Kochi (colonial name Cochin) is a cosmopolitan city in the south-western Indian state : Kerala. It is a busy commercial port and is the industrial capital of Kerala with a Greater Cochin population of more than 2 million. It is one of the major tourist destinations in India. Historically it developed as a port city on the Periyar river in the 14th century. It became a major point for spice trade with Arabs & Europeans. The city was marked by the passage of the Portuguese, the Dutch and later the British. Typical landmarks include Chinese fishing nets.
The Cochin International airport at Nadumbassrey offers national and international air connections. Within the city one can now travel by both bus and the new Metro and there are also a number of ferry services to places like Fort Kochi and the (artificial) Willingdon Island.
The official language is Malayalam, but one can get by with English and even some Hindi. The main religions practiced are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam as well as a number of others. There is even a small synagogue.
The city has a number of museums like the Dutch Palace Museum and the Travancore Hill Palace and a number of art galleries, some of which are indicated here. Since 2010 a major cultural event is the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
