Our Trips - Pilgrimage Tours - Judaism In India
 

Season : October to May Best Time : November to March
Duration : 14 Days

Judaism In India
No country in the world is better known to respect the religious tolerance than India. Each community with different religious background and beliefs live in total harmonious brotherhood, and the Government of India encourages celebrating all religious festivals with fervor, gaiety and festivity. Perhaps, this is the very reason why so many different foreign religions have taken root in a country which was once the land of Hindu Gods, sages, the epics of Mahabharat and Ramayana and the Vedas of the Bhagwat Geeta.


Minority communities seeking refugee in India was a common happening. The Zoroastrian Parsees and Bahai from Iran, the Bori Muslim community, the rise of Christianity. The settlement of Jews was no exception. An oppressed religious minority seeking to escape oppression, atrocities and persecution by Roman occupied Jerusalem, their vice being practicing Judaism in their own land.
Cochin, a flourishing trading port in the west coast on Arabian Sea, saw the arrival of an unique merchandise in 6th century B.C., emigration of White Jews from Jerusalem. A second bigger surge followed in 1st A.D. The first Jewish Synagogue dates back to 1568 AD at Cochin’s Mattancherri Jew Town.

A humorous story is built around the first Jewish arrival in Malabar coast. As these White immigrants arrived by sea, the Rabi visited the Raja of Malabar to seek refuge in his kingdom. It is believed that the Raja had shown reluctance in the initial stages, on which the Rabi asked for a glass of milk filled to the brim. He was graciously obliged. Holding the glass the Rabi took a petal of rose from the garland which the Raja was wearing. He dropped the rose petal in milk and the petal floated on the surface without spilling the milk. The moral of the story explains that amidst a large community, there can be place for a smaller community to take refuge without causing disturbance. Land was allotted to the Jewish community to settle, trade, prosper and live in harmony with their neighbors. In 379 A.D. the Cochin Rulers grated privileges to merchant named Joseph Rabban and these are recorded in copper plates which are treasured in Paradeshi Synagogue in Cochin.

There are three distinct groups of Jews in India.
1: The Bene Isreal 2: The Baghdadis 3: The Cochin Jews

With the formation of the State Of Israel, the Jews finally had a “Land” of their own, where the nightmare and stories of holocaust are a living memory of few million lucky Jews who escaped the inhumane concentration camps of Auschwitz of Nazi Germany and the Gestapo. The most touching memories are recorded by a 13 year old Jewish girl living in Amsterdam, Anne Frank, between 1942 and 1944. A dairy in which details the day to day misery of the Jewish community during Hitler’s Nazi regime, to eliminate the existence of non- Aryan race from Europe. Anne Frank died in the camps at Bergen Belsen, but Anne’s father survived Auschwitz and published her memoirs as “The Dairy Of A Young Girl”. The book has sold in millions and has been translated in 30 languages of the world, an immortal Hollywood film, and several stage productions world wide.

Day 01
 Arrive Mumbai airport. Met by India Calling representative and transfer to hotel.

Day 02
Breakfast. Full day tour of the Jewish settlemnet in and around Mumbai. Visiting Isralei Mohallas at Mandvi, Byculla, Synagogue at Samuel street, Jacob Sassoon Schoon, Sassoon Dock built by the most illustrious Indian Jew David Sassoon. Overnight at hotel.

Day 03
Breakfast. Morning transfer to Gateway Of India pier for motor launch excursion to Cave Island. Return to gateway. Excursion to Navgaon the site where the Bene Israleis first landed in India. Visit the two ancient burial mounds at the cemetery are believed to be the Collective grames of the ship wrecked families of the “ Lost Ten Tribes” . Overnight at the hotel.

Day 04
Early wake-up. Transfer to railway station for train to Pune. Breakfast on board. Arrive Pune and transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit the magnificent Synagogue built by David Sassoon and film Institute of India where the aspiring Bollywood stars train for a lucrative career. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 05
Breakfast. Morning city visiting Aga Khan Palace, Raja Dinaker Kelkar Museum, Shanuwouwada and Bund Garden, Osho commune. Late afternoon transfer to railway station for train to Mumbai. Dinner on board the train.

Day 06
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight for Cochin. On arrival transfer to hotel. Afternoon explore Cochin’s Sunagogue, Jewish heritage at Mattancherry District. Visit Paradesi Synagogue, Jewish cemetery and Bumial ground, Thekumbagan Synagogue ( which awaits to be dismantled and shipped to Israel to find a new home), Kadavumbagham Synagogue ( closed in1972 however the building is till intact). Overnight at the hotel.

Day 07
Breakfast. Morning city tour visiting Dutch Palace, St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Church, Chinese Fishing net. Overnight at hotel.

Day 08
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Transfer to hotel. Afternoon tour of the walled city of Shahjahanabad visiting red fort, proceed to Chandini Chowk, visit Jama Masjid, return to hotel via visiting Birla Temple.
Evening a cultural show of classical dances of India followed by a gourmet dinner at a specialty Indian Restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 09
reakfast. Full day excursion to Agra to visit the World Heritage monument of Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Return to Delhi hotel for Overnight.

Day 10
Breakfast. Visit Sir Edwin Lutyens New Delhi – India Gate, Parliament House, Presidnet’s Palace, thereafter visit Humayun’s Tomb, Lotus Temple, Qutab Minar. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 11
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight to Kolkatta ( Calcutta) . Transfer to hotel. Calcutta was the base of the Bagdhadi Jews who flourished in this commercial port city.
Afternoon visit the City Synagogue to attend prayer session. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 12
Breakfast. Mornig visit St. James Church, Victoria memorial, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Mother
Teresa’s Missionary of Charities, new Market. Afternoon visit Indian Museum and Raj Bhawan. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 13
Breakfast. Full day excursion to Belur Math and Dakhineswar Temple, admire the Gothic architect of Howrah Station, visit Botanical Gardens. Return to hotel for overnight.

Day 14
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for onward journey.
 

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