With its wealth and historical associations and its beautiful settings on a
cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas ,the fascinating city of Kochi (Cochin)
perfectly reflects the eclecticism of Kerala.
It
is not known exactly how the name Kochi (Cochin) originated. But many theories
exist. Some historians believe that Cochin is a modified form of the
word 'Cochazhi' which in Malayalam means 'small sea'
Others are of the opinion that 'Kochi (Cochin)' was named so by the
Chinese. According to them, traders from the court of the Chinese
ruler Kublai Khan, gave Kochi (Cochin) the name of their homeland. Believe it
or not, the chinese fishing nets , found here (outside China) and
nowhere else may be sufficient proof to support their belief. Still
another theory is that Kochi (Cochin) is derived from the word 'Kaci' meaning 'harbour'.
