Jews of Cochin

During the second half of September, two years ago, I happened to be at Kochi (Cochin). My younger brother drove me and my family around the city and finally we were at the mouth of a narrow lane known as Jews Street in Mattanchery. We parked the car at some distance and made our way through the lane. Months before my coming here, I had seen a malayalam movie "Gramaphone" and some of its settings seemed to come alive. Most of the shops along the road were selling antiques and souvenirs. I was fascinated to see some beautiful ceramic knobs used for drawers/cupboards etc. I bought couple of them. Some of the shops had large warehouses on the back side filled with antiquities. Old pillars, door jambs, large vessels and many such things. Once upon a time it was the main trading centre of the Jews, one of the most respected and tolerated communities, whose number has drastically dwindled to a dozen.

At the far end, the old Paradesi Synagogue (1568) with its age old clock tower (1760), still stands as a meek witness of the prosperity, the street once boasted. When we were at half a distance, many people were seen assembled in front of a particular house at the right of the road. They were all gossiping. We peeped inside the house through an open window. There was a large hall and a corpse lied there on a couch, with oil lamps lit. My heart was filled with remorse to learn that the 13th Jew has departed (12 more remain). Also that the cremation had been kept in abeyance due to lack of quorum. Jews need at least 10 persons of their community to witness any religious function. They were supposed to be hunting nearby places in search of people from their community, living in Ernakulam, Mala, Chennamangalam etc. I went inside the house, went near the dead body and paid my homage's. It seems, I stood there for quite some time and moved out only after a prompt from my brother.

Kerala coast is famous for its spices from times immemorial and there was an active trade with several other countries through the main port of Muzris (Kodungallur, Cranganore). Jews are supposed to be visiting Kerala coast from the times of King Solomon of Israel (967 BCE). Settlement of Jews in Kodungallur, according to their own legends, started after the destruction of the second temple at Jerusalem, during the beginning of the Christian era. According to their own account, they came here in several batches over a period of time. They had a head man of their tribe known as Suranum Moplah and some 1000 families arrived in the first batch in 68 AD. 3/4th of them settled in Kodungallur and rest of them moved to nearby places like Chennamangalam, Mala etc. They claim to have received a copper plate from the local ruler, Cheraman Perumal, conferring on the community special privileges as also the land referred to as Anjuvanam. This copper plate is said to have been issued in 378 AD on the 36th year of the rule of the Perumal. As we would see, this claim is totally unfounded. There are no other archaeological evidences to establish their claims. However, at Chennamangalam, there is a very old tomb stone, inscribed in Hebrew "Sara the daughter of Israel 1269".

There seems to have been attempts to distort the historical facts, either by destroying or fabricating evidences by various interested groups. Incidentally, the above referred copper plates are not the originals. The original plate was said to be made of brass and was engraved on both sides. One Rev. C. Buchanan, made out facsimiles on two copper plates which is presently available. He is stated to have deposited the original with the University of Cambridge leaving the duplicates with the Jewish community. As per the translation provided, the grant was made to Joseph Rabban (Isuppu Irabban) and 72 families. A grant made to the Christian community at that time, is said to have been copied from the plates referred above. Looking at the script of the inscription, palaeographically, it is barely datable to 10th Century AD. As is assumed, the grant was made by a ruler named Bhaskara Ravi Varman  (962-1020 AD).

During 1341, due to geological disturbances, including floods, the coast line got altered. the flourishng port of Cranganore (Kodungallur) became unserviceable due to heavy siltation and Cochin became the main centre of commercial activity. In order not to harm their livelihood, the Jews were given land for building homes and for agriculture outside Cranganore to the east of Cochin in a place known as Kachangadi. A synagogue was built there in 1344. A sign placed there during that time is now at the Paradesi Synagogue.

In 1524 the Portuguese conquered Cranganore. They brought about the destruction of the community through forced conversions and burnt the existing Synagogue along with the manuscripts, preserved by the Jews since their arrival in the area. Even the Jewish cemeteries were destroyed. During the same period Muslims also attacked the community backed by the rulers of Calicut due to business rivalry in the Pepper trade. Thus all the Jews fled to Cochin, Chennamangalam, Palayur, Pullut, Quilon, Chowghat etc. Cranganore, now became devoid of any traces of Jewish habitation which once flourished there.

In 1663, the Dutch East India Company, after a battle with the Portuguese, gained control over the area. The Jews gave full support to the local Raja and the Dutch to get rid of the Portuguese. Once again the stars were in their favour. The Jews started flourishing. The Dutch were Protestants and unlike Portuguese, were tolerant towards other faiths. They even brought printed Torah (the Bible of the Jews) scrolls and prayer books for the Cochin Jews from Holland. In 1686 there were 10 synagogues and nearly 500 Jewish families in Cochin.

