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{{short description|Former synagogue in Kochi, Kerala, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox religious building
| building_name = Kochangadi Synagogue
בית הכנסת קוצ'נגאדי
കൊച്ചങ്ങാടി ജൂതപള്ളി
| religious_affiliation = [[Orthodox Judaism]]
| image = Cochin Jewish Inscription.JPG
| image_upright =
| caption = Hebrew inscription on a tablet from the Kochangadi Synagogue, now placed at the eastern wall of the Paradesi Synagogue
| location = [[Kochangadi]], [[Kerala]]
| geo =
| rite =
| country = India
| consecration_year =
| functional_status = Extinct (lost)
| leadership =
| website =
| architect =
| architecture_type = [[Synagogue]]
| architecture_style = [[Cochin Jewish Architecture]]
| groundbreaking =
| year_completed = 1344 A.D
| construction_cost =
| date_demolished = 1789 A.D
| facade_direction = Unkown
| capacity =
| length =
| width =
| width_nave =
| height_max =
| materials =
| specifications = no
}}
The '''Kochangadi Synagogue''', or '''Misro Synagogue''' ( [[Malayalam|Mal]]: '''കൊച്ചങ്ങാടി ജൂതപള്ളി''' or '''മിസ്രൊ പള്ളി''') ([[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]: '''בית הכנסת קוצ'נגאדי''' ) (1344 A.D - 1789 A.D) was a historic [[synagogue]] located in [[Kochangadi]], south of [[Mattancherry|Jew Town]] in [[Kochi]], in the coastal state of [[Kerala]]. It was built in 1344 A.D<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Jay.|first=Waronker|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/671537518|title=The synagogues of Kerala, India : their architecture, history, context, and meaning|date=2010|oclc=671537518}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last=Jussay|first=P.M.|date=1990|title=The Origins of the Kerala Jews - An Evaluation of their Traditional Sources|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148189|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume=51|pages=66–74|jstor=44148189|issn=2249-1937}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Nathan.|first=Katz|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/246707556|title=The last Jews of Cochin : Jewish identity in Hindu India|date=1993|publisher=Univ. of South Carolina Press|isbn=0-87249-847-6|oclc=246707556}}</ref> by the [[Cochin Jews|Malabari Jews]] after fleeing from [[Kodungallur|Cranganore]], making it the oldest synagogue in India in recorded history. It was lost and never rebuilt. The subsequent '''[[Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue|Kadavumbhagam Synagogue]]''' (1544 A.D) and [[Thekkumbhagam Synagogue|'''Thekkumbhagam Synagogue''']] (1647 A.D) were built after this congregation was established. The name "Kochangadi" is a abbreviation of "Kocha Angadi" or "Jew Market", as jews were addressed as ''Kocha'' in colloquial [[malayalam]].

The synagogue in its history underwent multiple stages of destruction and restoration. The ruins of this synagogue was believed to have been intact until the late 20th century. The compound had at least one intact wall and was colloquially called "'''Misro Palli"''' though the entomology of the name is lost to time.<ref name=":3" /> <ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=1912-|first=Daniel, Ruby|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1243580690|title=Ruby of Cochin : an Indian Jewish woman remembers|date=2002|publisher=Varda Books|isbn=1-59045-649-1|oclc=1243580690}}</ref> The foundation stone is still retained in the courtyard wall of the [[Paradesi Synagogue]] of [[Mattancherry]], maintained by the [[Cochin Jews|Paradesi Jews]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-06-26|title=Indian Jews: This little known minority community has a rich heritage-Living News , Firstpost|url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/indian-jews-this-little-known-minority-community-has-a-rich-heritage-2855590.html|access-date=2021-09-28|website=Firstpost}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=S.|first=Koder, S.|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/3415398|title=History of the Jews of Kerala|date=1974|publisher=[publisher not identified]|oclc=3415398}}</ref>

== History ==
The Kochangadi Synagogue was mostly likely built in the 14th century AD, after the Malabari Jews had to abandon [[Muziris]] or [[Kodungallur]]. Joseph Azar, the 72nd heir to [[Joseph Rabban]] and the last jewish prince of [[Kodungallur|Shingly]], fled to [[Kochangadi]] with his followers and founded the Kochangadi congregation. The reason for this migration is unclear with numerous theories and legends ranging from an attack by the [[Portuguese Inquisition|Portuguese]], a catastrophic [[Periyar Flood of 1341|flood in 1341 A.D]], to a quarrel and subsequent murder of his elder brother Aaron Azar. Moses Pereira de Paiva gives his account ''Noticias dos Judeos de Cochim'' , that he had seen the tomb of Joseph Azar in Cochin. Today no such extant remains are found to corroborate this. The other tradition states that the [[Palayoor synagogue|Palayur Jews]] migrated to Kochangadi and founded the congregation, based on oral songs of cochini women.<ref name=":0" /> Other traditions state that the nearby [[Chempittapally|Chembittapally]], a [[Mosque|muslim mosque]], was built with wood donated by the Kochangadi Jews.

After its establishment in 1344 A.D., it was restored in 1539 A.D by Baruch Joseph Levi, the Jewish ''Mudaliyar'' of the cochin jews. It is believed to have been demolished by the army of [[Tipu Sultan]] during his raids into Kerala in 1789 during the Second Anglo-Mysore War.<ref name="cochinsyn_lostsyn">[http://cochinsyn.com/page-lostsyn.html Lost Kerala Synagogues], Jay A. Waronker, Friends of Kerala Synagogues, 2011</ref> Added to that, Muslim dominance in the area may have forced the Kochangadi jews to relocate further north to Jew Town in Mattancherry.<ref>{{Cite book|last=author.|first=Katz, Nathan|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/828245962|title=Indian Jews : an annotated bibliography, 1665-2005|year=2013|isbn=978-81-7304-980-4|oclc=828245962}}</ref><ref name=":4" />

After it was destroyed, the Jewish community did not rebuild the synagogue. Instead, they moved to the nearby [[Kochi]] and carried with them the inscription stone mentioning its year of construction and planted it a wall of the [[Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue|'''Kadavumbhagam Mattancherry Synagogue''']] at Synagogue Lane, Jew Town. It was re-discovered in 1818 A.D when plaster well from the wall, exposing this inscription tablet.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Later on, it was inserted into the east wall of the nearby [[Paradesi Synagogue|'''Paradesi Synagogue''']] where it remains till today. The Hebrew inscription states that the structure was built in 5105 (as per the [[Hebrew calendar]]) as "an abode for the spirit of God". The tablet is the oldest known jewish relic from any synagogue in India.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite journal|last=Waronker|first=Jay|date=2010-10-20|title=The Synagogues Of Kerala, India: Their Architecture, History, Context, And Meaning|url=https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/17604|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />

== See also ==
* [[Kochangadi]]

* [[Cochin Jews]]
* [[Chendamangalam Synagogue]]
* [[Muziris]]
* [[List of synagogues in Kerala]]
* [[Cochin Jewish Architecture]]
* [[History of the Jews in India]]
* [[Gathering of Israel]]
* [[Judaism]]
* [[Anjuvannam]]

* [[Chempittapally]] Mosque

==References==
<references />
{{coord missing|Kerala}}

[[Category:Cochin Jews]]
[[Category:Former buildings and structures in India]]
[[Category:Mattancherry]]
[[Category:Synagogues in Kerala]]
[[Category:Attacks on synagogues and Jewish communal organizations]]

Kochangadi Synagogue - Revision history

Michaelevansnet: page edit

->Mupper-san at 16:38, 25 October 2021