Ernakulam

Starting from the Stone Age, Ernakulam has been the site of human settlement. Monolithic monuments like Dolmens and rock-cut caves can be seen in many parts of Ernakulam.

The region can claim to have played a significant part in fostering the trade relations between Kerala and the outside world in the ancient and medieval period.[2] The early political history of Ernakulam is interlinked with that of the Chera Dynasty of the Sangam age, who ruled over vast portions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. After the Cheras, the place was later ruled by the Kingdom of Cochin (Perumpadapu Swaroopam).[3]

Ernakulam was the capital of the erstwhile Cochin State. In the first state census of 1911, the population of Ernakulam was 21,901; 11,197 Hindus, 9,357 Christians, 935 Muslims, and 412 Jews.[4]

Under the Köppen climate classification, the City of Ernakulam features a Tropical monsoon climate. Since the region lies in the south western coastal state of Kerala, the climate is tropical, with only minor differences in temperatures between day and night, as well as over the year. Summer lasts from March to May, and is followed by the South-west monsoon from June to September. October and November form the post monsoon or retreating monsoon season. Winter from December through February is slightly cooler, and windy, due to winds from the Western Ghats.

The city is drenched in the monsoonal season by heavy showers. The average annual rainfall is 3,000 mm (120 in). The South-west monsoon generally sets in during the last week of May. After July the rainfall decreases. On an average, there are 124 rainy days in a year. The maximum average temperature of the city in the summer season is 33 °C (91 °F) while the minimum temperature recorded is 22.5 °C (72.5 °F). The winter season records a maximum average of 29 °C (84 °F) and a minimum average of 20 °C (68 °F).

Ernakulam is connected to the North-South Corridor National Highway System via the four-laned National Highway 66. The highway traverses through the entire length and breadth of the city from different points and provides access to the nearby cities such as Thrissur, Palakkad, Salem and Coimbatore. NH 66 provides two main exit points at Edapally and Vytilla to the Ernakulam city.[10] The city is largely dependent on city buses, taxis and auto rickshaws (called autos) for public transport. The state-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) runs inter-state, inter-district and city services. The National Highway 17, National Highway 49 connected to Madurai, Main Central Road, State Highways are the roads which connect city with its suburbs and municipalities. Major Roads of the districts are M. G. Road, Sahodharan Ayyappan Road, Broadway and Marine drive walkway, Banerjee Road, Shanmugham Road and Kaloor-Kadavanthara Road.[11]

Ernakulam Junction Railway Station is the one of the busiest railway stations in Kerala. The Ernakulam railway station is located close to the town's main shopping area situated on MG Road.[12] The Southern Railway Zone of the Indian Railways operates the main rail transport system in Ernakulam. There are two railway stations in Ernakulam City. Ernakulam Town railway station is situated in the northern part of the city and is the stopping point for trains going towards mainly to the Kottayam side in the south. The Ernakulam Junction Railway Station is a junction and departing station of passengers and express trains, and is the stopping point for trains going towards the south side Alappuzha. The Station also has a Train Care Centre in its premises. 21 trains originate from Ernakulam Junction. There is also a small railway station near Ernakulam, at Edappally. Apart from Ernakulam Junction railway station and Ernakulam Town railway station, there are four more railway stations in Ernakulam district, Edappally, Kalamassery, Aluva, Chovara and Angamaly.

Ernakulam city is served by Cochin International Airport (Nedumbassery), which is about 27 kilometers away. Direct domestic flights are available to major Indian cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. International flights to Middle East cities like Bahrain, Muscat, Sharjah, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Doha and to Southeast Asian cities Singapore and Kuala Lumpur are available here. It has a dedicated Heli-taxi service and Chartered flights. In 2015, it became the world's first airport to be completed powered by solar energy.

Kochi Metro is a metro system for the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. The first phase is being set up at an estimated cost of ₹51.81 billion (US$730 million),[13] and was expected to be completed by June 2017, revising the previous deadline of 1 November 2016.[14] Currently 18.2 km of phase 1 from aluva to maharajas is open to public while remaining 7 km from maharajas to pettah and extension to thripunithura is under construction phase. Also phase 2 line from kaloor station to infopark via kakkanad has been sanctioned and government is in negotiations with people on that stretch for land acquisition. And phase 3 extension proposal from aluva to angamaly via nedumbassery airport has been forwarded to central government for sanction.

Ernakulam also has ferry services connecting Ernakulam with Willingdon Island, Mattancherry, Fort Kochi and Mulavukadu, at intervals of 20 minutes.[15] Recently KMRL (Kochi Metro Rail Limited) initiated plan to introduce Water Metro to Integrated transport plan of greater cochin area. Kochi water metro is one of a kind initiative in India which plans to introduce modern airconditioned ferries on the canals of Kochi for reducing congestion on the highways and also for providing easier access to islands scattered around Kochi. SWTD (Govt. of Kerala Department) offers cheap ferry service on the following routes:

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Major Malayalam newspapers published in Ernakulam include Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Janmabhoomi, Madhyamam, Deshabhimani, Deepika, Kerala Kaumudi, Thejas, Metro Vartha, Siraj Daily, Varthamanam, Janayugam, Kochi Vartha and Veekshanam.

Popular English newspapers include Deccan Chronicle, The Times of India, The Hindu, and The New Indian Express. A number of evening papers are also published from the city.[16]

Newspapers in other regional languages like Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu are also sold in large numbers.

Being the seat of the Cochin Stock Exchange, a number of financial publications are also published in the city. These include The Economic Times, Business Line, The Business Standard and The Financial Express.

Prominent magazines and religious publications like the Sathyadeepam and The Week are also published.

Television stations in Ernakulam include Janam TV, Jeevan TV, WE TV, Flowers (TV channel) and Reporter TV. DTH services are available through DD Free Dish, airtel digital TV, Dish TV, Sun Direct, Tata Sky, Independent TV (India) and Videocon d2h . The cable operators in Ernakulam are Asianet Cable Vision, Siti Cable, Kerala Vision, DEN Networks. The local channels are Asianet Cable Vision , Ernakulam cable TV and Den mtn

All India Radio has two FM stations in the city, operating at 102.3  MHz AIR Kochi FM and 107.5 MHz. AIR Rainbow FM Private FM radio stations are Radio Mango 91.9, Red FM 93.5, 94.3 Club FM and 104.0 Radio Mirchi. These operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

• Ernakulam Shiva Temple
• Valanjambalam Devi Temple
• Maramkulangara Krishna Temple
• Thrikkakara temple
• Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple
• Aluva Mahadeva Temple
• Chottanikkara Temple[17]

• Chembitta Pally
• Njalakam Juma Masjid
• Edappally Juma Masjid

• CSI Immanuel Church, Ernakulam
• Vallarpadam Church Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom, Vallarpadam-Ernakulam
• St. Mary's Cathedral, Kothamangalam
• India Pentecostal Church of God, Ernakulam
• Assemblies of God church, Ernakulam
• Nadamel Marth Mariam jacobite Syrian Church[18]
• St. George Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, Karingachira[19]
• St. Mary's Syro-Malabar Catholic Cathedral Basilica, Ernakulam
• Thamarachal Valiyapally
• St. Antony's Shrine, Kaloor[20][21]
• Mar Yohannan Nepumsianose Syro-Malabar Catholic Church[22]
• Basilica of Our Lady of Snows, Pallippuram