Paradesi past, living legacy

Time of India

17-05-2025

A new museum aims to preserve the cultural and historical legacy of Kochi's Paradesi Jewish community
Though only one Paradesi Jew remains in Kochi today, the community's profound legacy lives on. From introducing electricity and ferry transport to enriching the city's culture, their contributions have left an indelible mark. Now, a museum is being established to honour their impact on Kochi's history and way of life.
Kerala's Jewish history comprises two distinct communities: The Malabari Jews, who arrived from Jerusalem and Baghdad in the first century CE, and the Paradesi Jews, who came in the 16th century from Spain and Portugal. It was the latter group who constructed the Paradesi synagogue in Mattancherry in 1568, the oldest synagogue in India.
'The museum is being set up by the trust managing the Paradesi synagogue,' explains KJ Joy, the synagogue's caretaker. 'While the opening was initially planned for Dec 2024, the conflict in Israel has delayed many community members from traveling to Kochi. We now expect the museum's construction to be completed this year.'
Among the museum's treasured exhibits will be a gold crown—a gift from the former Kochi king, acknowledging the contributions of the Jewish community to the region. Another highlight is a copper plate with inscriptions documenting land holdings in Mattancherry. The museum will also showcase an English translation of the Torah to help visitors engage with the Jewish faith and its texts.
Work on the facilities attached to the Paradesi synagogue is progressing steadily. 'I've completed stitching a traditional bridal dress for the exhibit,' said Thaha Ibrahim, a Muslim caretaker of the Jewish matriarch Sarah Cohen, one of the last few Pardesi Jews of Kochi, till her death in 2019 at the age of 96.
The bridal wear, called Kalyana Pudava, includes a Mundu and Kuppayam. Traditionally embroidered with gold thread, Ibrahim's version uses silver thread for intricate detailing.
Ibrahim learned the art of making bridal attire from Sarah. 'These bridal garments are so well-made, they last for generations,' he said. 'Many people from Israel used to bring their heirloom bridal dresses to Sarah Aunty for repairs. This is the first time I'm independently making a traditional Jewish bridal wear.'
Ibrahim's devoted care for Sarah—a Muslim man tending to Kochi's last Jewish matriarch—represents something profound about Kochi itself—a place where cultural boundaries blur and religious communities have historically lived in harmony. Their extraordinary friendship attracted media attention and became the subject of numerous documentaries.
The last traditional Paradesi Jewish wedding in Kochi took place in 1978, when Glenys Simon walked down the aisle wearing the community's traditional garments in a local ceremony. A tradition involved the crafting of the wedding tali. As Ruby Daniel, a Paradesi Jew who later moved to Israel, recorded in her memoir: 'The bride's family would bring a quarter-sovereign gold coin to the local goldsmith, who would transform it into a pendant (tali). During the ceremony, the bride's mother or elder sister would tie this around her neck.' This ritual, bearing striking similarity to Hindu wedding customs, reveals the deep cultural exchange between the Paradesi Jews and Malayalis.
Some historians suggest the community may have adopted this visible symbol of marriage to integrate with local traditions while maintaining their distinct identity.
Mattancherry, home to 15 ethnic settlements, was shaped significantly by the Paradesi Jews. The former king of Kochi had granted land to various communities, among whom the Jews were the most prominent.
Their impact went beyond trade and commerce. 'Samuel Koder, a Paradesi Jewish businessman, brought electricity to Kochi using a generator when electricity was unknown in most of Kerala,' explains K J Sohan, former mayor of Kochi. 'The first ferry service in Kochi was also operated by the Koder family before the govt took it over in 1872. Local lore tells of a Jewish priest sent as an emissary by the Kochi king to defuse tensions with the neighbouring kingdom of Travancore. 'The war was called off, but the strategy used by the Jewish priest remains a mystery,' Sohan adds.
Today, only one Paradesi Jew remains in Kochi—65-year-old Keith Hallegua. His relative, Queenie Hallegua, passed away in Aug 2024. 'When we celebrated the synagogue's 400th anniversary in 1968, the then PM Indira Gandhi attended,' said Sohan. 'But by the time we considered marking the 450th in 2018, only two community members were left in Kochi, and we had to abandon the idea. Even so, many Paradesi Jews who settled in Israel often return to visit.'
'Even as the presence of the Paradesi Jews continues to diminish, their legacy will live on through the synagogue and this new museum will play a key role in keeping their traditions, culture, and contributions alive,' Sohan said.
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