MATTENCHERY AND PARDESI SYNAGOGUE

A Synagogue is the house of assembly or house of prayers. Within an area small enough to cover foot, bicycle or auto- rickshaw, glimpses of Kochi’s variegated history greets you at virtually every turn. The Pardesi Synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known Jew town. Despite the large number of tourists visiting daily, trade is still the most important activity here in Jew town, where shops are busy with the business of tea, jute, rubber, chilies, turmeric, cashew etc. It is the oldest Synagogue in the Common Wealth Nations. It was built in 1568 by the Malabar Yehudan people or the Cochin Jewish community. Pardesi is a word used in the several Indian languages because it was historically used by “white Jews”, a mixture of Jews from Middle East and European exiles. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish synagogue or Mattenchery. The complex has four buildings. It is so called Pardesi Synagogue because it was built with Dutch Patronage at a time when Kochi was under Dutch occupation. In the mid 18th century, the clock tower was added and the floors paved with exquisite hand painted blue willow tiles from China, no two tiles are alike and beautiful Chandelier, the great scrolls of the Old Testament and copper plates stands out. Kochi is a good example to show unity in diversity.