Ernakulam
Ernakulam, the commercial capital of Kerala, served by an international airport, fine communication facilities, excellent accommodation, modern amenities and a lot of attractive tourist places gives a breathtaking experience for its visitors and settlers. The district took its form on 1st April 1958, by carving out the areas of erstwhile Travancore, Kochi & Malabar kingdoms. The word Ernakulam was derived from a Tamil word 'Erayanarkulam' which means 'Lord Shiva's abode'.
Tourist attractions
The tourist attractions in Cochin, the commercial capital of Kerala are blending of the colonial past and the diversity of modern India.
The Europeans have left the colonial remnants in Fort Cochin, which are evident from the huge buttresses at the entrance to the place. The chief landmark in Fort Cochin is undoubtedly the St.Francis Church built in the 16th century. It is the oldest existing European Church in India. The remains of the traveler Vasco da Gama were buried there before being shifted to Portugal.
Mattanchery has a Dutch palace built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin ruler Vira Kerala Varma in 1555 as atonement for the plunder and desecration of a temple near the Raja's palace by an insolent young Portuguese officer. The palace has marvelous murals and has also incorporated episodes from the Indian Epics.
Mattancherry has a curios mixture of people. Though predominantly Muslim there are also Jews who have a pocket called the "Jew Town". They had made Cochin their home after running away from Persia in the 16th century. The humane Raja of Cochin who allotted them this land near his palace and helped them build their place of worship. The Paradeshi Synagogue was built in 1568 and it remains one of oldest synagogues in the world, with exquisite hand-painted, blue-and-white Chinese porcelain tiles and Belgian hanging lamps.
The Parishath Thampuram Museum in Ernakulam has a large collection of 19th-century oil paintings, old coins, sculptures, Mughal paintings, and temple models.Vypeen and Gundu islands boasts of a lighthouse at Ochanthuruth, good beaches, and the 16th-century Pallipuram Fort. The picture of Cochin is not complete without the mention of the Chinese fishing nets. The Chinese fishing nets are the most efficient means of backwater fishing, quite common in Fort Cochin
Festival in Cochin
The festival of Ernakulathappan, the deity of Shiva temple is an annual festival lasting for eight days. Seeveli procession with nine tuskers and Panchavadyam are highpoints of the festival. Kathakali, Ottanthullal, music concerts are presented by renowned artists. The festival concludes with the Arattu.
The Valanjambalam Devi Temple located in the heart of Ernakulam celebrates an annual festival for two days known as Thalapoli Utsavam. Decorated elephants accompanied by temple musical ensembles known, as Ezhunnallippu is an important event of the festival.
By Road
Three important National Highways(NH) pass through/start from Kochi, apart from many state roads. NH 47 from Kanyakumari to Salem pass right through the heart of Kochi while NH 17 to Mumbai and NH 49 to Madurai(in Tamil Nadu) starts from Kochi. Private and public transport services are available to/from all major cities of South India from here
By Rail
Kochi and Ernakulam are connected to the rest of India by an extensive network of rails.There are three important railway stations here namely Cochin Harbour Terminus, Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town . Many important trains start from here and many others pass through these stations.
By Air
Cochin/ Kochi (Airport Code: COK) has a domestic airport with flights to Agatti, Bangalore, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa, Madras and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum - the capital of Kerala). The Cochin International Airport is under construction and is in the finishing stages. Currently, there are regular international flights to the Gulf. Flights to other destinations will start soon. Other international airports nearby includes Mumbai, Madras, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
By Sea
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.
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