Situated at the magnificent Fort Kochi in Kerala, the Indo Portuguese Museum is one of the most looked upon museums in the city of Kochi. It is an example of the influence Portuguese had in the field of architecture and art. It depicts the legends of the period when Portuguese used to be the most influential bunch around in Kochi. I was not sure what I will find when I entered the premises but I was sure it would be a journey to learn a lot about the Indo-Portuguese culture. Built by the Bishop of Kochi late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, this museum houses prominent Indo Portuguese legacy in the form of artistic things. I could actually feel myself close to the inheritance of the times these artifacts and exhibitions belonged to. I was told there by a person staring at a painting that this museum was the first museum in Kerala to specially host artifacts and scriptures that had a theological importance. There are five sections in which the museum is divided based on the nature of the items displayed. These divisions were named Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. Every projection was an example of the similarities Indian and the Portuguese culture shared. The impeccable work of art in the exquisite collections showcased almost blew my mind away. I had never seen such exotic display of art. The collections included a piece of altar made up of teak wood presumed to be from the church of Lady Of Hope, a chasuble from the House of Bishop. The museum entry is free on 1st Thursday of every month so I was sort of lucky to land on the same day. It is only open till 5 PM and as much as I wished to stay a little longer, I had to leave the building as soon as the clock hand hit 5. The Indo Portuguese Museum is surely a must visit for anyone who takes interest in the Portuguese culture and the influence it has in the field of art and architecture. Apparently I plan to take my love for history a step higher by paying a visit to the grand Pallipuram Fort Kochi.
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Narration : This is picture taken at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The stadium is also known as Kaloor International Stadium by the locals. It is located in Kochi. Since it is also the largest cricket stadium in India, my dad wanted to check it out. Other sport played in this stadium is football (Soccer).
If you have an interest for archaeology, then visit the biggest archaeological museum located in Kerala. Constructed in 1865, Hill Palace Museum Kerala served as a permanent shelter to the royal family of Kochi. It is situated in close proximity with the Kochi city on the route Kochi-Chottanikkara. I bought the ticket and submitted my camera at the entry itself as it was strictly prohibited inside the premises of the museum building. The palace falls under the supervision of Department of Archaeology since 1980 and opened for public visit in 1986. It is an elegant piece of architecture with the building consisting around 50 units while being spread over a land having an area of 52 acre. It is renowned due to its terraced landscape beautified with lawns, ponds and fountains. The palace is house to a well maintained ethno museum and is Kerala's first ever museum of its kind. I was amused by the temple right beside the museum and a beautiful pond. The architecture of the palace had a beautiful amalgam of western and traditional essence. The main office of the building is a three-story modern style structure which really stands out of the lot. I went through all 14 categories of exhibitions the museum had to offer. These included paintings, murals, sculpture made out in plaster of Paris, carvings, manuscripts and a lot more that made me wonder how beautiful ancient art is. One of the major attractions was the rich collection of exquisite coins from the old times, ornaments belonging to the royal house and epigraphy samples displayed in the museum. I have always been an antique lover and this love was reverted by 200 antique artifacts displayed at the museum. It was so unfortunate they refused me to take pictures due to the protocols. My favorite part of the visit was the weapon and armory gallery. I saw old war time weapons from different places and different periods added to the collection. The Hill Palace Museum is a must-visit place regardless of your age as it offers amusing stuff for everyone. Next destination on my list was the Indo Portuguese Museum Kochi.
Kochi is famously known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea and as soon as you leave Kollam junction station, you can sense that in the air. Royally we were chauffeured to our destination which was the Comfort Hotel Kochi. Since we were primarily food deprived and the hotel staff had sensed that, we were directly led to the banquet hall where food was being served. We were told that our bags will reach our rooms safely. Relaxed we head towards the hall following the aroma of delicious food. First impression that one can make of the hotel is its serene ambience. The staff is well behaved and well managed. The hotel is unbelievably close to the station. And we were also told by the hotel staff that some of the tourist points like the beach view, the Kochi Palace, the museum of Akamoto Ryoma and Katsurahama are at walk able distances. The hotel is Wi-Fi enabled which was bliss and also offers services like the refrigerators, air conditioners and television sets in every room. Some rooms may also include press irons and ironing boards. Whether it is travelling for business or for personal pleasure, the Kochi hotel offers impeccable customer services, cosy accommodations and reasonably priced rates. It constantly makes every effort to offer its guests the services of their choices and fulfils their hotel stay experience. After a fulfilling lunch we had a short walk in the premises of the hotel breathing in all the aromas that the Arabian Sea Queen could offer. We also caught glimpses of the beach and could hear the noises of people, like us, having fun in the beach. We then proceeded to our rooms and freshened up. Since all of us were wary of the train journey, we decided to catch up with some sleep and then visit the beach in the evening.
