Chendamangalam is a small village that is 4 kilometres away from North Paravur town in Ernakulam district, Kerala, South India. This village has got an immense cultural and a historical heritage. It is also an indispensable part of the remarkable Muziris project. Here we are explaining about the history of Chendamangalam Jewish synagogue that is positioned in Kottayil Kovilakam. Kottayil Kovilakam is only 2 kilometres away from Chendamangalam.
This synagogue constructed by the Malabar Jews (black Jews) in AD 1420 after their exodus from Kodungallur due to some political reasons. In 1420, the Malabar Jews settled at Kottayil Kovilakam within side the Chendamangalam and turned it into a trading center. Later, a synagogue modeled at the Temple in Jerusalem was built here. Once it was destroyed in a fire and was reconstructed in 1614 and renovated several times. It was the King of Villarvattom who gifted the land to build the synagogue.
When we enter into the Synagogue after the Azara we can see a hall which has beautiful bay windows and elegant chandeliers at the ceiling of the synagogue. Both sides of the main hall have a spiral staircase that leads to the balcony where the Jewish women used to pray. At the top, the Torah (holy book of Jews) is kept in a sacred place. The center of the main prayer hall is where the Rabbie (Jewish priest) stands before the believers for the sermon.
Now nearly all the population of the Malabar Jews migrated to Israel where their assumed promised land is situated. Not far away from the synagogue, a number of places have historical importance like a Syrian catholic church which has around a thousand years old, Sreekrishnaswamy temple, vypikotta seminary which was constructed by the Portuguese in sixteenth century, the Juma masjid which is believed to have been the last one among the ten mosques established by Malik bin dinar and Paliyam Kovilakam (palace).
Comments