On our recent visit to Kerala, wife and me explored Mattancherry, a city with historical significance which was once a spice trading hub in the 16th century. I found many interesting photo opportunities there. Here's a photo tour...
A selfie in front of Dutch Palace..
Dutch Palace - Constructed by the Portuguese in 1568 as a gift to Maharaja of Kochi, Veera Kerala Varma, after he granted permission to construct Fort Immanunel. During the Dutch siege of Kochi, many parts of the original palace were destroyed. However the Dutch Governor repaired the palace and renamed as Dutch Palace.
The most interesting part is the mural room, which has the entire Ramayana and Mahabharat depicted in a single mural. A glimpse of the murals can be seen in the background. Photography inside the room is not allowed to preserve the murals...
Dutch palace window with a view of the surrounding green...
In the 16th century, Jewish refugees from Jerusalem settled here during the Crusades. Many Jews lived in the area until the creation of Israel, today there is only a handful. Jew Town is a heritage zone with several antique/handicraft shops...
Creative umbrella at Jews street...
Colourful masks...
You can still find many shops selling exotic spices...
Lamp...
Jew town...
A kathakali dancer's sculpture...
To perform Kathakali, artists deck out in elaborate costumes and colorful makeup to tell stories from Hindu epics...
Paradesi Synagogue was constructed in 1568 after allowing Jewish refugees from Jerusalem to settle here during the Crusades making this the Commonwealth's oldest Synagogue...
I tried the sword and a warrior's helmet at the antique museum...
Mattancherry is primarily a spice trading city, famous for its thriving Gujarati settlement brought to the city in the 16th and 17th centuries by the spice trade. Beautiful Gujarati Haveli type architecture of Shree Jalaram Dham...
Shree Jalaram Dham is named after the bhakta Jalaram Pradhan Thakkar, born in 1800. People believe that pilgrims who are given food by Jalaram bapa will definitely reach the doors of heaven. The kitchens of Jalaram Dham never run dry and is believed to be blessed by Jalaram bapa to serve thousands of pilgrims daily...
Beautiful cross-stitch embroidery...
The Jew street has some lovely paintings on display...
The old Mattancerry Bridge was built in 1940 by Sir Robert Charles Bristo. This bridge connects Willingdon Island with Fort Kochi. The center span of the bridge is designed in such a way that it can be raised using a spring mechanism. As it resembles the British construction of bridge in London, It is also known as London bridge of Kochi...
History at every corner it seems.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos! Those colourful umbrellas are cool!
ReplyDeleteDi from Max The Unicorn
The cross stitch embroidery is gorgeous! Lovely photos and stories. #lifethisweek
ReplyDeleteBeautiful place. Awesome pics.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all these treasures !
ReplyDeleteI can tell you two had a good time exploring together.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Post. I need the colourful umbrella in this grey days.
ReplyDeleteYour trip was so rich in history. Had no idea there was any connection with the Netherlands in the past (you may have read in my About that I am Dutch)! The Jewish synagogue, beautiful. That ceiling is amazing, but most of all I love is how you captured your wife in profile by the window - beautiful and painterly! Is that you with that spiky weapon? Also love the colorful bulls (?) with their horns, every artful:) All in all, much worthy to share with All Seasons. Thank you for your kind comment about my post. Have a beautiful week!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jesh! The colonization of India was started by the Dutch and Portuguese who initially came in for spice trade and subsequently found India really lucrative. Then the British came in with greater force and controlled all of India for 200 years. Yes, I am the person with the sword. I am feeling so silly for doing that :-D
DeleteFascinating! Thanks for letting us "travel" long with you, and for sharing your wonderful photos at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/11/happy-veterans-day.html
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your colorful photos. That carved ceiling is amazing! This looks like a great place to visit.
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful colours, especially the umbrellas and masks. - Margy
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic photos I enjoyed them and your poat :-)
ReplyDeleteHave a colourfultastic week :-)
That is a very colorful area, so much to see! Thanks for taking us along with you and your wife.
ReplyDeleteSo many incredible colors, I'd want to grab a painting. What are you up to in the antique museum, lol, I think the helmet suits you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully colorful place! I enjoy places like this with so much to see!
ReplyDeleteMy Corner of the World
Awe-inspiring photo essay here Shiju.
ReplyDeleteI love those masks. Saw them in this one off store here in Gurgaon and they cost a fortune. Wonder how one can source them from Kerela.
The spice trade has always fascinated me. Recently I was in Zanzibar which was a major spice trade hub too.
Thanks for sharing this interesting journey of yours. Yes, and I love those painting too.
So much to see and explore in this wondrous place.
Our #WW linky is life for your fascinating pos: :-))
https://natashamusing.com/2019/11/baobab-tree-tree-of-life-wordlesswednesday/
Fascinating pictures! wonderful colors, interesting symbols. Thank you for the trip 😊 Happy WW
ReplyDeleteI must plan and visit this place next time I visit Kerala. I have seen glimpses of these place in the movies. Lovely to see it all compiled in here.
ReplyDeleteDelightful captures and wonderful narration!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful and colorful place. You and your wife are a most good looking couple.
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. 😎
There are many pictures. It´s wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLove all the colorful photos. Thank you for allowing me to venture through your photography, and thanks for visiting Pictorial Tuesday. Have a great rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteNo birds today! But plenty of exotic objects of beauty. Thanks for the tour!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are always great & these are no exception. What an interesting place! #lifethisweek
ReplyDeleteI saw your comment on Gattina’s blog. I am pleased I came to look at your beautiful photos of Kerala. The parents of my daughter’s husband are from Kerala. She visited there with husband and children a while back. I hope I can go with them next time as it looks fascinating. Of course I’d also like to visit Pondicherry as I studied it in school while growing up in France. Until 1954 it was a French settlement in India – not many here know that. There is still the Alliance française de Pondichéry there teaching French, although now the official languages are Tamil Telegu and Malayalam. Actually right now I am finished the book The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – it takes place in Kerala. Your photographs are superb.
ReplyDeleteHappy to know about your interest in visiting India, especially Pondicherry. I had been there a couple of years back. Here's the blog post >> A short weekend trip to Pondicherry
DeleteYour wife is a very photogenic model! I loved the creative umbrella....mandalas in patterns delight me. Thank you for joining Life This Week, next week's optional prompt is 46/51 Gift Idea For Teachers 18/11/19. Sure hope to see you link up again. Denyse.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the photo of you and your wife. I would like to stroll along Jew street. It looks like a fun place. Thanks for linking up.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, colorful photos!
ReplyDeleteReally interesting. This seems like an exotic place to me.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting and colourful report - I enjoyed a lot. Your selfie is beautiful and I loved the masks and the typical Hindu & Indian items. Thank you so much for sharing at Friday Bliss <3
ReplyDeleteHello, what a lovely post and photos from your travels. I love the mask and umbrellas. Pretty photos of your wife. Enjoy your day, happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI have never disliked a blog you have written you are extremely talented.
ReplyDeleteWonderful sghots of your travels. Love the colours in the streets.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are splendid. It was such and interesting and colorful experience!
ReplyDeleteEverything is so colourful!...
ReplyDeleteVery nice and great photos!
ReplyDeleteHi Selina
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