Kochi, or Cochin, is the largest city in the southern Indian state of Kerala, and is the city where my family is from.
As an important port in the spice trade, Kochi has had an Arab, European, and Chinese presence for hundreds of years. This is reflected in the city’s food, religion, architecture, and historical sites.
St. Francis Church
As the oldest European church in India, St. Francis Church has witnessed colonial rule pass from the Portuguese (in the 16th century), to the Dutch, to the British; respectively changing the church from Roman Catholic, to Protestant, to Anglican.
The church is also the site where the famous Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama—the first European to reach India by sea—, was temporarily buried.
Many people in the States are baffled by the fact that I am Indian and Catholic. But if they knew the history of Kochi, the Indian city with one of the largest Christian populations, they would understand why. In fact, with the arrival of St. Thomas the apostle, Christianity has had a presence in India for nearly two thousand years, and it is the third most followed religion in the country.
Chinese Fishing Nets
Introduced by Chinese explorers hundreds of years ago, the Chinese fishing nets have become a symbol of Kerala and a major tourist attraction.
Most Trees Are Blue 