KOCHI: From Princess Street to Peter Celli Street, there are many lanes in Fort Kochi rich in colonial architecture. Today, let’s explore Burgher Street, a beautiful, colourful street, and how it got its name. Well, it has nothing to do with the ‘burger’ we eat. “The name comes from the Burgher community who used to live here,” says Antony Thommen, a historian and author who lives at the end of the street.
Burghers are a small Eurasian minority community who were present in many parts of the colonised world, especially Sri Lanka. Though the Portuguese constructed the street in the 1500s, the Dutch gave it the name.
“On both sides of this street, the Burghers built beautiful mansions and within 27 years, that is, by 1527, they formed a municipality with four counsellors and one justice of the peace,” says Antony. According to him, respectable senior citizens were also known by the name ‘Burghers’. The residents of this street later included Jews, Portuguese, Dutch and British.
Burgher Street is known for its magnificent architecture in shades of white, red, pink and yellow. Structures in the Dutch and Portuguese architectural styles line the street. Kashi art café and St Mary’s Anglo-Indian Girls’ High School are on this street. There are also numerous homestays as well as small handicrafts, jewellery and clothes stores here.
In 1506, the street had a Union Press, a little medical facility, and nurses’ quarters. There aren’t any Burghers in the street right now. Some local families live in the area along with resthouses for tourists. In the 300 years following the end of the Dutch era, the Burghers disappeared from the street, says Antony.
Omar Nakash, a shop owner on the street, says the beautiful structures on the street are currently being torn down and rebuilt. “The street is gradually losing its stunning, old architecture. Since the majority of the structures are now privately held, the government does not protect the heritage,” he says.
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