Down a narrow lane in Mattancherry, past antique shops and the old spice godowns, stands one of the most remarkable buildings in Kerala: the Paradesi Synagogue, built in 1568 and still holding services. It is the surviving heart of Jew Town, and of the Cochin Jews — a community whose presence on this coast is among the oldest of any Jewish community in the world.
An ancient trading community
By tradition, Jews reached the Malabar coast in antiquity — some accounts reach back to the time of King Solomon, others to the centuries after the destruction of the Second Temple — drawn, like so many, by the spice trade. Firm evidence is later: a set of engraved copper plates granted trading and social privileges to a Jewish leader, Joseph Rabban, by a local ruler, and medieval travellers recorded thriving Jewish settlements on the coast. When the old port of Cranganore declined, the community moved to Cochin.
The Paradesi Synagogue
Built in 1568 beside the Mattancherry Palace, the Paradesi Synagogue is often called the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth. Inside are its famous hand-painted, blue-and-white Chinese floor tiles — no two quite alike — Belgian glass chandeliers, and the copper plates preserved as treasured relics. It is small, and all the more moving for it.
A community that left
After the founding of Israel in 1948, the great majority of Cochin Jews emigrated, many to farming communities in their new country. Only a handful now remain in Kerala, and the synagogue today is as much a memorial and a museum as a living house of worship — a poignant last chapter of a two-thousand-year story.
- The synagogue is in Jew Town, Mattancherry, a short walk from the Mattancherry (Dutch) Palace.
- It’s closed on Saturdays (the Jewish sabbath) and Jewish holidays; check current visiting hours and the modest entry fee.
- Dress respectfully and remove footwear as required; photography inside is usually not allowed.
- The surrounding Jew Town lanes of antique and spice shops are worth a wander.
Frequently asked questions
How old is the Jewish community of Cochin?
The Cochin Jews are among the oldest Jewish communities in the world. Tradition traces their arrival on the Malabar coast to antiquity through the spice trade; firm evidence comes later, including copper plates granting privileges to the Jewish leader Joseph Rabban.
When was the Paradesi Synagogue built?
In 1568, in Jew Town, Mattancherry, beside the Mattancherry Palace. It is often described as the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth and is famous for its hand-painted Chinese floor tiles.
Do Cochin Jews still live in Kerala?
Very few — after the founding of Israel in 1948 most emigrated, and only a handful of Cochin Jews remain in Kerala today. The Paradesi Synagogue now serves as much as a memorial and museum as a living place of worship.