The first mention of Jews in India occurs in The Bible (The Book of Esther) – dating from the 2nd Century B.C.E.  Due to their numerical insignificance, Indian Jews are sometimes unfamiliar within and without the Indian subcontinent.  This leads one to question whether Indian Jews are in jeopardy of double marginalisation?

 
• in the Indian Context  as they are a microscopic minority
• in the Context of World Jewry
Their relationship with host communities has been very cordial and in the case of the Maharashtrian Bene Israelis, there have been instances of inter-marriages with non-Jewish communities, primarily Hindus.
The Jews of India are originally an immigrant community from West Asia, the Middle East and Europe; they have lived and flourished in India for hundreds of years. Historically, the Jews came to India as traders. After the Indian independence in 1947 and the formation of the State of Israel in 1948, there has been a mass exodus of many Indian Jews including the Cochinis, to the “promised land” of Israel and subsequently to the UK, US and Australia. Recently the emigration of Tribal Jews from Manipur and Mizoram, in North East India has been much publicised by the media.  Critics like Nathan Katz and Raja Rao believe that Jewish emigration was accelerated by Indian independence and the uncertainties of postcolonial India. 

The Jews who remain in India, do so out of choice and consider themselves, Jewish and Indian or “Indian and Jewish” – whichever the case may be .” It is particularly interesting to note that Indian Jews have not experienced anti-Semitism, as seen in other parts of the world. Over the years, the Jews have integrated into Indian culture and made effective contributions in the fields of literature, journalism, entertainment, commerce and community affairs. 

The Jews of India can be broadly divided into 4 major groups:
• Bene Israeli – Children of Israel -(Bombay, Gujarat, Delhi) – originally from Persia and Arabia
• Cochini (Cochin, Kerala) – originally from Persia and Arabia and some parts of Europe
• Baghdadi (Bombay, Calcutta,) – originally from Baghdad
• Tribal Jews - Bne Menashe (Manipur and Mizoram) – who consider themselves to be one of the lost (10) tribes, exiled by Assyrian Kings in 722 BCE. 
In order to understand Indian Jewishness, one has to understand India and the existence of the East-West dichotomy in the Indian Jewish Context, which has resulted in:
• misinterpretation and mis-representation of the Indian  Jewish Context by Western writers
• lack of understanding of and sometimes lack of respect for Indian traditions

The Cochin Jews
History
There has been a lot of dispute about the date of arrival and settlement of the Cochin Jews in the ancient Kerala port of Cranganore, as renamed by the British (Kodungaloor to the Malayalis or Shingly to the Jews). There has been a history of trade between the Malabar (North Kerala – Cochin was then a part of Malabar) Coast and Israel, long before the establishment of the Cochin Jewish community. S.S.Koder in a paper presented in 1965 to the Kerala History Association traces the history of Jews in Kerala and states that “ from the 5th to the 15th century CE the Jews of Cranganore have had virtually an independent principality ruled over by a Prince of their own race and choice.”

There have been many theories regarding the Cochin Jews.  One of them being - the first Jews to arrive in Kerala were said to be part of King Solomon’s fleet, resulting in the exodus from Persia in the 5th century BCE.   Another theory is that the Kerala Jews were descendants of the Jews taken to Babylon by the Persian emperor Nebuchadnazar. However, it is widely believed that the first Jews came to Kerala as traders, after the destruction of the Second Temple of Palestine in the first Century BCE . 
Another disputed theory amongscholarsisregarding the date of the copper plates handed by the 4th Century Kerala Ruler, Cheraman Perumal (Sri Parkaran Iravi Varman) to the Jewish chieftain, Joseph Rabban, granting him revenue and land.  Joseph Rabban was thus made the prince of Anjuvannam and a Jewish principality was established in Cranganore in 379 CE. This date is disputed by various scholars and ranges from 379  to 750 CE.  The copper plates are inscribed in Vattezhuthu, originally in Tamil script then prevalent in Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), South Malabar and Travancore (Kerala).  The relationship between Cheraman Perumal and JosephRabban is illustrative of the cordial relationships between the Hindus and Jews, which is still maintained in Kerala.
The Jews initially settled in Shingly (Cranganore), which was later abandoned for Cochin, as a result of the onslaught of the Moors in 1524 and the Portuguese invasion in 1550.   The Cochin community was established under the patronage of the Maharaja of Cochin, Bhaskara Ravi Varma (of Perumpadappu Swarupam, one of the ruling royal families of Kerala), who donated land and property next to his Dutch Palace in Mattancheri, adjacent to the temple of his family deity, Pazhayannur Devi Temple .   This theme of welcome, royal patronage and hospitality is a guiding metaphor for Hindu-Jewish symbiosis in Kerala. Even in recent times, the Department of Education in Kerala, consults the community on dates of Jewish festivals. Although holidays are not declared, examinations are not conducted in Keraladuring these auspicious datesof the Jewish calendar.
At present there are only 13 Jews in Mattancheri and about 50 in neighbouring Ernakulam.  Most members of the Cochin community are over 60 years of age, with the youngest member being 30.  During my interviews with the Cochin Jews, I found that the “promised land” of Israel, practice of endogamy and adherence to the Judaic religion were other reasons for emigration.  When I asked Yosef Hellegua whether the Jewish enterprise would not have contributed towards the current economic growth of India, I was caught unawares.  Yosef retaliated with the question of why I emigrated to the West and whether I would come back. While I have no answer to his question, I reiterate my own.
 
