For
one who grew up seeing paddy fields, coconut groves and orchards, going to the
heart of Ernakulam town was like
moving in a festival ground. I vividly remember ‘Appachan’ and ‘Ammachi’ taking Pengal,
Jacob and me to the Subash Park for
an evening outing. Our parents used to take us by boat from Kumbalam and it
hardly took thirty minutes to reach the Ernakulam Boat Jetty. I loved the boat trip as the route it
took showed us so many interesting things which we could never see at such
close proximity. Watching the parade of naval officers and navy men at INS
Venduruthy; the naval cruisers, destroyers, frigates, minesweepers and
submarines were quite thrilling experience. The aircraft-carriers, Vikrant and
Virat equipped with fighter jets and gunships on board were introduced much
later. They were so spectacular especially the huge machine guns, torpedoes,
anti-submarine guns, search lights and later missiles fixed on their decks.
Occasionally we used to see even a parade, music and band on board these ships.
Even a two minute spectacle of these uniformed officers, who sometimes waved to
us, sent a thrill so intense through my spine. They looked so smart in their
white uniforms. We too enjoyed waving out to them in response. A little away at
Wellington Island we could see the Ernakulam Wharf and the Cochin Wharf where
big container ships some of which were turbine and some diesel powered. They
used to load and unload all sorts of goods using huge cranes.
Those
days Ernakulam Boat Jetty was the gateway to Ernakulam town from the Vypeen
Islands on the west, Varapuzha and other Islands on the north and Kumbalam,
Panangad, Arookutty and other Islands to the south, and Mattancherry and
Fortcochin on the west. The boat jetty lost its prime importance since the
opening of the new GIDA bridges, NH-47 bypass, roads and other rail net works
in the district. The Vallarpadom Trans-shipment Terminal has added a new mileage
to the port city.
Excerpts from
MEMOIRS
An autobiography
by
Joseph J. Thayamkeril
Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.
josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com
josephjthayamkeril@google.com
josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com
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