Kochi

Kochi (കൊച്ചി)

Cochin
Queen of the Arabian Sea[1][2]
—  City  —

Flag
Seal
From top clockwise: The Chinese Fishing Nets, Rainbow Bridge,Infopark Kochi, Skyline of Cochin with Cochin Port Office,Jewish Synagogue and Cochin Airport
Kochi (കൊച്ചി)
Location of Kochi (കൊച്ചി)
in Kerala and India
Coordinates
Country  India
State Kerala
District(s) Ernakulam
Mayor Tony Chamminy
City Police Commissioner Manoj Abraham IPS
Population

• Density
• Metro

 595,575[3] (2001)

• 6,277 /km2 (16,257 /sq mi)
• 1,355,972[4] (2001)
Sex ratio 1.017 ♂/♀
Literacy 94.3% 
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area

• Elevation
• Coastline

 94.88 km2 (37 sq mi)

• 0 metres (0 ft)
• 48 kilometres (30 mi)
Climate

• Precipitation

 Am (Köppen)

•      3,228.3 mm (127.10 in)
Website www.corporationofcochin.net

Kochi (Malayalam: കൊച്ചി [koˈtʃːi]( listen)), formerly known as Cochin (the colonial-era name), is a major city and seaport located on the south-west coast of India by the Arabian Sea in Ernakulam district of Kerala state. Kochi is also often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the mainland part of the city. The Corporation of Cochin was formed in 1967 and includes Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and several other towns.

The city lies about 220 kilometres (137 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram and about 180 kilometres (112 mi) south of Kozhikode, the third largest city in Kerala. The city of Kochi (pop. 564, 589) is Kerala's second largest city and is part of an extended metropolitan region (pop. 1.35 million), making it the largest urban agglomeration in Kerala. It is classified as a B-1 grade city[5] by the Government of India, making it the highest graded city in the state.

In 1102 AD, Kochi became the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, which traced its lineage to the Kulasekhara Empire. Heralded as the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century. Occupied by the Portuguese Empire in 1503, Kochi was the first of the European colonies in India. It remained the capital of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead. The city was later occupied by the Dutch and the British, with the Kingdom of Cochin becoming a princely state.

Kochi entered a period of economic growth after 2000, leading to a spurt in the city's development. The city hosts the Indian Navy's Southern Command and the Indian Coast Guard. Kochi's major development is attributed to the presence of several major industries like Cochin Shipyard, the Port of Kochi, and Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), academic centres like Cochin University of Science and Technology and Industrial parks such as Cochin Special Economic Zone and Infopark.

Contents

Toponymy

Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Kochi.The Cochin Jewish community called Cochin as Kogin (קוגין), which is seen in the seal of the synagogue which is still owned by the community. Theories regarding the origin of the name "Kochi" include derivation from the Malayalam word koch azhi, meaning 'small lagoon', and derivation from the Sanskrit word Go shree which means 'prosperous with cows'.[6] Certain ancient texts refer to the city Balapuri (Sanskrit for 'small town'), which became Cochin in the course of time.[6] According to some accounts, traders from the court of the Chinese ruler Kublai Khan gave Cochin the name of their homeland. Yet another theory is that Kochi is derived from the word Kaci meaning 'harbour'.[6] 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. After the arrival of the Portuguese, and later the British, the name Cochin stuck as the official appellation. The city reverted to a closer anglicisation of its original Malayalam name, Kochi, in 1996. However, it is still widely referred to as Cochin, with the city corporation retaining its name as Corporation of Cochin.

History

See also: Kingdom of Cochin and Cochin Royal Family
St. Francis CSI Church built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India.[7]
Hebrew inscription at the Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations
A painting depicting the city of Kochi (circa.1682)

Kochi was the centre of Indian spice trade for many centuries, and was known to the Yavanas (Greeks) as well as Romans, Jews, Arabs, and Chinese since ancient times.[8] Kochi rose to significance as a trading centre after the port at Kodungallur (Cranganore) was destroyed by massive flooding of the river Periyar in 1341.[9] 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.[10] There are also references to Kochi in accounts written by Italian traveller Niccolò Da Conti, who visited Kochi in 1440.[11]

According to many historians, the Kingdom of Kochi came into existence in 1102, after the fall of the Kulasekhara Empire.[6] The King of Kochi had authority over the region encompassing the present city of Kochi and adjoining areas. The reign was hereditary, and the family that ruled over Kochi was known as the Perumpadappu Swaroopam or Kuru swaroopam in the local vernacular. The mainland Kochi remained the capital of the princely state since the eighteenth century. However, during much of this time, the kingdom was under foreign rule, and the King often only had titular privileges.

