Returned to India in March 2023 – Kochi, Kerala
After a hiatus of three years, I returned to India in March 2023 – the land which has been my frequent destination for slightly over a decade. The destination that I chose for this visit was Kochi in Kerala.
Unfortunately, it was a very short visit due to personal commitments back in Malaysia – only four nights but it was worth it. It was worthwhile to get a feel of India again and to experience the 2022/2023 Kochi-Muziris Biennale before it ended in April.
My first visit to Kochi was in 2019. I covered the usual tourist sights and experienced the Art Biennale, and I absolutely loved this city. Well, more like, I enjoyed Fort Kochi. To be honest, I haven’t explored the actual city in depth as most of the tourist sights are in Fort, so this is the part of Kochi that I found delightful.
As far as the Art Biennale goes, it was a tad disappointing and I say this from an amateur’s point of view (pls don’t hate me!). I love and appreciate art but am not an artist. I personally found the 2022/2023 edition focused heavily on video and film-making compared to the 2018/2019 edition which showcased a balanced variety of arts from painting, drawing and sculpture to photography, video and film-making.
Related Post: Memories from Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018/2019
That said, I did enjoy myself overall exploring almost 80% of the art installations exhibited in several heritage properties, warehouses, godowns, cafes and boutique hotels. Majority of the venues can be explored on foot especially the ones located a stone’s throw away from Aspinwall House (one of the main venues for the Biennale) while other venues in Mattancherry area can be reached with a short rickshaw ride.
Here are clips of some interesting artworks that I liked from the Biennale:
I had managed to catch up with a local friend from Kochi – Johann Kuruvilla, who is the founder of Kochi Heritage Project. Johann leads walking tours in Fort Kochi and his walks are well-researched and immersive, thanks to his enormous passion for the heritage of Kochi. He’s also a great storyteller – as you walk and explore the streets with him in Fort Kochi, you can’t help but being transported to time past, giving you a flavour of how Kochi transformed from being one of the important spice trade centres on the Malabar Coast to a thriving hub for contemporary art in India.
After checking out the Biennale art works in Mattancherry, I stopped by at Jew Town which was once home to a flourishing Jewish population in the 15th – 16th century and is now a haven for antique shops, boutiques, cafes and the Cochin Paradesi Synagogue.
Built in 1568 on a land close to Mattancherry Palace given by the erstwhile Raja of Cochin, the Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth. The synagogue is called Paradesi (foreigner) because it was built by Sephardic Jews newly arrived from religious persecution of Jews in Portugal and Spain then.
Inside the synagogue, you’ll find brass rails, rare antique objects and Belgian glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. And the floor of the synagogue never fails to capture the admiration of visitors – hand-painted blue willow patterned ceramic tiles that were brought from Canton, China in the 18th century.
Due to the dwindling number of Jews in Kochi, service is only conducted in the synagogue when the quorum of ten male members is met.
The rest of my short time in Kochi was spent at cafes, shopping and going for walks in the evening. I recommend the following establishments for good food, cakes and shopping (boutique shops and books).
Food
Kashi Art Café, Burger St (great place for vegan food)
Kochi Kapital Kafe, Peter Celli St (best tacos I’ve ever tasted – in Asia, seriously!)
Teapot Café, Peter Celli St (love their orange cake!)
Tibet Kitchen, KB Jacob Rd (I was longing for some momos)
Mocha Art Café, opposite Paradesi Synagogue (in Mattancherry)
And more recommendations…
Loafers Corner Café, Princess St (tasty grilled beef sandwiches – based from my 2019 trip)
Rositta Wood Castle Restaurant, Rose St (delicious fish mango curry)
Boutique Shops
After 13 years of travelling to India, I’ve stopped buying travel souvenirs. Yep, no more pashmina shawls, carpets, table runners, coasters and trinkets! I now buy high quality yet affordable cotton-made attires from well-established Indian brands…and books. I LOVE reading, and books in India are much cheaper than books in Malaysia (less demands for books in Malaysia due to a decline in reading culture). Moreover, India has diverse genres of books.
Boutiques
Anokhi, Lilly St
The Shop, Napier St
And some more…
Fabindia, Napier St
Waltons Boutique, Princess St
Bookshops
Idiom Book Sellers, Bastion St
Kochi Books, Princess St
Where did I stay in Fort Kochi?
I stayed at The Sunset Bay, a boutique hotel on Rose St – three-minute walk from Fort Kochi Beach and strategically located to numerous places of interests in Fort Kochi. The hotel is quiet, the room is very clean and comfortable, and they serve delicious South Indian breakfast.
Tip: Now that I’ve experienced Fort Kochi twice in 2019 and 2023 – it’s best to stay at hotel properties that are located away from Fort Kochi Beach to avoid mosquitoes and sandflies, for these pests can be a nuisance. I don’t remember having such an experience in 2019 when I stayed further inland within the Fort area.
I have more to share on Fort Kochi, perhaps include some travel photos from my 2019 trip. So, stay tuned for the next post! Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this clip of Kochi Beach 🙂
Have you been to Kochi? If so, what were your best memories of Kochi? Do share in the comments below!
