Coordinates: 9°57′26″N 76°15′34″E / 9.95722°N 76.25944°E / 9.95722; 76.25944

The Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi

Inside Jewish Synagogue

The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active^[1] synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations,^[2] located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was historically used by "White Jews", a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East, and European exiles. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town,^[2] and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by the Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma^{[disambiguation needed ]}. The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.

History[link]

The Malabari Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major portion of world wide spice trade. In 1568, the Jews of Kerala constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by Paraja, the Raja of Kochi. The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a mercantile role in the South Indian region along the Malabar coast now called Kerala. It was later moved to Kochi from Kodungallur.

The first synagogue of the Malabari Jews in Cochin was destroyed in the Portuguese persecution of the Malabari Jews and Nasrani people of Kerala in the 16th century. The second synagogue, built under the protection of the Raja of Cochin along with Dutch patronage, is the present synagogue. It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built with Dutch patronage at a time when Kochi was under Dutch occupation, thus the name paradesi synagogue or "foreign synagogue".

In 1968, the synagogue celebrated its 400th anniversary in a ceremony attended by Indira Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister.

Social composition and traditions[link]

The Paradesi Synagogue had three classes of members.

• White Jews were full members. The White Jews, or Paradesi Jews, were the recent descendants of Sephardim from Holland and Spain.
• Black Jews were allowed to worship but were not admitted to full membership. These Cochin Jews were the original Jewish settlers of Cochin.
• Meshuchrarim, a group of freed slaves who had no communal rights and no synagogue of their own sat on the floor or on the steps outside. However, in the first half of the 20th century, Abraham Barak Salem, a meshuchrar, successfully campaigned against this discrimination.

As is normal for Orthodox Jewish synagogues, the Paradesi Synagogue has separate seating sections for men and women.

The Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning synagogue in Kochi today with a minyan (though this minyan must be formed with Jews from outside Kochi, as the number who still reside there is not sufficient). In conformity with the Hindu, Nasrani and Islamic traditions of Kerala, the worshippers are required to enter the Paradesi Synagogue barefoot.^[3] Other facets which are unique to the Cochin Jewish community, and which are results of Hindu influence, include special colors of clothing for each festival, circumcision ceremonies at public worship, and distribution of grapes soaked myrtle leaves on certain festivals. In addition, the Cochin Jews currently have no rabbis, as the community is led by elders.

The synagogue is also open to visitors; the ticket-seller, Yaheh Hallegua, is the last female Paradesi Jew of child-bearing age.^[4]

Objects of antiquity[link]

The Paradesi Synagogue has the Scrolls of the Law, several gold crowns received as gifts, many Belgian glass chandeliers, and a brass-railed pulpit. It houses the copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew, dating from the 10th century, written in Tamil on the two plates, by the ruler of the Malabar Coast. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese, 18th century, hand-painted porcelain tiles, all of which are unique. There is also an oriental rug, a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian Emperor.^[5] The most visible part of the synagogue is the 18th century clock tower, which, along with other parts of the complex,which underwent repair work under the direction of World Monuments Fund, between 1998 and 1999.^[6]

Hebrew inscription at the Mattancherry synagogue

A tablet from the earlier synagogue in Kochangadi in Kochi (built in 1344) is placed on the outer wall of the Paradesi synagogue. The inscription states that the structure was built in the year 5105 (in the Hebrew Calendar) as an abode for the spirit of God.

Thekkumbhagom synagogue[link]

Another Cochin synagogue, the Thekkumbhagom synagogue, located on Jews Street in the Ernakulam area of Cochin, was built in 1580 and later renovated in 1939.^[7]

See also[link]

• Paradesi Jews
• Cochin Jews
• Kochi, India
• Synagogues in India
• Oldest synagogues in the world

Notes[link]

References[link]

• The Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin, India. Database of Jewish Communities, Museum of the Jewish People.
• Photographs and Video Clips from South India, Easter 2003, Religious Education, Staffordshire Learning Net.
• Paradesi Synagogue, Frommer's Review, New York Times
• Cochin Jews, Overview Of World Religions, Philtar, St Martin's College (UK).

