Visiting Kerala has been full of surprises because, first is it a big state filled with innumerable tourist spots and destinations. It is place where there are places which are popular for scenic beauty, while the others have some religious or historical significance.
While we were in Kochin one of the places which really made an impression in my mind was the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam. Located near the Ernakulam market, it is one of the most well maintained synagogues of India.
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. The attendant at the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam told us that the place goes back to centuries. It was written on the scriptures that this synagogue was established in the 1950s.
The scriptures on the walls and the antique furniture gave us a glimpse of the Jewish culture and also the ancient times. The entire place is filled long beautiful glass chandeliers which show signs of time and lineage.
While we were in Kochin one of the places which really made an impression in my mind was the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam. Located near the Ernakulam market, it is one of the most well maintained synagogues of India.
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. The attendant at the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam told us that the place goes back to centuries. It was written on the scriptures that this synagogue was established in the 1950s.
The scriptures on the walls and the antique furniture gave us a glimpse of the Jewish culture and also the ancient times. The entire place is filled long beautiful glass chandeliers which show signs of time and lineage.
The entry to the synagogue is free but the visitors are required to enter bare foot. Though it been around for ages the interiors of it are well maintained and quite clean.
The synagogue offers peace and serenity, though it is situated near the market in the middle of a bustling district it offers the perfect silence and stillness which is hard to find these days.
After spending around an hour or at the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam we decided to leave a have an exploratory walk in their neighborhood.
Upon asking a local about the synagogue we were told that in the earlier days this area was quite densely populated to the Malabari Jews.
While walking we also came across the Vasco Da Gama home stay which was a named after the great explorer Vasco Da Gama who had stayed in the nearby area. Visiting the Ernakulam market area gave us a feel of the place, a glimpse to the culture and the way of life of the people living there which is quite different from the fast paced life of the cities.
The synagogue offers peace and serenity, though it is situated near the market in the middle of a bustling district it offers the perfect silence and stillness which is hard to find these days.
After spending around an hour or at the Paradesi Synagogue Ernakulam we decided to leave a have an exploratory walk in their neighborhood.
Upon asking a local about the synagogue we were told that in the earlier days this area was quite densely populated to the Malabari Jews.
While walking we also came across the Vasco Da Gama home stay which was a named after the great explorer Vasco Da Gama who had stayed in the nearby area. Visiting the Ernakulam market area gave us a feel of the place, a glimpse to the culture and the way of life of the people living there which is quite different from the fast paced life of the cities.