Durham Miners' Banners

Durham Miners’ Gala

Solidarity forever! Banners of the Durham mining community.

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ strike of 1984-85 and celebrating the continuity, solidarity of the Durham Mining Communities a colorful selection of the banners from the region’s many Union Lodges were displayed at the Durham Cathedral recently.

Banners are described as the regimental colors of the National Union of Mineworkers. Banners were proudly carried at the Miners celebrations, protests and other events. Banners are made of silk and hand painted on both sides to display the name of their colliery lodge, along with other religious or political images. Many banners are still in use with their communities and are paraded through the streets of Durham on Gala day in July. They are joined by the banners of other trade Unions and groups linked to the mining communities such as the Women’s Support Groups.

The North East of England has a long history of coal mining. Centuries ago coal was used by the Romans while they occupied England. Mining activity is recorded in the Boldon book of 1183. Durham and the cathedral were at the heart of coal mining activity in the region, the industry endured for more than 9 centuries.

John Doyle’s ‘A cross in Coal’ emotionally expresses the sentiments in literary works of the time:

 ‘For here beneath dear Durham Skies live men, I understood, bound fast in friendship by the ties of pitman brotherhood…”

The Miners’ Gala started as a demonstration of Miners Solidarity to make their employers aware that they were united and would stand up for their rights. It was held every year and over the decades ‘the big meeting’ became the largest unofficial miners and trade union gathering in the UK.

Eventually the deep mines in the North East of England were closed but the Gala has survived as the Region’s mining heritage and attracting tens of thousands of visitors to Durham in July the month in which the Gala is held every year. It symbolizes celebration of a community, international solidarity and working class life.

On the afternoon of the Gala day a Miners’ Festival Service has been held at the Durham Cathedral. New Union and Lodge Banners are dedicated and blessed by the Bishop of Durham.

The pictures and information was sent to us by Ms.Catherine Henderson a Durham resident who has never missed a Gala of the last few decades. She took the Fort Cochin Heritage Walk in 2017 and has stayed a friend since. 

Christmas Eve

On the Christmas eve of 1524, Vasco Da Gama, the greatest of all the sailors, on his third visit to India, died at Fort Cochin and was buried at the historical church of St. Francis. 496 years, since.

Vasco Da Gama

Worlds Most prestigious documents by UNESCO, "Memory of World Register" established in 1992, contains 299 documents from five continents. One of them is Vasco Da Gama's hand written journal of his first voyage to India during which he arrived at Calicut on May 20th of 1498. It is written by a mysterious man aboard the ship and contains the misfortunes and triumphs of the voyage sharing in words every step taken by the adventurous sea man and his crew. Undoubtedly an exciting read about the incidents that changed the history of the world. The journal contains first hand witnessing of treason, diseases, meeting with our ancestors, war equipments, animals, plants, trees, musical and nautical instruments, food, villages, difficult navigational situations etc and also Portuguese words for the Calicut words.

Vasco's sea route

Vasco Da Gama was lucky to find a Mohmedian navigator from the eastern coast of Africa, Ahmad Ibin Majid, who guided Vasco to India. Arab sailors were experts sailors in the Indian Ocean and they knew the routes they were sailing for centuries very well. 

Vasco's second visit in 1502 was more guided by the economies of trade, religion and politics to establish a foothold and monopoly trading rights for his King and country and is marred with events of brutality as he confronted Mohmedians whom he saw again on the Malabar Coast, the very traders and their religion Vasco's country was in war with in Europe. 

After Vasco's return to Portugal in 1503, Francisco De Almeida, established a fruitful contact with the Kochi Kings attaining more than a foothold and trading rights and they increased their influence all around the Indian coast. Almeida was made the first Governor and Viceroy of Portuguese India in 1505.

Vasco Da Gama came again in 1524, on his third visit as Viceroy, but fell sick and died on the Christmas Eve.

The illustrious Mariner was bestowed with Hereditary Royal Pension, Dom status (Lord), the title of Admiral of the Seas of Arabia, Persia, India and all the Orient. After 16 years from his death, Vasco's remains were taken back to Portugal by his son and is enshrined in a fitting mausoleum in Jeronimo Monastery, his country's everlasting tribute to the greatest among the ones who have sailed the seas. 

