Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple - Alappuzha

Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple

Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple  is a Hindu temple in Ambalappuzha, Alapuzha district of Kerala, in south India.

The Ambalappuzha Sri Krishna Temple is believed to have been built during 15th – 17th AD by the local ruler Chembakasserry Pooradam Thirunal-Devanarayanan Thampuran.

The idol at Ambalapuzha is likened to Parthasarthi with a whip in the right hand and a Shankhu (sacred conch) in the left. This temple is directly associated to the Guruvayoor Sree Krishna Temple. During the raids of Tipu Sultan in 1789, the idol of Sri Krishna from the Guruvayoor Temple was brought to the Ambalappuzha Temple for safe keeping.

The payasam served in the Ambalappuzha Temple is famous among Hindu devotees. This sweet pudding made of rice and milk has an interesting mythological legend behind it.  It is believed that Guruvayoorappan reaches here daily at the time of Palpayasa Nedyam to have it.

An idol of Sri Krishna, The Lord Parthasarathy idol was installed in the temple.

The Aarattu festival commences with the flag hoisting ceremony on the Atham star in Meenam (March–April). The important Aarattu festival takes place on the Thiruvonam day of the same month. The aarattu ezhunnullathu starts from Erattakulangara Mahadeva Temple(The famous temple amongst one of the siva temples, facing to west)

Parikshit Thampuran Museum -Cochin

Parikshit Thampuran Museum.

Parikshit Thampuran Museum is a very good archeological museum is located next to Shiva temple in Durbar hall road in Ernakulam.  It is also famously known as Durbar Hall Art Gallery. It has the largest collections of ancient things especially belongs to 19th century. It is one of the finest museums in Kerala as well as in India also.

It has various types of collection in it like statues in stone and in plaster of Paris, paintings, wall paintings, old coins etc and the collections belongs to Cochin royal family. Once it was used by the Cochin royal family as Durbar Hall where they used to put meetings, used for office purpose and also to invite the guest to stay. The major attraction of this museum is Durbar hall which is designed beautifully.

It was used as guest rooms during the early time. Now it went under the administration of Archaeological department of Kerala. The Parikshit Thampuran Museum is constructed in Kerala Architecture method. It got this name from the last ruler Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran who belongs to Cochin royal family. And it is also used as cricket ground among the British army and the local club.

Pallipuram Fort -Cochin

Pallipuram Fort

It was built by the Portuguese in 1503. It is the oldest existing European fort in India. In 1789 the Dutch captured the fort in 1661and sold it to the State of Travancore. This fort is situated in the northern extremity of the Vypeen Island.

Pallipuram known as Palliport to the British is about a few miles from the Munambam beach.

Popularly known as Ayikkotta or Alikotta, Pallipuram fort is a hexagonal shaped structure constructed using laterite, chunam and wood and each face measures 32 feet in length and 34 feet in height. The walls which are six feet in thickness are thickly plastered using mortar. The cellar inside the fort was used to store gun powder. The fort, now in ruins, is being protected by the Kerala state department of archaeology. 

Adjacent to the fort, there is a catholic church dedicated to Mother Mary, known as Church of Our Lady of Snow or Manjumatha Church.

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica - Cochin

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica is among the oldest churches in India and is also one of the eight Basilicas in India. 

It was built by the first Portuguese viceroy, Francesco de Almeida, when he arrived in Kochi way back in 1505. On 3 May that year, during the feast of the "Invention of the Holy Cross", the foundation stone of this church was laid and upon completion, it was christened as Santa Cruz Cathedral. 

Later on, when the Dutch conquered Cochin in 1663, they ruined all Catholic establishments except this particular cathedral and the famous church of St. Francis. In those days, the Santa Cruz Cathedral was used as an armory. It was, however, later shattered in 1795, after the British took over the city. An elaborate granite pillar of this monumental cathedral was what remained after the destruction of the Santa Cruz Cathedral. The pillar is still kept on the southeastern corner of the present Basilica. 