Fort Kochi in Kochi was the first European colonial settlement in India. From 1503 to 1663, Fort Kochi was ruled by Portugal. This Portuguese period was a harrowing time for the Cochin Jews, as the Inquisition was active in Portuguese India. 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.[12] The Portuguese rule was followed by that of the Dutch, who had allied with the Zamorins to conquer Kochi. By 1773, the Mysore King 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.

Meanwhile, 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. However, there are evidences of English habitation in the region even before the signing of the treaty.[13] In 1866, Fort Kochi became a municipality, and its first Municipal Council election was conducted in 1883. The Maharaja of Cochin, who ruled under the British, in 1896 initiated local administration by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam. 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.[6][14]

In 1947, when India gained independence from the British colonial rule, Cochin was the first princely state to join the Indian Union willingly.[6] 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.[15] 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 corporation of Cochin 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.

Kochi witnessed economic stagnation in the years following India's independence. The city's economic recovery gathered momentum after economic reforms in India introduced by the central government in the mid-1990s. Since 2000, the service sector has revitalised the city's stagnant 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 a commercial hub of Kerala.[16]

Geography and climate

Geography

Neighbouring cities & towns
Destinations from Ernakulam
North Paravur Aluva Perumbavoor
Fort Cochin Muvattupuzha
   Ernakulam    
Mattancherry Cherthala Piravom
A view of the Kochi harbour mouth from Willingdon Island

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India at , spanning an area of 94.88 square kilometres (36.63 sq mi). The city is situated at the northern end of a peninsula, about 19 kilometres (12 mi) long and less than one mile (1.6 km) wide. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, and to the east are estuaries drained by perennial rivers originating in the Western Ghats. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.[6]

The current metropolitan limits of Kochi include the mainland Ernakulam, Fort Kochi, the suburbs of Edapally, Kalamassery and Kakkanad to the northeast; Tripunithura to the southeast; and a group of islands closely scattered in the Vembanad Lake. Most of these islands are very small, varying in extent from six square kilometre to less than a square kilometre (1,500 to less than 250 acres).

Soil consists of sediments such as alluvium, teri's, brown sands, etc. Hydromorphic saline soils are also found in the areas surrounding the backwaters.[6]

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 nesting ground for a vast variety of migratory birds.

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Kochi features a Tropical monsoon climate. 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 20 to 35 °C (68–95 °F) with the record high being 34 °C (96 °F), and record low 17 °C (63 °F).[17] From June through 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 3228.3 mm (127.098 in),[18] with an annual average of 132 rainy days.

Climate data for Kochi
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35
(95)		 37
(99)		 37
(99)		 34
(93)		 35
(95)		 33
(91)		 35
(95)		 35
(95)		 38
(100)		 35
(95)		 34
(93)		 33
(91)		 38
(100)
Average high °C (°F) 30
(86)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)
Average low °C (°F) 23
(73)		 25
(77)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 26
(79)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 23
(73)		 25
(77)
Record low °C (°F) 17
(63)		 18
(64)		 20
(68)		 21
(70)		 22
(72)		 21
(70)		 21
(70)		 20
(68)		 22
(72)		 20
(68)		 20
(68)		 19
(66)		 17
(63)
Precipitation mm (inches) 21.9
(0.862)		 22.9
(0.902)		 35.3
(1.39)		 124.0
(4.882)		 395.7
(15.579)		 720.7
(28.374)		 697.2
(27.449)		 367.8
(14.48)		 289.4
(11.394)		 302.3
(11.902)		 175.1
(6.894)		 48.3
(1.902)		 3,228.3
(127.098)
Source #1: [19]
Source #2: [20]

Civic administration

Kochi City officials
Mayor
Tony Chamminy
Deputy Mayor
   Bhadra Satish    
Police Commissioner
Manoj Abraham
The Kerala High Court in Ernakulam

