Exploring Galle, Sri Lanka

There we were in our last leg of the trip, heading towards Galle before driving back down to Colombo for a day's rest before catching our flight back home. While down from Unawatuna, our cab driver told us the Galle fort area is a must see. We trusted his judgement and allowed him to show us around. 

We drove through an archway, the walls resembling that of an old fort. It was indeed a Fort, the Galle Fort. There was a mini city of sorts within these walls, there were buildings, there were court houses, stores [including a Gems& jewellery store- our cabbie told us the prices here will be crazy as they target international tourists], narrow lanes with cute looking houses lined up on either sides and then of course on the other side was the long running Fort wall beyond which lay the beautiful blue ocean. We got off near a staircase, walking up the fort wall and along it taking it all in. From the height, we spotted a temple, a church and a few tall buildings as well.

Suddenly, we noticed a small cafe near one of the pretty lanes. We went over to explore the place, discovered it was a quaint bed & breakfast places besides which was a cart selling stuffed paratha of sorts. Decided to indulge and bought one stuffed paratha and it was divine.. Wish we had known about this homestead, we would have planned better and maybe stayed in Galle one night. 

We hopped into the cab and drove around till we came to a Court house where we spotted a newly married couple walking down in all their wedding finery. The groom was decked up in a gold suit with a maroon velvet vest and a beautiful headgear, the bride was in a saree and wore so much jewellery I was amazed she dint need help standing upright. There was an entourage following them, all dressed in identical outfits, and a photographer with his gear as well. As we drove along, we spotted quit a few similar groups around. My friend in fact took a picture with one of the married couples who happily posed :) 

On our way towards Colombo, I decided to read up on Galle from the pamphlet I had picked up. I came to know,

The fort was built first in 1588 by Portuguese, subsequently fortified by the Dutch sometime in the 17th Century. What is amazing is that the place which is nearly 423years old stands tall and majestic even today, courtesy the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. It is also referred to as the Dutch Fort or the "Ramparts of Galle".

To know more, click here 

Where the Jews Live on- Mattancherry, Kochi

"Jew Town in Cochin? Are you sure?" was the 1st question that popped in my head. But this was before i did some research and read about Mattancherry and Kochi. We were there for little over 2days and on the last day, decided to make a quick visit to the Jew town, specifically to explore the Synagogue and area around, maybe even try speaking to one of the Jews living there.

The place has a certain charm. Narrow lanes resembling a beautifully laid out cobbled street, with brightly painted walls, stores brimming with antiques on either side lead us towards the  one of the oldest Synagogues, heading to a dead end.   

Vehicles are not allowed inside, unless it is a two wheeler.  The stores have items literally spilling out into the streets, which leaves just about enough space for people to walk on. It feels like we are in a different country altogether, that is how different the atmosphere here is.

 

As I walked along the lane, I could feel a few eyes on us, probably thinking "ah, more tourists, wonder where they are from" Some smiled, while others just stared, as if looking straight through me.. kinda creepy!

 

Visitors were asked to leave all our belongings, including mobile phones and cameras with the storage space provided near the Synagogue and then enter the premises. The hall before the main synagogue showcases a brief history of the place, through photographs and content lining the walls. Built in  1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin, this is called the Paradesi Synagogue.  Situated in an area called Jew Town, this is probably the only one of the 7 synagogues that is still in use. In all, there are about 13 Jew families living in the area, and the lady we met at the entrance shooed us away saying "we have had enough of reporters and journalists prying into our lives, please leave us in peace"  

 

The Synagogue complex in all has 4 buildings and has been built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple, infact they share a common wall.Spent in all about an hour, the main synagogue is beautiful, decked with blue and white tiles, plenty of chandeliers hanging across the ceiling, and pristine... Luckily, there was not much of a crowd, but for a group who had come with a guide... And since i dint have my camera, there was no chance of taking any photographs inside the premises....

Just outside, in the path around the synagogue i spotted a few stones and pieces of wall with Jewish inscriptions on them. Wish i knew what they meant, there was no one around or no board that explained the words. And before i knew it, the lady at the entrance was beckoning me with her head, it was time to leave. I walked out with so many questions in my mind, but alas, they remain there.....

Photo courtesy: keralavillagehomestay.com

After gathering my bags and belongings from the storage locker, i strolled out of the street, wondering what history was hidden within these walls. As i reached the junction, i noticed that there were 2 paths ahead of me- one that takes me back to the palace, while the other heads towards the spice market and the Jew cemetery. And the latter is what i chose, keeping a watch on the time... :-)