Information on Chinese Fishing Nets (Ernakulam, Kerala) - History & Architecture

Chinese Fishing Nets are the most commonly seen fishing apparatus in the backwaters of Kerala. These nets, impressively add its beauty to the Gods Own Country here. These are introduced by a Chinese traveler and explorer, who landed in Kochi on the way to India from South China Sea. This has a special history to make this Ernakulum, to be called in the name of Cochin in Kerala History. These are vastly found here from 15th century AD and are seen in the backwater areas from Fort Kochi to Azhapulla District in Kerala State of South India.

Chinese Fishing Nets Architecture

Chinese Fishing Nets is a very simple apparatus to catch fish in still water areas. Like backwaters, lakes and large ponds were water movements are calm. The materials used to build these fishing nets, require few strong and long bamboo sticks, which are the main skeletal parts. A thick wooden panel is needed as such a man can walk up and down on it. If woods panels are not there they used to make it by tying up of bamboo stick together itself. An oil lit lamp as feeder or earth worms. A huge stone blocks as weight. A strong rope is required to tie all joints of the bamboos and the main fishing Nets. The nets are drowned in the water from a land, where this apparatus is fixed. Few eatables are dropped where the net is submerged. When many fishes come to eat these stuffs, suddenly the nets are raised up manually by human weight or by a cantilever operated with weights with large stone blocks. In this way the fishes are caught inside. In the night time an oil lit lamp is placed above the centre of the fishing net. This lamp light attracts the fish to come closer to the nets. Presently battery lit lights are replaced by oil lamps. It will be most beautiful to look a man walking up and down on this bamboo to rise up and lower down these net in to water.

Chinese Fishing Nets History

Chinese Fishing Nets are brought by a Chinese explorer named Zheng He in the year 1405 AD. Soon after its introduction, it became a landmark for Fort Kochi back waters. Due to its simplicity and less labor requirement these spread across the backwaters of Kerala which is having a stretch of 200 KM in length and 70 KM in width across Ernakulum, Kollam and Allapuzha Districts were this backwater flows inward in the Inland Water ways from the sea. There is also a controversy with this fishing net, that the Portuguese claim that they brought is first here from Macau. But they brought in a shipment in the year 1564. And the Chinese traveler came here a 50years advance. So entire credit goes to Zheng He of China and named it the Chinese Fishing Nets on the Kerala backwaters. Very soon its local peoples used to say if they are going to Ernakulum they will say 'I am going to China' this later shortened to Kochi or Cochin by taking the first words of Go to China as Cochin or Kochi. This name became a common name with the colonialist present here since it was easier to spell Kochi then the name Ernakulum.

Chinese Fishing Nets Tourism Importance

Chinese Fishing Nets are very unique to look along with the backwaters of Kerala. These are the lake border landmark of the backwaters. These manmade bamboo fishing apparatus, just simply looks good. The British named the Kerala as the Gods own Country and this Cochin as Venice of the East. But these Chinese Fishing Nets along with scenic pictures became the present Kerala symbol for tourism.