What do you think?
Rate this book
Santa and the Scribes: The Making of Fort Kochi
"Few countries and continents tell more stories than this tiny town of Chinese sailors, Arab traders, Jewish merchants and European conquests set against a backdrop all of one square mile, chronicles that clash as vehemently as the protagonists once did. Captured here are 135 sketches and a commentary that navigates you as you walk across half-a-millennium in half-a-day. "
About the Author
E.P. Unny grew up in Palakkad, Kerala. His first cartoon appeared in the legendary Shankar s Weekly in 1972. He began his cartooning career with The Hindu in Chennai in 1977. In 1989 he moved to New Delhi where after a stint with Sunday Mail and The Economic Times, he joined The Indian Express in 1996, where he is Chief Political Cartoonist. He has sketched and written several books and serialised Free India, a graphic novel, in the Sunday Express in 1997, which is an early graphic storyteller in Malayalam. His work has featured at the Asian Cartoonists Conference in Tokyo and at the International Cartoon Festival in Carquefou, France. In 2009, Unny won the Lifetime Achievement Award of The Indian Institute of Cartoonists. He lives in New Delhi.
About the Author
E.P. Unny grew up in Palakkad, Kerala. His first cartoon appeared in the legendary Shankar s Weekly in 1972. He began his cartooning career with The Hindu in Chennai in 1977. In 1989 he moved to New Delhi where after a stint with Sunday Mail and The Economic Times, he joined The Indian Express in 1996, where he is Chief Political Cartoonist. He has sketched and written several books and serialised Free India, a graphic novel, in the Sunday Express in 1997, which is an early graphic storyteller in Malayalam. His work has featured at the Asian Cartoonists Conference in Tokyo and at the International Cartoon Festival in Carquefou, France. In 2009, Unny won the Lifetime Achievement Award of The Indian Institute of Cartoonists. He lives in New Delhi.
215 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2014
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 10, 2022
Unny is award winning cartoonist. The book is reflection of his talent to bring alive the little known and well-known facts that make Fort Kochi such a special place. Through 135 sketches he stretches the timeline of Fort Kochi highlighting the four different time periods: Portuguese, Dutch, English and independent Kochi. The sketches also cover the socio-cultural aspects of the place where people from across the globe came down to seek fortune. A delightful read for all who want to walk through this wonderful place!
May 21, 2025
Fort Kochi by celebrated cartoonist E.P. Unny is a charming and richly illustrated journey through 500 years of the city’s layered history. Part travel guide and part colonial chronicle, the book captures the unique cultural and architectural legacy left behind by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British.
What sets this book apart are Unny’s evocative black-and-white ink sketches, which bring to life the heritage buildings, bustling streets, and eclectic mix of residents and tourists. His visual storytelling adds a compelling, almost cinematic layer to the narrative.
Unny’s writing is witty, insightful, and laced with a dry sense of humor as he profiles the people—both historical figures and everyday locals—who shaped Fort Kochi’s identity across the centuries. Informative yet accessible, this book is a delightful blend of art, history, and travel that makes Fort Kochi’s past feel vividly present.
What sets this book apart are Unny’s evocative black-and-white ink sketches, which bring to life the heritage buildings, bustling streets, and eclectic mix of residents and tourists. His visual storytelling adds a compelling, almost cinematic layer to the narrative.
Unny’s writing is witty, insightful, and laced with a dry sense of humor as he profiles the people—both historical figures and everyday locals—who shaped Fort Kochi’s identity across the centuries. Informative yet accessible, this book is a delightful blend of art, history, and travel that makes Fort Kochi’s past feel vividly present.
February 3, 2026
Few countries and continents tell more stories than this tiny town - of Chinese sailors, Arab traders, Jewish merchants and European conquests - set against a backdrop all of one square mile, chronicles that clash as vehemently as the protagonists once did. Captured here are 135 sketches and a commentary that navigates us as we walk across half-a-millennium in half-a-day.