The Cochin Jews were divided into three major categories, the biggest group known as Meyuhassim (priviled) were the natives (early settlers) speaking the local dialect. They were also referred to as Black Jews although they were not really blacks. The second group was the Pardesi Jews or the White Jews who were foreigners from Spain, Holland, Poland, Ezypt etc . settled there. The third category Meshuhararim consisted of erstwhile slaves converted to Judaism on emancipation. They had separate synagogues, Theckoombagam, Paradesi and Kadavumbagam respectively.

The major cause for reduction in the population of the Jewish community in Cochin is attributable to the creation of a separate Jewish Nation known as Israel. There had been large scale migration to that promised land from across the globe, Cochin not being an exception. Only the old and infirm were left behind. Time is not far away when we shall not see a single specie from that tribe. However, the Synagogue, a protected monument, with its beautiful interiors, decorated with Belgian cut glass chandeliers, laid with hand painted blue ceramic tiles brought from China in 1762 will continue to remind us of the Jewish connection.

Kallil Bhagawathi - A Jain Retreat

By Shri P.N. Sampath Kumar from Kochi.

He is currently working with the Cochin Shipyard.After reading your post on Buddhism and Jainism in Kerala, we thought of utilising our Sunday to visit the Kallil Bhagawathi temple near Perumbavoor. We were there on the the 20th July 2008.

Kallil Bhagavathi temple is a cave temple on a hill top at a place called Methara. Though dedicated to Bhagavathi (which they claim to be swayambhoo), on the back wall a Buddha like structure in the sitting posture (about four feet high). is carved. It looks like some Tirthankar or Mahavir himself. It is not very difficult to make out that even with the dim light within the sreekovil. The Bagavathi in front of Mahavir due to its small size gives vision of the carved mahavir figure on the back side. The bhagavathi has been ornamented with metallic (brass) face and major poojas are performed only to her.
The Shrine

The Mahavir carving has also been garlanded but the main pooja is for the Devi. Within the sreekovil, on the right and left hand side of Devi, two more statues of about 1.5 feet high are also seen. Outside the sreekovil, on the left hand side of the diety, one dwarapalaka type of statue which looks very old (details like eyes, ears, nose etc are erased due to passage of time) is also seen which is also kept garlanded by the devotees.
Modern Steps leading to the ShrineThere is a mandapam (made of sand stone) about four feet square where devotees can stand and offer prayers without any high peetham (as generally seen in other temples).

I Chatted with the priest for some time. Surprisingly, there was no hesitation on his part to accept the theory of Jain temple taken over by Hindus. Further he threw some more light into the theory as below:

“This used to be jain centre (temple?) main carving on the wall is of Parshwanath” and the devi is said to be Padmavathi (a jain goddess).
When Hindus took over, we considered (sankalpam) Parshwanath as Bramha, Padmavathi as Bhagavathi and other two deities on the left and right of the devi as Ganapathi and Siva” There are a few idols kept outside which is believed to be sarpakavu or nagarajas / naga yakshis.

Interestingly, there is no sign of demolition of any structures / idols. Only some additions like pavements, Mandapam and sopanam steps and designs on both sides of sopanam seem to made so as to suit to the hindu style. That means due to some reason, the jains might have abandoned the place centuries ago and would have been occupied by the Hindus only recently. That may be why the priest is able to explain the story correctly.

There is a siva (kallil sivan – on the planes, not cave) temple nereby who is said to be the husband of Kallil Bhagavathi. By the time we finished bhagavathi, siva temple was closed. There is ample scope for survey in and around the area. The place is calm and beautiful. About half a km walk from the road towards the temple.
The approach

Buddhism and Jainism in Kerala

The Vedic people worshipped the panchatatvas (five elements) and offerings to the Fire Lord (Homa) was considered very sacred. The concept of a God with a form was something which came up later. The idols of Gods carved out of stone or wood were initially sheltered under a tree. Trees were also considered sacred as we could find them on the reverse of many of the ancient coins. The idea of providing a roof to the Lord began, with a flat roofed square structure for him to remain protected. Then there was an addition of a small Mandapa (porch) for the devotees to stand as a shelter from the Sun and the Rain. Such structures datable to around 3rd/4th Century AD are available at Tigawa near Jabalpur and Sanchi. Archaeologically they are the earliest available examples of Hindu temple architecture in India. Thereafter there started a developmental stage during which the temples grew in size and ornamentation came to its zenith during 10th and 12th centuries AD.

Many of the Hindu temples in Kerala are circular in shape. This has always been pricking me.The circular shape of Kerala temples definitely suggests some indigenous initiative or other external influence.