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Paradesi Synagogue

• WMF - Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin archived February 14, 2005 on the Internet Archive
• Pictures of the Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin

Kochi കൊച്ചി
Queen of the Arabian Sea[1][2]
—  metropolitan city  —
Flag of Kochi Flag Official seal of Kochi Seal
From Top Clockwise: Waterfront Skyline, Parikshith Thampuran Museum, Oberon Mall, Chinese Fishing Nets, Vismaya Building in Infopark
Kochi Location of Kochi in Kerala and India
Coordinates	9°58′37″N 76°16′12″E / 9.977°N 76.27°E / 9.977; 76.27Coordinates: 9°58′37″N 76°16′12″E / 9.977°N 76.27°E / 9.977; 76.27
Country	India
State	Kerala
District(s)	Ernakulam
Mayor	Tony Chamminy (INC)
City Police Commissioner	M.R. Ajith Kumar IPS
Population • Density • Metro	601,574[3] (2011[update]) • 6,340 /km2 (16,421 /sq mi) • 2,117,990[4] (2011[update])
Sex ratio	1.028 ♂/♀
Literacy	97.5%
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation • Coastline	94.88 km2 (37 sq mi) • 0 metres (0 ft) • 48 kilometres (30 mi)
Climate • Precipitation	Am (Köppen) •      3,228.3 mm (127.10 in)
Distance(s) • From Mumbai • 1,384 kilometres (860 mi) NW (land) • From Delhi • 2,594 kilometres (1,612 mi) N (land) • From Chennai • 684 kilometres (425 mi) NE (land) • From Bangalore • 533 kilometres (331 mi) N (land)
Codes • Pincode • 682 0XX • Telephone • +91-(0)484-XXX XXXX • UN/LOCODE • INKOC • Vehicle • KL-7, KL- 39 to 43
Website	www.corporationofcochin.net

Kochi (Malayalam: കൊച്ചി, Kocci ^? [koˈtʃːi] ( listen)), formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala.

Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the eastern part of the mainland Kochi. The civic body that governs the city is the Corporation of Cochin, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority and the Goshree Islands Development Authority.

The city of Kochi (pop. 601,574) is Kerala's largest city and is part of an extended metropolitan region (pop. 2.1 million), which is the largest urban agglomeration in Kerala. It is the most densely populated city in the state. Kochi city is also a part of Greater Cochin region^[5][6] and is classified as a B-1 grade city^[7] by the Government of India, making it the highest graded city in the state. Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourists in Kerala.^[8][9] Kochi has been ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine.^[10]

The city lies about 220 kilometres (137 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, and about 180 kilometres (112 mi) south of Kozhikode, the third largest city in Kerala. Heralded as the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese Empire in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in India. It remained the main seat of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state.

Kochi is home for the Southern Naval Command, of the Indian Navy, state headquarters (DHQ4)^[11][12] and Air Squadron 747^[13] of the Indian Coast Guard, maritime-related facilities including the Port of Kochi, an International Container Transshipment Terminal, the Cochin Shipyard, offshore SPM of the Kochi Refineries,^[14][15] and the Kochi Marina. Kochi is also home for the Cochin Stock Exchange, International Pepper Exchange, major chemical industries like the FACT, TCC, IREL, HOCL^[16] and Kochi Refineries, industrial parks like the Cochin Special Economic Zone and Infopark. Kochi is home for the High Court of Kerala & Lakshadweep, and the Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Etymology[link]

Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Kochi.^[17] The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin as Kogin (קוגין), which is seen in the seal of the synagogue^{[citation needed]} which is still owned by the community. The origin of the name "Kochi" is thought to be from the Malayalam word kochu azhi, meaning 'small lagoon'. Yet another theory is that Kochi is derived from the word Kaci meaning 'harbour'.^[18] Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti (15th century), and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi, named after the river connecting the backwaters to the sea.^{[citation needed]} After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to a closer anglicisation of its original Malayalam name, Kochi, in 1996. However, it is still widely referred to as Cochin, with the city corporation retaining its name as Corporation of Cochin.