The book covers Kochi Timeline, Kochi Maps, A journey through Chronicles, Little Lisbon - The Portuguese times, Homely Holland - The Dutch times, Mini England, Karl Marx, Other Jews and the like. Other than the three major European powers, the fourth, French came pretty close to it.
The Kochi story begins with the grand arrival of Admiral Cabral in 1500 on Christmas Eve like Father Christmas. To the scribes who followed Santa Claus too, history began here, that very neat moment. Over the next four centuries, they kept coming to create a surfeit of records. Enough for the tourst guide to find high points to keep the visitors entralled.
Admiral Cabral's men hardly seemed like makers of history then.
E.P.Unny Sir has beautifully captured and narrated Fort Kochi in this book with him beautiful cartoons.
The least vaguely stated event in Fort Kochi's life is the earliest, its genesis, perhaps because it is attributed to geography, not history. Periyar River in spate overflowed, desilted and deepened the backwaters off this obscure fishing village and a navigable harbour was born. The birth pangs finished Malabar's mother port, Muziris, which got silted in the process. A major archaeological expedition is on to look for this long - lost harbour, celebrated by historians as an emporium of trade between the East and West since antiquity.
The book covers Kochi Timeline, Kochi Maps, A journey through Chronicles, Little Lisbon - The Portuguese times, Homely Holland - The Dutch times, Mini England, Karl Marx, Other Jews and the like. Other than the three major European powers, the fourth, French came pretty close to it.
The Kochi story begins with the grand arrival of Admiral Cabral in 1500 on Christmas Eve like Father Christmas. To the scribes who followed Santa Claus too, history began here, that very neat moment. Over the next four centuries, they kept coming to create a surfeit of records. Enough for the tourst guide to find high points to keep the visitors entralled.
Admiral Cabral's men hardly seemed like makers of history then.
E.P.Unny Sir has beautifully captured and narrated Fort Kochi in this book with him beautiful cartoons.
The least vaguely stated event in Fort Kochi's life is the earliest, its genesis, perhaps because it is attributed to geography, not history. Periyar River in spate overflowed, desilted and deepened the backwaters off this obscure fishing village and a navigable harbour was born. The birth pangs finished Malabar's mother port, Muziris, which got silted in the process. A major archaeological expedition is on to look for this long - lost harbour, celebrated by historians as an emporium of trade between the East and West since antiquity.
September 4, 2023
A super easy read in what is easily one of my favourite destinations. The diversity of the thriving spice market, Jewish synagogues, imposing Syrian Catholic churches and nearby, the oldest mosque in South Asia- covering Kochi's variegated history is no easy feat. However, E.P. Unny deftly moves across time and geography, and with an intricate eye to detail through captivating illustrations - draws you in to the story of what can only be described an ode to a loving, all-embracing home!
April 16, 2024
A breezy read.
A small, interesting book with sketches and stories of the places I love, places I'll never get bored of.
I had 0 idea about the wars, fires, fort, library, Konkinis, Jews, Dutch, Portuguese, British, Kappiri Muthappans etc. about Fort Kochi, and this book stands as a charming starting point for learning the history of this beautiful place.
I wished the book had a narrative style and depth like in Manu S. Pillai's The Ivory Throne.
A small, interesting book with sketches and stories of the places I love, places I'll never get bored of.
I had 0 idea about the wars, fires, fort, library, Konkinis, Jews, Dutch, Portuguese, British, Kappiri Muthappans etc. about Fort Kochi, and this book stands as a charming starting point for learning the history of this beautiful place.
I wished the book had a narrative style and depth like in Manu S. Pillai's The Ivory Throne.
December 30, 2020
Worth flipping through the drawings of all the familiar sights of Fort Kochi, from the raintrees to buildings like David Hall, as well as the unfamiliar nooks and corners. Unny proves to be equally good with words, painting a history of the place by looking at the history of the many people who tried writing about it..
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews