KOCHI: In a rare ceremony on Tuesday, several members of the Jewish community in Kochi — even those who had moved to distant shores — gathered in solemn prayer under the roof of the historic Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry.
The event marked the inauguration of a museum — a dedicated new building devoted to the preservation of the region’s Jewish legacy.
Basil Koder, the grandson of Samuel S Koder (who figured in the development of Cochin) and trustee of the synagogue, told TNIE, “We wanted a permanent home to showcase our history, our lives, and the bond we shared with Kochi. The synagogue has been doing its part these many years, but we deemed a dedicated space was essential.”
The impetus for the move came during a similar gathering of the Jewish community in 2018, during the 450th year of the synagogue, recalled M C Praveen, trustee of the synagogue. “However, Covid, and later the wars in West Asia, made it difficult to build on that,” he said.
“It was only a little over two years ago that construction began. Now, though not all of the community is here, we decided to do a soft launch and open it to the public,” he added.
The idea, as is the case with any museum, is indeed preservation. But the one that has mushroomed in Mattancherry does a little more. “It’s also a celebration. A tribute, if you will, to all that the Jewish community enabled in the region,” said Thaha Ibrahim, who took care of Sarah Cohen, one of the last few Paradesi Jews of Kochi, till her death in 2019.
The Jewish community here, most notably the Koder family, was instrumental in introducing electricity and ferry service in Kochi.“And how best to celebrate that legacy than by offering a glimpse into how Mattancherry’s Jewish community lived, what made up their customs, and what they poured their hearts into,” explained K J Joy, the synagogue’s caretaker. “That is what the museum does.”
Among the treasured exhibits at the museum are a gold crown, a gift from the former Kochi king acknowledging the Jewish community’s contributions; a copper plate with inscriptions documenting their land holdings in Mattancherry; an English translation of the Torah; and a traditional Jewish bridal wear called Kalyana Pudava.
“That last one is special... its value isn’t historical, but of the heart,” said Ibrahim, the creator of the bridal wear. He had learnt the craft from Sarah, who learnt it from a Jewish neighbour. “It is purported that the new museum has come up where the neighbour’s house once stood decades ago,” Ibrahim added, implying a full-circle moment. Indeed, his creation – which includes a mundu and kuppayam, embroidered with silver thread – is also symbolic of how the local community embraced the Jews here and their reverence for the synagogue.
Since the 1990s, the Jewish population here has dwindled considerably. Today, only one remains – 67-year-old Keith Hallegua.
“So, the museum also serves another purpose: education. Educating those who come after us about the storied legacy of how a plethora of communities made home here and lived in harmony,” Praveen said.
That perhaps does two more things: gives the local tourism ecosystem, which had still not recovered from the pandemic, a shot in the arm; and elevates the synagogue as an entirely sacred space.
“A prayer hall or synagogue may not be as accessible as a museum. What you cannot see or do in the synagogue – like food, art, traditional games, etc – becomes accessible here,” said Johann Binny, who conducts historical walks for tourists.
Arun Kumar, a nationally recognised tour guide operating in the area, concurred. “Having a museum dispels misinformation about the Jewish legacy. Also, it’s one more added attraction to the tourists. They can get closer to the information, and the understanding is much greater than through the synagogue alone,” he said.
The museum will be open to the public from next Sunday. The timings are 10am to 6pm. It will remain closed on Friday afternoon and all of Saturday.