginger, cardamom, cloves and pepper, thanks to the spice market that still survives. Trucks feed pushcarts that transport sackloads of spices in and out of the warehouses that line the narrow streets. Traders haggle frantically as workers dry, sort and pack the spices for retail.
St Francis Church
This is India's first European church built in 1503 by a group of Portuguese Franciscan friars. The history of the church encapsulates the European struggle for power in India. Regular services are conducted through the week in English and Malayalam. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, was buried here in 1524. Although his remains were taken back to Lisbon 14 years later, the tombstone remains intact.
Thirumala Devaswom Temple
Built in 1599, the temple houses the idol of Venkatachalapathi Thirumala Devar, believed to be responsible for the prosperity of the Konkani community that flourished in trade and commerce. Both temple and idol have had a chequered history and have been plundered and restored time and again.
Willingdon Island
This man-made island lies nestled in the backwaters between mainland Ernakulam and Mattancherry. Named after the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon, the 775-acre island was created from soil dredged up while deepening Kochi's harbour in 1928. The man responsible for this engineering feat was a visionary, Sir Robert Bristow. The island is home to the Cochin Port Trust and the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. There are also top-end luxury hotels such as the Taj Malabar, Trident Hilton and Casino Hotel.
Chendamangalam
Known for its unique geography, Chendamangalam, 42 km from Ernakulam, has three rivers, seven inlets, hillocks and vast green plains. This land was once the home of the Paliath Achans, the prime ministers of the rajas of Kochi. Their residence, the Paliam Palace, houses a collection of historical documents and relics.
How to reach Ernakulam by Road
Kochi is linked to Willingdon Island by a pair of bridges. Willingdon Island is linked to Ernakulam on the mainland by the 6-km NH47A. Ernakulam is on NH47 that links Salem to Kanyakumari via Palakkad (146 km), Thrissur (79 km), Ernakulam, Alleppey (63 km), Kollam (147 km) and Trivandrum (210 km). NH17, which starts at Mumbai, ends at Edappally, just north of Ernakulam, via Panjim, Mangalore, Kannur, Kozhikode and Kodungalloor. Bus Ernakulam’s KSRTC Bus Stand has daily services to almost all the destinations in this guidebook, from Bekal in the far north to Trivandrum in the south.
How to reach Ernakulam by Rail
Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction stations serve Kochi, both well-connected by the Cannanore, Netravati and Parashuram express trains from Kozhikode and Trivandrum. Ernakulam is connected daily to Mumbai by the Netravati and Mangla Lakshadweep expresses. The latter begins at Delhi, to which Ernakulam is also connected by the biweekly Trivandrum Rajdhani. The Kanyakumari and Ernakulam expresses are daily links from Bangalore. Trivandrum Mail, Madras Guruvayur and Alleppey expresses are all good daily links from Chennai. Less frequent services come from Kolkata, including the Howrah-Trivandrum Express.
Click on link for a list of trains to various cities
How to reach Ernakulam by Air
Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery (34 km/ 3/4 hr, )north of the city near Angamali, is connected daily to Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Chennai and Colombo, six days a week to Agatti, thrice a week to Coimbatore and twice to Goa
How to reach Ernakulam by Water
Kochi has a magnificent all weather natural port. Regular boat service to places like Kottayam and Alleppey are available through the scenic backwaters of Kerala
Ernakulam is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, with Alappuzha on the south, Idukki on the east, and Thrissur on the north. Ernakulam, one of the finest natural harbours in the world, is a major centre of trade and commerce. The present Ernakulam district includes Paravur, Aluva, Kochi, Kanayannur, Muvattupuzha, Kunnathunadu, and Kothamangalam taluks , which come under Fort Kochi and Muvattupuzha revenue sub-divisions.A majority of islands in Kerala are in Ernakulam district. The main islands here are Willingdon Island, Vypeen, Cheriya Kadamakkudi, Valiya Kadamakkudi, Ramanthuruthu, Ponjikkara, Vallarpadom, Kumbalam, Panangad, Cheppanam, Nettur, Pizhala, Kanakattuathuruthu, Korampadam, Cheranellur, Chathandu, and Chendamangalam. All these islands are well-populated.
Sights and Attractions in Ernakulam Kerala
Antique Shops in Jew Street
With the return of the Jews to Israel, their dwellings fell into disrepair and many were torn down to make way for newer structures. Anything that could be salvaged - woodwork, furniture, artefacts, vessels and brass work - of both utility and aesthetic value, found their way into antique shops that sprang up in the meandering alleys of Jew Town. Increasing demand, spurred on by tourism, brought traditional and contemporary bric-a-brac from all over the country into these shops.
Bhoothathankettu
Located 50 km from Ernakulam town, Bhoothathankettu is a scenic dam site with boating facilities and is surrounded by a vast virgin forest
Bishop's House/indo-Portuguese Museum
Resting atop a small hillock close to the Parade Ground, this quaint structure with its grand driveway was built by the Portuguese in 1506 for their governor. Today, it is the residence of the Bishop of Kochi. In the adjacent Indo-Portuguese Museum, precious artefacts collected from various churches are displayed.
Broadway
Located in the heart of the city, Broadway is bound by a maze of alleys and crossroads. Before MG Road usurped its position as the main street, Broadway, parallel to Shanmugham Road, was the widest in town, hence its name. The narrow street and crossroads on its flanks are choc-a-block with shops selling everything under the sun from shoes, clothes, medicine, furniture, curios and kitchenware to spices, gold, hardware, electronics and books.
Cherai Beach
Located on the northern end of Vypeen Island, about 25 km from the city, this is an idyllic beach without the crowds. Beach resorts abound
Chottanikkara Temple
This temple enshrines the Goddess Bhagavathi in three forms - Saraswati (the goddess of learning), draped in white; Bhadrakaali (the fierce and destructive form), dressed in crimson; and Durga (the divine mother), in blue. Devotees flock to this popular pilgrim centre, and those seeking liberation from torment and mental illness often dance themselves into a frenzy. A tree nearby is covered in long iron nails. hammered in by devotees using their foreheads to render troublesome spirits permanently immobile. In the nine-day Makam Thozhal festival, held in February-March, prospective brides and young girls pray for a happy married
Clock tower
Built in 1760 by Ezekiel Rahabi, an affluent Jewish businessman* the clock tower stands next to the synagogue. This is a great mystery as Jewish tradition does not have the custom of ringing bells.
Dutch Cemetery
The derelict granite and red laterite stone tombs of Dutch traders and soldiers lie serenely in a bed of heather bush and thistle under a green canopy. A mute yet sublime remnant of the once thriving European community in Kochi, the Dutch Cemetery, consecrated in 1724, now lies mostly in ruins.
Fort Kochi Beach
Overlooking the Arabian Sea, with its legendary Chinese fishing nets dotting the foreground, Fort Kochi beach offers views of fiery sunsets. A colourful carnival on New Year's Day is a major draw. A novelty here is the waterfront shacks that offer the catch of the day prepared according to taste. Massive granite embankments have been built to arrest sea erosion along the shore.
Hill Palace Museum
This one-time residence of the Raja of Cochin at Thripunithura has been converted into the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. The hill-top palace, built in 1865, and consisting of 49 buildings, stretches across 52 acres of lush greenery. Exhibits displayed in its 18 galleries include the royal throne and chairs, pictures of the rulers of Cochin, Thanjavur paintings, 14th century wood-carvings, inscriptions, megalithic remains, crown, ornaments, and mural paintings. Jewellery, porcelain and epigraphy artefacts are housed in separate galleries.
Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademi
The two-acre property in the heart of the city where the Maharaja of Cochin once held his durbars is now known as the Durbar Hall grounds. These grounds were also used for football games, exhibitions, military parades and processions from the nearby Shiva Temple. The one-time Parikshit Thampuran Museum situated here has been converted into an academy that showcases contemporary arts.
Kochi
A small area that was once bequeathed to a member of the royal family; Kochi later expanded to form a kingdom and then the State of Cochin. It gradually developed into a centre of trade and colonial rule, and eventually, shrank in size, but not in stature, as it evolved into the modern town of Kochi as we know it today.
Kumbalangi
A tiny village facing the Kochi backwaters in the western part of city, it is the first eco-friendly tourist village in India Kalagraamam, the artists' village, is a major attraction.
M.G.Road
Mahatma Gandhi Road is the lifeline of the city. Lined with every type of commercial enterprise from garment showrooms and jewellery shops to a host of restaurants, it remains the most expensive piece of real estate in the city.
Marine Drive
This scenic strip offers a spectacular view of the backwaters and the harbour and is packed with buildings ranging from corporate offices and banks to luxury hotels, cinema halls, restaurants, cafes and supermarkets. The drive is the most popular hangout for the locals.
Maritime Museum
Established in 2001 to create awareness of India's maritime history, the museum actually consists of two bunkers, as carefully preserved as the exhibits, which have been converted into galleries. One is devoted to the maritime heritage of India through the ages, whereas the other showcases shipbuilding activities in India, beginning from the Indus Valley civilisation to modern times.
Museum of Kerala History
The brainchild of the industrialist and philanthropist, R Madhavan Nair, this museum at Edapally is 10 km from the city and showcases the history of the State from the Neolithic Age to the modern period through pieces of sculpture. The one-hour light and sound show emphasises the richness of Kerala's past. The gallery of paintings holds 200 pieces of art by contemporary Indian artists and world masters. The Gallery of Miniatures is a treasure trove of Indian miniature painting.
