Colours in Cochin

Some five years ago, at the tail end of a week's backpacking in Kerala, I spent a night in Cochin. The highlight of that stay, without doubt, was the late night trip to Pai brothers, a 'thattukada' off MG road in Ernakulam. A thattukada (or 'thattu', as the Cochinese masses refer to it) is an open air roadside fastfood joint - a dhaba on steroids if you will. Pai brothers stays open late, dishing out 36 varieties of dosa in the wee hours of night. While my judgment may have been shrouded by the fact that I was inebriated and hungry, I found the dosas to be very well made. And if the number of locals that throng the place even at 1am is any indication, I cannot be too off the mark.

I was back in Cochin for 4 hours last weekend, and not being in the mood for dosas, I found myself navigating the alleys of Jew town. Once the center of Cochin's spice trade, the ancient quarter is now lined with shops selling antiques, souvenirs, dried fruits, handicrafts and trinkets. While the market has clearly evolved to cater to tourists, it has retained a lot of old world charm. Jew town offers to the eyes (or the lens) what Pai brothers offers to the tastebuds. Am putting up some pictures from my shutter-happy afternoon.

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P.S. On a side note, you know you've been back in India long enough when the 'u' in colours does not come as an afterthought...