Chendamangalam Synagogue: The first place of worship for Jews in India

The Jews were a persecuted group & they travelled to better lands but found none until they came to the old port of Muziris in Kerala. To their surprise the local people were quite welcoming though they were apprehensive about the ways of the Jews. The one thing that made people welcome the Jews was their understanding of trade. The Cochin Rajah gave the arriving Jews land to preach their religion & live their way of life. The Jews are said to have come to Kerala around the 12th century but they were recognised as two groups by the people of Kerala. The Cochin Jews who settled around the old port were termed as White Jews & those who moved north were called Malabari Jews or Black Jews. Though the two groups of Jews had a similar way of life their way of worship was a bit different. The small village of Chendamangalam or Chennamangalam as it was known earlier became a haven for the Black Jews. The Chendamangalam Synagogue is considered to be the oldest in India & still stands majestically to narrate the story of these colourful people who came and made this their second home.

Though the Jews came & settled around the 12th century, the first synagogue was built by them only in the 15th century & it was the Chendamangalam Synagogue that was built in the year 1420. It was a small structure built on the design of the Jerusalem temples where a small group of Jews prayed & is termed to be the oldest Synagogue in any of the commonwealth countries This structure was completely gutted in a fire & another structure could not come up in its place till the 16th century. The land to build a new structure was given by the Portuguese but the relations between the two communities soured in time & it is believed that the old synagogue was burnt down by the Portuguese themselves & it was completely destroyed by Tipu’s Mysore army later. The Synagogue one sees now at Chendamangalam was built in 1830 & was designed based on the traditional Kerala style. The synagogue was left abandoned by the Jews when the whole congregation made Aliyah to Israel in the 1950’s to be back in their holy land. 

The architecture of the synagogue is based on traditional Kerala style which has western influence in its interior. The two tier structure is a large house which has arched windows around & an entrance at the lower floor typical of the traditional houses in these areas. The synagogue stands inside a high walled enclosure & the construction of this wall is an essential feature of all synagogues. The outside of the synagogue may seem quite simple but the beauty of the craftsmanship is found in the interiors. As one enters the arrival hall one can find the high wooden balcony area held up with two stone pillars. The first hall called the Azara is a beautiful room which is decorated with motifs of lotus flowers on the roof & the door to the sanctuary is beautifully painted depicting the items of prayer just similar to how it is in the temples at Jerusalem built by Solomon. The central hall which is called the sanctuary is a large hall with high ceilings made of wood & painted with different floral designs. On one end is the balcony for the women & on the opposite wall is the altar. The upper balcony for the women is accessed by the stairs from the entry hall. As per rituals, the rabbi stands in the central pulpit or Tebah while men sit around him while praying to the Altar. The holy book or Torah is placed inside the altar called the Heichal. The upper tier of the synagogue also has a balcony which opens to the outside & was mainly used as a way to allow natural flow of air into the structure. Just like most other synagogues, one can find a set of antique lights brought from Europe which still light the room in a majestic way. It is also important to know that the altar is a great example of exemplary wooden craftsmanship & is also considered to be one of the most ornately carved arks in Kerala. The whole structure is plastered in laterite & the usage of white paint in the exterior gives the façade a grand feel.

At the synagogue there are some important items which are worth a mention. Inside the synagogue walls, next to the entry hall one can find an inscription over a tombstone indicating the name of Sarah Bat Israel which is considered to be the oldest surviving relic of Jewish community dating back to 1270 AD. The inscription is in Hebrew & is believed to be of a lady from Israel who lived in these parts around the 13th century. The other important feature inside the synagogue is the depiction of the Insignia of Judah on the top of the central altar which in many ways is considered to be the most impressive ark designs outside Israel. The synagogue is also the place which once housed the Golden Sefer Torah crown, a gift received from the King of Travancore by the Chendamangalam Jews for their effort in creating a harmonious society & excellence in trade. This 200 carat gold crown was an impressive item which was embedded with precious gems & stones. The cemetery & the seminary near the synagogue were also once part of the structure which over time has dilapidated.

The story of the Chendamangalam synagogue & the Malabar Jews is incomplete without the mention of the Paliath Achans. The synagogue actually stands close to the Paliam palace which was the official residence of the Achans who were the ministers to the Cochin Raja in erstwhile kingdom. The Paliath Achans were crafty statesmen who believed in the importance of different communities. It was the plan of the Achans to design a fortress around the house with places of worship on all sides, so one can find a temple, church, mosque & synagogue completing the design. The Paliath Achans had a special liking to the Jews as they were quite enterprising individuals & this is possibly the reason why the famous “song of Paliathachan” was composed by a Jewish women. The Achans also made it a point to include Jews in the council of advise in the Cochin Rajah’s court. The Jews for many centuries became an important group of influential members in Kodungallur & Cochin. 

The reason for the influence of the Jews in Kerala was their way of life which believed in harmonious relation with all other communities. The Jews were also very accommodating to others beliefs, they also believed in community living wherein the whole group lived in close proximity with one another creating their own town. This way of life had to be left behind by many Jews after India’s Independence when Israel became a country & all the Jews around the world found a safe haven back in their holy land. As part of Aliyah, most of the Jews left for Israel around the 1950's leaving behind their houses, businesses & belongings. The synagogues that they built were left unattended & for many decades they were in a state of neglect. It was only in 1980 that the Archaeological department of Kerala realised the heritage value of these structures & took upon themselves to overhaul the structures by renovating & rebuilding them. The Chendamangalam synagogue along with the Paradesi synagogue in Mattancherry were the earliest structures to be selected for renovation.

Today the Chendamangalam synagogue is part of the Muziris Heritage project which looks after the upkeep of this beautiful heritage. Visitors can now come & see for themselves the rich history of the Jews who made this land their own.