The city is administered by the Kochi Corporation, headed by a mayor. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into 74 wards,[21] 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, Vaduthala and Vyttila. The general administration of the city is handled by the Personnel Department and the Council Standing committee Section. Other departments include that of town planning, health, engineering, revenue and accounts.[6] The corporation is also responsible for waste disposal and sewage management. The city produces more than 600 tons of waste per day and the a large portion of waste is decomposed at Brahmapuram Soild Waste plant into organic manure. 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.[22] Electricity is provided by the Kerala State Electricity Board. The GCDA is the government agency initiating and monitoring the development of Kochi and suburban areas, mainly in developing infrastructure facilities for the city.

Law & Order

Kochi is the seat of High Court of Kerala, the highest judicial body in the state and thus several judicial offices are located here. The Kochi City Police is headed by a Police Commissioner, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The city is divided into 5 zones and each zone under a circle officer. Apart from regular law & order, the city police comprises the Traffic Police, Narcotics Cell, Riot force, Armed Reserve Camps, District Crime Records Bureau and a Women's Police station.[23] It operates 19 police stations functioning under the Home Ministry of Kerala Government. 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, [CBI], DRI and Indian Customs due to the presence of major port.

Politics

The city elects one members to the Lok Sabha and five to the Kerala Niyamasabha. Two main political alliances have won a significant number of seats in elections — the Communist Party lead Left Democratic Front (LDF) and Indian National Congress lead United Democratic Front (UDF).

Economy

The Cochin shipyard

Kochi is widely referred to as the commercial capital of Kerala.[24] It is the seat of The Cochin Stock Exchange. Availability of electricity, fresh water, fairly long coastline, the Kochi and Kodungalloor backwaters, good banking facility, proximity to Kochi port, presence of Kochi harbour terminal, International Air port are some of the factors which accelerated the industrial growth in the district.[16] In recent years the city has witnessed heavy investment, thus making it one of the fastest-growing second-tier metro cities in India.[25][26] Sales tax income generated in the Kochi metropolitan area contributes heavily to state revenue.[27] The district contributes the highest portion, 14.47%, of the state's GDP.[28] Construction and manufacturing combined contributes 37%, and trade, tourism and hospitality together provides another 20%. Major business sectors include construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, transportation/shipping, seafood and spices exports, chemical industries, information technology (IT), tourism, health services, and banking. Kochi is recognized as one of the seventeen major industrial cities of India by World Bank, Doing Business Group. However, in the 2009 rankings of ease to start and operate a business, among the 17 Indian cities selected, Kochi was rated as the second most difficult city to start business and was ranked 16th, above Kolkata.[29] According to the study conducted by NASSCOM in 2002, Kochi was ranked second among the ITES destinations of the country.[30] As in most of Kerala, remittances from non-resident Indians (NRI)s is a major source of income.[31]

Eloor, situated 17 kilometres (10.5 mi) north of the city, is the largest industrial belt in Kerala, with more than 250 industries manufacturing a range of products including chemical and petrochemical products, pesticides, rare earth elements, rubber processing chemicals, fertilisers, zinc and chromium compounds, and leather products.[32] Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT), one of the oldest fertilizers and chemical industry in Kerala is located in Kochi.[33] Kochi Refineries of (BPCL) at Ambalamugal is a major industry. This is one of the largest oil refining facilities in South India. Petronet India is now process of establishing India's second LNG Terminal facility at Kochi, for importing and storing natural gas, for energy and fueling needs.[34] Central Government establishments like the Coconut Development Board, the Coir Board and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) have head offices located in the city.

Fishers trawling in traditional boats in the backwaters. Kochi is a major exporter of seafood

Like elsewhere in Kerala, tourism is one of strongest drivers of local economy. Ernakulam district, in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala,[35] and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc as well as natural attractions like Vembanad lake, backwaters etc attracts huge tourists to the city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major employment opportunities for locals. The Kochi Port is one of the leading ports where international cruisers call regularly.[36] The city has the first marina facility[37] in the country Kochi Marina, to attract large number of yacht-totters.