Comfort Hotel Kochi does understand its customers well. In the evening by 5 pm we were brought back to reality by the hotel attendant who brought us some refreshing tea and snacks. Rejuvenated, we then head towards the beach. Each one of us eyed each other suspiciously knowing that we will play a host of mischiefs on each other at the beach. That fun part with friends can never leave our memories. About Santa Cruz Basilica, Kochi : It is one of the top churches in India. There are only eight basilicas in India and Santa Cruz Cathedral is one of them. It is located in Fort Kochi and was actually built in 1558 which makes it the second oldest Diocese of India. We had a great time visiting this church.
After witnessing the sunset at the Anthirapally Waterfalls, we drove to our next and final destination for the evening which was the Marine Drive Kochi. It is a scenic boulevard in the town of Kochi. Built in order to fence the backwaters it has become a popular retreat for young and old alike. Marine Drive has also emerged as the economically flourishing area of Kochi which makes it a tourist attraction. Several shopping malls have also lined up in that area making it a must visit for fashion followers. The presence of malls has converted that area into shopping centre spot in Kochi. The causeway has two constructed bridges; one is called the Rainbow Bridge and the other as Chinese Fishing-Net Bridge. All the night unfolds the area of Marine drive starts buzzing with laughter and activity of visitors that throng the place. Many activities take place at the Marine Drive. One can even take advantage of various boating services offered at Marine Drive that row us the tourists spots such as oil tanker cubicle, the Kochi shipyard, Bolgatty Palace, Mattanchery - a Jewish synagogue, Jews Street, the Vallarpadom Terminal and many more to mention. We also witnessed a flash mob arranged to spread awareness for pedestrian safety near marine drive. Rains add a magical touch to the place and the lights look splendid at night. You can even notice photographers with huge lenses capturing the lights of the two bridges in their DSLR’s. We chose to sit on the pavement for some time and witness the beauty of the marine drive. We chose to get some shopping done in one of the malls and also had dinner at the food joint present in the mall. Thus, Marine Drive Kochi makes a beautiful crown for the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi. This trip to Kochi was indeed very refreshing and a much needed break from our daily routines. Thanks to my friends I could enjoy the offerings of the town whole heartedly. Kochi has a lot to offer for nature lovers and vintage historical place lovers alike. Kochi must find a place in the bucket list of all visitors that want to visit Kerala.
After the majestic photo session at the castle we head back to the hotel to have some lunch. Freshened up and then headed towards the Athirapally Falls Kochi. If you are eager to picture the walls which even words would not define completely, then imagine Priety Zinta and Shahrukh Khan (Bollywood actors) dance to the tunes of the song named ‘Jiya Jale’ from the movie ‘Dil Se’ or remember Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan dancing merrily to the tunes of ‘Barso re’ from the bollywood movie ‘Guru’. The 80 feet high, 330 feet wide, waterfall is splendour to the eye. I could not take my eyes off the beautiful waterfall and hence understood why Mani Ratnam (a famous Indian movie director) chose Athirapally falls for shooting a song sequence in his film. It has also earned the name of being called the ‘Niagara Falls of India’. The waterfall is located close to the river Chalakudy and ranges of Sholayar. For years now it is one of the famous tourist attractions of Kochi. One only has to visit it to experience the marvel of Mother Nature and its vastness. On the whole, experience of travelling to the falls is beguiling. The path to the waterfall decked with lush palms, coconut trees, and green pastures. One can also take a 2 km long trek route to reach the site of waterfalls. The waterfall can never leave its visitors lost in the green pastures as the roaring sound of the waterfall invited its visitors to assimilate its beauty with passion and grace. Just close your eyes and feel the mist of rushing waters touch your face. That in itself is a heavenly experience. Athirapally Fall is without doubt is glorious and exquisite. Your trip to Kochi is only complete if you visit these falls and lose yourself in the music of the falls. The monsoon season definitely adds to the charm of Athirapally Falls Kochi falls. Nevertheless, trekking up to the falls can be little risky in that season so utmost care must be taken. One can even try out fishing with the local fisher man and immerse your worries in the waters of the falls. Swimming is allowed only if done with precaution.
