The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations[1], located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or Cochin Jewish community in the Kingdom of Cochin. Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews ( Malabar Yehudan) are the ancient Jews and their descendants of the former Cochin Royal Family were rulers of Cochin or Kochi They were also known as Perumpadapu Swaroopam, Kuru Swaroopam History There is no historically Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was historically used by "White Jews", a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East, and European exiles. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Kodungallur (anglicised name Cranganore) is a city and a Municipality in the Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue. The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town,[1] and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use. The complex has four buildings. In Architecture, Construction, Engineering and real estate development the word building may refer to one of the following Any man-made It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land gifted to the Malabari Yehuden community by the Raja of Kochi, RamaVarma. The Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry, Kochi, in the Indian state of Kerala features A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.
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History
The Malabari Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major portion of world wide spice trade. Spice trade is a commercial activity of ancient origin which involves the merchandising of Spices and Herbs. In 1568, the Jews of Kerala constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by Paraja, the Raja of Kochi. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country This article is about the town of Ernakulam See Ernakulam district. The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a mercantile role in the South Indian region along the Malabar coast now called Kerala. Kodungallur (anglicised name Cranganore) is a city and a Municipality in the Thrissur district in the Indian state of Kerala Malabar (മലബാര് is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. It was later moved to Kochi from Kodungallur.
The first synagogue of the Malabari Jews in Cochin was destroyed in the Portuguese persecution of the Malabari Jews and Nasrani people of Kerala in the 1500s. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people are an Ethnoreligious group from Kerala, India. The second synagogue, built under the protection of the Raja of Cochin along with Dutch patronage, is the present synagogue. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built with Dutch patronage at a time when Kochi was under Dutch occupation, thus the name paradesi synagogue or "foreign synagogue".
In 1968, the synagogue celebrated its 400th anniversary in a ceremony attended by Indira Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi ( Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī) ( Née: Nehru (19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984 was the Prime Minister of the The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive
Social composition and traditions
The Paradesi Synagogue had three classes of members, all of whom together constitute the Malabar Yehudan or Cochin Jews.
- White Jews, belonging to higher class of professionals and merchants, were full members. The White Jews were mostly descendants of European and Middle Eastern Jews who made their way to India.
- Black Jews, consisting of traders and craftsmen, were allowed to pray but were not admitted to full membership. The Black Jews were ethnically and physically similar to the gentile Indian population.
- Meshuhrarim, a group of freed slaves, had no communal rights and no synagouge of their own, sat on the floor or on the steps outside.
As is normal for Orthodox Jewish synagogues, the Paradesi Synagogue has separate seating sections for men and women. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized
The Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning synagogue in Kochi today with a minyan (though this minyan must be formed with Jews from outside Kochi, as the number who still reside there is not sufficient). A minyan (מנין lit to count number; pl minyanim) in Judaism refers to the Quorum required for certain religious In conformity with the Hindu and Islamic traditions of Kerala, the worshippers are required to enter the Paradesi Synagogue barefoot. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. [2] Other facets which are unique to the Cochin Jewish community, and which are results of Hindu influence, include special colors of clothing for each festival, circumcision ceremonies at public worship, and distribution of grapes soaked myrtle leaves on certain festivals. In addition, the Cochin Jews have no rabbis, the community is led by elders. Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master
Objects of antiquity
The Paradesi Synagogue has the Scrolls of the Law, several gold crowns received as gifts, many Belgian glass chandeliers, and a brass-railed pulpit. term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights A pulpit (from Latin pulpitum "scaffold" "platform" "stage" is a small elevated platform where a member of the clergy stands It houses the copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew, dating from the 10th century, written in Tamil on the two plates, by the ruler of the Malabar Coast. The Malabar Coast also known as the Malabarian Coast, is a long and narrow south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese, 18th century, hand-painted porcelain tiles, all of which are unique. There is also an oriental rug, a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian Emperor. An authentic oriental rug is a handmade Carpet that is either knotted with pile or woven without pile [3] The most visible part of the synagouge is the 18th century clocktower, which, along with other parts of the complex, underwent repair work between 1998 and 1999. [4]
A tablet from the earlier synagogue in Kochangadi in Kochi (built in 1344) is placed on the outerwall of the Paradesi synagogue. The inscription states that the structure was built in the year 5105 (in the Hebrew Calendar) as an abode for the spirit of God. The Hebrew calendar (הלוח העברי ha'luach ha'ivri) or Jewish calendar is a Lunisolar calendar used by Jews for predominantly religious
See also
Notes
- ^ a b The Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin, India. The Paradesi Jews are part of the Jewish community of Kerala state in India. Cochin Jews, also called Malabar Jews ( Malabar Yehudan) are the ancient Jews and their descendants of the former There are currently thirty-three synagogues in India, although many no longer function as such and today vary in their levels of preservation Database of Jewish Communities, Museum of the Jewish People. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
- ^ Cochin Jews, Overview Of World Religions, Philtar, St Martin's College (UK). Accessed online 13 February 2007.
- ^ Photographs and Video Clips from South India, Easter 2003, Religious Education, Staffordshire Learning Net. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
- ^ Repairs and Planning Begin for Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, India, Jewish Heritage Report, Vol. II, Nos. 1-2 / Spring-Summer 1998. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
References
- The Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin, India. Database of Jewish Communities, Museum of the Jewish People.
- Photographs and Video Clips from South India, Easter 2003, Religious Education, Staffordshire Learning Net.
- Paradesi Synagogue, Frommer's Review, New York Times
- Cochin Jews, Overview Of World Religions, Philtar, St Martin's College (UK).
External links
- WMF - Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin archived February 14, 2005 on the Internet Archive
- Pictures of the Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin