Welcome to Cochin, India
Cochin is both a city and a former state (known as Princely State) in southwest India on the Arabian Sea. Now part of Kerala state, the region of Cochin has one of the highest population densities in India. Agriculture is the chief economic activity. Ernakulam was the former capital and Kochi (formerly Cochin) the chief port. Thought of as the finest port south of Bombay, Kochi, with its naval base and shipbuilding industry, is the primary training center for the Indian Navy. After Vasco da Gama visited the city in 1502, the Portuguese established a settlement. The Dutch captured it in 1663 and the British in 1795. In adjoining Mattancheri there is a small community of descendants of Jews expelled from Portugal in the 16th century,thought to be the oldest Jewish enclave in India. India is a large, triangular-shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalaya in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south. It’s bordered by Pakistan to the northwest, China, Nepal and Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka is the teardrop-shaped island hanging off its southern tip. India covers a land area of some 1,281,930 square miles, 3,287,000 square kilometers, though disputed borders with Pakistan and China make this figure somewhat arbitrary; it still remains that India is the seventh largest country in the world.
A Taste of India
The sights, sounds and colors of India come alive with the local entertainment throughout the day. In the Queen’s Lounge at 9:00 am, be awed and marvel at the Kathakali classical dance form, explicating ideas and stories from the Indian epics and Puranas; Mohiniyattom, the distinctive sinuous dance of the enchantress; and Kalaripayattu, the great martial art form of Kerala. Then, at 2:00 pm on the pier, fully decorated caparisoned elephants as well as Panchavadyam and traditional dressed Thalappoli hostesses will greet you into the culturally rich country of India. At 4:45 pm on the pier there will be a special farewell of Kavadi with Shingari Melam. Enjoy all of the local entertainment that encompasses the essence of India!
India
India is home to some of the most ancient civilizations (and a center of important historic trade routes), including four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. India, the country’s official name is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu. Bharat is also recognized as an official name of equal status, which is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king. A third name, Hindustan, or land of the Hindus in Persian, was used from Mughal times onwards, though its contemporary use is unevenly.
Customs in India
• Indians have a leisurely attitude towards time, be flexible with your bargaining and take the time to make a great deal.
• Business is very personal; time will be taken for small talk and pleasantries.
• It is customary to refuse the first drink offer but accept the second. Refusing a drink altogether is considered offensive.
• The word no has abrasive connotations; therefore do not outright refuse an offer but find a vague way to get around it, such as
I’ll try.
• Keep small change on you as street merchants and taxi drivers often claim that they have no change.
• Tipping is a certain way to make sure things get done – it is more than a gift for a job well done.
• Keep your hands in your pockets when walking by temples, as street merchants will often make you pay for a bracelet they put on a free arm.
• Public displays of affection should be refrained upon at all times to respect the Indian culture.
• Women should not initiate shaking hands with Indian men.
• Never pat or touch an Indian’s head.
• It is rude to point with your fingers (use your chin to point), beckon with your palm up, whistling and winking.
• A side-to-side head movement denotes agreement” while an up-and-down head movement means no.
• Feet and shoes are considered unclean and should never touch another person; apologize if this happens.
• Men should wear pants rather than shorts. Woman should keep their upper arms, chest, back and legs covered.
• As cows are revered animals by Hindu people, wearing leather of any kind can be seen as offensive.
posted by Hills @ 11:14 PM
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