In the previous post, I discussed about the exterior of the
Thekkumbagom synagogue. As for the
interior, we should look for someone who visited the synagogue before the
mid-1960s and took a photograph inside. There is of course, the possibility of finding photographs from the personal collection of the
Jewish community, but their accessibility would be even more difficult. Luckily, we
have some of the important religious articles inside the synagogue photographed
and saved before the sanctuary was dismantled. For instance, the Holy Ark
(Heichal) of the synagogue is currently preserved in the Magnes Collection
of Jewish Art and Life (former Judah L. Magnes Museum) in Berkeley, California in
USA (see here for Magnes Museum’s photograph and here for my previous post). In this upload, I wish to share a few pictures
that can shed light on the interior of the synagogue.
Picture 1: This rare black and
white photograph inside the Thekkumbagom synagogue was taken
in 1952 by Rabbi Louis Rabinowitz and published in the 'Far East Mission'. The
picture was included in the text to show a unique object displayed inside the
synagogue: four ostrich eggs suspended from the ceiling to bring luck. Apparently, these eggs were part of the Paradesi synagogue as noted by Francis Day in 'The Land of Permauls' (1863, p. 338), he writes: "On passing inside the gateway, through the first court yard, where four ostrich eggs are suspended, the porch of the (The Chief or Northern) Synagogue is arrived at: here the Jew leaves his shoes, before he enters within the house of prayer." -but when and why these curios preserved in the courtyard of Paradesi Synagogue were brought to the main sanctuary of Thekkumbhagom are unknown. Although
the photograph fails to depict the Holy Ark, the Tebah in the
center, the furniture used in the synagogue etc., it is perhaps one
of the last pictures taken before the synagogue was destroyed, and
provides valuable insights regarding the structure of the monument.
The wooden staircase (2) leading to the upper floor is clearly noticeable-a
strong indication that the Thekkumbhagom of Mattancherry had an upper
balcony with the second pulpit (Tebah) and women's seating area.
Based on the position of staircases to the second Tebah in the
typical synagogues of Kerala, this
image represents the north-east corner of the sanctuary building. In
fact, on a closer look, you can see the floor of the upper Tebah (5)
protruding into the main sanctuary. In the synagogues
of Kerala, the upper balcony is supported by a pair of pillars
representing the ancient columns of Boaz and Jachin in the Temple of
Jerusalem. At the center of the photograph is a finely designed wooden pillar with striated rings (3) supporting the upper balcony suggesting that the
Thekkumbhagom synagogue also followed the same pattern. An additional
pillar (4) which is more plain and simple strengthening the staircase
is also visible from the image. Similar to the other synagogues in
Kerala, the ceiling is decorated with traditional dome covered
clear and coloured glass oil lanterns, and don't forget to see
the ostrich eggs (1) near the pillars.
Picture 1: Inside the Thekkumbhagom Synagogue of Mattancherry (1952). Courtesy, Louis Rabinowitz (Far East Mission)
Picture 2: The second picture that I would like to include is the Hebrew
inscription over the main entrance to the sanctuary building of the synagogue.
This rare black and white photograph was taken by David G. Mandelbaum
(1911-1987) in September 14, 1937 with the caption: “Tekumbagam
“Southern” Synagogue. Wooden carved sign above synagogue door.” Mandelbaum was
one of the first cultural anthropologists to undertake ethnographic
research in India. An erudite scholar and researcher, his
pioneering works on Cochin Jews are widely known and well recognized,
but not many are aware about the photographs he took while
spending two weeks in September of 1937 with the Jewish community of
Cochin. He has also taken a short film (8 minutes) on the community
which perhaps is the earliest video about the Jews
of Cochin, made now available to the public by the Magnus
Museum. Mandelbaum has donated his precious collection of visual
materials of Jewish life in Kerala, consisting
of a complete set of 17 lantern slides and 90 photographs (contact
prints and photographic enlargements) with annotations to
the Magnes Museum in 1976, the lantern slides are
digitized and available online. The current photograph is in the
Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life numbered 76.311.128 (CJ32). When
the pediment of the entrance door to the Tekkumbhagom synagogue was brought to
Magnes Museum, its exact location in the
original synagogue was identified based on this photograph of
Mandelbaum.
In a 2013 catalogue of Magnes Museum, the following expanded title is given for the photograph: “Pediment
of the entrance door to the Tekkumbhagam synagogue (Mattancherry), inscribed
after Ps. 5:8 (“But, as for me, in the abundance of your lovingkindness I will
come into your house”); Hebrew; Kochi, Kerala, India, [17th-18th century]; Wood
(teak), paint and silver leaf; Judah L. Magnes Museum purchase, Bernard; Kimmel
collection, 67.0.13”
The Hebrew inscription (2) reads "ואני
ברוב חסדך אבוא ביתך" which is based on Psalms 5:7, translated "And I will come to your house with most grace". See that the pediment was placed above the entrance door (3) to the
main sanctuary from the Anteroom (Azara), also
note the simple wooden ceiling (1) of the Azara. The inscription on teak wood is currently preserved in the Magnes
Museum, a colour photograph of the pediment is given in museum site here with
the heading: "Architectural fragment [67.0.13]: Door pediment,
Tekkumbhagam synagogue (Mattancherry, Kochi, Kerala, India, 17th-18th
century)".
