Kochi Heritage Walk covers Mattancherry

KOCHI

The second heritage walk organised on Sunday by India Heritage and Museum Field School, covered heritage structures at Mattancherry, which was once the seat of the Kochi royals, and a twin town of Fort Kochi.

Participants of the first heritage walk had covered Fort Kochi a week ago.

Mattancherry was the seat of the Cochin Royals, a twin town along with Fort Kochi. The town is more than just a microcosm of a bygone era — of traders, travellers, culture, and culinary traditions of over three dozen communities having roots in all corners of the country. Members of these communities peacefully co-exist with one another in a small radius of 5km in the town, a perfect model of unity in diversity.

The month-long Heritage Walk series has been organised to emphasize the importance of creating experiential awareness through heritage trails through important parts of the city. Highlighting its impact on local climate and surroundings, the event combines traditional history and unique stories to bring people closer to their local heritage and culture.

During the walk, the over two dozen participants, including children, took a look at the origins of the Perumpadappu Swaroopam, and how they ended up ruling Kochi, how Mattancherry became the capital of the Kochi kingdom and also how Konkanis influenced businesses in Kochi. They then walked through the same path taken by the maharajas during their coronation and later on took a look at the enterprising Gujaratis and how they made Kochi their home, Tamil Brahmin Agraharams and the Jews. The heritage walk wound up at the Mattancherry Palace.

The walk was led by Johann Binny Kuruvilla, a travel entrepreneur and heritage evangelist based in Kochi. He is the founder of The Kochi Heritage Project and Forum, an initiative to document Kochi’s history, heritage, art, culture, and its people. He also runs an adventure travel company.

Similar heritage walks will be held in the coming two Sundays — in Ernakulam and Thripunithura.