Kochi Water Metro work unearths a curious relic
The Hindu
The portion of the pillar is similar to those relocated in the 90s to the walkway and Santa Cruz Basilica
History came tumbling out on Wednesday when a large stone slab was unearthed during digging under way in Fort Kochi for the construction of the Water Metro jetty.
Possibly a portion of a Gothic pillar, dating back to the Portuguese times (1503), there are at least three such slabs in the dugout debris along with other objects of historical value. The digging, as part of construction of the jetty, by the Water Metro has been under way for the past one month.
The 20 cents on which the heritage stones have been found was once the site that housed three structures of historic importance—a port office, a gear shed, and Laurel Club that was a coal shed. The famed Chinese net called the ‘Karipura vala’ stands next to the site.
