A Taste of Colonial Portugal in Fort Kochi, India

Almost immediately upon arriving into Fort Kochi, India, you feel how ancient everything is.

Add in the architecture from multiple religions that co-existed at one point here, and you have a mess of a very deep and vivid history.

You literally have a mix of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Communism, and British and Portuguese Colonialism, all in one.

Also, there is a fun element of animals wandering around freely here, goats, cats, chickens, dogs… but no cows this time?

Where is Kochi, India?

A Time of Portuguese Colonialism

The buildings, for the most part, are VERY old. Back when Portugal was a dominant capitalistic and imperialistic force on the world stage, they came to India seeking trade.

With them, they brought Christianity, and an Iberian/Romanesque-style of architecture.

Built during the Portuguese colonial period in India

The location of one of the oldest christian churches in all of India

St Francis Church where Vasco da Gama was once buried in 1688

Portuguese Colonial Style architecture

A Mix of Old and New

Over the generations, there is a mixing of old architecture, and the new.

A fancy street in Kochi

A giant local crow in Kochi

House rooftops in Kochi

The rivers of Kochi India. Almost feels like Amsterdam

Old decrepit building in Kochi

Right across the street from the Decrepit building

A fancy residence in Kochi

An old market in Kochi

Romanesque rooftops in Kochi, India

The Market

The market in Kochi, India is absolutely ancient. Built on top of itself, layer after layer.

Each generation replenishing their wares to suit the current demands, yet the feeling of colonialism still lingers.

You can buy pretty much everything here, from local goods, to tourist trinkets, and even giant statues for your hotels and villas.

Men unload sacks of goods in Fort Kochi

On a main street in Fort Kochi

Traffic jam in the narrow streets of Fort Kochi

Man does accounting in Fort Kochi, India

Sea shells for sale in Fort Kochi

Tourist trinkets for sale in Fort Kochi

Large statues for sale in Fort Kochi

Typical things for sale in India

The streets of fort Kochi Market

The Fishermen of Fort Kochi

Not much has changed in the way of fishing over the last several hundred years.

Men still go out in boats to find fresh fish, and various engineering spectacles have been used to catch fish that are willing to venture close to the coast.

The only difference now is the extreme amount of pollution and nearby industrialization.

A trap to catch fist off the coast of fort kochi

A man goes into the ocean to catch fish in fort kochi,

Fishermen in fort kochi india

Industrialization vs Fishermen in Fort Kochi, India

A boat of fishermen in Kochi

A fishermen sets the fishing trap in Kochi

A fisherman sets the fishing trap in Kochi

A fishermen sets the fishing trap in Kochi

A boat of fishermen in Kochi

Fishing boats in Kochi India

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Communism

All 3 religions have existed within this region of India – the dominant religion now being Islam.

Judaism grew during the Spanish Inquisition of the 16th century, which caused many Jews of leave Europe from death and torture.

Islam eventually took over due to a lack of funding and military support from Christian Europe.

And a communist government is the new addition to the region, since the population is primarily of the low socio-economic strata. So it's an interesting mix of an Islamic-Communist viewpoint.