Kochi

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Kochi

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the city in India. For the city in Japan, see Kōchi (city). For the Japanese prefecture, see Kōchi Prefecture. For other uses, see Kochi (disambiguation).

"Cochin" redirects here. For other uses, see Cochin (disambiguation).

KochiCochinCountryStateDistrictFormedGovernment • Type • Body • Mayor • MP • City Police CommissionerArea[4] • Metropolis • Metro[5]ElevationPopulation (2011)[4] • Metropolis • Density • Metro[6]Demonym(s)Languages • OfficialTime zonePIN code(s)Area codeVehicle registrationJudicial CapitalCoastlineSex ratioLiteracyDevelopment AgencyClimatePrecipitationWebsite

Metropolis

Clockwise from top: Marine Drive Skyline, Chinese Fishing Nets at Fort Kochi, Cochin Shipyard, Queen's Way, Hill Palace, InfoPark

Nickname: Queen of the Arabian Sea[1][2]

Kochi


Show map of KochiShow map of KeralaShow map of IndiaShow all

Coordinates: 

9.97°N 76.28°ECoordinates: 

9.97°N 76.28°E

 India

 Kerala

Ernakulam

1 April 1958[3]

Municipal Corporation

Kochi Municipal Corporation,
Greater Cochin Development Authority

M Anilkumar (CPI(M))

Hibi Eden (INC)

C. H. Nagaraju IPS

94.88 km2 (36.63 sq mi)

440 km2 (170 sq mi)

0 m (0 ft)

677,381

7,100/km2 (18,000/sq mi)

2,119,724

Cochinite,[7][8] Kochite, Kochikaran (M), Kochikari (F)

Malayalam, English

UTC+5:30 (IST)

682 XXX, 683 XXX

+91-484

KL-7, KL-39, KL-41, KL-42, KL-43, KL-63

High Court of Kerala

48 kilometres (30 mi)

1028 /♀ /1000♂

98.5%

GCDA, GIDA

Am (Köppen)

3,228.3 millimetres (127.10 in)

cochinmunicipalcorporation.kerala.gov.in 

Kochi ([koˈtːʃi ] (

listen)), also known as Cochin (/ˈkoʊtʃɪn/ KOH-chin)[9] (the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala and is commonly referred to as Ernakulam. Kochi is the most densely populated city in Kerala. As of 2011, it has a corporation limit population of 677,381[4] within an area of 94.88 km2 and a total urban population of more than of 2.1 million within an area of 440 km2, making it the largest and the most populous metropolitan area in Kerala. Kochi city is also part of the Greater Cochin region[10][11] and is classified as a Tier-II city by the Government of India. The civic body that governs the city is the Kochi Municipal Corporation, which was constituted in the year 1967, and the statutory bodies that oversee its development are the Greater Cochin Development Authority[12] (GCDA) and the Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA).[13] The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, the suburbs of Edapally, Kalamassery, Aluva and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad Lake.

Called the "Queen of the Arabian Sea", Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the west coast of India from the 14th century onward, and maintained a trade network with Arab merchants from the pre-Islamic era. In 1505, the Portuguese established trading ports in Cochin. There are still buildings like the Old Harbour House from this period, some of which have been renovated in more recent times. The Kingdom of Cochin allied with the Ming Dynasty, Portuguese, and Dutch and became a princely state of the British. Kochi ranks first in the total number of international and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala.[14][15] The city was ranked the sixth best tourist destination in India according to a survey conducted by the Nielsen Company on behalf of the Outlook Traveller magazine.[16] In October 2019, Kochi was ranked seventh in Lonely Planet's list of top 10 cities in the world to visit in 2020.[17][18] Kochi was one of the 28 Indian cities among the emerging 440 global cities that will contribute 50% of the world GDP by 2025, in a 2011 study done by the McKinsey Global Institute.[19] In July 2018, Kochi was ranked the topmost emerging future megacity in India by global professional services firm JLL.[20][21] Kochi is the first city in India to have a water metro project.[22]