History[link]

Hebrew inscription at the Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations

Kochi was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Yavanas (Greeks and Romans) as well as Jews, Arabs, and Chinese since ancient times.^[20] Kochi rose to significance as a trading centre after the port around Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by massive flooding of Periyar in 1341.^[21] The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng He's treasure fleet.^[22] There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti, who visited Kochi in 1440.^[23]

According to many historians, the precursor state to Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in early 12th century, after the fall of the Chera Kingdom.^[18] The reign of the Kingdom was hereditary, and the family that ruled over the region was known as the Perumpadappu rulers in the local vernacular. The mainland Kochi remained the capital of the princely state since the 18th century. The King of Kochi only had authority over the region encompassing the present city of Kochi and adjoining areas. However, during much of this time, the kingdom was under foreign suzerainty, and the King often only had titular privileges.

Portuguese navigator, Pedro Álvares Cabral founded the first European settlement in India at Kochi in 1500.^[24][25] From 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi was ruled by Portugal. This Portuguese period was a harrowing time for the Cochin Jews, as the Inquisition was active in Portuguese India. Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama, the first European explorer to set sail for India, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539.^[26] The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch, who had allied with the Zamorin of Calicut to conquer Kochi. By 1773, the Mysore ruler Hyder Ali extended his conquest in the Malabar region to Kochi forcing it to become a tributary of Mysore. The hereditary Prime Ministership of Kochi held by the Paliath Achans ended during this period.

Meanwhile, the Dutch, fearing an outbreak of war on the United Provinces, signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 with the United Kingdom, under which Kochi was ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Bangka. However, there are evidences of English habitation in the region even before the signing of the treaty.^[27] In 1866, Fort Kochi became a municipality, and its first Municipal Council election was conducted in 1883. The Maharaja of Cochin, who ruled under the British, in 1896 initiated local administration by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam. In 1925, Kochi legislative assembly was constituted due to public pressure on the state.

Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially, and the need to develop the port was greatly felt. Harbour engineer Robert Bristow was brought to Kochi in 1920 under the direction of Lord Willingdon, then the Governor of Madras. In a span of 21 years, he transformed Kochi as one of the safest harbours in the peninsula, where ships berthed alongside the newly reclaimed inner harbour equipped with a long array of steam cranes.^[18][28]

Cochin in Colonial times

In 1947, when India gained independence from the British colonial rule, Cochin was the first princely state to join the Indian Union willingly.^[18] In 1949, Travancore-Cochin state came into being with the merger of Cochin and Travancore. The King of Travancore was the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1949 to 1956. Travancore-Cochin, was in turn merged with the Malabar district of the Madras State. Finally, the Government of India's States Reorganisation Act (1956) inaugurated a new state — Kerala — incorporating Travancore-Cochin (excluding the four southern Taluks which were merged with Tamil Nadu), Malabar District, and the taluk of Kasargod, South Kanara.^[29] On 9 July 1960 the Mattancherry council passed a resolution—which was forwarded to the government—requesting the formation of a municipal corporation by combining the existing municipalities of Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Ernakulam. The government appointed a commission to study the feasibility of the suggested merger. Based on its report, the Kerala Legislative Assembly approved the corporation's formation. On 1 November 1967, exactly eleven years since the establishment of the state of Kerala, the corporation of Cochin came into existence. The merger leading to the establishment of the corporation, was between the municipalities of Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi, along with that of the Willingdon Island, four panchayats (Palluruthy, Vennala, Vyttila and Edappally), and the small islands of Gundu and Ramanthuruth.

Kochi witnessed economic stagnation in the years following India's independence. The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the mid-1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has revitalised the city's stagnant economy. The establishment of several industrial parks based on IT and other port based infrastructure triggered a construction and realty boom in the city. Over the years, Kochi has witnessed rapid commercialisation, and has today grown into a commercial hub of Kerala.^[30]

Geography and climate[link]

Geography[link]

A view of the Kochi harbour mouth from Willingdon Island

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at 9°58′N 76°13′E / 9.967°N 76.217°E / 9.967; 76.217, spanning an area of 94.88 square kilometres (36.63 sq mi). The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, and to the east is the urbanized region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.^[18]

The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, the suburbs of Edapally, Kalamassery and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad Lake. Most of these islands are very small, varying in extent from six square kilometre to less than a square kilometre (1,500 to less than 250 acres).^{[citation needed]}

Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium, teri's, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters.^[18]

Predominant rock types found here are Archaean-basic dykes, Charnockites and Gneisses. An ecologically sensitive area, the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in the central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds.

