Rediscovering Vasco

KOCHI: An evening drive 13 kms away from the bustling city can take you to several scenic places around Kochi, but our path leads us to Fort Kochi. Take a leisurely stroll down the lane where Bastion Street meets Rose Street, and you end up seeing Vasco House at Vasco Square, a place said to be the residence of Vasco da Gama the Portuguese navigator.It is believed that the explorer stayed in this heritage mansion till his death. It bears the look of an ancient Portuguese house built in the first half of the 16th century. The place still maintained in style, has now been converted to a home stay run by Santhosh Tom and his wife Sheeba who have been trying their best to retain its original country-side appeal. The per day tariff is fairly affordable, with complimentary breakfast.On the ground floor there is a travel information office where ticket booking and sight seeing facilities are arranged for tourists. To its right, you have Vasco Cafe, offering a variety of yummy dishes mostly continental and delicacies of Kerala.Climbing the white washed stony stairs on the left, you reach the top floor of the house where you have spacious rooms with glass-paned windows and high wooden roofs made of teak wood in Portuguese style painted white. Rooms have a good collection of well-maintained furnishing made of teak, smoothed and polished.The raw materials used for its construction makes it a cool place to live in during summers. Walking on these floors bare foot is an experience.This house with Portuguese architecture has balcony windows with seats attached on its sides. It was meant to be a place for the ladies to sit and be entertained by the happenings outside.The spacious rooms are all painted in white, with glossy blue doors and windows which are eight feet tall. Looking out you get a view of  the historic St. Francis Church. Vasco da Gama was buried there in the year 1524, and later his body was taken back home by the Portuguese. The tombstone still remains there.The church was originally built in timber by the Portuguese in 1503. Later it was reconstructed with stone masonry. The building opposite to Vasco House is believed to be another place where the navigator had resided.Santhosh Tom, owner of Vasco Home stay says “ We do maintenance work on the building every year. The walls are made out of a material which absorbs water, leaving the walls damp. So patch work is required to be done on a yearly basis”.The site’s old world charm and beauty has obviously caught the fancy of filmmakers, who have shot movies here. Vasco Home was the location for the Malayalam movie ‘Big B’ starring Mamootty and the latest being ‘Electra’ starring Prakash Raj, Manisha Koirala and Nayanthara.Tranquil and stately, visiting or staying at Vasco House is a wonderful way to relive the city’s exquisite historical past.[email protected]