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| Bishop's House and Museum Kochi. YouTub |
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| Bishop's House. Kochi. /en.wikipedia.org |
Built atop a small hill close to the Parade ground, Kochi this grand Portuguese building with a large driveway was built in 1506 for the resident Portuguese Governor. Now, It houses the Bishop of Kochi and adjacent to the Bishop's House is the Indo- Portuguese Museum and it an extension built over the remnants of the old Fort Kochi.
The Indo-Portuguese Museum situated in Fort Kochi takes us back to the Portuguese colonial time and their impact in this region in terms of architecture art and culture. The artifacts, etc on display here give you a glimpse into the Portuguese Colonial history here. The credit goes to the late Dr. Joseph Kureethra, Bishop of Kochi, who put in sincere efforts to found this museum so that it will be beneficial to the posterity. His main intention was to protect and showcase the rich cultural heritage and Portuguese influence. It is to be noted that it was the Portuguese Era that established the very first major European link with the Indian subcontinent that too on the coastal Malabar and later in Goa. The Indo-Portuguese Christian Art heritage has a long history and is well preserved here.
This heritage Museum has five sections all related to Christianity as adopted by the Portuguese Catholic Christians - Altar, Treasure, Procession, Civil Life and Cathedral. A piece of 16th century Altar made of teak wood from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen, a chasuble (19th century) from Bishop's House, Fort Kochi, a 17th century processional Cross made of silver and wood from Santa Cruz Cathedral, Fort Kochi, Indo-Portuguese Monstrance (18-19th century), from the Church of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen.
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| Kochi, Indo-Portuguese museum. YouTube |
The sculptures, precious metal objects and vestments from, the Cathedral of Santa Cruz and other churches of the Kochi diocese are all on display and they are grand in style. They were donated by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Most of them are religious in nature, apparently salvaged from the old Portuguese churches. Of particular interest is the old locks native to Kerala, called the ‘Manichitrathazhu’. They were, it is believed,
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| old Door lock native to Kerala. happytrips.com |
Tit-Bits:
01. During the Portuguese period, Ft. Kochi was called Ft. Emmanuel Except some remnants, the fort is almost damaged because of many battles and raids.
02. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal is a Portuguese institution under private law and of general public utility, perpetual in nature, with its statutory purposes spanning the Arts, Beneficence, Science and Education. Set up by the last will and testament of Calouste Sarkis
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| en.wikipedia.org |
Gulbenkian, who bequeathed his assets to the country in the form of a foundation with its statutes approved by the Portuguese state on 18 July 1956. Their operation is worldwide. Contribution is by way of investments and donations. (vide: https://en.
https://www.keralatourism.org/destination/indo-portuguese-museum/336
Vasco House in Ft. Kochi (a brief note):
It is believed to be the residence of Vasco Da Gama who first discovered the sea route from Europe to India in May 1498 and it is also considered to be one of the oldest Portuguese
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| Vasco house, Kochi. www.buzzintown.com |
www.keralatourism.org/destination/indo-portuguese-museum/336.
https://navrangindia.blogspot.in/2016/07/vasco-house-where-vasco-de-gama-styed.html
