This is a Permanent Pictorial Cancellation (PPC) depicting the iconic Chinese Fishing Nets, locally known as Cheena Vala, which line the shores of Fort Kochi. The cancellation is used at Kochi Head Post Office (HO), serving PIN code 682001 in Ernakulam district, Kerala. It was inaugurated in 2026 and is currently active.
The Chinese Fishing Nets of Fort Kochi, or Cheena Vala, are believed to have been introduced to the Malabar Coast between 1350 and 1450 AD, most likely by traders or explorers from the court of the Chinese emperor, possibly associated with the voyages of Admiral Zheng He. These large cantilevered nets, operated by a team of four or five fishermen using counterweights of stones and bamboo, are a unique fishing method that is almost entirely absent from the rest of India. They have become one of the most enduring symbols of Kochi and are recognized worldwide as a testament to the city's centuries-old connections with Chinese maritime trade. While fewer families rely on them for livelihood today, the nets remain a living cultural monument and a cherished part of Fort Kochi's identity.
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