Chinese Fishing Nets In Cochin, 1898 Photo
An 1898 photo of the famous Chinese fishing nets of Cochin (Kochi). The nets are a big draw with tourists and alike. Introduced by traders from China before the 14th century. They were maritime traders and regularly visited the Malabar coast (Kerala) in search of exotic commodities. Pepper, rosewood, teak, ivory, and so on were their main interest.
See post Chinese Boats On The Malabar Coast, 1746 Print.
Many of their legacies were left behind the name Cochin itself was one. The Malayalam word Cheena Chatti means Chinese wok; Cheena Bharni is similar to the jars found in China; Idiyappam (Malayalam) is string hoppers that look similar to noodles. Other telltale signs include- Kanji (Malayalam) and Konji in Chinese for rice porridge.
Did you know- the great Naval Admiral “Zheng He” was a regular visitor to the Malabar coast a century before the Portuguese first landed at Calicut.
From the collection- 1974 News Photo Cochin Fishing Nets., Vintage Postcard Madras Fishing Catamaran., Vintage Book 1897 – In India Or Bombay The Beautiful., Antique Print Carvings Of Victoria Terminus Bombay
