Kochikkar by Bony Thomas - A Brief History of Kochi's Diversity
Buy on Amazon The book Kochikkar (Kochiites) by Bony Thomas is an enquiry into the lives, customs, religious practices, traditions, languages, beliefs, and stories of tens of ethno-religious communities inhabiting Cochin (Kochi), which by the earlier definition comprises the twin neighbourhoods of Fort Cochin and Mattancherry occupying an area of four and a half square kilometers. Despite having been born and growing up here, I only had a superficial understanding of these diverse communities, partly because I lacked the curiosity and inquisitiveness of an outsider. The pages of this book helped me have a deeper look into their lives. For instance, though I knew the area where Konkanis lived, I used to be puzzled why they had at least three temples within an area of a radius of merely fifty metres. Now I do know; though I see all Konkanis as one, they are themselves divided into sub communities based on caste and live their separate lives, which is practically invisib...