My native place is the port city of Kochi. This city lies on the southwest coastline of Kerala and is referred to as the ‘Queen of Arabian Sea’.
I mostly visit Kochi during my holidays in the summertime. It is the ideal place to visit because while the rest of India is experiencing the heat of the sun, Kochi receives pre-monsoon showers which reduce the heat. Visiting it in the summer also opens gates for many beach activities. Fort Kochi beach is a very famous beach in this city and is popular because of the colonial-style bungalows along the shoreline, remains of Fort Emmanuel, the huge Chinese fishing nets and the Vasco De Gama square. With these sights, special coconut water and some salted gooseberry are a must-try.
Another place I visit every time I go there is Jew town. This place has historical significance. Jew town is located between Pardesi Synagogue and Mattancherry Palace. In 1524, the King of Kochi gave shelter to the Jews from Kodungallur. He allocated land next to his palace in which the Jews resided. This locality is renowned for its antique shops which line up the street. Now a few kilometres away from the Jew town, is a place called Koovapadam where my maternal grandparents live. Near our house is a huge, ancient temple. Cochin Thirumala Devaswom or CTD was built in 1599 AD and houses Lord Balaji. I visit this temple almost every day whenever I am there.
A very significant feature of this city is its port. Cochin port is one of the major hubs in the shipbuilding industry. I remember the glimpse of this yard with many big ships docking at the port to be repaired. This place is a very busy sector in Kochi.
Apart from being my native place, the reason why Kochi holds a delicate place in my heart is because of how many communities dwell together in this city. From Jews to Muslims, Christians to Hindus. Kochi holds historical importance for all these religions. Kochi is one example of India's unity in diversity and we should promote this in many places.
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