
KOCHI: When 89-year-old Queenie Hallegua passed away on August 11, it was a reminder to the people of Kerala of the vanishing of the Paradesi Jewish community. She leaves behind one descendant, sixty-five-year-old Keith Hallegua, her nephew. Now, he is the sole representative of the once vibrant community, which played a big role in the economic and industrial development of Kochi — the sole living remnant of a once-thriving people.
But how did the Jewish community reach Kerala shores? There are a lot of narratives available.
“There are a lot of writings on the Jews of Kerala. However, there are two narratives about their arrival — historical and folkloristic or oral tradition,” says Sreekala Sivasankaran, former associate professor with Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Delhi, and a researcher on Indian Jews.
According to the folkloristic narrative, Kerala had a trade connection with the Jews since the time of King Solomon’s reign in Israel. “It is said that King Solomon’s ship carried goods such as sandalwood from here. There was also an exchange of Hebrew, Tamil and Sanskrit words between the two cultures. And then the earliest migration to the Malabar coast is believed to have happened after the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem,” she says.
Jewish migration happened during the 9th, 10th and 11th centuries. “Their migration happened in two to four waves and included those affected by the Spanish Inquisition. Also, many from the Middle Eastern regions like Iraq migrated to Kerala. So the Paradesi Jews or the White Jews trace their lineage back to Iraq,” Sreekala explains.
According to the oral narrative, a Jewish settlement existed in Madayi in the Kannur district. As per some documents, the earliest Jewish colonies in Madayi were located in the foothills near Madayipalli. Later, they abandoned the foothills — their early settlements, and established new homes on the Madayi rock, southwest of Pazhayangadi.
However, she adds, according to documentary proof, the oldest Jewish settlement was at Kodungalloor in Thrissur. “The place is famous for the Muziris port, Kerala’s historical trading hub.”
Local legends point towards Joseph Rabban, a prominent Jewish figure, who had a good rapport with the Cranganore King. “It is said that the King of Cranganore gifted the Jews copper plates during his time,” she says.
According to M C Praveen, caretaker of Paradesi Synagogue at Mattancherry Jew Town, these copper plates and the three gold crowns are under the safekeeping of the synagogue. The artefacts like the crowns, a golden chalice and other items gifted by the rulers are used only during festive occasions or marriages, he explains.
“These plates list the economic and ceremonial privileges, including exemption from paying taxes, the right to collect tolls, and the honour of using particular lamps, umbrellas, drums, and trumpets associated with high ritual status,” says Sreekala. By this time the Jews were firmly established in the area.
But how did they arrive and settle at Fort Kochi and Mattancherry? Sreekala shines the light on the Jewish migration to Central Travancore. “It so happened that there was a period when Kodungallur was flooded and the trade through the port diminished. The Muziris Port lost its prominence and this forced the Jews to migrate to Kochi. They simultaneously migrated to Mala in Thrissur, Chendamangalam, North Paravoor and Aluva in Ernakulam,” she says.
Explaining further about the various categories of Jews, she says, “The Mattancherry Jews were called the white Jews and others were called Black Jews or the Malabari Jews.”
The white Jews like the Koder and Hallegua families have Iraqi and Spanish lineage. This can be identified from their Middle-Eastern features, she says. “Then there are brown Jews like the writer Ruby Daniel. They are children born out of intermarriage,” explains Sreekala.
Highlighting the contributions made by the Jews, Praveen says, “Will you believe if I say that they were the ones who electrified Kochi? And that too way back during the King’s reign!” Four big generators were brought in from Britain and the community had strung up copper lines throughout Kochi. “Two generators each were operated alternatively for eight hours each. The entire operation was managed by a company called the Cochin Electric Company. It was a first-of-its-kind initiative and was set up by S S Koder, grandfather of Queenie Hallegua,” he says.
The Koders also were the first to introduce the concept of supermarkets at a time when it was unheard of, says Junaid Sulaiman, owner of Mocha Art Cafe and a native of Mattancherry. They had stores in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam and Kochi (Fort Kochi and Mattancherry). “You could get anything from a screw to grocery to hardware in these stores,” he adds.
According to Praveen, his grandfather was the ‘shrank’ of the private ferry boats operated by S S Koder. “They were the first ones to operate the boat service between Kochi and Ernakulam. The ride was free for students and a nominal fare was charged for the adults,” he adds.
Historian Saju Chelanad elaborates on the wealth and prominence that the Jews held. “The Hallegua family-owned acres of land. Their property stretched from Kochi to Kayamkulam. It is said that they owned around 3,000 acres of land. But, after the Land Reforms Act of 1962, the tenants who lived on the lands got occupancy. But even today, the land documents with the registrar have the Hallegua name on them,” he says. Saju adds that the credit for turning Cherthala into a town vests with the Halleguas.
But these are all in the past. By 2011, Queeni Hallegua had closed all the business ventures associated with S S Koder. “And now, maybe around 10 to 15 Jews might be living in Kerala. And only one member left in the Jew Town. The rest have all migrated,” says Sreekala.
The Jews of Kerala have been a minuscule population but their contributions to the social and cultural milieu here are very significant, she says. The Paradesi Jews of Mattancherry have contributed significantly to the economic and social life of Kerala, while the Malabar Jews, owing to their centuries-old existence here, have a great cultural heritage and legacy. “The Jewish saga here is of the coexistence of cultures, an example of living together peacefully with so many local communities for centuries. Their historical trails and monuments will always be a great attraction for those interested in pluralism,” Sreekala concludes.