Climate[link]

Under the Köppen climate classification, Kochi features a tropical monsoon climate. Kochi's proximity to the equator along with its coastal location results in little seasonal temperature variation, with moderate to high levels of humidity. Annual temperatures range between 23 and 31 °C (73–88 °F) with the record high being 38 °C (100 °F), and record low 17 °C (63 °F).^[31] From June to September, the south-west monsoon brings in heavy rains as Kochi lies on the windward side of the Western Ghats. From October to December, Kochi receives lighter (yet significant) rain from the northeast monsoon, as it lies on the leeward side. Average annual rainfall is 3,228.3 mm (127.10 in),^[32] with an annual average of 132 rainy days.

Civic administration[link]

The Kerala High Court in Ernakulam

The city is administered by the Kochi Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 74 wards,^[35] from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Earlier; Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Ernakulam were the three Municipalities in Cochin area, which was later merged to form the Cochin Corporation. The Corporation has its headquarters in Ernakulam, and zonal offices at Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Palluruthy, Edappally, Vaduthala and Vyttila. The general administration of the city is handled by the Personnel Department and the Council Standing committee Section.^{[citation needed]} Other departments include that of town planning, health, engineering, revenue and accounts.^[18] The corporation is also responsible for waste disposal and sewage management. The city produces more than 600 tons of waste per day^{[citation needed]} and the a large portion of waste is decomposed at Brahmapuram Soild Waste plant into organic manure^{[citation needed]}. The supply of potable water, sourced from the Periyar River is handled by Kerala Water Authority with support of Water works department of Kochi Corporation.^[36] Electricity is provided by the Kerala State Electricity Board. The GCDA and GIDA are the government agencies initiating and monitoring the development of Greater Cochin area, mainly in developing infrastructure facilities for the city.

Law and order[link]

Kochi is the seat of High Court of Kerala, the highest judicial body in the state and thus several judicial offices are located here. The Kochi City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into five zones and each zone under a circle officer. Apart from regular law & order, the city police comprises the Traffic Police, Narcotics Cell, Riot force, Armed Reserve Camps, District Crime Records Bureau and a Women's Police station.^[37] It operates 19 police stations^{[citation needed]} functioning under the Home Ministry of Government of Kerala. An anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation also operates out of the city. CISF maintains 3 squadrons for providing security to various central and state heavy industries, airport and seaport zones. Other major central agencies are NIA, DRI and Indian Customs due to the presence of major port. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Kochi reported significant increase of 193.7 per cent IPC crimes in 2010 compared to 2009, and reported a crime rate of 1,897.8 compared to the 424.1 in whole Kerala.^[38] However, Kochi Police officials defended that in major crimes such as murders and kidnapping, the city registered a low crime rate^[39] even behind other cities in the state.^[40]

Politics[link]

Kochi is part of the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency. The current elected Member of Parliament representing the constituency is Prof. K V Thomas who belongs to the Indian National Congress. Prof. Thomas is currently holding the portfolio of Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

The Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency elects six members to the Legislative Assembly. Out of this, four constituencies, namely Kochi, Ernakulam,Thripunithura and Thrikkakara represent the city.^[41]

Economy[link]

Kochi is widely referred to as the commercial capital of Kerala.^[42] Kochi is home to Cochin Stock Exchange, the only stock exchange in Kerala. Federal Bank, India's fourth largest private sector bank, is headquartered in Aluva in the suburbs of the city. Availability of electricity, fresh water, long coastline, backwaters, good banking facilities, presence of a major port, container trans-shipment terminal, harbor terminal and an international air terminal are some of the factors which accelerated the industrial growth in the city and its adjoining district.^[30] In recent years the city has witnessed heavy investment, thus making it one of the fastest-growing second-tier metro cities in India.^[43][44] Sales tax income generated in the Kochi metropolitan area contributes heavily to state revenue.^[45] The district contributes the highest portion, 14.47%, of the state's GDP.^[46] Construction and manufacturing combined contributes 37%, and trade, tourism and hospitality together provides another 20%. Major business sectors include construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, transportation/shipping, seafood and spices exports, chemical industries, information technology (IT), tourism, health services, and banking. Kochi is recognized as one of the seventeen major industrial cities of India by World Bank, Doing Business Group. However, in the 2009 rankings of ease to start and operate a business, among the 17 Indian cities selected, Kochi was rated as the second most difficult city to start business and was ranked 16th, above Kolkata.^[47]

The SPM facility of Kochi Refineries at offsore Kochi.