Kochi is the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command, the primary training centre of the Indian Navy.[38] The Cochin Shipyard, which was the largest shipbuilding facility in India till 2008, contributes to the economy of the city.[39][40] The fishing harbour at Thoppumpady is a minor fishing port in the state and supplies fish to local and export markets. To further tap the potential of the all-season harbour at Kochi, an international cruise terminal and several marinas are being constructed.[41][42]

Exports and allied activities are also important contributors to the city's economy. The Cochin Port currently handles export and import of container cargo at its terminal at Willingdon Island. A new international container transshipment terminal is being commissioned at Vallarpadam, which is expected to be a major transshipment port in India.[43][44][45][46] Kochi's historical reliance on trade continues into modern times, as the city is a major exporter of spices and is home to the International Pepper Exchange, where black pepper is globally traded. The Spices Board of India is also headquartered in Kochi.

The Tejomaya building at InfoPark, Kochi

The IT and ITES related industries are growing up in Kochi. Availability of cheap bandwidth through undersea cables and lower operational costs compared to other major cities in India, has been to its advantage. Various technology and industrial campuses including the government promoted InfoPark, Cochin Special Economic Zone and KINFRA Export Promotion Industrial Park operate in the outskirts of the city. Several new industrial campuses are under construction in the suburbs of the city. SmartCity at Kakkanad is the prominent project under proposal.

Kochi has an established electronics hardware industry with companies such as V-Guard Industries, FCI OEN Connectors and SFO Technologies. The Government of Kerala has announced a project to build an industrial park named Electronic City[47] spanning an area of 340 acres, to cater to the electronic hardware industries. The private operator NeST[48] is building a Special Economic Zone specifically for electronics hardware spanning an area of 30 acres.

The Cochin International Airport is in the process of setting up an aerotropolis at Nedumbasserry.[49][50]

Transport

Kochi is connected to the Golden Quadrilateral Highway System via the NH 47 Port Connectivity Link
Cochin International Airport is one of the busiest airports in India

Air

Kochi is served by Cochin International Airport (Nedumbassery), which is about 25 km (16 mi) north of the city, and handles both domestic and international flights.[51] With a terminal area of 600,000 sq ft (56,000 m2), and a passenger capacity of 1600, it is the largest airport in the state[52] and the fourth busiest international airport in India in terms of international passengers, and seventh busiest overall.[53] It is the first international airport in India to be built without Central Government funds.[54] The Indian Navy operates a military airport called INS Garuda Kochi, on Willingdon Island in central Kochi.[55] A third airport, for use by the Indian Coast Guard, is planned to be located in the suburbs.[56]

Road

Kochi is connected to the Golden Quadrilateral National Highway System via the NH 47 Port Connectivity Link.[57] NH-17 connects Kochi to Mumbai and most of the west coast of the country. NH-49 provides another link to the Golden Quadrilateral system, connecting to the North-South Corridor at Madurai. NH 47A and NH 47C are smaller highway stubs of the Port Connectivity project, connecting to Kochi Port and the International Container Transshipment Terminal respectively. Several state highways also connect Kochi with other parts of Kerala.[58]

The main arterial road of the city is Mahatma Gandhi Road in Ernakulam, constructed in 1925 which runs parallel to the coast. Other major roads include Chittoor Road, Banerji Road, Shanmugham Road(Marine Drive), Kochi Bypass, Kaloor-Kadavanthara (KK) Road, Park Avenue Road, Seaport-Airport Road(AP-SP Road) and S.A Road.

The primary form of public transport in the city is largely dependent on private red buses. The State Tranport Corporation, KSRTC has started its city services named as Thirukochi in 2010. KRSTC also operates the new generation low-floor buses under JNNURM city transport development project. Call taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos) are available for hire throughout the day. The major problem faced by the city is the development of road infrastructure not keeping up with the increase in traffic.[59]

Rail

The main rail transport system in Kochi is operated by the Southern Railway Zone of Indian Railways, and comes under Trivandrum Railway Division, with two main stations; Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town (locally known as the 'South' and 'North' railway stations respectively). Ernakulam Junction is one of the busiest railway stations in India, with more than 128 scheduled train services daily,[60] whilst The North Railway Station is another station situated in the northern side of the city, mainly catering to long distance services that bypass the Ernakulam Junction, and also as an additional halt station for many trains. The railway line connecting these two stations cuts the city longitudinally in two, with three narrow bridges connecting the two halves. Edapally Railway Station is a smaller halt station for passenger services and few express trains. The major station at Aluva, Thripunithura station, and the halting stations at Kalamassery, Nettoor, Kumbalam and Aroor serves the outskirts of the city and the surrounding metropolitan area. The spur line to the port, and the Cochin Harbour Terminus station are temporarily out of commission because of an accident at the harbour bridge.[61] A spur line, connects the International Container Transshipment Terminal to the main line at Edapally, which is exclusively for freight traffic. This line includes the 4.62km long Vembanad Rail Bridge which is currently the longest rail bridge in India[62].

