Cochin/ Ernakulam, affectionately called the “queen of the Arabian Sea” is located on the south western part of India and is home to one of the finest natural harbors in the world. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea on the western part and the Western ghats on the eastern front. Cochin is the commercial capital of Kerala and is termed the gateway to Kerala. Cochin has a population of over 600,000 people and is the biggest city in Kerala. Cochin is accessible from every part of India by Air, Rail, Road and by water.

Cochin was one of the first cities in the country to be settled by the Europeans. The Portuguese arrived in 1503 followed by Dutch and the British. From the earliest of times Cochin had trade relations with the Arabs, Romans, Greeks and the Chinese even before the arrival of the Europeans. The Chinese fishing nets still being used for fishing in Fort Cochin are a testimony to the close association with the Chinese in the early times.