Pardesi Synagogue
Constructed in 1568, this synagogue was destroyed in 1662 by cannon fire during a Portuguese raid and was rebuilt two years later when Kochi came under the Dutch yoke. The 19lh century glass chandeliers from Belgium, painted blue willow-patterned Chinese floor tiles from the 18th century, and the gallery for women with its slender gilt columns are interesting features. A 4th century copper plate carries the Maharaja's inscription in Malayalam, but in the unique kannadiezhuthu script that is decipherable only with the aid of a mirror.
Santa Cruz Basilica
A monumental structure with a brilliant blue dome, the basilica was built by the Portuguese in 1506 and recognised as a cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558. Demolished in 1795 by the British, a new building was commissioned at the same site in 1887 by Bishop Dome Gomes Ferreira and later proclaimed a basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
Shiva Temple
Popularly known as 'Ernakulathappan', the god of this temple is associated with the name of city. Lord Shiva, the chief deity, faces west towards the sea, considered a rarity. The Shiva and Parvati idols, found in kirathamurthy form, are claimed to be swayambhoo or 'self-created'.
SNC Maritime Museum
This museum was established in 1989 to. display the different maritime activities of the Indian naval forces. The star attraction is the vallom (boat) made of a single piece of wood, the thampakam. Once owned by the Raja of Ambalappuzha, it is said to be over 300 years old.
Spice Market
Jew Street in Mattancherry is saturated with the smell of ginger, cardamom, cloves and pepper, thanks to the spice market that still survives. Trucks feed pushcarts that transport sackloads of spices in and out of the warehouses that line the narrow streets. Traders haggle frantically as workers dry, sort and pack the spices for retail.
St Francis Church
This is India's first European church built in 1503 by a group of Portuguese Franciscan friars. The history of the church encapsulates the European struggle for power in India. Regular services are conducted through the week in English and Malayalam. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, was buried here in 1524. Although his remains were taken back to Lisbon 14 years later, the tombstone remains intact.
Thirumala Devaswom Temple
Built in 1599, the temple houses the idol of Venkatachalapathi Thirumala Devar, believed to be responsible for the prosperity of the Konkani community that flourished in trade and commerce. Both temple and idol have had a chequered history and have been plundered and restored time and again.
Willingdon Island
This man-made island lies nestled in the backwaters between mainland Ernakulam and Mattancherry. Named after the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon, the 775-acre island was created from soil dredged up while deepening Kochi's harbour in 1928. The man responsible for this engineering feat was a visionary, Sir Robert Bristow. The island is home to the Cochin Port Trust and the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. There are also top-end luxury hotels such as the Taj Malabar, Trident Hilton and Casino Hotel.
Chendamangalam
Known for its unique geography, Chendamangalam, 42 km from Ernakulam, has three rivers, seven inlets, hillocks and vast green plains. This land was once the home of the Paliath Achans, the prime ministers of the rajas of Kochi. Their residence, the Paliam Palace, houses a collection of historical documents and relics.
How to reach Ernakulam by Road
Kochi is linked to Willingdon Island by a pair of bridges. Willingdon Island is linked to Ernakulam on the mainland by the 6-km NH47A. Ernakulam is on NH47 that links Salem to Kanyakumari via Palakkad (146 km), Thrissur (79 km), Ernakulam, Alleppey (63 km), Kollam (147 km) and Trivandrum (210 km). NH17, which starts at Mumbai, ends at Edappally, just north of Ernakulam, via Panjim, Mangalore, Kannur, Kozhikode and Kodungalloor. Bus Ernakulam’s KSRTC Bus Stand has daily services to almost all the destinations in this guidebook, from Bekal in the far north to Trivandrum in the south.
How to reach Ernakulam by Rail
Ernakulam Town and Ernakulam Junction stations serve Kochi, both well-connected by the Cannanore, Netravati and Parashuram express trains from Kozhikode and Trivandrum. Ernakulam is connected daily to Mumbai by the Netravati and Mangla Lakshadweep expresses. The latter begins at Delhi, to which Ernakulam is also connected by the biweekly Trivandrum Rajdhani. The Kanyakumari and Ernakulam expresses are daily links from Bangalore. Trivandrum Mail, Madras Guruvayur and Alleppey expresses are all good daily links from Chennai. Less frequent services come from Kolkata, including the Howrah-Trivandrum Express.
Click on link for a list of trains to various cities
How to reach Ernakulam by Air
Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery (34 km/ 3/4 hr, )north of the city near Angamali, is connected daily to Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Chennai and Colombo, six days a week to Agatti, thrice a week to Coimbatore and twice to Goa
How to reach Ernakulam by Water
Kochi has a magnificent all weather natural port. Regular boat service to places like Kottayam and Alleppey are available through the scenic backwaters of Kerala