Description : Wonderla Amusement Park, Kochi - After a long time, we were able to plan trip with the entire family which also included my uncles and aunts. We decided to go to Kochi and spend some time exploring the beauty of Kerala. I have heard many things about Kochi. The destination we chose was the Wonderla Amusement Park. We had an awesome time and it was the perfect way for starting our journey.
After the playful evening at the Kochi backwaters, the next day of the itinerary expected us to visit the Kochi Castle. It is closer to the Comfort Hotel, so we decide to walk to the palace and also explore the city on our way to the destination. The Kochi Castle was built in the 16th century and was originally called Otakasaka. It takes its name after the hill which inhabits the castle. The castle was built to shield the Kochi city and one can even notice the partially burnt structure which was damaged when fire broke in the castle in early 17th century. The castle has never faced an attack and hence has maintained its decorum. At the entry of the castle we were entertained by a gang of volunteer tour guides. We hesitated for a while, but their way of approach appealed to us. They showed us an unseen part of the castle which we had not noticed before. Like it was some trick. A structure without the knowledge of its history is, just a structure. We hired a guide to show us every bi and corner of the castle history and also learnt all the tricks that dwelled in the castle. The stories told by the guide were so colourful and intriguing in a way, which we had never thought about it. Kochi castle is also very calm in its surroundings and is enveloped with a fine view of the tranquil civic of Kochi. The castle reflects ancient Japanese structures covered with wooden beams and pointed roofs. What I like most about the castle is that it does not have a museum feel to it and love the part where it has restored every bit and pieces of the old world sense to it.
At the magnificent Kochi Castle we felt as if, we were transported back in the era where the castle was alive and buzzed with life. The castle also exhibits some old paintings and murals depicting the history of life at the castle and offers some great insights. Trip to Kochi castle is a must and also don’t forget to capture the breath taking view in your camera, from the top floor of the castle. A Fun Tale to Tell of My Train Travel from Bangalore to Kollam Junction Kochi by Kanyakumari Express4/6/2014 The tiring sweaty summer had set in. With a national holiday coming up, I gathered up the courage to get my leaves sanctioned and set out to start a new travel journey to a new place. Since we had a few days in hand, we decided to go somewhere close by which did not require much of a planning. A friend in our group suggested that we check out Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) as he had been there before. All of us agreed and as the holiday kicked in we packed our bags and set out for a train travel from Bangalore to Kollam junction Kochi by Kanyakumari Express. As we reached at the station, we headed to our bogie and settled in our seats. It was only 9.15 pm and the train was to leave Bangalore station by 9.40 pm. We packed our bags safely, secured with a lock under our seats and decided to explore Kanyakumari Express. We followed the compelling smell of food, which led us to the pantry and ordered for some food for the night. The train left the station on time and was bound to reach Kollam junction by next day afternoon, 1.30 pm. During the train journey we played games, ate the packed food, and interacted with our fellow travellers, which was luckily a group of young traveller, like us. They were on a trip to Kanyakumari and told us about their travel plans. By the end of the journey we all become a close knit group. They even promised to visit us in Bangalore once they were back. The train was also clean and comfortable. We were up by the tea seller’s call for tea and freshened up to witness the rising sun. After some tea and snacks, we are planned and discussed our itinerary so that we don’t waste any time during our stay in Kochi. The train travel from Bangalore to Kollam junction Kochi by Kanyakumari Express was only a matter of time. We reached Kollam junction in time for lunch and got down at the station, where our hotel representative was waiting for us, holding the name placard. We were supposed to check in comfort hotel Kochi, excited we left the station to explore the beautiful city of Kochi.
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Sharing is what I always believe in, since childhood I have been most expressive kid in my family. Making new friends, jelling up with people, traveling or participating in any event, I have always been in the fore front. Hello friends this is Soumya Shetty a Pharmacist, I love reading, travelling to places, visiting spiritual places the rich history behind the existence attracts me. Moreover, at the same time I too enjoy shopping with friends, movies, food, and parties. Most importantly, “sharing” so here is crazy Soumu sharing her experiences and life with you friends. Hope you would like being part of my life’s journey.
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