Kochi is known as the financial,[23][24] commercial[25][26] and industrial[27][28] capital of Kerala. It has the highest GDP as well as the highest GDP per capita in the state.[29][30] The city is home to the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy and is the state headquarters[31][32] of the Indian Coast Guard with an attached air squadron, named Air Squadron 747.[33] Commercial maritime facilities of the city include the Port of Kochi, an International Container Transshipment Terminal, the Cochin Shipyard, offshore SPM of the BPCL Kochi Refinery[34] and the Kochi Marina. Kochi is home for the International Pepper Exchange, Marine Products Export Development Authority, Coconut Development Board, companies like HMT, Apollo Tyres, FACT, IREL, Petronet LNG, Kochi Refineries, V-Guard and industrial parks like the Cochin Special Economic Zone, Smart City, Infopark and Kinfra Hi-Tech Park. Kochi is home for the High Court of Kerala and Lakshadweep, Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Indian Maritime University, Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit University and the Cochin University of Science and Technology, and National University of Advanced Legal Studies. Kochi was earlier home to Cochin Stock Exchange (CSE).

Kochi has been hosting India's first art biennale, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, since 2012, which attracts international artists and tourists.[35]

Etymology

Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Kochi.[36] The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin Kogin (Hebrew: קוגין), which is seen in the seal of the synagogue owned by the community.[37] The Arab merchants called this place Kashi, which is seen in the books such as Tuhfat Ul Mujahideen.[9] The origin of the name Kochi is thought to be the Malayalam word kochu azhi, meaning 'small lagoon'. Accounts by Italian explorers Nicolo Conti (15th century), and Fra Paoline in the 17th century say that it was called Kochchi, named after the river connecting the backwaters to the sea.[38] After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to a closer transcription of its original Malayalam name, Kochi, in 1996. This change in name was challenged by the city municipal corporation but court later dismissed the plea.[39]

History

Main article: History of Kochi

See also: Kingdom of Cochin

Muziris, a port somewhere north of Kochi (mostly identified with Kodungallur in Thrissur district), was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Arabs, Yavanas (Greeks and Romans) as well as Jews, Syrians, and Chinese since ancient times.[40] Kochi rose to significance as a trading centre after the port Muziris around Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by the massive flooding of Periyar in 1341.[41] The earliest documented references to Kochi occur in books written by Chinese voyager Ma Huan during his visit to Kochi in the 15th century as part of Admiral Zheng He's treasure fleet.[42] There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti, who visited Kochi in 1440.[43] The ruler of Perumpadappu (near Ponnani) fled to Kodungallur in the early medieval period, when the Zamorin of Calicut annexed Ponnani region, after Tirunavaya war.[44] They later moved to Kochi and established the Kingdom of Cochin.[44] When Vasco Da Gama landed at Kozhikode and the Zamorin of Calicut fought against the Portuguese with Kunjali Marakkar, the ruler of Cochin aligned with the Portuguese.[44]

Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral established Portuguese influence in Kochi (Portuguese: Cochim) in 1500, which lasted until 1663.

On the Malabar coast during the early 15th century, Calicut and Kochi were in an intense rivalry, so the Ming dynasty of China decided to intervene by granting special status to Kochi and its ruler known as Keyili (可亦里) to the Chinese.[45] Calicut had been the dominant port-city in the region, but Kochi was emerging as its main rival.[45] For the fifth Ming treasure voyage, Admiral Zheng He was instructed to confer a seal upon Keyili of Kochi and enfeoff a mountain in his kingdom as the Zhenguo Zhi Shan (鎮國之山, Mountain Which Protects the Country).[45] Zheng He delivered a stone tablet, inscribed with a proclamation composed by the Yongle Emperor himself, to Kochi.[45] As long as Kochi remained under the protection of Ming China, the Zamorin of Calicut was unable to invade Kochi and a military conflict was averted.[45] The cessation of the Ming treasure voyages consequently had negative results for Kochi, as the Zamorin of Calicut would eventually launch an invasion against Kochi.[45] In the late 15th century, the Zamorin occupied Kochi and installed his representative as the king of the port-city.[45]

Names, routes and locations of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE)

According to many historians, the precursor state to Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in the early 12th century, after the fall of the Chera Kingdom.[46] The reign of the Kingdom was hereditary, and the family that ruled over the region was known as the Perumpadappu Swaroopam in the local vernacular.