In addition, Southern Railways are planning a suburban railway system connecting Kochi to nearby towns and cities, using Mainline Electrical Multiple Unit services, with the first services are expected to begin in late 2010 or early 2011[63][64] between Kollam and Ernakulam for which works are underway.

A metro rapid transit service, intended to considerably ease congestion, is currently awaiting sanction of Union govt[65]. Kochi has been chosen for a feasibility study for Bullet trains along Chennai-Bangalore-Coimbatore-Kochi route.

Ferry

The Kochi Marina is the first, and currently only marina in India

Kochi ranks among India's major seaports, partly due to being one of the safest harbours in the Indian Ocean.[66] The port, administered by a statutory autonomous body known as the Cochin Port Trust, offers facilities for bunkering, handling cargo and passenger ships and storage accommodation. It also operates passenger ships to Colombo and Lakshadweep. Boat services are operated by Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation, the State Water Transport Department and private firms from various boat jetties in the city. The junkar ferry for the transshipment of vehicles and passengers between the islands are operated between Ernakulam and Vypin, and between Vypin and Fort Kochi. However, with the construction of the Goshree bridges (which links Kochi's islands), ferry transport has become less essential. The main boat jetties are Ernakulam Main Boat Jetty near Park Avenue, High Court Jetty in Banerjee Road, Embarkation Jetty in Willingdon Island and Fort Kochi Jetty.

Distance from Kochi to Major Cities/Towns & Tourist Centers
City/Town Distance (Km) City/Town Distance (Km) City/Town Distance (Km) City/Town Distance (Km) City/Town Distance (Km)
Ahmedabad 1881 Kanyakumari 307 Madurai 270 Panaji (Goa) 842 Tirupati 730
Alapuzha 63 Kannur 317 Malampuzha 153 Sabarimala 210 Tuticorin 304
Bangalore 533 Kodaikanal 330 Mangalore 447 Salem 358 Varanasi 2312
Chennai 684 Kolkata 2360 Mumbai 1384 Thekkady 190
Coimbatore 193 Kollam 150 Munnar 130 Thiruvananthapuram 220
Delhi 2594 Kottayam 63 Mysore 397 Thrissur 79
Guruvayoor 100 Kozhikode 181 Ooty 281 Trichy 395
Hyderabad 1095 Kumarakom 77 Palakkad 163 Thirunelveli 256

Demographics

An antique shop featuring Jewish remnants of Kochi
See also: Cochin Jews and Syrian Malabar Nasrani

With a city population of 595,575 As of 2001, Kochi city ranks first among cities in Kerala in the population density parameter with 6277 per sq km2. As of 2009, Kochi had a metropolitan area population of 1,355,972.[4] Scheduled castes and tribes comprise 14% of the city's population. The female-to-male ratio is 1,024:1,000, significantly higher than the all-India average of 933:1,000. Kochi's literacy rate is 94%. The female literacy rate lags that of males by 1.1%, amongst the lowest such gaps in India.

Slums next to high-rise commercial buildings in Kaloor, Kochi.Hundreds of people, mostly comprising migrant labourers from other states of India who come to the city seeking job prospects, live in such shabby areas.[67][68]

Kochi's major religions are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam; Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Buddhism have smaller followings. Though 47% practice Hinduism, Christianity's large following (35%) makes Kochi a city with one of the largest Christian populations in India.[69][70] It is one of the few cities in India without a Hindu majority.[71] The majority of residents are Malayalis; however, there are significant ethnic minority communities including Tamils, Gujaratis, Jews, Anglo-Indians, Konkanis, and Tuluvas. Malayalam is the main language of communication and medium of instruction, although English is more commonly used in business circles. Tamil and Hindi are widely understood—albeit rarely spoken.

