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One of Kerala's largest cities, Cochin (Kochi)
was long dominated by its imperial overlords, and they've left signs of it all across the
town- such as the splendid Mattancherry Palace. Although not an opulent building by any
stretch of imagination, the Mattancherry Palace has a quaint charm all its own- and
surprisingly enough for those who may not be too familiar with the colonial history of
this part of India, it is (at least in part) to be credited to the Dutch.
The Dutch, incidentally, were not the original builders of the Mattancherry Palace; the
building was constructed well before they even thought of adding Cochin to their colonial
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The Portuguese had initially
built the Mattancherry Palace in 1557 and had gifted it to the Raja of Cochin, Veera
Kerala Varma- partly as compensation for a temple they'd destroyed, and partly as a bribe
to gain favours from the ruling dynasty. It was only in 1663, the year the Dutch wrested
Cochin from the hands of the Portuguese, that the palace shifted hands. The Dutch
renovated the palace- which is why it is also known as the `Dutch Palace'- and made it
(more or less) what it is today.
The exterior of the Mattancherry Palace is fairly
unornamented; stark white walls, sloping brown roofs and trees form the picture. It's a
two-storied, quadrangular building, with a small temple dedicated to the deity Palayannur
Bhagwati in the central courtyard- on either side of it are smaller shrines to Krishna and
Shiva. You can wander around the rooms of the Palace, some of which have a historical
significance of their own. The Central Hall on the upper storey was once used as the venue
for the coronation of Cochin's rajas, and has a beautifully carved wooden ceiling. Some of
the other halls too are worth a look: the Dining Hall's ornate ceiling is decorated with a
series of brass cups, and the ceiling of the Assembly Hall merits a few photographs- it's
highly ornamental. Take a look at the Royal Bedchamber too- a lamp is kept burning here
perpetually, in memory of a king who died within the room.
But the pièce de resistance of
Mattancherry Palace is not its ceilings: it is instead, a series of beautifully-executed
and well-preserved murals decorating the walls of the rooms. Depicting episodes from Hindu
mythology- especially the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranic legends, the murals
are extensive, and among the best in India. They cover approximately 300 sq ft of wall,
and are pretty eclectic as far as subject matter is concerned. (Among the more erotic
paintings is a mural in the Ladies' Bedchamber that depicts Krishna making love to all of
eight gopis simultaneously- quite a feat!)
Mattancherry Palace has other surprises up its sleeve too: there's an entire gallery of
regal memorabilia, including costumes, palanquins, turbans and weaponry from the days of
the Cochin rajas.
Best time to go
About the best time to visit Cochin is during the
monsoon, when cooling winds and heavy showers make it a beautifully pleasant city- a
welcome change from the humidity and heat that usually mark Cochin. Generally speaking,
June to January is about the best time to come to Cochin- and if you're keen on a spot of
local culture, aim to be here on the second Sunday of August: that's when the famous Nehru
Trophy Boat Race is held at nearby Alappuzha.
The Mattancherry Palace is open between 10 am and 5 pm every day except Fridays.
Getting
there and around
Cochin is well connected, so getting here isn't a
problem. The city's airport (which is actually 26 km from the city centre) receives
flights from all across India and from a number of destinations abroad as well, especially
airports in the Middle East and in South East Asia. The airport is India's first privately
owned airport, and its sleek interiors are commensurate with the amount that's gone into
building it.
Cochin and its twin city Ernakulam are also linked to the rest of India by both rail and
road. The Ernakulam Junction is the railway station, where trains from most of India's
biggest cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai come in. Trains and buses
(both ordinary and deluxe) link Cochin to Kerala's smaller towns, and the city's an
important point on the backwater cruises circuit- so you can actually get here on a
kettuvallom (a traditional Keralan houseboat).
Options for getting around Cochin include the city's ferries (not for nothing is Cochin
called `The Venice of India'!), hired cars, taxis, auto-rickshaws and even hired bicycles.
Although local buses do run, they tend to be crowded and are best avoided.
Accommodation
A major chunk of the tourist accommodation in
Cochin is actually concentrated in Ernakulam- and that runs the gamut from posh 5-star
hotels (including some heritage hotels) to budget options where you may end up having to
share a loo. On the whole, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a place to stay- there
are loads of choices available.
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