1 Anniversary issue January 2008 Cochin Malayali on the Burmese footie 2 team? Don’t be ChronicleChronicleChronicle surprised TRACING 150 YEARS OF THE CITY’S HISTORY Text of letter from Cochin Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry newsletter 3 congratulating Queen Vic LEAF OUT OF THE PAST Prof. Shankara With respect, from Cochin Menon takes a 4 A letter to Queen Victoria from the inhabitants of Cochin nostalgia trip forms part of the British Library’s royal collection Singing an old hey might have hands to sent Queen Victoria tune with the been in a calmer a letter congratulating her on 6 boatman’s songs TCochin, but the assumption of rule in the apparently, no region in country. The 5-ft long, India was too remote to handwritten letter, which remain untouched by the consists of a few hundred Catching up: change of guard. Following signatures in English and Interview with the sepoy rebellion in 1857, Malayalam, forms part of the 7 American which made the East India royal collection in London’s architect Patricia Company’s presence British Library. The letter Tusa Fels obsolete in India, legislation includes the signatures of was passed to take royal Robert Hodges Peirce and control of the country Patrick Leslie, the founders of through a viceroy received Peirce Leslie, the firm that A sense of Victoria’s signature on exported in tea, cashew, coir Mattancherry in August 2, 1858. The and coconut oil from Kerala Queen wrote to Canning, to Europe. 8 the bustling who became viceroy, that Dated January 1959, it was trading days direct government sent two years after the responsibility for “that Cochin Chamber of enormous Empire which is Commerce was set up. The so bright a jewel of her queen also received separate Crown” was “a source of congratulatory letters from great satisfaction and pride.” Raja Ravi Varma of Cochin India was now part of the and the high priest of the British Raj and residents of Kashi muttom in Benaras. Note this: The letter sent from Cochin to Queen Cochin and Malabar joined Continued on page 3 Victoria with some of the signatures Brochure worth a 1,000 words t is an innocuous looking souvenir, but Kailash Gupta, the former president of the Indian IChamber of Commerce and Industry, has treasured it for 35 years. The 28-page, black and white brochure, was printed to celebrate the laying of the foundation stone of Cochin Shipyard by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in 1972. This ceremony followed close on the heels of the stone-laying of the Vishakapatnam Shipyard, also by Mrs Gandhi. The souvenir contains messages from President V.V. Giri, Vice-President G.S. Pathak and central and state ministers, including Kerala Chief Minister C. Achutha Menon and Home In the beginning was the word: Cover of the Cochin Shipyard souvenir Continued on page 7 2 BACK IN TIME THEN AND NOW Footballer from the Collis line Warehouse and An ace player on the Burma national football team was a nephew of spare space Cochin-based shipping merchant, Fred Collis alayalis are a bit like Burma,” says Yvon’s brother, Gordon, course, it was his talent that took him Rajnikanth fans, they who is now settled in Australia. “I was far. The team, which toured Iran, Mcan be found in the three, but my mother used to recount Israel, Ceylon, Germany, Russia and strangest places. Still, a footballer of how they saw bodies strewn on the England, was top in Asia and won the Kerala origin on the Burmese national sides of the street during their walk to prestigious Tunku Abdul Rahman team almost sounds like the apocryphal Chittagong. Sometimes, bullock cart Cup in Malaysia three times. Maung story of the Malayali whom Neil wheels would roll over the bodies.” Maung, who started playing on the Armstrong bumped into on the moon. Flora, who made an early exit out of national team in 1969, too, was no But in fact, Yvon Collis, a nephew of Burma, was able to ship all her family’s lightweight. The footballer, who Fred Collis, who operated belongings back to Kerala, but Sophie played various positions during his Ambassador Steam Ship Company, was not so lucky. Her family had to decade-long career, won the title of All When it was the centre of trade, later named Collis Line, a cargo Asia Star. leave everything behind. Refugees the roughly 250 warehouses in shipping firm in Cochin, was a national from Burma were sent to camps in In fact, the German coach who trained football hero in the former British Coimbatore. the team for three years was keen to Mattanchery, must have seemed colony. The Collises finally came to Cochin, take Yvon back to Germany with him, like too few. It stored rice, pulses, Antony Lazar Culas, Yvon’s where Fred, who was a wireless