About Village
Mattancherry, the western part of the corporation of Cochin, was once a bustling centre of trade, particularly in spices. Invasions from across the sea was frequent and the invaders left indelible marks on the landscape, culture, art and social history of the place. Mattancherry welcomed every migrant community that came to her with warmth and provided them with ample opportunities to flourish. Thanks to the benevolence of the erstwhile kings of Cochin, many a community like that of Jews, Konkanis, Gujaratis, Jains and Marathis made the place their home. Even today, Mattancherry has people of different tongues and ethnic identities. Churches, agraharams, mosques and a synagogue co-exist in the area, along with the buildings of the colonial era, pointing to a vibrant past and a harmonious present.
Demography
Area 1.96 km² Population (2020) 20477 Population Density 10470 people per km² Male Population 10114 Female Population 10363
Geography
Mattancheri, former township in Kerala state, southwestern India. It lies adjacent to the city of Kochi (Cochin) on the Arabian Sea coast. In 1970 Mattancheri township was incorporated with the Kochi urban agglomeration. The township is notable chiefly for the impressive Pardesi synagogue of the Jewish community as well as for the palace of the rajas of Kochi.
Tourism
Located less than 10km from the heart of Kochi, Mattancherry takes the pride of being one of the most famed spice and tea trading centre. It was in the late 20thcentury, this locality was at its peak as a commercial hub. Today, Mattancherry has delightfully turned into an ethnic centre where you would find many different cultures, believes, customs, and faiths sprawling together in total peace and harmony. Well, about the name ‘Mattancherry’, it is believed that the locality got its name as the entire ‘cherry’ (local term for street) was once filled with mutton butchering shops! Another interesting fact says that it got its name from ‘AncherryMattom’ as the traders from foreign countries used to call it ‘Matt-Ancherry’. Whatever the fact is, today Mattancherry serves as a bucolic tourist destination in Kerala with its livelier list of tourist attractions, historical landmarks, and others. Mattancherry Palace: A synonym to the history of Mattancherry, this is the palace that has contributed much to the history of this region. An elegant gift to the then king, Veera Kerala Verma from the Portuguese traders, Mattancherry Palace is also called the ‘Dutch Palace’. Jew Street: A walk through this bustling road would transport you back to a world of antiques and rustic charm. Once a prominent trading centre for the Jews, the street now houses colourful shops, food-joints, artefacts store, and lot more that resonates an old world charm. Dharmanath Jain Temple: A sacred place for the Jain communities in Mattancherry, Dharmanath Jain Temple is a remarkable piece of architecture. Built mostly in white marble, this pious temple is a symbol of sanctity, peace, harmony, and devout feelings of the Gujrathi population settled in Mattancherry. Police Tourism Station and Museum: There are only a handful places in the entire world that makes guests or visitors feel like home even while being away from home. Mattancherry is one among them! The Police Tourism Station and Museum is a place where tourists can get insights about Kerala tourism, visa and passport information, register complaints, get quick assistance, and lot more. The establishment also has a display of police uniforms, police combat weapons, armours, and other such antique belongings from different historical periods. Coonan Cross Shrine:Located in the heart of Mattancherry, Coonan Cross Shrine is a major landmark to this region. It was in this place, where more than 25,000 Christians took religious oath of not following Latin Archbishops in the year 1653. PazhayannurBhagavathi Temple: A sacred temple with Lord Krishan and Lord Shiva as the principal deities, PazhayannurBhagavathi Temple is located on either sides of the royal Dutch Palace. The temple also has Goddess PazhayannurBhagavathi, who is believed to be the protector of Kochi’s royal families. JeevaMatha Church:A Portuguese architectural piece, JeevaMatha Church is another landmark in Mattancherry. A serene, calm, and pious Christian place of worship, the church is often visited by visitors from different background and of different faiths. jew synagogue