January 7 and 8, 2014 -- Kochi Synagogue, Basilica, and Crows

We drove to Kochi on Jan.7 and spent a fair amount of time in Jew Town.  (Yes, this is what it is called).  The oldest synagogue in Kochi (and India) is found here, as well as charming little winding lanes, lined with merchant after merchant, shop after shop – all hoping  (nay, begging) that you will "come inside and just look”. Aside from clothes – like kurtas, pants, sarongs – there were shops full of Indian handicrafts and many spice markets.  I did not see any just selling spices out of burlap bags in bulk (though there might have been) but I settled on a fragrant shop (not only the great smell of every kind of spice, but also essential oils wafting out) which purported to employ a collective of women from many villages to prepare and package these items, as well as make soaps and the beautiful fabrics and clothing for sale there.  Women were weaving on a huge loom near the back of the store.  This kind of co-op store (like we enjoyed in Delhi) has fixed prices which get passed back to the village women – and no haggling. 

The synagogue was very interesting.  It was built in 1568 though Jews existed in India long before that (and before the Christian era)  Jewish settlements in Malabar and Ceylon  were mentioned in the 1400s by a Venetian merchant though their history there goes back way further.

Synagogue Interior

Detail of synagogue floor

We had to take off shoes to enter, like  in every other place of worship here – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and EVEN a Catholic church in Mohali – and then were treated to a very animated explanation of the history of the synagogue  by the female tour guide of a large group also inside.  Unfortunately, it was all in Hebrew.  But it SOUNDED very well-informed.

There is also a large, beautiful Basilica in Fort Kochi.  St Mary's Church of Kochi was built in 1676 and contains a famous picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This picture was installed here by Portuguese missionaries, who had brought it from their native land. It is believed to have some miraculous powers.  It is believed to have miraculously saved the lives of many from shipwrecks and storms.

Basilica interior

Basilica exterior

We wanted to track down a new bird book (like the one we gave our friend in Mohali) which covers the entire continent of India – not just the North, like our book.  Believe it or not, we found a good bookstore in Fort Kochi called Idiom, and even more unbelievable was that the vendor had plenty of THAT book and had just sold one to the British guy standing at the register.

I’m sitting outside of our room on the beach right now.  Meanwhile,  Rob – camera and tripod in hand -- is out somewhere by the water.  Will take a few pictures now. OK.  So I just did that, and here’s what happened.  I took a picture of the table, turned around, snapped a picture of the “yard” and then walked up the steps (it is like a stile) to the beach.  Photo snapped and back to table.  In that TINY AMOUNT of time, crows (there are many in the palms - and LOUD) had been onto this table, pecked and peeled some of the bananas, wiped banana goo onto the table cloth and departed, I guess, when they saw me coming back.

Beach in front -- Where's Waldo now?

Front of our room

View from the front of our place

WELL!  Lesson learned!  So I examined the damage and concluded that one half pecked, half peeled banana had to go but rather than throw it away, I carried it to outside the boundary of our “space,” set it down, came back to the table and sat down. By gum, that banana was GONE.  Mere feet away, behind my back, there was absolutely no sound of a crow having come for it, or even snagging it with a claw on a fly-by.  Now I want a crow.

AND an elephant.  A real Pet Elephant.

Hansi