Park · Fort Kochi
Parade Ground and the VOC Gate
Midnight burning of the giant straw Pappanji, right by the VOC Gate.
The Parade Ground is a four-acre open ground in Fort Kochi, beside St Francis Church and facing the VOC Gate. It was once called the Barraca Maidan, or barracks ground. The Portuguese, the Dutch and the British colonists drilled and held military parades here, and the buildings around it housed their defence operations.
St Francis Church stands on one side of the ground. The VOC Gate and the Cochin Club stand on the other. The gate is marked with the monogram of the Dutch East India Company, and VOC stands for Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, or United East India Company. Today the gate is part of a hotel that also has a restaurant and a coffee shop.
Cricket and football were played here once the colonial era ended, and the ground was chosen for the Ranji Trophy and the All India Rugby Football Tournament. Colonial defence work around it lasted until the tricolour was hoisted here in 1947.
The first Kochi-Muziris Biennale used the ground as one of its venues when it opened on 12 December 2012.
What the cats hear
Worth knowing
- Very crowded on peak days, which can separate groups.
What visitors liked
- Historic colonial-era space with cultural events.
- Lively evening atmosphere with locals gathering.
- Large capacity, hosts major events like Carnival and New Year.
Did you know
The Parade Ground was earlier called the Barraca Maidan, or barracks ground.
VOC stands for Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, meaning United East India Company.
The first Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which began on 12 December 2012, had the Parade Ground as one of its venues.
Events
1Drawn from OpenStreetMap, by its contributors.
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