The port at Kozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur, Kollam, and Kochi, were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather.[47] The Portuguese arrived at Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the Age of Discovery, thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to India.[48] Portuguese navigator, Pedro Álvares Cabral founded the first European settlement in India at Kochi in 1500.[49] From 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi (Fort Emmanuel) was ruled by Portugal. This Portuguese period was a harrowing time for the Saint Thomas Christians, Muslim Mappilas, and the Jews, as the Inquisition was active in Portuguese India. The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur, who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut, sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode.[44] As a result, the Kingdom of Tanur (Vettathunadu) became one of the earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin.[44] Many of the members of the royal family of Cochin in 16th and 17th centuries were selected from Vettom.[44] However, the Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504).[50] However, the allegiance of the Mappila merchants in Tanur region still stayed under the Zamorin of Calicut.[9] Kochi hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama, the first European explorer to set sail for India, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539.[51] The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch who renamed Fort Immanuel as Fort Stormsburg. In meantime, the Royal Family of Kochi relocated the capital of Kochi Kingdom to Thrissur, leaving nominal authority over Islands of Kochi. In 1664, Fort Kochi Municipality was established by Dutch, making it the first municipality in Indian subcontinent, which got dissolved when Dutch authority got weaker in the 18th century. The remaining part of Kochi were governed by governors of Kochi Kingdom. By 1773, the Mysore ruler Hyder Ali extended his conquest in the Malabar region to Kochi forcing it to become a tributary of Mysore. The hereditary Prime Ministership of Kochi held by the Paliath Achans ended during this period.[52]

Map of Kochi in the 1635 Livro das Plantas de Todas as Fortalezas, a catalogue of Portuguese forts in India

Meanwhile,[clarification needed] the Dutch, fearing an outbreak of war on the United Provinces, signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814 with the United Kingdom, under which Kochi was ceded to the United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Bangka, east of Sumatra. However, there are evidences of English habitation in the region even before the signing of the treaty.[53] In 1866, Fort Kochi municipality was reinstalled. Fort Kochi, which was a part of Malabar District until 1956, was made a municipality on 1 November 1866, along with Kannur, Thalassery, Kozhikode, and Palakkad, according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850)[54][55][56][57] of the British Indian Empire. Its first Municipal Council seating contest was conducted in 1883. In 1896, H.H. Rama Varma XV, The Maharaja of Cochin, initiated local administration by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam. In 1907, the Governor of the Madras Presidency, Sir Arthur Lawley and his brother, Beilby Lawley, 3rd Baron Wenlock, Governor of Madras, 1891 to 1896, left for an official tour of Cochin and Travancore, which lasted from 25 January to 14 February. On 26 January, they were met by His Highness the Rajah of Cochin who gave a State Dinner in their honour at Ernakulam.[58][59][60][61] By the 1870s, the capital of Kochi Kingdom was relocated again to Kochi Suburb of Tripunithura. In 1910, Ernakulam became the administrative capital of Kochi Kingdom with establishment of Royal Secretariat and State Durbar. The offices of the Diwan and High court were soon moved into Ernakulam.[62]

The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in both India and the Commonwealth of Nations.

In 1925, Kochi legislative assembly was constituted due to public pressure on the state. Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially, and the need to develop the port was greatly felt. Harbour engineer Robert Bristow was brought to Kochi in 1920 under the direction of Lord Willingdon, then the Governor of Madras. In a span of 21 years, he transformed Kochi as one of the safest harbours in the peninsula, where ships berthed alongside the newly reclaimed inner harbour equipped with a long array of steam cranes.[63]

