The Bungalow Heritage Homestay, Cochin

History

The Bungalow, was erected by late P. V. Joseph, Puthepurackal, the first native Manager to the British firm, M/s T. Stanes & Co. Pvt. Ltd., in January, 1930. Four years earlier, he had built a small shrine in the south-east corner of his compound. The shrine, dedicated to "The Little Flower", St. Theresa, was then donated to the Parish of Our Lady of Hope, Vypeen. The Bungalow is right behind this shrine.

P. V. Joseph, had for some time been thinking of putting up a Thekkini ( Out House ) to his residence although the existing abode was quite big and spacious. In fact he had already arranged to have the required wood work done. "Vettukallu" ( building stones ) for the erection of the edifice was from Mala, Thrissur.

Then it was that a proposal came for the marriage of his eldest daughter, Mary to Prof. Joseph Kalappurackal. With that the Thekkini became an urgent need. Then everything went on at lightning speed. It is handed down that, the process of real erection was accomplished in just twenty-two days and nights!

Cast iron grills for the first floor got done from the foundry of the famous M/s Bruton & Co. Vypeen, quite in the neighbourhood. For the purpose of illumination for work at night, Petromax gas lamps were used. It is handed down further that finally when the time came for the fresh Thekkini to accommodate the maiden guests, the groom's party, the walls were not quite dry; they were still rather wet!

The entire timber work, including the first floor and the attic floor, is done in Teak and Rosewood. One thing peculiar about the Bungalow is that its architecture is in three different styles - the ground floor, Portuguese; the first, Dutch and the second floor ( attic ), in Kerala Style!

Host Profile

My name is Teresa Isabel Neema Veliyath, in short you can call me Neema. I'm from a catholic family from Vypeen, Cochin and a Graduate in Science. In 1996 while I was doing my Post Graduation I got married to Capt. Francis Veliyath. He was Captain in Merchant Ships so I too accompanied him in sailing . Sailing was indeed great , for we were able to know about different countries, climates & cultures. After 10Years of Sailing around the Globe, I have stopped sailing as our daughter Olivia started going to school . I am well versed with English, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam.

I have settled in my, 1930 built, ancestral family home with my husband , daughter and parents. It is in this Bungalow that I was born and brought up .

My hobbies are reading, painting and cooking. I am very found of making friends so I have taken up this venture to make friends with people from different parts of the world in order to share the culture and tradition of Kerala with them.

The Bungalow, the beautiful heritage home build by my Great Grand Father, is an ideal home for someone who want to experience the rustic charm, culture , cuisine & culinary art of Kerala.

Rooms

Tariff for the Season 2008-09 are as follows:

AA) Double Room with attached Bathroom Euro 70.00/night + Euro 10.00/night for AC

BB) Double Room with an exclusive bathroom adjacent to it Euro 60.00/night

Rates inclusive of Breakfast.

Breakfast, Lunch & Supper can either be Kerala or continental Style. Fresh Kerala stlye Sea foods are speciality of The Bungalow. Fish are taken from Chinese Fishing nets of Vypeen.

CC) Lunch/ Supper INR 350.00/person/meal

DD) Kerala Cooking demo charges INR 200.00/session + the above meal charges

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