Ernakulam-Kochi refers to the eastern, mainland portion of the city of Kochi in
central Kerala, India. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent
its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial
capital of the state of Kerala. The Kerala High Court, the Office of the
Corporation of Cochin and the Cochin Stock Exchange are situated here. The
Ernakulam part of Kochi city just comprises the postal pin codes
682011,682016,682018,682031 and 682035. The Ernakulam Junction or South station,
Ernakulam Town or North Station and Ernakulam Terminus(now defunct) railway
stations of the Indian Railways lies in Ernakulam. Initially, Ernakulam was the
headquarters of the Ernakulam District but was later shifted to Kakkanad.
Ernakulam was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin. It is located 220
kilometres towards north-west of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
The city has served as an incubator for many Malayali entrepreneurs and is a
major financial and commercial hub of Kerala.
History = Pre-history =
Starting from the Stone Age, Ernakulam has been the site of human settlement.
Monolithic monuments like Dolmens and rock-cut caves can be seen in many parts
of Ernakulam. = Precolonial history =
The region can claim to have played a significant part in fostering the trade
relations between Kerala and the outside world in the ancient and medieval
period. The early political history of Ernakulam is interlinked with that of
the Chera Dynasty of the Sangam age, who ruled over vast portions of Kerala and
Tamil Nadu. After the Cheras, the place was later ruled by the Kingdom of
Cochin. = Colonial period =
Ernakulam was the capital of the erstwhile Cochin State. In the first
state census of 1911, the population of Enakulam was 21,901; 11,197 Hindus,
9,357 Christians, 935 Muslims, and 412 Jews.
Geography The City of Ernakulam is situated in
Ernakulam District of Central Kerala in India. Ernakulam is located at 9.98°N
76.28°E﻿ / 9.98; 76.28. It has an average elevation of 4 m.
= Climate = Under the Köppen climate classification,
City of Ernakulam features a Tropical monsoon climate. Since the region lies
in the south western coastal state of Kerala, the climate is tropical, with
only minor differences in temperatures between day and night, as well as over
the year. Summer lasts from March to May, and is followed by the South-west
monsoon from June to September. October and November form the post monsoon or
retreating monsoon season. Winter from December through February is slightly
cooler, and windy, due to winds from the Western Ghats.
The City is drained in the monsoonal season by heavy showers. The average
annual rainfall is 3000 mm. The South-west monsoon generally sets in
during the last week of May. After July the rainfall decreases. On an average,
there are 124 rainy days in a year. The maximum average temperature of the City
in the summer season is 33 degree Celsius while the minimum temperature
recorded is 22.5 degrees Celsius. The winter season records a maximum average
of 29 degree Celsius and a minimum average of 20 degree Celsius.
Economy Ernakulam is a major financial and
commercial hub of Kerala. The Cochin Port, Cochin Shipyard has resulted in
the faster growth of the city. The technology park InfoPark, Kochi is on
the outskirts of the city.Tourism has also contributed heavily to the economy
of Ernakulam. The city with its temples, old churches and its culture, is ranked
first in the number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala.
Politics Ernakulam assembly constituency is part
of Ernakulam. Transport
Vytilla Mobility hub, caters to the transportation needs of the city.
Ernakulam is well served by private/government buses, autorickshaws,
long and short distance trains and ferries. Ernakulam has a number of
jetties where passengers can embark and disembark from ferries. Travelling via
ferries is cheaper and faster than travelling by buses and/or autos. The
main jetty is called the Ernakulam jetty from where one can board a ferry to Fort
Kochi, Mattanchery and Willingdon Island.
= Road = Ernakulam is connected to the
North-South Corridor National Highway System via the four-laned National
Highway 47. The highway traverses through the entire length and breadth of
the city from different points and provides access to the nearby cities
such of Thrissur, Palakkad and Coimbatore. NH 47 provides two main exit
points at Edapally and Vytilla to the Ernakulam city. The city is largely
dependent on city buses, Taxis and auto rickshaws for public transport.
State-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation runs inter-state,
inter-district and city services. The National Highway 17, National Highway
49, Main Central Road, State Highways are the roads which connect city with
its suburbs and municipalities. Major Roads — M. G. Road, Broadway and Marine
drive walkway, Banerjee Road, Shanmugham Road, Sahodaran Ayyappan Road,
Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road. KL 07 Reg.., = Railway =
Ernakulam Junction Railway Station is the one of the busiest railway station
in Kerala. Ernakulam railway stations is located close to the town's main
shopping area situated on MG Road. The Southern Railway Zone of the Indian
Railways operates the main rail transport system in Ernakulam. There are
two railway stations in Ernakulam City. Ernakulam Town railway station, it is
situated in the northern part of the city and the stopping point for trains
going towards mainly to Kottayam side in the south. Ernakulam Junction Railway
Station, it is a junction and departuring station of passengers,
express trains, the stopping point for trains going towards south side
Alappuzha. The Station also has a Train Care Centre in its premises. 21 trains
originates from Ernakulam Junction. There is also a small railway station at
Edappally. = Air =
Ernakulam city is served by Cochin International Airport, which is about 27
kilometers away. Direct domestic flights are available to major Indian cities
like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
International flights to Middle East cities like Bahrain, Muscat, Sharjah,
Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha and to Southeast Asian cities Singapore and
Kuala Lumpur are available here. It has a dedicated Heli-taxi service and
Chartered flights. = Metro =
Kochi Metro is an under-construction metro system for the city of Kochi in
Kerala, India. The first phase is being set up at an estimated cost of ₹5181
crore,[5] and is expected to be completed by 7 June 2016.
