THE OLD JEWISH CEMETERY OF MATTANCHERRY IN 1936.

The following rare images of the old Jewish cemetery of Mattancherry from 1936 compared to the current day will give you the extent of damage the site has undergone over the years. The white pointed sepulcher in these photographs below (see yellow encircle) is the famous grave of the 17th century Jewish Kabbalist of Cochin, Nehemiah Motta. All but the grave of  Motta were razed to ground by the mid-20th century. See how widely and densely distributed were the graves in the cemetery before they were obliterated. However, a few tombstones from the extinct graveyard escaped the demolition drive, and they are still hidden in the premises of the houses built over the venue. Earlier, I have discussed in detail about this lost cemetery (here), the grave of Nehemiah Motta (here) and the crudely preserved tombstones (here and here).

The Old Jewish Cemetery of Mattancherry:  December, 1936 vs May, 2024

Grave of Nehemiah Motta

 

A NEW BLOG ON THE 'EUROPEAN FUNERARY MONUMENTS OF KERALA'

You might have noticed that many of the recent posts in this blog are about the European tomb monuments in Kochi (Cochin) and its surrounding locations. However, it should be noted that they are not just confined to the Cochin area, but widely spread throughout Kerala. These sepulchral monuments often go unnoticed by many, are scattered across cemeteries, courtyards and interiors of churches, public and private properties, isolated locations, roadsides etc. Several of the graveyards are so overgrown with vegetation that, it is practically impossible to access and study the headstones. On the other hand, a few of the tombstones are still well-preserved and can be found inside protected monuments like churches, forts, museums etc.

I have decided to start a separate blog for the European funerary monuments in Kerala, partly because they are not directly associated with Kerala's Jewish heritage, and partly because they are still unexplored to a large extent. The upcoming blog will be an attempt to document the known European grave monuments in Kerala that are dated to the Pre-Independence Period (i.e. before 1947). Here is the link to the new blog-"EUROPEAN FUNERARY MONUMENTS OF KERALA". The concerned posts already uploaded in 'Jewish Monuments of Kerala' will be retained, but links to them will be attached to the new blog.

THEKKUMBHAGOM SYNAGOGUE OF ERNAKULAM: A MUCH AWAITED VISIT.

 Thekkumbhagom Synagogue Exterior, North-East Corner

 Thekkumbhagom Synagogue Interior-Main Sanctuary

I have been studying the Jewish heritage monuments of Kerala for some time. During this journey I had the opportunity to visit Kerala's synagogues and Jewish cemeteries on several occasions. However, there is one synagogue that has always remained elusive to me. It is the Thekkumbhagom Synagogue of Ernakulam- of which I have seen only the exterior. This is because the synagogue is closed to the general public and can be accessed only through special arrangement made with the Jewish community. Due to its unusual position crammed inside a heavily congested market area, even getting a view of the exterior is much difficult. Technically, I have also not accessed the Paradesi Jewish Cemetery of Mattancherry and the Jewish Cemetery in Kathrikadavu, Ernakulam. Nevertheless, I have managed to capture images of many grave monuments inside these cemeteries from different angles including aerial positions without even entering the compound, and believe me this is still possible with some extra effort and a little adventure. The one major advantage with cemeteries is that they are open areas, so you can still study tombs from outside, if not all of them. However, a closed synagogue is an entirely different case.

It is true that there are many online resources through which you can explore the Thekkumbhagom synagogue’s interior. However, observing a monument with your own eyes is a special experience that cannot be substituted by any other secondary source. Therefore, I was very excited to be part or a trip which offered such a rare opportunity. I owe my immense gratitude to Kerala Historical Research Society, which organized an ambitious one-day trip to all the Synagogues of Kerala on 4th February, 2024. A big credit goes to Joseph John Keethra and his efficient team for their meticulous planning and hard work. A special thanks to Prof. C. Karmachandran without his contacts the Thekkumbhagom synagogue would not have been accessible to me.

Today, Thekkumbhagom Ernakulam has the largest Jewish sanctuary building in Kerala. Although the current building dates to a period after 1939, the congregation claims 1200 AD as date of their origin in Ernakulam. Interestingly, it is the same date vouched by the adjacent Kadavumbhagom community for their origin in Ernakulam as well. On the other hand, the more scholarly accepted date of establishment for Thekkumbhagom Ernakulam is about four centuries later in 1580 AD only (Sassoon, 1932, p. 1056; Bar Giora, 1958, p. 236; Segal, 1993, p. 31). Having said so, the earliest known historical reference on Thekkumbhagom and Kadavumbhagom synagogues of Ernakulam appears further a century down in the Portuguese report by Moses Pereira de Paiva entitled ‘Noticias dos Judeos de Cochim’, dated 1687. In an earlier post (2012), I have discussed more about the Thekkumbhagom synagogue and the statistics of Ernakulum Jews in general, and uploaded photographs of the syanagogue's exterior. Click the LINK HERE, and follow the ‘older links’ at the end of each post for the photographs taken in 2012. For a short history, see the heritage plaque installed by the ‘Friends of Kerala Synagogues’ near the southern gate (see the photograph below), which by the way is missing now. The signboards with the contact details of the ‘Association of Kerala Jews’ placed at the main entrance of the synagogue is also not seen today (SEE HERE).

A Rare Image of the Joothakulam (Jew Pond) of Kodungallur-mid-1970s

Joothakulam of Kodungallur-1970s

This is a unique image of the Joothakulam (Jew Pond) of Kodungallur captured in mid-1970s, and perhaps the earliest available. It appears in a documentary on Cochin Jews made by ethnomusicologist Dr. Johanna Spector. At the time of my quest for the Joothakulam (February, 2017), the only image I had was a black and white photograph from a book published in 1993 on Cochin Jews by the British scholar, J B Segal. Now, what makes this image special is that it is not only old (i.e. 17 years before Segal's photograph), but it is also in colour. Look for the Kaitha (Pantanus) and Cactus bushes indicated by the yellow arrow heads. Interestingly, remnants of these thorny bushes were still present at the time of my first visit to the site, and was an important clue for the identification of the pond. Don't miss the small group posing for the photograph (yellow encircled area).

For Segal's B&W image and how I traced the site, see here. For the location, legends, history etc. of the Joothakulam(s) of Kodungallur, see here, here and here. For photographs of the Joothakulam taken in 2017 and 2018, see here and here. Details of a speculated Jewish cemetery at Kodungallur with photographs of Joothakulam from 2019 can be seen here. A little out of context, but another Joothakulam of Kerala, which is at Madayi is discussed in detail here. 

Joothakulam of Kodungallur-2017