Paravur Synagogue

The Paravur Synagogue aka Parur Synagogue (Malayalam: പറവൂർ ജൂതപള്ളി) (Hebrew: בית הכנסת פראבור) is one of the largest and most complete among the Jewish synagogues in Kerala, located in North Paravur (Parur).[1] Built by the Malabar Jews, it has undergone successive phases of destruction and reconstruction. The present synagogue complex dates to 1616 A.D., but it was built on top of a much older building speculated to have been constructed as early as 750 A.D or 1105 A.D.,[2] making it one of the oldest synagogues in India and the Common Wealth of Nations. It is currently non-operational as a synagogue for worship. It has been renovated by the Government of Kerala and is open to public visits as the Kerala Jews History Museum.

For a full list of Synagogues in Kerala, see List of Synagogues in Kerala.

Paravur Synagogue

בית הכנסת פראבור

പറവൂർ ജൂതപള്ളി
Religion
AffiliationOrthodox Judaism
RiteSephardi
StatusKerala Jews Lifestyle Museum
Location
LocationParavur Taluk, Kerala
CountryIndia
Geographic coordinates10.1797°N 76.2097°E / 10.1797; 76.2097
Architecture
TypeSynagogue
Style
Completed1616
Direction of façadeSouth

History
For more information, see Paravur Taluk, Cochin Jews, and History of the Jews in India.

Jewish people (Malabar Jews) had been arriving in Kerala since 1st millennia BC for trading, and their communities were mostly settled around today's Kodungallur region (which was then a trading port named Muziris) and Kollam. They received royal patronage and special rights from the local Chera kings such as Cheraman Perumal and established Synagogues at their respective settlements for public worship.[3][4]

This was documented in the copper plates dated 10th century AD issued by Bhaskara Ravi Varman to the Jewish community leader Joseph Rabban.[4][5]

In the 14th century AD, after the Periyar Flood of 1341 (that also caused a Tsunami, according to some sources [1]), the community had to relocate to nearby towns such as Paravur, Chendamangalam and Kochi. Memories of this incident were preserved by oral tradition through traditional songs in Jewish Malayalam.[6][7][8]

The Paravur Synagogue is among the oldest synagogues that still exist in Kerala and is also the largest Synagogue complex.[9] The current synagogue was built in 1615 AD at the Jewish street of Paravur and very close to the Paravur Market where the Jewish community had settled and worked as traders. However, traditional accounts hint at a much older heritage, indicating that it was built on top of the ruins of an older synagogue dated 1165 AD.[5]

Synagogue in the Piyyutim of Cochin Jews

Although the community lived peacefully throughout their history among the locals, there were conflicts due to foreign invaders such as Mysore Kingdom (during the Malabar raids led by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan during the 18th century) and European colonizers such as Portuguese and Dutch during 16th and 17th centuries.[9] According to a traditional Jewish Malayalam song, the synagogue was put to fire in 1662, most likely by the Portuguese, at around the same time when the Paradesi Synagogue near Fort Kochi was also burnt.[10]

After the modern State of Israel was established in 1948, the Paravur Jews started to make Aliyah.[1] As of 1949, there were about three hundred Jews still living in Paravur, but most of them immigrated to Israel in large numbers by the mid 1950s.[9] By 1970s, the public worship at the Synagogue ceased as the minyan (the quorum or minimum number of 10 Jewish adults required to conduct worship) could not be met and the Synagogue largely remained unattended during later decades.[9] The last ever worship service was conducted in 1988.[5]

The ark and bima of the Parur Synagogue are now displayed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem

According to a report by the International Survey of Jewish Monuments (ISJM), the original bimah and the ark (containing Torah scrolls) were moved to Israel in 1995 and preserved there.[5]

Kerala Jews Lifestyle Museum

In 1996, the synagogue was declared as a protected monument, however it continued to remain mostly neglected until 2009 when it was handed over to the Kerala State Department of Archaeology.[5] Since 2010, the Government renovated the dilapidated structure as part of the Muziris Heritage Project and converted this into a museum to highlight the Jewish heritage of Kerala.[11] They were opened to public in 2014.[12][13]

Paravur Jews

Architecture
For more information, see List of synagogues in Kerala and Cochin Jewish Architecture.

The Paravur Synagogue is built with a unique blend of traditional Jewish Synagogue architecture as well as Kerala architectural styles. This is most evident in the use of padippura (arched gateway) along the path that leads to the main building.[10][11]

Gatehouse (padippura)

Similar to the architecture of other synagogues in Kerala, it has a balcony and a separate gallery for women to assemble, with direct access from outside through a staircase.

The exterior inner wall of the Synagogue compound also holds a plaque dated 1616, with Hebrew text engraved on a stone slab under the name of David Ya’acov Castiel Mudaliar, the fourth Mudaliyar (community leader) of the Kerala Jews, who was instrumental in the rebuilding of the Synagogue.[1][9]

See also

References
  1. Shalva Weil (16 July 2010). "A revival of Jewish heritage on the Indian tourism trail". The Jerusalem Post (JPost.com). Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  2. "The Synagogues of Kerala". cochinsyn.com. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  3. Anandan, S.; Anandan, S. (2 December 2013). "On display, the history of Malabar Jews". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. "Steeped in Jewish history: The Kerala relics Modi gifted to Netanyahu on his maiden Israel visit". The News Minute. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. Srivathsan, A (16 March 2010). "Paravur synagogue to be restored". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  6. Weil, Shalva (1 November 2009). "The Place of Alwaye in Modern Cochin Jewish History". Journal of Modern Jewish Studies. 8 (3): 319–335. doi:10.1080/14725880903263044. ISSN 1472-5886. S2CID 143889867.
  7. Pradeep, P (26 May 2003). "Jewish songs in Malayalam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 June 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  8. Gamliel, Ophira (2009). PhD Thesis: Jewish Malayalam Women's Songs (PDF). Hebrew University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  9. Waronker, Jay A. "Kerala - Parur Synagogue". indianjews.org. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  10. Waronker, Jay A. "The Synagogues of Kerala". cochinsyn.com. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  11. "Kerala Jews Historical Museum at Paravur Synagogue | Museums at Muziris Heritage Project". www.muzirisheritage.org. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  12. Staff Reporter (4 March 2014). "Museums opened as part of Muziris project". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  13. Jain, Mahima A (27 November 2014). "Kerala's 3,000-year-old history gets four new homes". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
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