but the footballer was content in herbs, tea, oil, kerosene, coir and grandfather, was a durbar manager in operator with the navy, eventually Burma. After he retired at 35, he all manner of goods. The two- the Travancore court. The family started the shipping company in the coached the Burmese Railway team story buildings along the street, name, Culas, was later anglisied to early 50s. It was a prosperous business and the youth team, which also toured with decorated windows and Collis. Culas’s children, the Collis and he had about five ships that carried internationally. Eventually, Yvon carved eaves, even today offer a siblings and their families, including cargo to Africa and the Middle East. migrated to Australia, where his other romantic street façade, which is Fred and his sisters Flora and Sophie, “My father worked with uncle Fred in brothers were settled, with his wife, impressive, considering that trade migrated to Burma for work. Susu, and four children in 1993. He his shipping company for a while, but and romance are almost as Sophie’s husband, Ralph Gomez, was my mother, who was Anglo-Burmese worked in a factory assembly line and a warden at the Incene Central Jail. had a difficult time here, so they died of a heart attack in August, 2000. impossible to mix as oil and water. During World War II, the families fled returned to Burma,” says Gordon. “Though today, the standards have In fact, Salman Rushdie’s The the country following Japanese Burma obtained independent in 1948, dropped, football used to be a very Moor’s Last Sigh is located in 16th occupation, and Ralph came to Cochin when the British handed over power. popular sport in the country,” says century Mattancherry. where he was superintendent of the Cyril’s family seemed to have been a Gordon, who often visits Burma with The godowns had grand arched State’s Veyoor Central Jail. cosmopolitan bunch. Though he his family. gates, called annavaathil, that lead Yvon’s father, Cyril Collis, was a spoke fluent Malayalam, his family “Just as with cricket in India, you could from the road to expansive platform inspector with the Burma followed an Anglo-Indian lifestyle. His find boys kicking a ball in any vacant courtyards that extend to the Railway. “The families had made a son, Yvon, who showed promise as a plot. My three brothers and I, too, water’s edge. These buildings have dramatic escape. My parents trekked used to play, but Yvon was the one with football player, changed his name to gable roofs covered with clay and rode in bullock carts out of Maung Maung Tin to fit in. But, of true talent.” roofing tiles, timber rafters with heavy timber ties and thick, brick Good sport: Muang Muang Tin alias Yvon Collis stuccoed walls. (extreme left) with team members of the Burma When trade dwindled, the football team; Receiving a trophy for best player godowns were left empty and unused. But today, thanks to the tourist traffic, these beautiful spaces have received a new lease, and have been resurrected as restaurants, art galleries (in pic below: Kashi Art Gallery) and creative workshops. Not a bad new avatar! 3 Continued from page 1 0TEXT OF THE LETTER While the governance of India passed from the East India Company to the throne following the first war of Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria, by the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of independence, it will only in 1877 that Great Britain and Ireland and of the colonies and dependencis thereof in Europe, Asia, Africa, Queen Victoria, who was the longest America and Australasia, Defender of the Faith. serving monarch, assumed the title of Empress of India, through a move May it please your Majesty, ratified in the English parliament by We, your Majesty’s faithful subjects residing at Cochin on the Malabar Coast beg with every Benjamin Disraeli. The subcontinent was an important imperial colony and sentiment of loyalty and attachments to unite with the millions of your Majesty’s people in India had political, economic and social in presenting at your Majesty’s throne, the tribute of our respectful homage on the assumption by significance for the throne. In fact, the your Majesty of the direct charge of the vast territoties of this Empire. Government bought shares in the Suez Canal, owned by the bankrupt Whilst acknowledging the protection and liberal treatment we so long enjoyed under the rule of the Khedive of Egypt, to obtain control in Man of letters: Robert Hodges Honorable East India Company, we beg leave to express our pride and lively satisfaction on being the passage to India, which was opened in 1869. Peirce was one of the signatories now placed under the direct sway of you Most Gracious Majesty.