COCHIN HERITAGE CARNIVAL 2022: ALLEYS OF HISTORY FORT KOCHI HERITAGE WALK WITH RENJITH LEEN

About the Walk

If Kochi, or Cochin as it was known before, is the Queen of the Arabian Sea, then Fort Kochi is the brightest jewel in the tiara of the queen. Kissed by the placid waters of the Vembanad Lake and caressed by the Arabian Sea, Fort Kochi is one of the few places in the world where history lies buried around every nook and cranny. Every street and every stone here tells a tale of how a seaside fishing hamlet became the first place in India to be globalized. From the Chinese who came with porcelain and silk and the Arabs who arrived with dry fruits and dates to the Europeans, this tiny peninsula is a unique treasure trove of stories. This was where India’s first European fort sprang up and the first town and municipality more than four centuries ago. It was the first place in South India where the Portuguese were welcomed with open arms and given a toe-nail foothold. At a time when what is today Kerala was dotted with hovels made of cadjan and wooden mansions of the upper castes thatched with palm leaves, Fort Kochi had Portuguese-style buildings, streets, a municipal council, mayor, college, Asia’s biggest library and churches, nunneries, monasteries and a hospital and leprosy hospice…. This is the only town where three European powers made their imprint one after the other in Asia. Come and explore the not-so-noticed facets of Fort Kochi’s history and retrace the steps of the Arabs, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and the English to unravel its hidden secrets.

About the Host

A Kerala-based journalist and currently the deputy editor of Shalom World News of the Shalom Media Group. His journalism career spans eighteen years and has served as the editor of The Week, Oman Tribune, The New Indian Express and Cochin Herald Media Network. Renjith is a seasoned creative writer and editor with a penchant for history, culture, cuisine and travel.

Meeting Point: Kochi Corporation Zonal Office Fort Kochi

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6ayqs9VX83pt1ZEn8

Nearest Bus/Boat Station: Fort Kochi Bus Stand/Fort Kochi Customs Jetty

Medium: English

Things to keep in mind:

▪️Carry a cap/hat/umbrella and ample drinking water.

▪️Wear comfortable shoes.

▪️Photography is permitted.

▪️Videography is not permitted.

▪️Kindly avoid littering during the walk.

▪️Please reach the meeting point on time to avoid delay in starting the walk.

▪️Please note that we would not be entering inside any heritage monuments for this walk.

▪️Kindly follow all instructions laid out by the walk leader on the day of the walk.