In 1947, when India gained independence from the British colonial rule, Cochin was the first princely state to join India willingly.[46] In 1949, Travancore-Cochin state came into being with the merger of Cochin and Travancore. The King of Travancore was the Rajpramukh of the Travancore-Cochin Union from 1949 to 1956. Travancore-Cochin, was in turn merged with the Malabar district of the Madras State. Finally, the Government of India's States Reorganisation Act (1956) inaugurated a new state—Kerala—incorporating Travancore-Cochin (excluding the four southern Taluks which were merged with Tamil Nadu), Malabar District, and the taluk of Kasargod, South Kanara.[64] On 9 July 1960 the Mattancherry council passed a resolution—which was forwarded to the government—requesting the formation of a municipal corporation by combining the existing municipalities of Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Ernakulam. The government appointed a commission to study the feasibility of the suggested merger. Based on its report, the Kerala Legislative Assembly approved the corporation's formation. On 1 November 1967, exactly eleven years since the establishment of the state of Kerala, the Kochi Municipal Corporation came into existence. The merger leading to the establishment of the corporation, was between the municipalities of Ernakulam, Mattancherry and Fort Kochi, along with that of the Willingdon Island, four panchayats (Palluruthy, Vennala, Vyttila and Edappally), and the small islands of Gundu and Ramanthuruth.[65] The Kochi and Ernakulam districts formed on 1 April 1958 carving areas of the erstwhile Travancore-Kochi-Malabar regions. A major portion of the district is from the Kochi kingdom.[3]

The city's economic growth gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the early 1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has energised the city's economy. The establishment of several industrial parks based on IT and other port based infrastructure triggered a construction and realty boom in the city. Over the years, Kochi has witnessed rapid commercialisation, and has today grown into the commercial hub of Kerala.[66]

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Kochi

A view of Thevara from Kundannur bridge.

Geography

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at 9°58′N 76°13′E, with a corporation limit area of 94.88 km2 (36.63 sq mi).[67] Over the years, the city has expanded considerably outside the corporation limit set in 1967, although the official city limits hasn't yet been increased.[68][69] The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Laccadive Sea, and to the east is the urbanised region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.[46]

The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, the suburbs of Edapally, Kalamassery, Aluva and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad Lake. The state government and the GCDA have plans to include Mala and Kodungallur in Thrissur district, Angamaly, Perumbavoor, Piravom and Kolenchery in Ernakulam district, Thalayolaparambu and Vaikom in Kottayam and Cherthala in Alappuzha district within Kochi metropolitan limits. The newly formed metropolis would be put under the charge of a new authority called Kochi Metropolitan Regional Development Authority.[70][71] However, The Hindu reported that the state government is yet to take any concrete steps in this regard.[72]

Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium, teris, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters.[46]

Predominant rock types found here are Archaean-basic dykes, Charnockites and Gneisses. An ecologically sensitive area, the Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary is located in the central part of the city. It has a wide range of mangrove species and is a nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds.[73]

Kochi's water needs are entirely dependent on ground water and the two rivers flowing through the district viz., Periyar and Muvattupuzha. Periyar serves the entire northern part of the city[74] whereas Muvattupuzha river under the JnNurm project covers the western part.[75]

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Kochi features a tropical monsoon climate (Am). Kochi's proximity to the equator along with its coastal location results in little seasonal temperature variation, with moderate to high levels of humidity. Annual temperatures range between 23 and 31 °C (73 and 88 °F) with the record high being 36.5 °C (97.7 °F), and record low 16.3 °C (61.3 °F).[76] From June to September, the south-west monsoon brings in heavy rains as Kochi lies on the windward side of the Western Ghats. From October to December, Kochi receives lighter (yet significant) rain from the northeast monsoon, as it lies on the leeward side. Average annual rainfall is 3,014.9 mm (118.70 in), with an annual average of 124 rainy days.[77]

hideClimate data for Kochi (Kochi Naval Base) 1981–2010, extremes 1951–2012MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYearRecord high °C (°F)Average high °C (°F)Average low °C (°F)Record low °C (°F)Average rainfall mm (inches)Average rainy daysAverage relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)Average ultraviolet index

