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- May 4, 2023, 12:13 PM
- ☁️ 91 °F
- Altitude: 30 ft
- IndiaKeralaErnākulamVypīnMattancherry Palace9°57’27” N 76°15’34” E
Kochi: Mattancherry … Significant Sites
May 4, 2023 in India ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F
Mattancherry is a historic ward outside the city center. It is home to several culturally and historically significant buildings … two of which we visited.
First up … the Mattancherry Palace Museum. The building in which the museum is housed dates back to 1555. It is said to be one of the oldest Portuguese era buildings in the oriental style. It was constructed and presented as a gift to the Kingdom of Kochi in apology for plundering a temple that once stood in the area. It is sometimes referred to as the Dutch Palace, because of the restoration work they oversaw in 1665.
The exhibits — consisting of items such as portraits of the Kochi Rajas, palanquins, clothing, weapons, etc — are displayed on the second floor … in what used to be the coronation hall, bed chambers, ladies chamber, royal dining hall, and more. The most important exhibit is of five murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana … described by various sources as artistic marvels. I would agree. Sadly, photos were not allowed … but I did find one on Wikimedia that I added to my collection of photos from today.
For anyone interested, this link has more of the palace murals: https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/mattancherry….
Gopah next took us for a stroll along Jew Street … in Jew Town. This area of Kochi was settled by some of the ancestors of Sephardic Jews who were expelled from Iberia in 1492 and eventually made their way to Kochi in the 16th century. They became known as the Paradesi Jews … which translates as “foreign jews.” After Israel was established as a nation, most of the Jewish population emigrated there. Pat mentioned that when they visited this neighborhood in 2019 only six Jewish people remained here. Today we found out that there only two left.
The second significant building we visited was in Jew Town … the Paradesi Synagogue, which dates back to 1568. Adjacent to Mattancherry Museum, it sits on land given to the community by the Raja of Kochi to replace the earlier synagogue that was destroyed by the Portuguese. Considered a historic attraction, admission is by fee … as it was at the Palace Museum. But here, in return for our admission, we were given our choice of a postcard.
After our visit to the synagogue, Gopah gave us a choice. But that’s for the next footprint.Read more