When Bishop Dom Joao Gomes Ferreira was appointed as the prelate of Cochin in the year 1887, he took up the initiative to rebuild this Santa Cruz Cathedral. His efforts, however, could only be realized during the reign of his successor, Dom Mateus Oliveira Xavier. Dom Sebastiao Jose Pereira, the Bishop of Damao, sanctified the new cathedral on November 19, 1905. Recognizing its historic significance, Pope John Paul II raised the status of Santa Cruz Cathedral to a Basilica, on 19th December 1984. 

Recently in 2004, this cathedral completed its five centuries of existence. The architecture of the basilica is a blend of the Indo-European and the Gothic style. The making of the pulpit and the wooden paneling of this cathedral is very impressive. Moreover, the Italian paintings dating from the time of the original foundation of the church adorning the interiors of the Santa Cruz Basilica give it a completely magnificent look.

Kodanad Elephant Training Center - Cochin

Kodanad Elephant Training Center - Cochin

Elephants are an integral part of Indian mythology and culture. In God's Own Country, elephants are often referred to as the sons of the 'Sahya' (the Western Ghats). Once a part of everyday life in Kerala, elephants are the most ornamental and auspicious animals here. No festival or celebration is complete without an elephant procession. Rows of majestically caparisoned elephants, replete with colorful silken parasols form the most spectacular part of any event in Kerala.

Kodanad Elephant Sanctuary  (Kodanad Elephant Training Center) is a rural riverside village in the Ernakulam district of the state of Kerala . Its a popular picnic spot and tourist destination in Kerala too. It is the only elephant rescue and training center in Kerala specialized for rescuing and training stranded adult and baby elephants from the forest regions across Kerala.

In the mornings at the riverside, tourists informally get a chance to experience hands-on bathe and massage of adult and baby elephants under the supervision of its Mahouts. Bathe and massage of elephants are normally done with small flat rocks, and husk of coconuts.

Kodanad offers elephant safari to the visitors at the main park. At the park, the old ‘Kraal’ is maintained to house elephants, which is a structure made of wood compartments that can accommodate up to 4 elephants.

Visitors to Kodanad Elephant sanctuary can watch feeding of elephants as nearly 80% of an elephant’s day is spent on feeding. It is fascinating to watch elephants feeding themselves in their natural environment

Watching baby elephants during their early training years of early life as it takes a lot of training in their early years. The facility is closed on Monday’s for tourists. There is also a ‘mini zoo’ that shelters wild animals which have become unfit for survival in the local forest and some inmates of the zoo are very rare species.

Watching kodanad baby elephants at their infancy and various stages of their growth has become a unique feature that attracts visitors to Kodanad. At least four to six baby elephants are brought in and trained every year. Tourists arrive at Kodanad fascinated by baby elephant’s various stages of development at the Care centre. Training plays an important role for elephants while their brains develop and they learn vital survival and cultural knowledge. The baby elephants at Kodanad are owned and taken care by the Department of Forest. Once they become adults, someone buy them out in auctions. In Kerala, elephants are used for a variety of traditional jobs such as timber loading & wood moving, or as temple elephants for religious Hindu festivals & events.

Kodanad, set on the Southern banks of the Periyar River amid the beautiful high ranges near Perumbavoor, is one of the largest elephant training centers in Kerala. Earlier elephants captured from the Malayatoor forests (the forests in the East and North of Kodanad) were trained here. Since the introduction of a ban on elephant capture Kodanad has been reduced to a training centre. The famous Malayatoor Church is near Kodanad.   Muthanga of Wayanad district and Konni of Pathanamthitta district are two other elephant training centers in Kerala. Another attraction for elephant lovers is Punnathur Kotta, of the neighbouring Thrissur district, where some 40 elephants of the Guruvayoor Temple are groomed.

