ERNAKULAM, Kerala

Main Attraction: Jewish synagogues

Ernakulam District has a few Jewish synagogues which lend colour to the archaeology of the State. They present some features for a study of the plastic art of Kerala. The famous White Jew’s or Paradesi Synagogue was originally built around 1567 A.D. The Portugese partially destroyed the original synagogue in 1664, but it was rebuilt after the Dutch returned to Cochin. The Clock Tower which is still preserved was built in 1767. 

The famous Copper Plate Grants of Bhashara Ravi Varma dated 1000 A.D. are still seen in this synagogue. A golden crown presented by the Maharaja of Travancore in 1805 is one of the interesting exhibits preserved here. The blue and white willow – pattern tiles imported from Canton in China are hand painted, numbering approximately 256. The cemetery attached to the Synagogue contains many tomb stones with inscriptions in Hebrew script. Besides the White Jew’s Synagogue there is Black Jew’s Synagogue also in Kochi.

Brief History

Ernakulam district is situated almost at the middle of Kerala State and on the coast of the Arabian Sea. It has the credit of being the economic nerve centre of the State. It is the most industrially advanced and flourishing district of Kerala compared to the other districts. The district headquarters is at Kochi, which is a palm green commercial city endowed with one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Kochi is the commercial capital and the most cosmopolitan city of Kerala. The harbour is the nucleus around which Kochi and surrounding regions have grown and has become the “Queen of the Arabian Sea”. The hinterlands of the district lying in every direction also have been contributing to its fast trade and industrial developments.

Ernakulam district is constituted of territories which formed part of the erstwhile Princely States of Cochin and Travancore and Malabar district of then Madras Presidency. The history of Ernakulam district, therefore, represents the history of the three regions. Major portion of the Cochin and Kanayannur taluks belonged mostly to the erstwhile Cochin State, Paravur, Aluva, Muvattupuzha and Kothamangalam taluks, excluding a few areas, belonged to the erstwhile Travancore state and Fort Cochin belonged to the old Malabar district of Madras Presidency. But the history of the district is centered mainly on the rise and growth of Kochi which coincides with the history of Cochin State. The history of Ernakulam district synchronized with the history of Cochin State.

Very little is known about the early history of Ernakulam district. Neither inscriptions nor other literary works throws much light on the history of the district prior to the arrival of the Portuguese. Kochi, the most important port of today is not found mentioned in any of the earlier foreign write-ups on Malabar. Neither Pliny nor the author of the Periplus nor Ptolemy, neither Marco Polo nor Ibn Battuta makes any mention of the Cochin port. Cochin port is believed to have been formed only by 1341 AD when the ancient harbour of Muziris (also known as Cranganore and Kodungallur) was silted up due to heavyfloods in Periyar and became unsuitable for maritime trade. However, this viewpoint regarding the formation of the port is a matter of dispute among historians. 

The district figures in the early Christian tradition current in Kerala according to which St. Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ landed at Malliankara in Muziris (Cranganore) about 52 AD and founded several churches in the Malabar coast. The present magnificent church at Paravur is believed to be one of the seven churches built by St. Thomas and it is in the very same foundation where stood the ancient church. The famous church at Malayattur where the footprints of St. Thomas are visible on the sheet rock is believed to be the spot in the thick forests chosen by the Apostle as a resting place on his return to Malabar coast from Coromandel.

During the Sangam age, which comprised of the first five centuries of the Christian era, Kerala formed part of Tamilakom and politically it was ruled by the Ays in the south, rulers of Ezhimala in the north and Cheras in the central part. The early political history of the district is inter-linked with the Cheras of Sangam age who ruled over Kerala with their capital at Vanchi or Karur. Kerala which formed a part of the larger unit of Tamilakom then consisted of four political divisions viz. Poozhanad, Kudanad, Kuttanad and Venad. Kuttanad or the land of Lakes comprised the whole of Ernakulam, Alleppey, Kottayam and a portion of Quilon districts. In the Sangam age hereditary monarchy was the prevailing form of Government. There was considerable progress in the economic front during this age. There was active trade relation between Kerala and the outside world during this period. During the post Sangam period (6th to 8th century AD), there are references of war between Cheras and other South Indian powers and the defeats suffered by the former. By about 800 AD Kulasekhara Varma (also known as Kulasekhara Alwar, the famous Hindu Saint) once again established the political ascendancy of the Cheras. 

The Second Chera Empire set up with capital at Mahodayapuram or Thiruvanchikulam flourished till the 12th century AD and its rulers exercised their sway over Kerala including Ernakulam district. The Kulasekharas were zealous Hindus and under their generous patronage there was a great movement for the revival of Hindu religion. Sankaracharya, the great Advaita philosopher was a contemporary of the great Chera Emperor and Vaishnava Saint Kulasekhara Alwar (800-820 AD). Sree Sankara, a Namboothiri Brahmin, was born at Kalady on the banks of the Periyar. There was considerable progress in the economic and social front during the period of Kulasekharas. Since the 12th century, the history of the district is closely linked with the rise and growth of Perumpadappu Swarupam (Cochin Royal House). The early seat of Perumpadappu Swarupam was probably at Pazhayannur and from there it might have moved to Chitrakootam in the Perumpadappu village in Vanneri. Early in the 15th century the Perumpadappu Mooppil shifted his headquarters from Mahodayapuram to Kochi. Ma Huan, the Chinese traveller visited Kochi in 1409 AD. In the early 15th century Nicolo Conte, the Italian traveller, also visited Kochi.