As in most of Kerala, remittances from non-resident Indians (NRI)s is a major source of income.^[48] Eloor, situated 17 kilometres (10.5 mi) north of the city-centre, is the largest industrial belt in Kerala, with more than 250 industries manufacturing a range of products including chemical and petrochemical products, pesticides, rare earth elements, rubber processing chemicals, fertilisers, zinc and chromium compounds, and leather products.^[49] Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), one of the oldest fertilizers and chemical industry in Kerala is located in Kochi.^[50] Kochi Refineries of (BPCL) at Ambalamugal is one of the largest oil refining facilities in South India. Petronet India has now almost completed Kochi LNG Terminal, for importing and storing natural gas, for energy and fueling needs.^[51] Central Government establishments like the Coconut Development Board, the Coir Board and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) have head offices located in the city.

Fishers trawling in traditional boats in the backwaters. Kochi is a major exporter of seafood

Like elsewhere in Kerala, tourism is one of the strongest drivers of the local economy. Ernakulam district, in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala,^[9] and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc. as well as natural attractions like the Vembanad lake and the backwaters attract large number of tourists to the city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major source of employment for locals. The Kochi Port is one of the leading ports where international cruisers call on regularly.^[52] The city has the first marina facility^[53] in the country Kochi Marina which attracts large number of yacht-totters. Real Estate industry is also one industry which is contributing a lot to the economy of Kochi. Many players have entered the market and have developed residential properties.

The International Container Transshipment Terminal, at Vallarpadam

Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command, the primary training centre of the Indian Navy.^[54] The Cochin Shipyard, which was the largest shipbuilding facility in India until 2008, contributes to the economy of the city.^[55][56] The fishing harbour at Thoppumpady is a minor fishing port in the state and supplies fish to local and export markets. To further tap the potential of the all-season harbour at Kochi, an international cruise terminal and several marinas are being constructed.^[57][58]

Exports and allied activities are also important contributors to the city's economy. The Cochin Port currently handles export and import of container cargo at its terminal at Willingdon Island. The International Container Transshipment Terminal operating out of Vallarpadam, is India's largest transshipment terminal.^{[59][60][61][62]} Cochin Port Trust also planning to build an Outer Harbour near Puthuvype.^[63] Upon completion it will be the largest port in South Asia^{[citation needed]}. Kochi's historical reliance on trade continues into modern times, as the city is a major exporter of spices and is home to the International Pepper Exchange, where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India and World Spice Organisation are headquartered in Kochi.

The IT and ITES related industries are growing up in Kochi. Availability of cheap bandwidth through undersea cables and lower operational costs compared to other major cities in India, has been to its advantage. Various technology and industrial campuses including the government promoted InfoPark, Cochin Special Economic Zone and KINFRA Export Promotion Industrial Park operate in the outskirts of the city. Several new industrial campuses are under construction in the suburbs of the city. SmartCity at Kakkanad is the prominent project under proposal. Cyber City at Kalamassery is another integrated IT township SEZ being planned in the private sector.

Kochi has an established electronics hardware industry with companies such as V-Guard Industries, FCI OEN Connectors and SFO Technologies. The Government of Kerala has announced a project to build an industrial park named Electronic City^[64] spanning an area of 340 acres (140 ha), to cater to the electronic hardware industries. The private operator NeST^[65] is building a Special Economic Zone specifically for electronics hardware spanning an area of 30 acres (12 ha).

The Cochin International Airport is in the process of setting up an aerotropolis at Nedumbasserry.^[66][67]

Transport[link]

Cochin International Airport is one of the busiest airports in India

Air[link]

The air gateway to Kochi is the Cochin International Airport (CIAL) located at Nedumbassery, which is about 25 km (16 mi) north of Kochi city, and handles both domestic and international flights.^[68] It is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds.^[69]

The Cochin airport provides direct connectivity to popular international destinations in the Middle East, Malaysia and Singapore and to most major Indian cities apart from tourist destinations like Lakshadweep. Kochi is also the headquarters of the Air India Express service. With a terminal area of 600,000 sq ft (56,000 m²), and a passenger capacity of 1600, it is the largest airport in the state^[70] and the fourth busiest international airport in India in terms of international passengers, and seventh busiest overall.^{[71][72][73][74]}

Road[link]

Kochi is well connected to neighboring cities and states via several highways. It is a node in the North-South Corridor of the National Highway system.