Like other fast-growing cities in the developing world, Kochi suffers from major urbanisation problems, poor sanitation,vector problem,heavy pollution and unemployment. The city was ranked 23rd, which was one of the lowest, among Indian cities in terms of house-cost and availability, urban household crowding and household incomes.[72]

The region of the district where the city belongs registered an unemployment rate of 21.6% in 2003, which is roughly 6% more than the rate in 1998.[73] Shortage of potable water is a major concern in the city.[74] The situation is aggravated by the threat posed by pollution in industrial areas.[75] The city also has a growing slum-dwelling population.[76] The government has plans to make the city slum-free by 2016.[77] According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 2008 statistics, the city holds the fourth position in the number of recorded crimes in India.[78] .[79] The city recorded an average of 587.2 against the national average of 321.8.

According to the CII/Institute of Competitiveness report on Liveability,[80] Kochi stands first in the state, and 12th in the country. Kochi is ranked seventh in the list of the Top Ten most affluent cities in India by Nielsen Company.[81]

Culture

Pedestrians can stroll along the Marine Drive, a waterfront promenade of Kochi.

As a result of successive waves of migration over the course of several centuries, the population of the city is a mix of people from all parts of Kerala and most of India. The pan-Indian nature is highlighted by the substantial presence of various ethnic communities from different parts of the country.[82]

A Jain temple in Mattancherry

Kochi has a diverse, multicultural, and secular community consisting of Malayalies, Konkanies, Gujarathies, Bengalies, Punjabies, Marathies, Tamilians, Biharies and a few families of Jews among other denominations, all living in peaceful co-existence. The city once had a large Jewish community, known as the Malabar Yehuden—and now increasingly as Cochin Jews—that figured prominently in Kochi's business and economic strata.[83] The Syro-Malabar Church, one of the 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, has its seat at Ernakulam. Prominent places of Christian worship include the St. Mary's Cathedral and the St. Antony's Shrine at Kaloor. Appropriate to its multi-ethnic composition, Kochi celebrates traditional Kerala festivals like Onam and Vishu along with North Indian Hindu festivals like Holi and Diwali with great fervour. Christian and Islamic festivals like Christmas, Easter, Eid ul-Fitr and Milad-e-sherif are also celebrated. A merry making fest called the Cochin Carnival is celebrated at Fort Kochi during the last ten days of December.

The residents of Kochi are known as Kochiites; they are an important part of the South Indian culture. However, the city's culture is rapidly evolving with Kochiites generally becoming more cosmopolitan in their outlook.[26] The people are also increasingly fashion-conscious, often deviating from the traditional Kerala wear to western clothing.

Kochiites generally partake of Keralite cuisine, which is generally characterised by an abundance of coconut and spices. Other South Indian cuisines, as well as Chinese and North Indian cuisines are popular. Fast food culture is also very prominent.[84]

Kochi was home to some of the most influential figures in Malayalam literature, including Changampuzha Krishna Pillai, Kesari Balakrishna Pillai, G. Sankara Kurup, and Vyloppilli Sreedhara Menon. Prominent social reformers such as Sahodaran Ayyappan and Pandit Karuppan also are from Kochi.

The Maharajas of Kochi (then Cochin) were scholars who knew the epics and encouraged the arts. The paintings at the Hill Palace and the Dutch Palace are testimony to their love for arts.

Kochiites are known for their enthusiasm in sports, especially cricket and football.[85] The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi is one of the large multi-use stadiums in India with international class lighting for football matches.[86] The Regional Sports Centre is an important centre of sporting activity in the city.

Education

See also: Education in India and Education in Kerala

Primary Education

The pattern of primary education is essentially the same all over the state. There are government owned schools and government aided schools, which are affiliated to the Kerala State Education Board. A few privately owned schools are also affiliated to the system. Most of the schools owned by private organizations or individuals are affiliated to the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE). Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) have some schools affiliated to them as well. The state education board offers both Malayalam and English medium instruction, while the other boards offer English medium alone. There are a few schools that follow international curricula, such as IB and IGCSE.

