Ring in the New Year in Kerala with the Cochin Carnival!

Thats right! If you are in Cochin over the New year, then dont miss the biggest party in town….the Cochin Carnival.

Fort Cochin in Kerala to this day remains a melting pot of cultures. It is the diverse facets of a multi-ethic, multi-lingual culture that the Cochin Carnival has sought to capture in a brief spectrum of uninhibited gaiety heralding the New Year.  The carnival dates back to the Portuguese New Year revelry held here during the colonial days. Gradually, it evolved to take the form of what is today popularly called the Cochin Carnival.

Like the famous carnivals of Europe, Latin America and Goa, Cochin Carnival brings together people from all walks of life in a riot of colour and gaiety to celebrate the advent of the New Year. Innumerable people come from all over the world, clad in exotic coloured attires to add that special touch to the revelry. Their ultimate aim is the fostering of communal harmony by offering people a platform for a common celebration of life.

The activities of the carnival revolve around five concepts: Peace, Progress, Environment, Participation and Adventure. The start of the Carnival is heralded by the hoisting of the Carnival Flag, followed by the flags of all participating Clubs on the beachfront.  The message of the Carnival is then read out to the world.  With this a period of celebration and gaiety is unleashed.  Preparations generally begin months in advance, and the events, spread over two weeks at Fort Cochin reflect the festive mood of the Carnival and consist of fun events, unique games, fairs and partying.

With the setting of the sun over the Arabian Sea each day, the cultural fiesta commences.  The grand final of the Carnival is the Carnival Rally on New Year’s Day in which floats and processions are taken out depicting the various facets of life in Cochin, important national and international events and the diverse historical and cultural heritage of the area.

With the passage of time, the form and method of Cochin Carnival has also changed. Now it has become more focused on the colourful and flamboyant New Year day celebrations. Many foreigners also like to be here on New Year day to participate in the celebrations.

To know more about the Cochin carnival, call Kerala Travel Centre today on freephone 0808 178 9799. Book yourself a fabulous holiday in Kerala, and catch Cochin at its colourful best.

Photo Credit: Seny Arukattu

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