Culture
Built in 1568, the Cochin Paradesi (foreigner) Synagogue is a historic, cultural and religious site. Presenting a uniquely Indian image, the synagogue is built in typical Kerala architecture with a courtyard and a Dutch-style clock tower, which has three existing faces with Roman, Hebrew and Malayalam numerals. The synagogue has a sloping red-tiled Chinese roof and white-washed walls. The layout resembles that of a Hindu temple with its Torana (entrance), Pradakshina Padha (courtyard) and the Garba Griha (inner sanctum). The Paradesi synagogue is now declared a heritage site and falls under the archaeological and historical trust of India. Hence photographs are not permitted inside the synagogue .  
As you step into the synagogue, you are immediately overwhelmed by the colour and beauty of the flooring, which comprises of Chinese blue-willow tiles, every four tiles repeating a pattern.   Salman Rushdie makes many references to these tiles in The Moor’s Last Sigh, a particularly interesting one is as follows:

Legends had begun to stick to them. Some said that if you explored long enough, you’d find your own story in one of the blue and white squares, because the pictures on the tiles could change, were changing , generation by generation, to tell the story of the Cochin Jews…
The highly elaborate interior is decorated by Belgian Glass and Brass Chandeliers. The Torah scrolls are enclosed in the Ark in the sanctuary of the synagogue, which houses the two podia symbolising heaven and earth. The Ark itself is made up carved teak wood in true Kerala tradition and painted red with gold gilding, not dissimilar to many wooden temple interiors of Kerala.
Nathan Katz in his book - Who are the Jews of India? -  points to a hereditary priesthood in the Mattancheri synagogue, akin to the Brahmanical priesthood of Kerala temples. However, I was informed by a Cochin Jew that there has never been a rabbi, appointed or otherwise in the Paradesi synagogue and prayers were always conducted by anyone who knew the rituals.  This highlights the egalitarian traits in Kerala society right from the days of the legendary demon king Mahabali or Maveli to the modern elected Communist government .
The traditions of the Cochin Jews are unique. Over the centuries, a number of Hindu customs are said to have filtered into the Jewish worship at Cochin. Coconut oil is burnt in glass tubes, before the Holy Ark.  It is to be noted that coconut oil is commonly used in prayer lamps of Hindu Temples and households in Kerala. Nathan Katz is of the opinion that that the tradition of circumambulation around the synagogue with the Torah scrolls parallel the Hindu pradakshina of the courtyard. Although the religious practices of the Cochin Jews are syncretic, they do not violate the essential Jewish principles according to Mr.Yosef Hellegua, who emphasised that, “The Jewish community have had some degree of assimilation into the Kerala background and at the same time, we maintain our uniqueness.”
In Jew Town, one senses a wonderful presence of mutual religious and cultural tolerance, which is reflective of the bigger India. This is echoed in the words of G.G.Salem, “The Hindu prayers, conch shells and bells of the temple next door are often heard in the synagogue and the Hebrew prayers and the shofar  (Jewish horn) echoes in the temple courtyard.”
Around the synagogue, is the famous antique market of Jew Town.  Considered to be established by Jewish traders, this market is now run by the local Malayalis, Gujarati settlers and other North Indians. The market is a multicultural mélee of antiques including Hindu, Christian, Oriental and Jewish artefacts. The various temple paraphernalia on sale consists of stone, wooden and metal sculptures depicting various Hindu mythical creatures, in particular mythical creatures with the Vyali mukha .
Language
The Cochin Jews are fluent in English and Malayalam.  Hebrew also contributes to their language repertoire. The traditional language is called Judaeo-Malayalam, which is not  written in Hebrew script but in Malayalam alphabet.  It is considered the only known Dravidian Jewish language.  It is actually a dialect of Malayalam, the language of Kerala. It contains a large number of Hebrew and Tamil words. The Malayalam Scholar from Kerala’s ShreeShankaracharyaSanskritUniversity, Skaria Zachariah feels that Jewish Malayalam contains many Dravidian archaisms.
Some of the Dravidian archaisms of Jewish Malayalam are of religious significance and are shared by the Christians, Muslims and Jews of Kerala:
• Thampuran – Lord, master
• Padachavan – Creator
• Sadakan – Doer
• Adiperiyon –  Great beginner
These words signify a sense of ethno-religious distinctiveness.  However, spoken Jewish Malayalam is not distinct from the dialect and accent of Cochin Malayalam.  Again a typical Kerala phenomenon is observant here, Malayalam spoken by the Hindus consists of a large number of Sanskrit words, Muslims incorporate Arabic words and Christians  incorporate Arabic and Syriac words into their language.

