India Travel
St Francis Church in Kerala
Walking on from the Chinese fishing nets brings you to a typically English village green. In one corner stands the church of St Francis, the first European church in India. Originally built in wood and named Santo Antonio, it was probably associated with Franciscan friars from Portugal. Exactly when it was founded is not known, but the stone structure is likely to date from the early sixteenth century; the land was a gift of the local raja, and the title deeds, written on palm leaf, are still kept in the church today. The facade, with multicurved sides, became the model for most Christian churches in India. Vasco da Gama was buried here in 1524, but his body was later removed to Portugal.
Under the Dutch, the church was renovated and became Protestant in 1663, then Anglican with the advent of the British in 1795 and since 1949 has been attached to the Church of South India. Inside, various tombstone inscriptions have been placed in the walls, the earliest of which is from 1562. One hangover from British days is the continued use of punkahs, large swinging cloth fans on frames suspended above the congregation; these are operated by people sitting outside pulling on cords.
The interior of the twentieth-century Santa Cruz Cathedral, south of St Francis church, will delight fans of the colourful - verging on the downright gaudy - indo-Romano-Rococo school of decoration.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Kochi (Cochin) Tours and backwater trips in Kerala
KTDC's half-day Kochi boat cruise (daily 9am-12.30pm & 2-5.30pm; I Ks50) is a good way to orient yourself. However, it doesn't stop for long in either Mattancherry or Fort Cochin, so give it a miss if you are pushed for time. Departing from the High Court Jetty on Shanmugham Road, Ernakulam, it calls at the synagogue, Mattancherry Dutch Palace, St Francis Church, the Chinese fishing nets, and Bolghatty Island. Book at the KTDC Reception Centre on Shanmugham Road (0484/353234). KTDC, the Tourist Information Centre, and a couple of private companies also operate popular backwater trips out of Kochi.
Church Square in Goa
The leafy rectangular park opposite the India Government tourist office, known as Church Square or the Municipal Garden, forms the heart of Panjim. Presiding over its east side is the town's most distinctive and photogenic landmark, the toothpaste-white Baroque facade of the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Flanked by rows of slender palm trees, at the head of a criss-crossing laterite walkway, the church was built in 1541 for the benefit of sailors arriving here from Lisbon. The weary mariners would stagger up from the quay to give thanks for their safe passage before proceeding to the
Diu Town in Gujarat
Cosy little Diu Town is protected by the fort in the east and a wall in the west. Nagar Seth's Haveli, one of the grandest of the town's distinctive Portuguese mansions, is on Makata Road, hidden in the web of narrow streets that wind through the residential Old Portuguese District. Fisherfolk make daily trips from the north coast in wooden boats; women lay the silvery catch out on rugs to sell in the market near the mosque. Although the Christian population is dwindling along with the old language, a few churches built by the former European inhabitants are still used. Portuguese
Kottayam and around in Kerala
The busy commercial centre of KOTTAYAM is strategically located between the backwaters to the west and the spice, tea and rubber plantations, forests, and the mountains of the Western Ghats to the east, 76km southeast of Kochi ana 37km northwest of Alappuzha. Most visitors come here on the way somewhere else - foreigners take short backwater trips to Alappuzha or set off to Penyar Wildlife Sanctuary, while Ayappa devotees pass through en route to the tor-est temple at Sabarimala (see p.1335). Kottayam's long history of Syrian Christian settlement is reflected by the presence of two thirteenth-century churches on a hill 5km
Keralan murals in Kerala
The quality and unique style of the murals at Martancherry Palace in old Kochi, along with those in as many as sixty other locations in Kerala, are probably the best-kept secrets in Indian art. Most are on the walls of functioning temples; they are not marketable, transportable, or indeed even seen by many non-Hindus. Few date from before the sixteenth century, depriving them of the aura of extreme antiquity; their origins may go back to the seventh century, probably influenced by the Pallava style of Tamil Nadu, but only traces in one tenth-century cave temple survive from the earliest period.
