Paradesi Synagogue

The Paradesi Synagogue is a synagogue in Jew Town, Mattancherry, in Kochi, Kerala, built in 1568 by the Paradesi, or foreign, Jews of the Malabar Coast. It is often described as the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations. The Paradesi community descended from Jewish families from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and the Middle East who settled in Kochi alongside the much older Malabar Jewish community.

The Paradesi Synagogue was built on land granted by the Raja of Kochi next to his own palace at Mattancherry. It was damaged during a Portuguese attack in 1662 and rebuilt two years later under the Dutch. In the 18th century the trader Ezekiel Rahabi added the clock tower and brought the hand-painted blue and white floor tiles from Canton in China. Most of Kochi's Jews emigrated to Israel after 1948, and only a handful remain, but the synagogue is still maintained and used for worship on special occasions.

What to see

• The floor of hand-painted blue and white Chinese porcelain tiles, no two quite alike
• Belgian glass chandeliers and hanging oil lamps
• The brass-railed central pulpit, or bimah, and the gilded ark
• The clock tower beside the entrance
• The lane of Jew Town, lined with spice warehouses and antique shops

What to wear

Visitors to the Paradesi Synagogue must remove their shoes and enter barefoot, so wear sandals. Cover shoulders and knees; sleeveless tops and shorts are not allowed inside. Mattancherry is hot and humid, so choose light cotton and carry water. Kerala's traditional dress is the off-white kasavu saree with a gold border and the white mundu worn by men, while Kochi's old Jewish families were known for their white and gold festive clothes.

Local food to try

Jew Town's small cafes serve cakes, juices and Kerala snacks, and some still offer Jewish-influenced dishes such as spiced fish cutlets. Mattancherry is a busy Muslim quarter too, so halal food is easy to find: look for Malabar biryani, pathiri rice pancakes and beef fry. Appam with stew and fish moilee are the Kochi staples. The spice shops of Jew Town sell pepper, cardamom and cloves to take home.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March, in the morning before the tour-bus crowds
• Open Sunday to Thursday, about 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 5pm; closed Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays
• Small entry fee payable at the gate
• Allow 20 to 30 minutes, plus time in Jew Town
• At the end of Synagogue Lane, about 3 km from Fort Kochi beach
• Photography is not allowed inside the prayer hall

Nearby places

The Paradesi Synagogue stands at the end of Jew Town, and the Mattancherry Palace is next door. Fort Kochi's St. Francis Church and the Chinese Fishing Nets are about 3 km away by auto-rickshaw.