= Water = Ernakulam also has Ferry Services
connecting Ernakulam with Willington Island, Mattancherry, Fort Kochi &
Mulavukadu at each intervals of 20 minutes.
Entertainment There are over twenty cinema halls that
screen movies in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. A film festival,
known as the Cochin International Film Festival, is celebrated every year.
Movie Theatre complex — Shenoys and Little Shenoys Movie Theatre, Kavitha,
Saritha-Savitha-Sangeetha Multiplex, Padma, Sreedhar, Kanoos, Cinemax
multiplex at Oberon, Q Cinemas at Gold Souk Grande, 9 screen PVR Cinemas at
Lulu Mall, Cinepolis 11 screen multiplex in Centre Square on MG Road.
Film, TV and Studio Complexes — Lal Media, Cochin Kalabhavan, Navodaya
Studio complex The Kochi Biennale Foundation is a
non-profit charitable trust engaged in promoting art & culture and educational
activities in India; primary amongst them the hosting of the Kochi-Muziris
Biennale. KBF works around the year to strengthen contemporary art
infrastructure and to broaden public access to art across India held at
Ernnakulam every Year.The Kochi Biennale Foundation is also engaged in the
conservation of heritage properties and monuments and the upliftment of
traditional forms of art and culture. Media
= Print = Major Malayalam newspapers published in
Ernakulam include Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Janmabhoomi, Madhyamam,
Deshabhimani, Deepika, Kerala Kaumudi, Thejus, Metro Vartha, Siraj,
Varthamanam, Janayugam and Veekshanam. Popular English newspapers include
Deccan Chronicle, The Times Of India, The Hindu, The New Indian Express and
The Pioneer. A number of evening papers are also published from the city.
Newspapers in other regional languages like Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu
are also sold in large numbers. Being the seat of the Cochin Stock
Exchange, a number of financial publications are also published in the
city. These include The Economic Times, Business Line, The Business Standard and
The Financial Express. Prominent magazines and religious
publications like the Sathyadeepam, The Week and Vanitha are also published from
the city. = Television =
Television stations in Ernakulam include Indiavision, Jeevan TV, WE TV, Manorama
News, Asianet News . Satellite television services are available
through Doordarshan Direct Plus, Dish TV Sun Direct and Tata Sky. The Multisystem
operators in Ernakulam are Asianet, Siti Cable, Kerala Vision, DEN networks. The
local channels are Asianet Cable Vision, Ernakulam Cable TV, SITI channel, Cochin
Channel. = Radio =
All India Radio has two FM stations in the city, operating at 102.3 MHz and
107.5 MHz. Private FM radio stations are Club FM 94.3, Radio Mango 91.9 which
plays music 24 hours a day, and 93.5 RED FM.
= Telephone = Telephony services are provided by
various players like Airtel, Idea cellular, Vodafone, Reliance Infocomm,
Tata Docomo, MTS and the government owned BSNL.
Religious = Temples =
Ernakulathapan temple, Hanuman Temple, Muruga Temple. Located near Ernakulam
South Railway Station Valanjambalam Devi Temple,
Ravipuram Srikrishna Swamy Temple Pavakkulam Mahadeva Temple
Chittoor Sri Krishna Temple = Churches =
Vallarpadam Church Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam-Ernakulam
St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam
St. George Syro-Malabar Catholic Forane Church, Edappally
St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral, Marine Drive,Ernakulam
Palarivattom St George Orthodox Church Vytila St Gregorios Orthodox church
St. Mary's Jacobite Soonoro Syrian Cathedral, Elamkulam
Elamkulam St Gregorios Orthodox church Thevara St Thomas Orthodox church
Padamukal St Joihns Baptist Orthodox church,Kakkanad.
Mar Yohannan Nepumsianose Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Konthuruthy, which
houses the tomb of Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly
Immanuel CSI Church, Broad way. St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India
St. Francis Assisi Cathedral, Ernakulam Landmarks/tourist spots
Subhash Park, Boat Jetty Junction Children's Park, Boat Jetty Junction
Maharajas College ground with Synthetic Athletic track
Jawahar Lal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor
Rajeev Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Kadavathara
B.R. Ambedkar Stadium Durbar Hall Ground
Marine Drive, Kochi Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary
Education Colleges — Maharajas College, Government
Model Engineering College, St.Teresas Women's College, Govt. Law College,
St.Alberts College, Sacred Heart College, Cochin University of Science &
Technology Schools - Global public school,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan — Kochi Kendra, Sree Narayana Higher Secondary School,
Campion School, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Choice, TocH, Kendriya Vidyalaya, St
Mary's Higher Secondary School, Morakkala
Emergency Flying Squad Emergency- 100
Ambulance Service - 108 Crime Stopper- ☎ 1090
Women Squad Assist- ☎ 1091 Highway Police - ☎ +91 98 4610 0100
Railway Police Assist-☎ +91 98 4620 0100 SMS Alert and Assist - ☎+91 94 9790 0000
Rapid Medical Action Force - ☎ 1298 Hospitals
General Hospital Rajagiri Hospital
Lake Shore Hospital Medical Trust
Cochin Hospital Lakshmi Hospitals
Lourdes Hospital Lisie Hospital
Ernakulam Medical Center MAJ Hospital
PVS Hospital Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and
Research Centre Aster Medcity
Dr. Kunhalus Nursing Home one of the oldest private hospitals in ernakulam
established in 1924. Kollencherry Medical College under
Malnkara Orthodox church. ESI Hospital
See also Ernakulam
References External links
Government Portal for Ernakulam City Government Portal for the district of
Ernakulam Ernakulam is India’s first smoke-free
tourist spot