History of Kochi- For the young and restless.

The word “history” may evoke a lot of ” oh-My-gAwwDDs” or OMG (`Coz we ain`t got no time for that ,dude!). History repeats itself. Because we don`t listen to it the first time.

A blog on Fort Kochi cannot not have a page on History. But to make it fun we have a original piece of art work. Follow the arrows and you will know why. (Illustrated By Roopa Shenoy, exclusively for Kochicoo).

It starts with the break up of the Chera region, Kulashekhara.
First mentions of Kochi are seen in Chinese traveler’s accounts in 1400s. Those “Gopi Manjoorians” we eat here are carefully handed down recipes (LOL).

Around 1500,
Pedro Alvarez Cabral and later Vascodagama said Ola to Kochi and “Chance Pe Danced” on the insecurities of the Maharajah of Kochi and the Portuguese invaded Kochi. They promised to offer military support in the eventuality of an attack by the King of Calicut and ended up settling and ruling Kochi.

Around 1650s,
The Dutch invaded Kochi and sent the Portuguese packing. They Called Kochi Little Holland . The port and trade flourished.

Kochi was devastated by Hyder Ali, then later by his son Tipu Sultan and subordinated the town temporarily to the kingdom of Mysore.

In 1814,The British ceded the Island of Banca near Sumatra in exchange for the settlement of Cochin in India and  Kochi became a part of the Madras Presidency thus becoming a part of the British colonial empire.

In 1947, after The Indian Independence, Kochi became a part of the Union of India. Inspite of many rulers and invaders, Kochi has managed to imbibe the good from the all the cultures without the traumatic scars of plunder and still remain regal as ever. No wonder she is called the Queen of the Arabian Sea.