Godown that spices up the taste of Fort Kochi

[1]

Pepper House in Kalava-thy, Fort Kochi may not have any particular reason to catch a tourist’s eye.

But it is a landmark in Indian history and a favourite place for many historians. For, it is here that the roots of colonisation grew on Indian soil.

Situated on Kalavathy Road between Fort Kochi and Bazaar Road, Pepper House, which only recently got its name, was the grand godown of spices in Kochi during colonisation since 1503.

After they anchored in Kochi in 1500, the Portuguese built a fort named Immanuel in West Kochi (hence Fort Kochi).

The godown was built as part of the fort. The building has two godowns, one overlooking the waterfront and the other facing the street.

The structures with clay tiled roofs are separated by a courtyard. The stream near Pepper House was the main channel that connected the Arabian Sea with Kochi’s inner streams.

Hence Portuguese ships used to anchor near Pepper House, where Indian farmers came to trade spices.

The channel was used by the British to make an entry in 1773. Pepper House witnessed a significant landmark in Indian history in 1947 when it became one of the few places in the country to lower the British flag.

Pepper House was recently renovated as part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) project. “We wanted it to be a venue of the project as it has witnessed all the important moments in colonial history,” said Bonny Thomas, research coordinator of KMB.