The great Chandra Gupta Mourya and the Jain Saint Bhadrabahu are supposed to have visited Karnataka during the 3rd Century BC. Jain missionaries are also said to have visited Tamilnadu. The great Ilango Adigal, the author of the Silpaddikaram, is believed to have been a Jain patron. It is well known that Kerala was under the suzerainty of Cheras. It was, therefore, easier for the Jains to seek immigration into Kerala.

Sravanabelagola in the state of Karnataka is one of the greatest centres of Jainism (Digambara) in South India even today. There are evidences of Jain influence penetrating to the South into Kerala. Kasargod which borders Karnataka could be cited as an example. At the nearby Manjeswaram there is a Chaturmukh (Sarvatobhadra) Jain temple. The idol (Pratima Sarvatobhadrika) has  four faces, that  of Adinath, Shantinath, Chandranath and Mahavira looking at the four directions. Another Jain structure is in Wayanad which was used by Hindus and later taken over by Tipu Sultan for housing his armory. This is known as Sultan Battery.

Coming still further down, at Irinjalakuda, the Koodalmanikyam temple is also believed to have been a Jain temple dedicated to their Saint Bharateswara. Presently it is a Hindu shrine with Bharata the brother of Lord Rama, in a standing posture inside. Strangely, there are no idols of any other gods in the periphery. Generally we come across lord Ganesha (Vinayaka) in every temple. Perhaps this is the only temple in the country dedicated to Bharata. Incidentally, we find temples of all the four brothers of the Ramayana epic around Thrissur.Sultan Battery. The Wayanad area is still home to more than 200 Jain families. Another granite structure is at Jainimedu, Palakkad. It is 20' wide and 32' long housing Tirthankaras.

Within an hour's drive towards the South, at Methala, 13 km's from Perumbavoor, we come across the Kallil Bhagawathi temple. It is a cave temple with carvings of Parswanath, Mahavira and Padmavathi reckoned to be of the 9th Century AD!. Jain monks seem to have come to this place finding an atmosphere of peace and tranquility conducive to meditation.

Kallil Bhagawathi - Up the Hill

Here is a video of Kallil Bhagawathi Temple

Buddhists too would not have been left behind since Emperor Asoka (304-232 BC) wished his Dhammam to spread far and wide. It is well known that his own daughter Sanghamitra and son Mahamahinda led a mission to Sri Lanka. In his rock Edict No.13, he mentions Cholas and Pandyas as having been won with Dhamma (they became followers of the faith). Kerala (Chera) was not included. There is a mention of Keralaputra which he has described in his 2nd major rock Edict as falling on the frontiers of his empire. In this Edict he informs having provided for medical facilities to humans as also animals (really great!).

A large number of Buddha idols have been discovered in the coastal districts of Alapuzha and Kollam. A large statue of Buddha is also reported from Lakshadweep (Kavaratti). There still exists a Buddhist temple known as Karumadi Kuttan near Ambalapuzha (Video Link). It is also believed that Kuramba Bhagawathy temple at Kodungallur was a Buddhist shrine or Vihara. There are also claims that the Vadakunnathan Shiva temple at Thrissur too was a Buddhist enclave. Interestingly, parents of Adi Shankaracharya are said to have made offerings at this temple for getting a child. Thus there seems to be some inconsistency.

Shri Rajaram Menon from Kaviyoor in southern Kerala has informed that :
"There is a cave temple in the village dedicated to Shiva, but is believed to have been built by Budhist or Jain monks. The main temple, a km away from the cave temple - again dedicatd to Shiva- is about 1000 years old. The cave is said to be older than this. The rock is called Thri-kakudi-para. (Thri=Thiru, kakudi=kal kudi, kal=stone/rock, kudi=home or settlement, para=rock). There must have been a settlement around the caves too; there is a piece of land still known as kakudi, a few blocks away from the rock. The area behind N.S.S. School in the village is still known as 'pallippuram', obvious reference to Budhist centre of learning/vihara. No excavation has been done here. Atop a nearby hill (mathimala), a tall stone-resembling shiv linga-was found and is now kept before the main temple. This could probably be an incomplete work of Budhist monks.


From the Palliyan Copper Plate of Ay King Varaguna (885-925 AD) we learn that Buddhism continued to enjoy royal patronage even in the 10th century AD. However the Ay Kings were Hindus. There is a Copper Plate assignable to the 9th century AD which tells about the construction of a Shiva temple at Tripparappu near Kulasekharam by an Ay King Karunanandakan (Sreevallabhan). This copper plate was inscribed by one Avilandrakan. This dynasty was ruling the southern part of Kerala.