There 34 government schools, 67 private aided schools and 31 unaided schools affiliated to the Kerala State Education Board in the city and suburbs.[87] There are 62 CBSE Schools and 9 ICSE Schools as well.[88][89]

The general pattern of education is ten years of common schooling to reach the secondary level. Kindegartens are widely available, but considered separate from formal schooling, and generally unregulated. After the secondary level, three streams, namely Arts, Commerce or Science are offered for higher secondary education. After finishing the school, students can opt for higher education related to the streams they had undergone for higher secondary schooling.

The notable schools in the government sector are Maharaja Sree Rama Varma Boys High School, Edappally High School, Government School-Kochi and Govt Girls High School. There are six Kendriya Vidyalayas run by the central government. Charitable organizations like Chinmaya Mission and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan runs many schools within the city and the suburbs. Religious trusts like CMI are also running many schools. There are also schools that are owned by private trusts and individuals, such as Toc-H, Greets Academy,Gregorian Public School and Choice School.

Recently several public schools have started offering advanced facilities and international syllabi. Global Public School and Dawn International School offer IGCSE curriculum.

Higher Education

Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, one of the Engineering schools in the city.

The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) the main university named after the city, located outskirts of the city. Most of the colleges offering tertiary education are affiliated either with the Mahatma Gandhi University or the Cochin University. Other national educational institutes include the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training, the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, the National Institute of Oceanography and the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute.

SCMS Group of Institutions, one of the autonomous higher education schools in the City.

The city is also home to two medical colleges - Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre at Elamakkara (offers undergraduate and post-graduate courses in medicine, dentistry and nursing) and the Co-operative Medical College at Kalamassery. Some of the prestigious general colleges are Maharaja's College, St. Albert's College, St. Teresa's College, Sacred Heart College, Bharata Matha College Aquina's College, Cochin College etc. The engineering and technology colleges located in the city and suburbs are Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, SCMS Engineering College, CUSAT Engineering Schools, Model Engineering College etc. Cochin University's School of Management Studies (SMS) is the first and oldest Managerial education institution in South India. Leading managerial institutions include Rajagiri School of Management, SCMS B-School, Albertian Institute of Management, Toc-H B school etc.

Being seat of Kerala High Court, several top legal education institutes are located in the city. The Government Law College-Ernakulam is the one of the oldest law schools in Kerala.[90] The prestigious National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) is located here, in the city.

Media

Major Malayalam newspapers published in Kochi include Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Madhyamam, Deshabhimani, Deepika, Kerala Kaumudi, Janmabhumi, Veekshanam and Thaniniram. Popular English newspapers include The Hindu, The New Indian Express and The Pioneer. A number of evening papers are also published from the city.[91] Newspapers in other regional languages like Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu are also available.

A number of financial publications are also published in the city. These include The Economic Times, Business Line, The Business Standard and The Financial Express. Prominent magazines and religious publications like the Sathyadeepam, The Week and Vanitha are also published from the city.

Kochi houses several leading Malayalam television channels like Indiavision, Jeevan TV, Manorama News and We (music channel of Kairali TV) as well as major news studios of Asianet, Kairali TV, Amrita TV and Doordarshan. Recently Kerala's major private channel Surya TV, which is part of Sun Network have shifted their regional corporate headquarters to Kochi along with its studios. Kiran TV (Music Channel of Surya TV), is also expected to join soon. Prasar Bharati maintains its earth station and broadcasting center in Kakkanad, Kochi. Satellite television services are available through DD Direct+, Dish TV, Sun Direct DTH and Tata Sky. FM radio channels broadcast from Kochi[92] are Rainbow FM (AIR) 101.9 MHz, AIR Kochi 102.3 MHz, Club FM 94.3 MHz , Radio Mango 91.9 MHz, Red FM 93.5 MHz .[93] Private satellite radios such as WorldSpace, are also available. There are over twelve cinema halls that screen movies in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. The city hosts the first cine multiplex in Kerala at the Oberon Mall with four screens. Gold Souk Grande Kochi also have a cine multiplex operated by Q cinemas, which would be opening soon.

Kerala has the highest density of telephones in India.[94] Telephony services are provided by various players like Aircel, Airtel, Idea cellular, Vodafone, Reliance Infocomm, Tata Docomo, MTS, Uninor, Tata Indicom and the state owned BSNL.