National Highways[link]

Kochi is part of the North-South Corridor of India's National System via the NH 47

The NH544 formerly known as NH47 connects Salem to the city of Kochi via Coimbatore, Palakkad and Thrissur and is part of the North-South Corridor of India's National Highway System.^[75][76] The entire stretch of NH544 passing through Kochi and its urban agglomeration has four lanes, with some stretches six-laned.^[77][78]

NH66 connects Kochi with Panvel near Mumbai and passes through major junctions like Edappally and Vytilla in the city before terminating at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

NH966A is a 17.2 km (10.7 mi) four-lane stretch of highway connecting Kalamassery to the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal. The four-laning of the stretch is nearing completion and carries 11 major bridges and a grade separated interchange where it branches off NH47.^[79]

NH966B is a 6 km (3.7 mi) stretch of highway connecting Kundanoor Junction on the mainland to the Willingdon Island. It is the shortest stretch of highway on the Indian National Highways system.

NH85 connects Kochi to Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu passing through Madurai thus providing another link to the North-South Corridor National Highway System.

State Highways[link]

Several state highways also connect Kochi with other parts of Kerala.^[80] SH 15, Ettumanoor-Ernakulam Road, connects the city to Kottayam. SH 41, Palarivattom-Thekkady Road, provides a corridor to the eastern parts of the district. SH 63, Vypeen Pallipuram Road and SH 66, Alappuzha – Thoppumpady road are coastal roads that serve the narrow sliver of land between the backwaters and the sea.

City Roads[link]

The main arterial road of the city is Mahatma Gandhi Road in Ernakulam, constructed in 1925 which runs parallel to the coast. Other major roads include Chittoor Road, Banerji Road, Shanmugham Road (in Marine Drive), Kochi Bypass, Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road, Park Avenue, Seaport-Airport Road and S.A Road. A new ring road is proposed for Kochi city by the state government for which a project study is being currently undertaken by NATPAC.^[81]

Public Transport[link]

A Volvo KSRTC bus in Kochi

The primary form of public transport within the city is largely dependent on privately owned bus networks. The state-run also operates its services in the city through the Thirukochi service. The major bus terminals in the city are Ernakulam Town, Ernakulam Jetty and the private bus terminal at Kaloor. An integrated transit terminal namely The Mobility Hub at Vytilla is under 2nd phase of construction. The terminal acts as a hub for long distance bus services away from the city centre, and also to provide access to the other public transport facilities.^[82]

Kochi is one of the few cities to be granted the new generation air-conditioned low floor and non air-conditioned semi low-floor buses under the JNNURM city transport development project. Call taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos) are available for hire throughout the day.

Development of road infrastructure not keeping pace with the increase in traffic is a major problem faced by Kochi, like most other parts of Kerala.^[83]

Rail[link]

Kochi Metro
Aluva Pulinchodu Companypady Ambattkavu Muttom Appolo Tyres Kalamassery Pathadippalam Edappally Junction x20px Edapally Station Palarivattom Nehru Stadium Kaloor Lissy Hospital Madhava Pharmacy Maharajas College x20px Ernakulam Junction GCDA, Kadavanthra Elamkulam Vyttila Mobility Hub Thaikoodam Pettah

The city has two major railway stations – Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town (locally known as the South and North railway stations respectively). The main rail transport system in Kochi is operated by the Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways, and comes under Thiruvananthapuram Railway division.

The South station is one of the busiest railway stations in South India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily.^[84] The North station situated on the northern side of the city, caters mostly to long distance services that bypass the South station, and also is an additional halt station for many trains. The railway line connecting these two stations cuts the city longitudinally in two, with three narrow bridges connecting the two halves.