Kaviyoor, incidentally, is one of the 64 brahmin settlements linked to Parasurama.

The rock temple is in a state of disrepair, though taken over by the state government. Not much is known about the village's past.

There is another place nearby - Mallappally - which is also believed to have been a Budhist centre. This village is also about 12 km east of Vazhappally, another ancient Budhist settlement."

Historical events in the sub continent lend support to assume that Jains and Buddhists had a presence in Kerala even prior to the Christian Era. While Jains entered Kerala from the North, Buddhists, on the other hand, seem to have gained entry from the South. Their decline which started somewhere in the 8th Century AD is mainly attributed to influx of Brahmins from the North, advent of Shankaracharya and the revival of the Vedic Culture. Both the faiths were completely assimilated and merged with Hinduism. People were back into the Hindu fold. Their Viharas and temples were taken over and Hindu shrines built, some for Bhagawathy and some for Lord Shiva. The Buddhist shrines must have been circular in shape for their Chaityas and the Hindu temples replacing them too followed suit. This is the obvious impact the Buddhist designs had on the temple architecture of Kerala. Most of the Jain temples were of the North Indian pattern excepting for the roof. They had their cave dwellings for their monks, which also were used to place Hindu deities.Buddha idols have been discovered in the coastal districts of Alapuzha and Kollam. A large statue of Buddha is also reported from Lakshadweep (Kavaratti). There still exists a Buddhist temple known as Karumadi Kuttan near Ambalapuzha (Video Link). It is also believed that Kuramba Bhagawathy temple at Kodungallur was a Buddhist shrine or Vihara. There are also claims that the Vadakunnathan Shiva temple at Thrissur too was a Buddhist enclave. Interestingly, parents of Adi Shankaracharya are said to have made offerings at this temple for getting a child. Thus there seems to be some inconsistency.

Once, while I was at home in Kerala, the Bharani festival at Kodungallur was going on. I sought permission from my Dad to visit that place. He told me that I can not withstand the happenings in the temple premises. That basically the devotees come from different lower classes. They take out processions singing dirty/erotic songs making obscene gestures and throwing dirty things at the temple premises. They use filthy language and apart from that thousands of Cocks/Chicken are brutally killed by way of an offering to the deity. The entire corridor will be smeared with blood and so on. He also explained about the 'Kavu Tindal' at length. When I questioned, him why such a tradion, he told me, these celebrations are in memory of the times when the place was inhabited by Bhikshus (could have been either Buddhists or Jains) and they were driven out.

During my efforts to enrich myself, I came across a well researched article by M.J. Gentes in the Asian Folklore Studies Vol 51, titled "Scandalizing the Goddess at Kodungallur". I am reproducing a portion which has appealed to my psyche.

"A historical and sect-based theory that attempts to explain the rite of polluting of the temple holds that originally Sri Kuramba Kavu was the shrine of a Jain goddess or a Buddhist vihara for nuns (see Obeyesekere 1984, 518-20). The Chera emperors whose capital was at Vanji, probably near or at Kodungallur, protected and supported Jain and Buddhist communities. The Buddhists flourished in Kerala during the fourth to the eighth centuries C.E.( Obeyesekere 1984, 517). At the end of this period, with the migrations of groups of Brahmin settlers into Kerala, the relegious climate began to change. The caste system as defined by the southern Indian Brahminism was gradually extended over the diverse residents, altering the social, ritual, and political positions of the different segments of the population. By the twelfth century Buddhism had virtually disappeared and the cult of the goddess Kali was in the ascendent. This growth led to the re-consecration of Jain and Buddhist sanctuaries as Bhagavati temples (Induchudan 1969, 200-201). In order to get the nuns to leave their residence at Kodungallur, low- caste devotees of Bhagawati were persuaded to throw animals and filth into the sanctuary (Induchudan 1969, 39). It was then rededicated to Bhadrakali and lost its institutional association with the Jains or Buddhists and with the Jain goddess Kannaki of the fourth century epic Shilappadikaram (The affair of the anklet). The worship of Kannaki was absorbed into the Kali cult, and the polluting of the temple during Bharani commemorates the original confrontation and transfer of liturgical control."

It would be pertinent to add here that "Cheraman Perumal" was a dynastic title enjoyed by all the rulers of the family as we could understand from various inscriptions of Cheras. The last of the Perumal was Rama Kulasekhara (1089-1122 AD). His Kollam inscription of 13th year tells us that he offered 'Prayaschittam' for having offended the Aryan of the place. This shows the brahmins had a upper hand in his kingdom.

From what has been observed above, it would be evident that Buddhism and Jainism ceased to exist in Kerala only after/around 12th Century AD.