Sports

The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi is one of the largest multi-use stadiums in India

Like elsewhere in Kerala, Football is the most passionate sport among locals. Kochi is home of India's two major professional soccer teams, FC Kochin and Viva Kerala. Apart from both the teams, a third soccer club called Josco FC made Kochi as its home ground since 2008.[95][96] Cricket is catching up among youth. The Indian cricketer Sreesanth is from Kochi. India's 4th largest stadium, Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium located in Kochi at Kaloor, is a major football facility in the country, which also holds several cricket tournaments. Recently, the stadium was renovated to facilitate more cricket tournaments as well as for hosting IPL Matches. Kochi also has an IPL Team after bagging franchise rights in 2010. The Maharaja's Stadium located on MG Road in the heart of the city, is the major athletic facility in the state with synthetic tracks and turf grass as per international standards.[97] The FACT Grounds at Udyogamandal, Ambedkar Stadium and St.Albert's College Grounds are the other major training facilities for various games like volleyball, badminton, cricket etc. The Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex at Kadavanthara is a major indoor stadium, mainly used for conducting badminton, tennis and basket ball tournaments. The 25m X 10m swimming pool[98] at the centre is one of the larger water sports facility in the state, where regular swimming competitions and coaching are conducted.

Kochi has two golf courses in the city, and one in the suburbs. The oldest golf club is located at Bolgatty Palace constructed in 1903, which is a nine hole facility run by Cochin Golf Club society.[99] The Cochin Golf and Country Club located near to Cochin Airport], operated by CIAL, is a nine hole golf course with a playing area of over 7,200 yards.[100] The nine hole golf course at the Naval Base is restricted only for military personnel.[101]

Being surrounded by water bodies, the city is ideal for Yachting. The Kerala Yachting Association and[102] the Cochin Yacht Club[103] are located in the city. Both organizations conduct regular yachting tournaments. The city was the only Indian city for stopover during Volvo Ocean Race 2008.[104]

Sister Cities

Kochi has twinned with independent city of Norfolk, Virginia and admitted into Norfolk Sister Cities Association with effect from 3 September 2010,[105] for co-operation in city development, exchange programmes in art, culture and education and improving business possibilities.

City Country State / Region Since
NorfolkSeal.gif Norfolk United States United States Norfolk flag.png Virginia 2010

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  99. ↑ "Kochi Golf Club and Golf Course, Bolgatty". Cochin Golf Club Society. http://www.cochingolfclub.com/. Retrieved 2010-10-24. 
  100. ↑ "CIAL golf course to be opened today". The Hindu. 2010-05-02. http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/02/stories/2010050256460600.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-24. 
  101. ↑ "Cochin Golf Cup". The Hindu. 2009-03-15. http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/15/stories/2009031555941400.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-25. 
  102. ↑ "Kerala Yachting Association, Kochi". Kerala Yachting Association. http://www.keralayachting.com/. Retrieved 2010-10-12. 
  103. ↑ "Cochin Yacht Club". Cochin Yacht Club. http://www.cochinyachtclub.com/home.html. Retrieved 2010-10-12. 
  104. ↑ "Volvo Ocean Race 2008". Volvo Ocean Race. http://www.volvooceanrace.com/race2008-09/schedule/. Retrieved 2010-10-12. 
  105. ↑ "Cities / Kochi : Kochi, Norfolk ink sister city pact". The Hindu. 2010-09-03. http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/article611305.ece. Retrieved 2010-10-14. 

Further reading

External links

Kochi
Landmarks
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium · Marine Drive · Mattancherry Palace · Regional Sports Centre
Localities
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Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre · Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham · Cochin University of Science and Technology · National University of Advanced Legal Studies · Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute · Model Engineering College · Govt. Law College, Ernakulam · School of Communication and Management Studies · Rajagiri · SCMS School of Engineering and Technology · St. Teresa's College · Maharaja's College  · Mar Athanasius College of Engineering  · MES College Marampally, Aluva
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Mahatma Gandhi Road Kochi · Chittoor Road · Banerji Road · Shanmugham Road · Park Avenue · S.A Road · Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road · Kochi Bypass · Seaport-Airport Road
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Cities and towns
in other districts

Alappuzha ·  · Kannur ·  · Kollam · Kottayam · Kozhikode ·  ·  · Pathanamthitta · Thiruvananthapuram ·  ·
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