Towards the close of the 15th century Portuguese arrived at Kochi, which was only a principality dependent on Calicut at that time. The great navigator and statesman Vasco da Gama arrived at Kochi on the 7th November, 1502. He was received by the then ruler of Kochi with great cordiality. Under an alliance between the Rajah and Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese got a strong foothold for commerce on Indian coast. Albuquerque who came next shifted the headquarters of the Portuguese government in India in 1510 from Kochi to Goa. In 1524 Vasco da Gama was again sent to India as Viceroy of their dominion. He visited Kochi also. He died on the 24th December, 1524 and was accorded a princely funeral in the principal chapel of St. Antonio in Kochi. The Dutch who came into the political scene later established their supremacy over the Portuguese by capturing Kochi in 1663 and made Kochi their headquarters in Kerala. The British captured Kochi from the Dutch in 1795, though the formal cessation of territories took place only by the convention of Paris in 1814. 

In the last quarter of the 18th century, Kochi became a tributary to Mysore during the regime of Hyder Ali. In 1774 the Maharajah of Cochin agreed to pay a lakh of Ikkeri Pagodas as subsidy to Mysore. Tippu who succeeded Hyder Ali sought the help of Kochi to attack Travancore. An attack on the Travancore lines was made by Tippu Sultan of Mysore in 1789 and 1790 and Travancore and Cochin were completely at his mercy. But fortunately the monsoon set in with all fury and further advance of Tippu Sultan was checked. In the meantime, the British started negotiations with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas for a joint attack on Seringapattam. Alarmed at these developments, Tippu withdrew and the Mysorean invasion came to an end. Treaties were signed on February 22nd and March 18th, 1792 at Seringappatam between Tippu and the British. The Mysorean supremacy of Cochin thus came to an end.

The modern period in the history of Cochin begins with accession to throne in 1790 of Ramavarma, the Sakthan Thampuran, and the treaty concluded by him with the English East India Company. Cochin had vigorous administration during the period of Sakthan Thampuran. But his relation with the English was strained later. After the death of Sakthan Thampuran there was revolt organised by the Paliath Achan, Chief Minister of Cochin in 1809 with the assistance of Velu Thampi Dalava of Travancore against the English. In 1812 Col. Munro, the British resident took the administration of Cochin state. The office of Diwan which was installed by Col. Munro in 1812 continued till 1947. During the period there were many prominent Diwans like Sankara Warrier, Thottekkat Sankunni Menon, Govinda Menon, Shanmugham Chetti, A.R. Banerji etc. under whose efficient administration the Cochin state attained many-sided progress. The legislature council of Cochin was formally inaugurated in 1925 during the Diwanship of Shri P. Narayana Menon.

The Indian National Congress was functioning in the Cochin State from even as early as 1919. The Government of Cochin Act passed on the 17th June, 1938 provided for a novel constitutional experiment in the history of Indian states. The powers of the old Cochin Legislatures Council were enhanced and the Council was made directly responsible for the administration of certain departments through a minister. 

The first minister was Ambat Sivarama Menon. A.R. Menon and T.K. Nair succeeded him as ministers. The Cochin State Praja Mandal was founded in 1941 and its activities in the next five years paved way for a responsible government in the State. The first popular Ministry of Cochin consisting of Panampally Govinda Menon, C.R. Iyyunni, K. Ayyappan and T.K. Nair assumed office on the 9th September, 1946. Prof. L.M. Pylee became the first elected president of the Legislative Council. In July, 1947, when the British Government made preparations for their exit from India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru sent a message to the then ruler of Cochin emphasizing the need for a full responsible Government in the state. In pursuance of the wishes, on the 14th August, 1947 the Maharaja issued a proclamation taking away Finance and Law and Order from the Diwan. Panampally Govinda Menon who was sworn in as Chief Minister was also in charge of Finance portfolio. The integration of Travancore and Cochin States took place on the 1st July, 1949. The Maharaja of Travancore became the Rajapramukh of the new state and Paravur T.K. Narayana Pillai its first Chief Minister. The regions falling in the present Ernakulam district mostly belonged to Thrissur and Kottayam districts of Travancore-Cochin state.

The taluks of Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha, Kunnathunad, Paravur and Aluva which belonged mostly to the erstwhile Travancore State shared the general administration and economic progress of that state. These areas formed part of Kottayam district of Travancore and had benefit from the administrative, social and economic progress introduced by a succession of enlightened rulers.