Walking around Fort Kochi......

Friday, 22nd January 2010

Within walking distance of the Malabar House is an important tourist spot, the St Francis Church. This is where the famous Portuguese explorer was buried when he died of malaria after conquering these parts of the world. His remain was later dug out and returned to Lisbon in Portugal.

The southern part of Fort Kochi waterfront was lined by huge Chinese Fishing Nets with local fishermen at work. This is one of the tourist must-see of Fort Kochi. The nets were called so in recognition of this type of fishing nets as well as the fishing technique which originated from China.

The Old Dutch Fort is also located a stretch away from where the rows of the fishing nets were but the remains of the fort is too small for a posting here. There is a little cannon left, signifying the strategic location of the site for the Dutch in its defense of the city against invading ships.

What attracted pakdokter were some of the posters hung along the streets and on some of the walls.

One of the posters advertised for what looked like upmarket private schools. Kerala has a very high literacy rate - some figures quote a 100% literacy rate - thanks to ?free education courtesy of a communist party government. The other poster was an announcement of an International Islamic Thought Conference - from the topics and the speakers listed - it looks like it is a very high-powered conference! Muslims made up about 25% of the population and Christians another 25%. Hindus totalled about 40% ( these estimates given by pakdokter's guide). The groups of different faiths appear to be able to live together peacefully.

The inscriptions on two rocks near the Dutch Fort caught pakdokter's attention. One discussed Quran and Dowry in Muslim marriage and the other had quotations from various religions on their take of the Prophet Mohamad (pbuh). It was interesting as these references were attributed from the Hindu, Jew, Christian and Budhhist books.

the St Francis Church, the oldest church in India

this church was within walking distance from the Malabar House..

and the plot where Vasco da Gama was first buried inside the church

until his remains was taken back to Lisbon, Portugal 14 years later..

the Chinese Fishing Nets..

where learning goes beyond chalk and talk..

a nice tagline..

Quran and Dowry.....

learning on the street...






sorry...too small for your reading...


but the writings discussed the fact that all the different religions


recognise the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)


in their own books and context...