24th April 2014
A city, like the people who call it home, needs to develop, evolve and grow with changing times. Now, if you have been following the Indian political soap opera (leading to the 2014 Mahabharata/Elections) and believe that the only meaning of ‘development’ would be to have beautifully tarred pothole free roads for miles and glass matchbox buildings lining them, this post might end up disappointing you!
Kerala has been progressive for ages now in its own way and the most enriching aspect of this was that the state acknowledged the importance of its rich heritage, both natural and man-made, and made protecting it a part of its developmental plan. A state that has been a forerunner in making the most of its resources and teaching the rest of India a lesson or two in tourism management, Kerala is known for its dense forests, pristine beaches and a unique cultural heritage. Every tourist who has had the opportunity to visit God’s Own Country (a moniker that most would agree is apt), has been lured by the promise of experiencing nature and cultural vibrancy at its best.
One of the trump cards that helps draw tourists to Kerala by the droves is Fort Kochi, a beautiful heritage hub in the city of Kochi. The St. Francis Church, the Paradesi Synagogue, the Chinese fishing nets and the quaint little spice shops have made sure that a visitor always returns home with great memories.
But 12/12/12 changed the city and how the world would see it in the future. TheKochi-Muziris Biennale, launched on the aforementioned date, brought about a dynamic shift; one that would be reflected in every travelogue about the city that has been written about the region ever since. The introduction of graffiti into the cityscape was a well thought out move on the part of the Kerala State Government and Kerala Tourism. Fort Kochi is now on the way to becoming a certain destination for the art hungry traveller. You may think that this is a premature statement but with the massive success of the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale and the second one approaching soon, the region and it’s graffiti scene is bound to grow.
Pepper House, the Aspinwall House, the walls on Burger Street and some other locations became canvases for the vivid expressions of artists like Anpu Varkey, Amitabh Kumar and Daniel Connolly amongst others. The sometimes contentious art of graffiti has not only gained the approval of the visiting tourists but also the admiration of locals who realize the importance of this brilliant new addition to their area’s fabric.
Okay, so it may not be a Berlin or a London yet but it is getting there.
‘A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step’ – Lao Tzu
Here are a few photographs of the first steps that Fort Kochi has taken. These were captured when I visited the region as part of the Kerala Blog Express (another fantastic initiative by Kerala Tourism) team of travel bloggers.
The Dragon Fish by Anpu Varkey at Pepper House.
At Pepper House, Swiss couple Maya Hottarek and Louis Werder created the Brain Monster as a critique of capitalism and the waste it creates.
Political pamphlets disfiguring a wall adorned with graffiti… for those who don’t know what vandalism means, here’s a great example!