Colonial churches in Central New Delhi
No British governmental centre could be complete without a church, and in 1927 work began on the Church of the Redemption, east of Parliament House. Designed by Russell's successor, Henry Medd, the robust structure owes more than a passing nod to Lutyens with its high curved vaults, and subtle yet dominant domed tower - it appealed so much to the then-viceroy, Lord Irwin, that it became known as "Viceroy's Church". The exterior is plain and boldly linear, while within, high rounded arches and shafts of strong light streaming through crescent windows impart an overwhelming sense of space. A company of
Palakkad Practicalities in Kerala
Palakkad is well connected to the rest of Kerala and most of the main express trains travelling through to Chennai, Bangalore and points further north stop at Palakkad's railway station, 6km to the northeast. The KSRTC bus stand is slap in the centre of town; most accommodation, in budget Indian-style lodges, is nearby.The Ammbctdi,onTB Road, opposite the town bus stand and 500m from the KSRTC bus siand (0491/531244; 0-0), has comfortable rooms, some a/c, and the restaurant serves Indian and Chinese food. Far more, the modern Holel Indraprastha, English Church Road (0491/534641, 539531), boasts large rooms, some with a/c, a
North of Kozhikode in Kerala
The beautiful coast of Kerala, north of Kozhikode, is a seemingly endless stretch of coconut palms, wooded hills and virtually deserted beaches; the towns hold little of interest for visitors, most of whom bypass the area completely. However, then you miss out on the fun of a search through the villages for Teyyattam, the extraordinary masked trance dances that take place throughout the region during winter.
Old Goa
At one time a byword for splendour, with a population of several hundred thousand, Goa's erstwhile capital, OLD GOA, was virtually abandoned following malaria and cholera epidemics that plagued the city from the seventeenth century onwards. Today you need considerable imagination to picture the once-great capital as it used to be. The maze of twisting streets, piazzas and ochre-washed villas has gone, and all that remains is a score of extraordinarily grandiose churches and convents. Granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO, Old Goa today attracts bus loads of foreign tourists from the coast, and Christian pilgrims from around India, in
St Thomas Mount in Tamil Nadu
According to legend, St Thomas was speared to death (or struck by a hunter's stray arrow) while praying before a stone cross on St Thomas Mount, 1 lkm south of the city centre, close to the airport (take a suburban train to Guindy railway station, and walk from there). Our Lady of Expectation Church (1523) is reached by 134 granite steps marked at intervals with the fourteen Stations of the Cross. At the top of the steps, a huge old banyan tree provides shade for devotees who come to fast, pray and sing. Inside the church, St Thomas' cross is
Thrissur in Kerala
The breezy bazaar town of THRISSUR (Trichur), roughly midway between Kochi (74km south) and Palakkad (79km northeast) on NH-47. is an obvious base for exploring the cultural riches of central Kerala. Near the Palghat (Palakkad) Gap - an opening in the natural border made by the Western Ghat mountains - it presided over the main trade route into the region from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. For years Thrissur was the capital of Cochin State, controlled at various times by both the zamorin of Kozhikode and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. Today, it justifiably prides itself on being the cultural capital of
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Chinese fishing nets in Kerala
The huge, elegant Chinese fishing nets that line the northern shore of Fort Cochin add grace to an already characterful waterside view, and ate probably. The single most familiar photographic image of Kerala. Traders from the court of Kublai Khan are said to have introduced them to the Malabar region" Known in Malayalam as cheena vala, they can also be seen throughout the back waters further south. The nets, which are suspended from arced poles and operated by levers and weights, require at least four men to control. You can buy fresh fish from the tiny market here and have
Willingdon Island Listings in Kerala