Reference:
Economic Times, June 20, 2013
http://www.mosteirojeronimos.gov.pt/en/

Gill Charlton

We had the incredible honour of taking around our hero and idol Ms. Gill Charlton of 'The Telegraph" on a Fort Cochin Heritage Walk and a Kochi City Tour.

Just like her engaging writing and the best information she offers to her readers and travellers about a city or a country she introduces, she was highly observant and had a splendid memory. She could even recollect the remotest corners of our town from a visit 15 years ago.

Thank you Gill for finding us and deciding to spend your day in our historic Cochin with us. It was a learning experience which we thoroughly enjoyed. 

Christmas carol service at St. Francis Church

The notice announcing the Carol Service was put up outside the church weeks earlier. For hundreds of tourists who visit our historic church everyday, the advance notice was very helpful.

This year's Christmas carol service was conducted at St. Francis church yesterday on 17th December, 2017 at 6pm.

Beautifully printed Carol Service notes, with songs and readings markers.

The service was lead by Rev. N.K Prasad, the resident Chaplain and the message was delivered by Rev. Dr. David Joy.

The choir which was the soul of the evening included both the junior and senior members of the CSI church.

The carol service at this historic church was attended by not only the parishioners but also all the history enthusiasts and the tourists who were in town. The first ever catholic Christmas in India was celebrated in this very church in the first decade of 1500's.

The occasion marked the beginning of the Christmas celebration in the erstwhile fort in its true spirit.

Beautiful evening, wonderful memory when our old church came back to life again. 

Fort Cochin Carnival

Tourists taking pictures at Veli while waiting for the start.

 The Cochin Carnival started with the Portuguese. We do not know  how the tradition survived during the Calvinist Dutch period when most of the Catholics were sent out of the Fort. After the Independence, the Carnival is taken over and kept alive by our local enthusiasts who are doing a wonderful job in the last few years.

The excitement, the thrill, the crowd has not changed over the years. We always wanted to be at Fort Cochin on the New Year Day to be part of the spirit.

Cochin is one in spirit when it comes the Carnival. This year we have seen unprecedented crowd both during the New Year Eve and also on the Carnival Day. Yes, the spirit of Cochin is spreading.

Participants refreshing themselves just before the start.

The crowds thronged the street when the carnival procession passed by.

The floats were interesting and innovative in their themes and installation.

Kochi Muziris Biennale 2014

As Historians and those who share the history of Fort Cochin with many who visit Fort Cochin everyday, Kochi Muziris Biennale is a pleasant surprise and joy for us. The event has put Kochi back in the lime light as it was when it was termed as "Emporium of the world" by travellers in the early centuries. KMB foundation has made Kochi the art emporium which everyone is talking about and visiting. The first few days so so many artists, writers, scholars and many visitors at the venue and all of them are just happy as we are about the way Kochi has become the platform for the contemplations on history and finding a new language to express it.

Wonderful effort KMB foundation. Congratulations team KMB. We love our Biennale.

World Tourism Day 2014

Kerala remains the most literate state. Our effort to educate everyone in the state started very early. Fort Cochin Heritage Walkers, infront of Santa Cruz High School, which was started in the year 1888 at #FortCochin. 

Our first walk on the world Tourism Day of 2014 was a learning experience for us indeed. We got a lot of helpful tips and advice from our walkers who were very enthusiastic travellers who have explored our country  very well and has travelled abroad and has been part of many heritage walks in different parts of the world. 

We gladly acknowledge their good heart and experience they shared with us happily.

Banana Fry

If we go around South of India, we pretty much see the same variety of food with some variations in the type of rice and oil used. Otherwise a thaali will have rice, sambar, the vegetable curry and fry, the chutnies, pickles, Rasam, the payasam deserts etc. Maybe at the far end of Andhhra Pradesh they have this dry fruit delicacies and other non-vegetarian varieties that came with the Mughals.

At our Fort Cochin, though, generally, the food remain the same with some additions in the spices and its quality there is a definite influence of the European settlement in certain things. But in certain things only as the colonial life was pretty much restricted to their area of settlement in the early years.

Banana Fry is one that transcends the barrier. The nendran variety of Banana, dipped in flour and fried in Coconut oil, with a dash of cinnamon if you like it. One has to eat it to believe it.