Picture 3: The picture was taken on September 14, 1937 from Thekkumbhagom synagogue to show a ritual conducted during 'Yom Kippur'-the most holy day of Jewish religious life. This is a precious document depicting the act of self-flagellation performed in the Cochin Jewish community-a ritual rarely practised nowadays for Yom Kippur services anywhere in the world. The caption given in the flickr series is -"Cochin. South synagogue. Ritual scourging on day before Yom
Kippur. The Magnes catalogue (2013) has a more detailed record and I am
quoting the full citation:
Title: "Tekkumbhagam “Southern” synagogue. Ritual scourging on day before Yom Kippur Kochi, Kerala, India, September 14, 1937 76.311.2.7 (CJ 33)."
Notes: "Flat pads of goatskin used as lash and prescribed number of blows
give by beater who stands [on] a stone. Recipient, stripped to waist leans
against bamboo pole (in vestibule of synagogue), wrists crossed and
tied to pole with kerchief. In front of him, prayers are read. Recipient
of blows puts an [offering] in a cup before the lashing.”
See that the name "Thekkumbhagom" is specifically given in the full title. The slide is dark and under exposed, but you can still see the person undergoing flagellation with a skull cap (1), whose both hands are tied to a bamboo pole, and his bare back facing us. If you carefully observe the slide, there is a white building with a window (2) in the background. Mandelbaum is specific with the place where the ritual was practised, when he records the venue as the vestibule of the synagogue. Therefore the image was captured from the Azara (Anteroom) of the synagogue and the white building at the background should be the backside of the gatehouse. Since there is a space between the gatehouse and the anteroom, I believe this is an indication for a breezeway.
See that the name "Thekkumbhagom" is specifically given in the full title. The slide is dark and under exposed, but you can still see the person undergoing flagellation with a skull cap (1), whose both hands are tied to a bamboo pole, and his bare back facing us. If you carefully observe the slide, there is a white building with a window (2) in the background. Mandelbaum is specific with the place where the ritual was practised, when he records the venue as the vestibule of the synagogue. Therefore the image was captured from the Azara (Anteroom) of the synagogue and the white building at the background should be the backside of the gatehouse. Since there is a space between the gatehouse and the anteroom, I believe this is an indication for a breezeway.
The image captures the gatehouse entrance, you can see a granite stone lamp (1) on the left side of the main entrance and steps leading to the synagogue (5), the lamp is not visible in the earlier two pictures of the exterior (previous post). Also note that in the expanded title, the Paradesi Jews sitting on the steps are noted as Sattu [Shabdai Samuel Koder] (2), Lilly (3) and Miriam (4?), the other three are not identified. The siblings, Sattu (S. S. Koder: 1908-1994) and Lilly (Lilly S. Koder) remained in Cochin and were buried in the Paradesi Jewish cemetery. I believe Miriam here is Sattu's sister, Miriam (Koder) Hallegua (1905-1979), most probably buried in Cochin only.
Picture 5: Finally, I leave one picture for future to be discovered. In the Magnes catalogue (2013) under "David G. Mandelbaum (1911-1987); ‘Scenes of Jewish life in Kerala’; Kerala, India, September 1937; Silver gelatin prints" there is a photograph entitled: “Outside Central [Tekkumbhagam] Synagogue of Malabar (Black) Jews. Women on balcony may not enter synagogue proper because they are having their menstrual periods Kochi, Kerala, India, September 1937, 1976.311.3.82 (CJ 69)”.
This particular photograph was not available in the flickr series released by the Magnes Museum. Since the complete collection of photographic prints and lantern slides of David Mandelbaum is maintained in the archives of the Bancroft Library and the Magnes Museum in UC Berkeley, USA, I contacted them regarding the possibility of accessing the image. Unfortunately, the reply from both the institutes were the same that it was not digitized.
I believe this photograph would be a rare find, because it would a direct evidence for the upper passageway (Loggia) to the women’s seating room like the one observed in the Paradesi synagogue. It is obvious from the title that the image was taken outside the synagogue and the mention of women on balcony would suggest no other place than the exterior upper corridor to the main sanctuary.
Note that Mandelbaum refers to the Thekkumbhagom synagogue by different names: “the Central Synagogue”, “the South Synagogue” and “the Southern Synagogue” of Cochin. Based on the slides and photographs discussed so far, it is logical to conclude that the Thekkumbhagom of Mattancherry was similar to the other synagogues in Kerala with: a double-storied gatehouse, a breezeway with a loggia, an anteroom with an upper seating area for women, and a double-height main sanctuary with an upper balcony containing a second pulpit (Tebah). Today, only a fraction of David G. Mandelbaum’s collection is available for the public. Let’s hope in near future more photographs and slides would be digitized, that would definitely add to our understanding on the structure and history of Jewish monuments in Cochin (Mattancherry) and Ernakulam regions.
No comments:
Post a Comment