Edapally Railway Station is a smaller halt station for passenger services and few express trains. The major station at Aluva, Thripunithura station, and the halting stations at Kalamassery, Nettoor, Kumbalam and Aroor serves the outskirts of the city and the surrounding metropolitan area.

The spur line to the port, and the Cochin Harbour Terminus station are temporarily out of commission because of an accident at the harbour bridge.^[85] A spur line exclusively for freight traffic connects the International Container Transshipment Terminal to the main line at Edapally. India's longest rail bridge – the 4.62 km long Vembanad Rail Bridge^[86] is also part of this line. In addition, Southern Railways are planning a suburban railway system connecting Kochi to nearby towns and cities, using Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit services, with the first services expected to begin in early 2011^[87][88] between Kollam and Ernakulam for which works are underway.

There is a historic station named as Ernakulam Terminus(station code:ERG) situated behind the High Court. Great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and The British Viceroy have visited Cochin through this old railway station. Ernakulam Terminus was the first station to serve the city but had to be abandoned in the early 1960s. Now this station operates as a goods depot of Southern Railway.^[89]

State owned SWTD boats provide cheap transportation in Kochi as well as the rest of Kerala

Kochi Metro[link]

The Kochi Metro is an under construction metro rapid transit system for the city of Kochi, intended to considerably ease traffic congestion in the city and its surrounding metropolitan area.^[90] It is being set up at an estimated cost of 5,146 crore (US$1.03 billion). Expected to be complete by 2016, the metro system will have 23 stations connecting the suburban towns of Aluva and Thripunithura while passing through downtown Kochi.^[91]

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), with E Sreedharan as principal advisor, has been entrusted to execute the implementation of the Kochi Metro.^[92][93] The project received the central Public Investment Board's green signal in March 2012. The final nod from the central cabinet, to start the project construction, is expected soon.^[94] Preparatory works for the Metro system that includes building railway over-bridges, re-paving roads and land acquisition are in progress.^[95][96]

A feasibility study is also currently being conducted to study the possibility of running Bullet trains on Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore-Ernakulam route.^[97]

Ferry[link]

A variety of boats in Kochi Harbour

The Kochi Marina is the first, and currently only marina in India

Kochi ranks among India's major seaports, partly due to being one of the safest harbours in the Indian Ocean.^[98] The port, administered by a statutory autonomous body known as the Cochin Port Trust, offers facilities for bunkering, handling cargo and passenger ships and storage accommodation.

One of the many tourist boats that provide transport for tourists in Kochi

It also operates passenger ships to Colombo and Lakshadweep. Boat services are operated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation, the State Water Transport Department and private firms from various boat jetties in the city. The junkar ferry for the transshipment of vehicles and passengers between the islands are operated between Ernakulam and Vypin, and between Vypin and Fort Kochi. However, with the construction of the Goshree bridges (which links Kochi's islands), ferry transport has become less essential. The main boat jetties are Ernakulam Main Boat Jetty near Park Avenue, High Court Jetty in Banerjee Road, Embarkation Jetty in Willingdon Island and Fort Kochi Jetty.

Demographics[link]

An antique shop featuring Jewish remnants of Kochi

With a population of 601,574 As of 2011^[update], the city of Kochi has Kerala's highest population density parameter with 6340 people per km². As of 2011^[update], Kochi had a metropolitan area population of 2,117,990. Scheduled castes and tribes comprise 14% of the city's population.^{[citation needed]} The female-to-male ratio is 1,028:1,000, significantly higher than the all-India average of 933:1,000. Kochi's literacy rate is 97.5%. The female literacy rate lags that of males by 1.1%, amongst the lowest such gaps in India.

Kochi's major religions are Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism, with smaller followings, are also practised in Kochi. Though 47% practise Hinduism, Christianity's large following (35%) makes Kochi a city with one of the largest Christian populations in India.^[99][100] Kochi is one of the few cities in India without a Hindu majority.^[101] The majority of the city's residents are Malayalis. However, there are significant ethnic minority communities including Tamils, Gujaratis, Jews, Anglo-Indians, Sikhs, Konkanis and Tulus.^{[102][103][104]} Malayalam is the main language of communication and medium of instruction for primary education, although a number of schools do offer English medium education. The higher education is invariably in English medium, and it is the preferred language in business circles. Tamil and Hindi are widely understood—albeit rarely spoken.