Airlines, domestic: Indian Airlines, Durbar Hall Road (daily 9.45am-1 pm & 1.45-4.45pm; 0484/370242 or 141); Jet Airways, Bab Chambers. Atlantis. MG Road 0484/369423; Alliance NEPC in the Chandrika Building, also on MG Road (0484/367720). Airlines, international: Air India, 35/1301 MG Road, Ravipuram 0484/351295; British Airways. c/o Nijhawon Travels, MG Road S 0484/364867: Air France, Alard Building, Wariam Road (0484/361702); Egypt Air, c/o ABC International. Old Thevara Road 0484/353457; Gulf Air, Bab Chambers, Atlantice Junction, MG Road 0484/369142; Kuwait Airways, c/o National Travels, Pulinat Building, MG Road 0484/360123; PIA, c/o ABC International, Old Thevara Road 0484/353457; Saudi Arabian Airlines, c/o
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Getting to Periyar in kerala
The pothole-filled road that winds through the undulating hills up to Kumily from Ernakulam and Kottayam makes for a very long, slow drive, but it gives wonderful views across the Ghats. The route is dotted with grand churches among the trees, and numerous jazzy roadside shrines to St Francis, St George or the Virgin Mary - a charming Keralan blend of ancient and modern. Once you've climbed through the rubber-tree forests into Idukki District, the mountains get truly spectacular, and the wide-floored valleys are carpeted with lush tea and cardamom plantations. Travellers heading for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary have first
Kochi (Cochin) and Ernakulam in Kerala
The venerable city of KOCHI (long known as Cochin), is Kerala's hottest tourist spot, spreading across islands and promontories in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and backwaters. Its main sections - modern Ernakulam, in the east, and the old districts of Mattancherry and Fort Cochin on a peninsula in the west - are linked by a complex system of ferries, and distinctly less romantic bridges. Although most visitors end up staying in Ernakulam, Fort Cochin and Mattancherry are the focus of interest, where the city's extraordinary history of foreign influence and settlement is reflected in an assortment of
Practicalities in Goa
Buses leave Margao (from outside die Kauiat Hotel on Praca Jorge Barreto) every thirty minutes tor Colva, dropping passengers at the main beach-front, and at various points along the main road. Auto-rickshaws charge Rs100 from the railway station. To rent a motorcycle, ask around the taxi rank, or in front of Vincy's Hotel, where l00 Yamahas are on offer at the usual rates. Petrol is sold by the Umiiari bottle from a little house behind the Menino Jesus College,just east of 's Resort. This is the only petrol stop m Colva, but the stuff sold may well be adulterated. 'Meeting Pome Travel
Mylapore in Tamil Nadu
Long before Madras came into existence, Mylapore, south of the Marina (reached by buses #4, #5 or #21 from the LIC building on Anna Salai), was a major settlement; the Greek geographer Ptolemy mentioned it in the second century AD as a thriving port. During the Pallava period (fifth to ninth centuries) itwas second only to Mamallapuram. An important stop - with Little Mount and St Thomas Mount - on the St Thomas pilgrimage trail, San Thome Cathedral (daily 6am-8pm) marks the eastern boundary of Mylapore, lying close to the sea at the southern end of the Marina. Although the present
Some history of Goa
The sheer inaccessibility of Goa by land has always kept it out of the mainstream of Indian history; on the other hand, its control of the seas and the lucrative spice trade made it a much-coveted prize for rival colonial powers. Until a century before the arrival of the Portuguese adventurer Vasco da Gama, who landed near Kozhikode in Kerala in 1498, Goa had belonged for over a thousand years to the kingdom of Kadamba. In the interim it had been successfully conquered by the KarnatakanVijayanagars, the Muslim Bahmanis, andYusuf Adil Shah ofBijapur.but the capture of the fort at Panjim
The Archbishop’s Palace in Goa
Adjoining the Se Cathedral, with which it is an exact contemporary, the Archbishop's Palace is unique as the last surviving civil building of colonial Goa's golden era. Though m a lamentable state of disrepair, its steeply inclined roofs and white facade still perfectly embody of the solidity and imposing strength of the so-called "cha" style of architecture, derived from military conIonic plasterwork wich a double-storey portico, cylindrical turrets and a tower that commands fine views across the river from the terrace where Albuquerque surveyed the decisive bartle of 1510. Its cruciform interior is unremarkable, except for the marble tomb of