36.4 (97.5)	35.7 (96.3)	36.0 (96.8)	36.5 (97.7)	35.2 (95.4)	34.2 (93.6)	33.1 (91.6)	32.5 (90.5)	34.2 (93.6)	34.6 (94.3)	35.0 (95.0)	35.2 (95.4)	36.5 (97.7)
31.9 (89.4)	32.0 (89.6)	32.6 (90.7)	33.0 (91.4)	32.4 (90.3)	30.3 (86.5)	29.6 (85.3)	29.5 (85.1)	30.2 (86.4)	30.7 (87.3)	31.3 (88.3)	31.9 (89.4)	31.3 (88.3)
23.0 (73.4)	24.2 (75.6)	25.5 (77.9)	25.9 (78.6)	25.7 (78.3)	24.2 (75.6)	23.8 (74.8)	24.0 (75.2)	24.2 (75.6)	24.1 (75.4)	24.1 (75.4)	23.2 (73.8)	24.3 (75.7)
16.5 (61.7)	16.3 (61.3)	21.6 (70.9)	21.2 (70.2)	21.1 (70.0)	20.4 (68.7)	17.6 (63.7)	20.6 (69.1)	21.1 (70.0)	19.2 (66.6)	19.2 (66.6)	17.7 (63.9)	16.3 (61.3)
24.3 (0.96)	27.1 (1.07)	45.0 (1.77)	113.1 (4.45)	284.5 (11.20)	700.3 (27.57)	575.5 (22.66)	378.8 (14.91)	310.3 (12.22)	366.6 (14.43)	150.4 (5.92)	39.0 (1.54)	3,014.9 (118.70)
1.1	1.2	2.6	6.9	11.0	23.0	22.8	19.0	13.4	14.2	7.2	1.8	124.2
61	65	68	70	73	82	83	82	79	77	72	64	73
11	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	10	10	12
Source 1: India Meteorological Department[77][76]
Source 2: Weather Atlas[78]

Civic administration

Kochi Municipal Corporation officials[79]

Mayor	Anilkumar M
Deputy Mayor	Ansiya K A
Police Commissioner	M.P.Dinesh IPS

Kochi Municipal Corporation Town Hall

The High Court of Kerala located in the city is the highest court in Kerala

The city is governed by the Kochi Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 74 wards,[80] from which the members of the corporation council are elected for five years. Earlier; Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Ernakulam were the three Municipalities in Cochin area, which was later merged to form the Cochin Corporation. The corporation has its headquarters in Ernakulam, and zonal offices at Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Palluruthy, Edappally and Pachalam.[81] The general administration of the city is handled by the Personnel Department and the Council Standing committee Section.[82] Other departments include that of town planning, health, engineering, revenue and accounts. The corporation is also responsible for waste disposal and sewage management. The city produces more than 600 tons of waste per day and a large portion of waste is decomposed at Brahmapuram Solid Waste plant into organic manure.[82] The supply of potable water, sourced from the Periyar River is handled by Kerala Water Authority with support of Water works department of Kochi Corporation.[83] Electricity is provided by the Kerala State Electricity Board. The GCDA and GIDA are the government agencies initiating and monitoring the development of Greater Cochin area, mainly in developing infrastructure facilities for the city.[84]

Law and order

Kochi is the seat of High Court of Kerala, the highest judicial body in the state of Kerala. The Kochi City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into five zones and each zone under a circle officer. Apart from regular law & order, the city police comprises the Traffic Police, Narcotics Cell, Riot horse, Armed Reserve Camps, District Crime Records Bureau and a Women's Police station.[85] It operates 19 police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of Government of Kerala. An anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation also operates out of the city. CISF maintains 3 squadrons for providing security to various central and state heavy industries, airport and seaport zones. Other major central agencies are NIA, DRI and Indian Customs due to the presence of major port. According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Kochi reported significant increase of 193.7 per cent IPC crimes in 2010 compared to 2009, and reported a crime rate of 1,897.8 compared to the 424.1 in whole Kerala.[86] However, the city police commissioner defended that in major crimes such as murders and kidnapping, the city registered a low crime rate even behind other cities in the state.[87]

Politics

Kochi is part of the Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency in Indian Parliament.[88] The current elected Member of Parliament representing the constituency is Hibi Eden of Indian National Congress.[89] The Ernakulam Lok Sabha constituency elects seven members to the state Legislative Assembly, one each from Ernakulam, Kalamassery, Kochi, Paravur, Thrikkakara, Thrippunithura and Vypin.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Kochi