The Jewish Malayalam songs of Cochin are as unique if not as well known as the Mapillapaatu (Muslim folk songs) of Kerala. They were originally written by Jewish women of Cochin and Malabar.   They are sung during the rites of passage and other festive occasions and constitute of Hebrew words, religious signifiers, blessings, biblical allusions and prayers. With great difficulty, I managed to procure a CD of Jewish songs from one of the local traders. The disc begins with a dedication to the Jews of the world and the songs are in Jewish Malayalam. They follow the pattern of traditional Kerala folk songs like Kaikottikali songs. They are a genuine contribution to Malayalam and Jewish Literature. Sarah Cohen , a Cochin Jew and one of the singers , said, “It is a pity that the Jewish Malayalam songs are a dying tradition. The tradition needs to be preserved.”

 
In Conclusion
The Cochin Jews present a celebration of India and Jewishness. Tolerance and appreciation have been shown to them by the ancient rulers and the current Government of Kerala.  In return, the Jews affirm their Indian identity. The Cochin Jews have succeeded in maintaining the dual characteristics of Jewishness and Indianness, with no sense of alienation. Their contribution to the literature and language of Kerala and India in the form of Jewish Malayalam songs is unique. Judaeo Malayalam is an offshoot of mainstream Malayalam and deservedly requires further study.
In spite of numerous emigrations, Cochin Jews  take pride on their Malayali Jewishness. The Cochin Jews also insist that they carry their Kerala culture, wherever they go. Nathan Katz highlights the many traditions of Cochin Jews that are  still preserved in Israel.
The Cochin Jews certainly contribute towards the contemporary discussions about continuity within the Jewish world.  They have identified aspects of both Judaic and Indic cultures within themselves and have lived as Indians, preserving their culture and traditions thus participating fully in the multicultural environment of Kerala and the wider India.  Their culture and traditions demonstrate:
• an Indian interstitial space in the world Jewish Community
• an in-between space within India of a Jewish identity that has imbibed the traditions of both cultures. 
The traditions of the Cochin Jews shed light on Postcolonial Indian Jewishness that can be considered one of Jewry’s contemporary issues from the perspective of establishing communal identity. Within India, the Cochin Jewish community subscribes to the dialogic commitment of the Hindu majority towards other religions and immigrant cultures. This in turn is reflective of India’s long multicultural history and is very much relevant in the context of the postcolonial Indian tenet of unity in diversity, which describes a sense of oneness despite differences.
The Cochin Jews portray a microcosm of independent India with all her complexities and developing cosmopolitan culture.  Their religious and cultural co-existence and emigration highlight the attitudes and ironies of postcolonial India.  Their Jewish identity is representative of contemporaneity within a secular Indian environment. 
This article is based on my research project on Indian Jews and the Indian Jewish writer, Nissim Ezekiel and was part of a paper and Power Point Presentation made at an International Postcolonial Seminar, held in the auspices of the Institute of English Studies, Senate House, University of London,  in March, this year. Parts of this presentation were encored at The Open University Postgraduate Literature Conference, CamdenTown, London. This research project would not have been possible without the help of many kind people in four countries (India, Israel, Australia and UK) and three continents. I would like to express my sincere gratitude especially to the Jews of Cochin,  the tradesmen and the antique merchants of JewTown, Cochin.(Usha Kishore)

Born in Kerala, South India, Usha Kishore now lives on the Isle of Man. Usha’s poetry, short stories and articles  have been published in magazines and anthologies in the UK, US,  Ireland, Europe, New Zealand and India. 
Photographs – Mahesh Subramoney

Notes

Cochin or Kochi, Kerala , South India.
Yosef Hellegua in an interview with Usha Kishore.
S.S. Koder, “The Jews of Cochin”, Jewish Welfare Association, News Delhi, 1999.
The dates are highly disputed and I have used the most agreed dates.  There is also an ambiguity between CE and BCE in many historical documents.
It is to be noted that Cheraman Perumal (the King of Cheras) is a title and does not refer to any single ruler.
The name Bhaskara Ravi Varma is repeated in history texts. Earlier, the Cheraman Perumal was also called Parkaran Iravi Varman. It can be assumed that this is an ancestral name of the Royal family of Cochin.
The Pazhayannur  Devi temple is often referred to as the Pazhayannur Krishna temple by many Jewish writers, Western and Indian. This may be because the shrine of Krishna that is also housed within the main Devi temple is closest to the synagogue.
The photos of the interior of the Paradeshi synagogue that accompany this article are scans from postcards or from internet sources.
Nathan Katz, Who are the Jews of India? (California:  University of California Press, 2000).
G.G.Salem in an interview with Usha Kishore.
Currently Kerala is ruled by a communist government. 
Sanskrit for circumambulation
The Vyali mukha translated as vyali face.  The Vyali is sometimes referred to as the lion, it is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as crocodile. The practised multicultural eye could certainly interpret the Vyali as a dragon or a sphinx.
Sarah Cohen in an interview with Usha Kishore

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_India