The Cochin Carnival

Kochi is a beautiful city in the state of Kerala, South India. The port city has long been a favourate destination for explorers, traders and seafarers. From time to time, this region has witnessed successive waves of migration by the Arabs, British, Chinese, Dutch and Portuguese, who came here mainly for the purpose of trade. Their presence and influence on the Kochi of today called is not only visible in the numerous forts, churches and palaces dotting the city, but also in its lifestyle and demography. Major attractions in the city are the walkway of Marine Drive, the Mattacherry Synagogue, the streets of Fort Kochi, the Dutch Palace, the Hill Palace of Thripunithura, the pristine backwaters, elephants of Kodanad and the list goes on!

Are you planning for a trip to Kochi? Then, plan it in the last week of December, because that is when the city is in its fullest.

Gear up for the Cochin Carnival!

The Cochin Carnival! – A festival the whole of Kochi awaits every year. Fort Kochi is decked up with bright enriching colours from all over the world. Tourists, not only from within the country, but also from other nations, flock to this lovely port city to participate in the Cochin Carnival. The highlight of the Cochin Carnival is the massive procession on the New Year’s Day. Led by an embellished elephant accompanied by drums and music, the carnival is a moment to behold. There is also staging of different South and North Indian folk dances during the festivity.

The inception of the Cochin Carnival can be traced back to the Portuguese New Year revelry, held here during the colonial days. Gradually, it evolved to take the form of what is today popularly called the Cochin Carnival. The Cochin Carnival is a personal pride for the residents of Kochi. When years pass by, I should say that the carnival is celebrated more by the tourists than the people of Kochi. Preparations generally begin months in advance for hosting the unique games, fairs and partying during the Cochin Carnival. Dressed up in fancy dresses, everyone, children in particular, is seen bursting with enthusiasm. The colour ‘white’ simply dominates the concluding ten days of December, during the Cochin Carnival. All establishments in the city don white paper buntings. The available space on the streets host impromptu competitions and multi-faceted celebrations. Kalam Vara (floor drawing), tug-of-war, bicycle race, swimming in the sea, beach volleyball are some of the programs that take place during the Cochin Carnival at Fort Kochi. The festivities and revelries continue till midnight of December 31st with fireworks marking the grand finale. The main attraction is the bursting of the huge Santa Clause dummy.

As time goes by, with Kochi hosting more and more tourists every year, the Carnival becomes an event with more tourist participation than local Kochi-ites. But we, the people of Kochi believe in ‘Adhithi Devo Bhava’ and give these tourists a ‘homely’ feel throughout the celebration!

With the Carnival of Cochin coming alive, we turn Kochi into heaven in God’s Own Country!

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