Kerala Tourism Blog

Fort Kochi is a coastal town in the south-western part of Kochi which is recognized for its traditional colonial charm. The place still upholds every single cultural change it has gone through over the centuries. Remnants of British rule are evident all over the country. Tourists flock here all around the year to have a glimpse of the effect of Portuguese or Dutch. The old-world city is speckled with similar structures and has an overall setting that keeps reminding us of the colonial powers that once governed the place. This place has seen the rise and fall of European powers, mainly the Portuguese, Chinese before that the Dutch, before it went under the British rule in the 18th century. Fort Kochi is flecked with European architectural marvel of churches and other buildings which take us right back to a different era back in time.  It has that influence on the travelers, where they get engrossed by the serene environs and exceptional architectures. Distinct from other Forts of middle and northern India, Fort Kochi is all about bygone ramparts, canons and carcasses of old palatial buildings. Still it has the ambiance of an ancient colonial city with colourful and delightful buildings and a scenic view out at the beach similar to southern Europe County. History of Fort Kochi This city got its name from the Chinese colonizers who came here back in the 1300s and set up the now renowned Chinese fishing nets. "Co-chin “translates to” like China, from which we can comprehend that this place looked, like the parts of China from where the early Chinese people came. Kochi had sumptuous commercial relations with the Chinese and Arabians, especially in the spice trade.  It was chiefly a fishing village under the rule of Kochi dynasty who granted the place to

Kalady is a renowned pilgrim center located on the banks of Periyar. Renowned as the homeland of Sri Sankaracharaya, the great Indian theologian and philosopher lived in the 8th century. We can see two shrines in memory of Sri Sankaracharaya, one for Dakshinamurthy and the other to the goddess Sharada. There is a Krishna Temple as well, which was the family temple of Adi Sankaracharaya. Apart from this there are many other attractions that you can enjoy. Tourist Places to Visit in Kalady Sringeri Mutt Temples Sringeri Matt is established by Sri Sankarayarya. In the compound you can see two temples one for Sri Saradamba and the other for Sri Sankara. They were built in 1910 by Jagadguru Sri Sachithananda Shiva Abhinava Narismaha Brathi Maha Swamingal of Sringeri Sarada Pitha.  Brindavan You can see an altar with Tulsi plants where Aryamba, the mother of Sri Sankaracharaya was incinerated. Crocodile Ghat This is the spot that is believed to be the place where Sri Sankara took to sanyasa (renunciation). According to folklore, it was here that the crocodile caught hold of him and to save him from the clutches of the crocodile his mother had to permit him to accept sanyasa. The moment she permitted the crocodile disappeared.  Sri Ramakrishna Advaita Ashram Ashram was established in 1936 by Swamy Agamanda. The shrine here was renovated in 1976 modelling Sri Ramakrishna temple in Belur Math (Howrah) and a full-scale marble image of Sri Ramakrishna installed. For free travel consultation through WhatsApp. Contact us now. Options: Swift DZire, Innova, Tempo Traveller (12 to 19 Seater), Coaches. Sri Adi Sankara Keerthi Sthambha Mandapam This is a 46 m high, nine tier octagonal tower. The ground floor houses the Paduka Mandapam, a representational depiction of Sri Sankara’s feet. The first floor has a Geetha Upadesam Centre

Kodanad elephant training center is one of the oldest and largest training centers in South India. This place is a must visit for tourists arriving at Kochi. Travelling 45 kilometers by road, one can reach Kodanad Elephant training center from Kochi. It is a training center for Elephants and home for many wild species like spotted deer. A new zoo by name Abhayaranyam, has been built at Kaprikad, near Kodanad and the entire operations have been shifted to the new location. Kaprikad is just around 3 kilometers from kodanad. Wild elephants once brought here are trained and domesticated by Mahouts. Kodanad also houses an Elephant rescue center. Malayattoor church is a seasonal pilgrimage center near Kodanad and this famous destination can be accessed via boats starting from Kodanad. Kodanad enjoys a very high position in the eco-tourism map of Government of India. Uniqueness of Kodanad lies in the fact that, it is the only center in India which gives importance to rescue as much as training of Elephants. The visitors at the main park at Kodanad are offered Elephant Safari. Elephant Safari is under taken by the State Forest Department. If planning to do Elephant Safari, viositors are advised to call the office and confirm because some days it is not there due to shifting to new zoo premises.Visitors also get a chance to feed the elephants abiding the rules and regulations of the park. Kodanad is the famouis among wildlife enthusiasts from all around the world. Kodanad’s beauty made it a favorite spot for movie shoots. It is always best to reach the park by around 08:00 AM, when the elephants are brought outside from their shelters for bathing in the river. It is definitely a sight for the visitors, the merry and fun these large creatures have in

Jew town is one of the prominent areas of Old Cochin. It has long shopping lanes, streets lined on both sides with small shops selling specialty items for visitors. The main attraction of Jew town is something that takes our memories back to the 16th Century AD, the Jewish Sysnagogue. It is situated at the end of the walking street of Jew town. The Jewish Synagogue is just 400 meters away from the Dutch palace. The trader jews who migrated to Kochi built this Synagogue in AD 1567. Jewish Syangogue in Kochi is the oldest one compared to all the others present in Commonwealth nations. A shoe-less walk inside the Synagogue will time travel you to the 16th Century. You will be able to see a big collection of antiques like chandeliers, scrolls, gold crowns, copper plates and brass-railed pulpit. The Chinese floor tiles, that have blue willow-pattern improves the overall beauty of the Synagogue. The mosaic work used in the Synagogue is very unique and you will not be able to match it with any other in the country. The Synagogue is also called Paradesi synagogue. Paradesi in local language Malayalam meand foreigners. This Synagogue was built by Spanish speaking Jews who landed in Kochi after they had exiled from Aleppo, Safed or some other parts of West Asia and hence the name Paradesi Synagogue. Other popular names for Paradesi Synagogue are Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The Jews of Kochi were also called Malabar Yehudan or Yehudan Mappila. The Mattancherry synagogue is one of the seven synagogues built by the Jews of 16th Century in Kerala and is the only which is still in use. The Jews of Kochi had a warm relation with monarchy, and this resulted in giving the land adjacent to Mattancherry palace grounds to