Thekkumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteSephardi
StatusExtinct
Location
LocationMattancherry, Kerala
CountryIndia
Geographic coordinates9°57′24″N 76°15′35″E / 9.956668°N 76.259727°E / 9.956668; 76.259727
Architecture
TypeSynagogue
StyleCochin Jewish architecture
Completed1647
Destroyed1960
Direction of façadeEast

The Thekkumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue aka Thekkumbhagam Synagogue was a synagogue located in Mattancherry Jew Town, a suburb of Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It was built in 1647 AD.[1][2][3][4] by the Malabar Jews, on land donated by the Maharajah of Cochin and was one of the oldest known synagogues in India. It was the fourth to be built in Mattancherry after they fled to Cochin from Muziris and it was one of three in the area, the others being the Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue (1539 AD) and the Paradesi Synagogue (1568 AD) of the Paradesi Jews of Cochin.

The name of the synagogue is believed to refer to a much older synagogue that once stood in Kodungaloor. The Thekkumbhagam palli (synagogue) was built in typical Kerala-style Jewish architecture and was almost identical to the nearby Paradesi Synagogue though it had a much longer breezeway and a different design of gatehouse.[5][6][7][1] A curious feature of the synagogue were four ostrich eggs that were hung for good luck.[8][9][6][2]

In 1955, the entire congregation made aliyah to Israel leaving the synagogue in the care of S. Koder of the Paradesi community to be taken care and maintained.[2][1][7][6] In the 1960s, the synagogue was torn down and a two-story residential house was constructed.[1][3][7] The only remaining relic from this monument is the hekal that was brought and is currently preserved in The Magnes Museum in Berkeley, California, USA.[6][5][4][2][1]

It changed hands again and now a heritage hotel is being constructed.[1][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Waronker, Jay (20 October 2010). "The Synagogues Of Kerala, India: Their Architecture, History, Context, And Meaning". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Daniel, Ruby; Johnson, Barbara C. (2002). Ruby of Cochin: An Indian Jewish woman remembers. Varda Books. ISBN 1-59045-649-1. OCLC 1243580690.
  3. 1 2 Pereyra de Paiva, Mosseh (1687). Relacion de las noticias de los judios de Cochin. OCLC 233661908.
  4. 1 2 Jussay, P.M. (1990). "The Origins of the Kerala Jews – An Evaluation of their Traditional Sources". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 51: 66–74. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 44148189.
  5. 1 2 3 Nathan., Katz (1993). The last Jews of Cochin : Jewish identity in Hindu India. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 0-87249-847-6. OCLC 246707556.
  6. 1 2 3 4 S., Koder, S. (1974). History of the Jews of Kerala. [publisher not identified]. OCLC 3415398.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Isaac., Rabinowitz, Louis (1952). Far East mission. Eagle Press. OCLC 1116199220.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Soltes, Ori Z. (2021). Growing up Jewish in India: Synagogues, Customs, and Communities from the Bene Israel to the Art of Siona Benjamin. ISBN 9789389136814.
  9. ↑ Isaac., Rabinowitz, Louis (1952). Far East mission. Eagle Press. OCLC 1116199220.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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