India, born of this rich tapestry of cultures and religions, also has an almost unknown but very fascinating Jewish heritage. Small in numbers but not insignificant, the Jewish community in India has contributed much to the cultural and architectural landscape of the land. From Mumbai street scenes bustling with activity to the quite different scenes of backwaters in Kerala, Jewish buildings speak stories of people who have lived and flourished in India for generations. These are not synagogues or houses but monument-witnesses to an extraordinary confluence of Jewish and Indian cultures.
The experience of the Jews in India is as old as over two thousand years. There are three main streams of Jews in India: the Bene Israel, the Cochin Jews, and the Baghdadi Jews. Intrinsic to each group is its own particular history and contributions that find their place in the buildings they erected.
The Bene Israel community, believed to have arrived in India around 175 BCE, primarily settled in the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Traditionally, they hold that they were wrecked along the Indian coast and then lost their Hebrew scriptures and knowledge of Jewish rituals. They adopted local practices over time while continuing to self-identify as Jews, which was expressed in the synagogues that they built. One of the famous examples is the Magen Abraham Synagogue in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Constructed in 1934, this synagogue provides an individual example of traditional Jewish architecture with Indian influences in local materials and ornamental motifs.
Now, turning toward the southern areas, Cochin Jews have an existence dating back a millennium. They settled in the coastal state of Kerala and had very prosperous communities centered in cities like Cochin—now Kochi. The 1568 Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi is the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations. This synagogue reflects in magnificent form the fusion of Jewish and Indian architectural styles. The floor is lined with 18th-century, hand-painted Chinese porcelain tiles, none of them identical. The interiors are lit up with Belgian chandeliers and brass lamps, reflecting the trade links that the Cochin Jews had built up with various parts of the world. There is also a clock tower—the only one of its kind in synagogues—and a gold-and-silver-coated Torah ark in this synagogue complex—amalgamations rarely found together in synagogues elsewhere.
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The Baghdadi Jews came to India in the 18th and 19th centuries, mainly as traders. They made their homes in Bombay and Calcutta, cities in the urban centers. Their synagogues and buildings are hence more modern and cosmopolitan in character than those of the Bene Israel and Cochin Jews. One of the more famous Baghdadi synagogues is the Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue in Bombay, dating to 1884. Its turquoise-colored facade combines to erect Gothic architecture amidst the city. The wealth and cultural cosmopolitanism of the Baghdadi Jews can be seen in elements such as the church’s stained glass windows, Victorian furnishings, and marble altar inside.
Apart from these synagogues, there are Jewish cemeteries and schools that very significantly form part of India’s architectural heritage. For instance, the Jewish cemetery in the Chinchpokli area of Mumbai dates back to the 19th century; many graves could shed light on the lives and contributions of Jewish individuals living in Indian society. Similarly, an institution like Jewish educational institutions—such as Sir Jacob Sassoon High School in Mumbai itself—speaks for the emphasis of the community toward education and culturally carrying it forward.
The Jewish buildings in India are not just architecture but living histories that bring out the emotions of a diaspora community. They bear witness to how these Jews strived to maintain their religious and cultural identity in the midst of finding their space within the diverse tapestry that is Indian society. They also symbolize mutual respect and acceptance between the Jewish community and the larger Indian populace. In most parts of the world, Jews have not been persecuted much in India, and therefore, they prospered here and contributed to its development worldwide.
Besides, such buildings serve as cultural bridges between the past and the present. Interest in preserving or restoring the Jewish heritage sites of India has revived in recent decades. Organizations and individuals are at work to make sure that these historical treasures are not lost to time. Guided restoration projects, guided tours, and cultural festivals bring awareness about India’s Jewish heritage and promote intercultural dialogue.
These Jewish buildings in India stand much more as architectural landmarks, for they are a repository of history, culture, and faith, reflecting how a community journeyed on the tides of time undeterred in its identity. We walk through these buildings and remember so much about our rich and varied inheritance that stands as the hallmark of India and the eternal tradition of her Jewish sons.