Museum of Kerala History -Cochin

Museum of Kerala History

Museum of Kerala History is important scenes of Kerala history are portrayed through sculptures. Greeting the visitor outside the museum is a statue of Parasurama, the mythological sage who is said to have created Kerala.

A museum for understanding the history of Kerala and that too born out of an individual's efforts is among the few in India. The Art and History Museum complex has been the realization of Mr. R. Madhavan Nayar (1914-1996), a prominent industrialist and philanthropist. His passion for arts eventually led him to the establishment of the various units established under the Art and History Museums, which is currently managed by the Madhavan Nayar Foundation.

The Art and History Museum complex at Edappally in Kochi comprises Museum of Kerala History; Museum of Paintings and Sculptures, Museum of Indian Miniatures, Dolls' Museum and Centre for Visual Arts.

Housed in a circular domed building, the Museum of Kerala History is a sound and light spectacle. It works on a time frame, portraying the history of Kerala from early inhabitants to the modern era. Here one would come 38 life-size tableaux, each backed by multiple visuals, reflecting the cultural and social history of Kerala. This presentation is considered as the first of its kind in India.

With over 200 original paintings and 30 odd sculptures by well known Indian artists, this museum unit is spread over three floors. Some of the noted Indian artists whose works are on display here include that of Ravi Varma, M. F. Hussain, F. N. Souza, Jamini Roy, Kishen Khanna and Nandalal Bose. This museum has among its displayed items a mural painting based on the Classical Sanskrit drama Shakuntalam, done in the traditional Kerala mural style. It is 25 ft. long by 5 ft. wide and is one of the largest in Kerala, noted for its fine attention to details.

Featuring reproductions of Indian miniature art, the Museum of Indian Miniatures is yet another attraction at the Art and History Museum complex. Devoted exclusively to miniatures, the works are of Indian artists trained by Persian masters in the latter half of the 16th century during the reign of Emperor Akbar.

And in the Dolls' Museum, visitors would be greeted by a wide range of Indian dolls. This museum has a collection of about a hundred and fifty hand-crafted dolls. The dolls represent young men and women, from Gujarat to Nagaland and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There are brides and bridegrooms from various Indian states; dance figures representing the rich repertoire of Indian classical dances as well as folk dances in groups.

Another interesting part of the museum complex is the Centre for Visual Arts that houses about 500 reproductions of world's renowned painters like Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh etc. Among the other attractions here are the huge reliefs of ancient India's sculptural masterpieces like Yakshi of Didarganj, Dwarapalaka (Ajanta) and the Woman and Parrot.

Part of the Art and Museum complex is the Projection Studio. Here screening of visuals and specialized art related subjects to interested visitors and students of art are held. It has a CD collection worth 72 hours of projection time.

Marine Drive - Cochin

Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi. Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings.

Marine Drive in Kochi, is a popular hangout and this scenic stretch offers a spectacular view of the backwaters and the Kochi Harbour. The Rainbow Bridge and the International Tourism Boat Jetty Complex are other attractions here.The walkway is usually thronged by people in the evening and the view of the sun setting in the tranquil sea. At night, the place provides a picturesque spectacle with the light seeping out of the anchored ships. The cleanliness, sitting arrangements and the cool breeze from the backwaters are the other factors that draw tourists here. The beauty of the place has been enhanced by two contemporary constructions – the Rainbow Bridge and the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge.  Childrens’ Park and Subhash Chandra Bose Park are also situated near Marine Drive.  There are various boat services from Marine Drive to take you to tourist spots like the oil tanker berth, the Cochin shipyard, the Bolgatty Palace, Mattanchery Jewish synagogue, Jew Street, Vallarpadom Terminal and so on.  Marine Drive, with its many skyscrapers and shopping malls, is one of the commercially thriving areas of Cochin. Corporate offices, quality restaurants, showrooms for international names and so, on have found secured their place in the buildings adjacent to the walkway. Apart from being a shopping destination, Marine Drive has a number of apartments that are much in demand. The boat jetty that operates ferry services to various islands is situated near Marine Drive.