A CEMETERY BEHIND THE THEKKUMBHAGOM SYNAGOGUE OF MATTANCHERRY

So far I discussed about five Jewish cemeteries in Ernakulam-Cochin region: the old (non functional) and the new (functional) cemeteries in Ernakulam city; the Malabari (left with the single tomb of ‘Nehemiah Motta’) and the Paradesi (functional) cemeteries in Mattancherry; and the ‘Meshuchararim Cemetery’ (extinct) at Fort Cochin. In Mattancherry, since two out of the three synagogues, viz. the ‘Kadavumbagam’ and the ‘Paradesi’ maintained a cemetery of their own, I asked if the third synagogue, the ‘Thekkumbagam’ had a cemetery? Although the answer is not positive, the quest provided a new candidate.

I didn’t have a clue until I came across an article written by a ‘Cochin Jew’ in the Jewish Chronicle more than 100 years ago. The anonymous author is identified as the Paradesi Jewish leader and Rabbi, Isaac Elias (I E) Hallegua (1862-1941), who is also the first Cochin Jew to graduate from India (in 1884). Understandably, a staunch proponent of the Paradesi viewpoints, he wrote a three-part series in the ‘Jewish Chronicle’ to proclaim his community’s (White Jews) superiority over the Malabari (Black) Jews in Kerala. Though these articles (Malabar Jews I, II and III) have a strong anti-Malabari Jewish tone, they give us certain valuable information about the state of Cochin Jews in early 20^th century.

In the 1906 ‘Jewish Chronicle’ article (Malabar Jews II, October 19, Page 31), I E Hallegua, the ‘Cochin Jew’, mentions about an old cemetery in the Jew Town of Mattancherry. In his words: ‘There is an old cemetery in Cochin adjacent to the White Jews’ quarter, partly bounded on the east by the Theckumbhagam Synagogue’. The description places the cemetery behind the Thekkumbagam Synagogue (remember the entrance to the synagogue faced east) and south to the ‘Paradesi Synagogue’. We also know from him that the cemetery was not walled. The cemetery then should have been somewhere in the yellow encircled area in the Map given below. See also the location of the current 'Paradesi Cemetery' a few meters south west to this extinct graveyard.

Hallegua claims that no Malabari Jew was buried in this cemetery. In his view, the cemetery was possessed by the Paradesi Jews until 1783, and as they ceased to make use of it, the non-walled graveyard was encroached by the locals, who took away all but ten tombstones, which remained with the Jewish community. He even identifies the oldest tombstone with a Paradesi Jewish woman named Sarah Moses Salah, whose burial was dated 1581. The present Paradesi Cemetery is believed to be not more than 250 years old, and fits with the conclusion of I E Hallegua that their earlier cemetery stopped functioning by late 18th century. According to J B Segal (1993), the oldest tombstone surviving in the four cemeteries of Cochin is that of a Paradesi woman named Leah, daughter of Moses Belila, who died in 1540 ('The History of the Jews of Cochin', p.31). James  Julian  Cotton in his monumental work, 'List of Inscriptions on Tombs or Monuments in Madras', Vol-2 (1905) mentions specifically about a cemetery. He calls it, "the 'Beth Haim" or "House of Life" at the back of the Jews' quarter, Muttoncherry" and records the oldest tombstone dated 11th Elul 5426 (i.e., 1666 ) belonging to "the venerable chief Rabbi Moses Alegoa" (Hallegua). 

Naftali Bar Giora's "A Note on the History of the Synagogues in  Cochin" (1958) is an important reference for the study of synagogues in Kerala, unfortunately the text is in Hebrew and I didn't have access to this work until recently. I wish to discuss his narrative on the Jewish cemeteries of Cochin in detail. He describes about four Jewish cemeteries in Cochin; 

1)  Pallit Todam (i.e. Palli Thodam)-behind the Thekkumbhagom synagogue;
2) Pallit Parambu (i.e. Palli Parambu) -nearby " Beit Cherian";
3) Beit Khavarot Hadash (i.e. the New Jewish Cemetery)-south of Ernakulam;
4) "Cherian Parambu"- also Beit Khavarot Hadash where only Paradesi Jews are buried. 

The first cemetery: Since this cemetery is reported behind the Thekkumbhagom synagogue, it is the one referred by Hallegua. Bar Giora records that the cemetery was not functional anymore, however unlike Hallegua, he claims that it was used by both the Malabari and the Paradesi communities. The oldest tombstone: "Isaac bar Abraham"-died on Wednesday, 20 Sivan 5331 (i.e. 23 June 1571). 

The 2nd cemetery: He cites the cemetery being used by all three communities (Paradesi, Kadavumbhagom and Thekkumbhagom synagogues) and wast located near "Beit Cherian Cemetery" which is the current Paradesi cemetery. This would indicate that the 2nd cemetery, the "Palli Parambu" is the Malabari Jewish cemetery where the tomb of Nehemiah Motta is located. The oldest tombstone:  "Leah Bat Mosheh Belilah" who died on 5300 (i.e. 1540).

 The 3rd cemetery: "The New Jewish Cemetery" south of Ernakulam is in fact the current old Jewish cemetery in Convent Junction. In this cemetery, Bar Giora reports burial of- 1) people who died in the epidemic of 1790,  and 2) the Bene Israeli Officer, "Samuel Ezekiel Divengar (Divekar)" who was released from the captivity of Tipu Sultan by the efforts of  Ezekiel Rahabi-the wealthy Jewish merchant of Cochin. His burial date is given as: Wednesday, 14 Kislev, 5557 (i.e. 14 December 1796). However, he reports erroneously, that only Paradesi Jews are buried in the cemetery!

The 4th cemetery is the current Paradesi Jewish cemetery.  Bar Giora's reference is-"new cemetery", near the 2nd cemetery, and exclusively used by the Paradesi Jews. The name "Cherian Parambu" for the Paradesi cemetery is unusual, may be he was confused with the "Cheraman Parambu" in Kodungallur. 

Thus, according to Bar Giora, the oldest tombstone in Cochin belongs to a woman named Leah Bat Mosheh Belilah (d. 1540) buried in the cemetery near Paradesi cemetery, i.e. the Malabari Jewish Cemetery, and the oldest tomb in the cemetery behind the Thekkumbhagom synagogue is in the name of Isaac bar Abraham" (d. 1571). 

Following my recent (September, 2019) correspondence with Prof. Barbara Johnson, she shared a valuable information regarding the local name of the site where the cemetery was located. The empty area behind the Paradesi and Thekkumbhagom synagogues was called "Mupatti Munnam"-the significance of the name is unknown.