Camel Carnivals and MORE!

By Shula Warren
University of Virginia

Being "Jewish" while traveling in India seems to present a bit of a conundrum, especially in the city of Jodphur (northwest India), in the middle of the desert-like state of Rajasthan. The city and region in general is predominantly Hindu with a Muslim, Sikh, and Jain minority. Food-wise, if you eat vegetarian, you're set. Many Hindus in northern India are religious in their dietary laws and refrain from eating meat, including eggs, so that there is a wonderful selection of foods in restaurants, snack joints, sweet shops, and more that you can trust in being prepared without meat products or animal derivatives. Also, there are A LOT of Israelis traveling through India and in towns like Agra, city of the Taj Mahal, and Pushkar, where I went to a camel fair. One can even get TERRIFIC felafel, pita, tabouleh, and lebni due to their influential business.

Throughout Jewish history, with the Roman exile and other periods of persecution there have been large numbers of Jews to make "aliyah" to India, and one of the oldest Jewish communities outside of Israel is in Kochi (Cochin), India in the southwestern state of Kerala. The main centers of Indian Jewish community were in Kochi, Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, and Calcutta. In the past, due to the importance of especially Mumbai, Calcutta, and Kochi in the mercantile business, many Jewish traders in silks, teas, and other items added to the vibrant fabric of the Indian Jewish community. With the partition of India and Pakistan though and the creation of the state of Israel a year later, many of India's Jews immigrated to Israel, England, and America, drastically shrinking the communities at home.

Kochi used to be one of the largest and oldest Jewish communities, and now only has fourteen Jews remaining in the area, many of whom are elderly. Their synagogue though, located on JewTown Road, is beautiful and well maintained, and has a heavy flow of tourists who flock to see the exquisite colored glass lamps, imported Chinese tiles (each one slightly different) that make up the shul's floor, and the intricate silver Torah casing around the Torah, Sephardic style. Down the street, Sarah Cohen sells satin jewel toned kippot she decorates herself with little Jewish stars and delicate lace made by nuns in a local convent, and she's and is a wonderful woman to talk to and learn from about Kochi's Jewish community.

Recently, there's been a marketing campaign abroad to spend Passover in Jewish India. In Bombay, there still is a pretty vibrant Jewish community with kosher restaurants, Jewish day schools, Judaica shops, and several synagogues. In the Bombay neighborhood of Bicula lies a huge synagogue whose vibrancy was marked by the wedding announcement on the front board of a young couple for the following week. The sanctuary is bathed in soft golden light with twinkling smaller lights outlining the aron. The raised bimah and Torah reading desk is in the center of the room, and visible from any seats within the main level pews or women's balcony above.

As for Hinduism and Judaism, it seems, at first glance, that it's easy to dismiss Hinduism as an idolatrous religion, just like the kind the prophets warned us about, and that couldn't be farther away from Judaism in spirit or action. In Hinduism, there is basically one Supreme Being, called Brahman, and then there are approximately three hundred and thirty million other gods who are divine creations from highest power of this supreme god.

Gods represent many different aspects of nature and have power over different aspects of life: one might remove obstacles, spread disease, control wealth, bestow knowledge, bring good luck, etc. and yet it is possible to choose specific gods to which one directs their attention without being unfaithful to the Supreme Being. This is the all encompassing nature of Hinduism. One Hindu may worship Ganesh, the elephant headed god of good luck while his neighbor worships Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and neither would see a contradiction in their faith.

One of the most endearing things about the Hindu religion, as a Jew, is their tolerance for different belief. Also, in temples and in the personal shrines of homes and shops, Hindus can worship idols of their gods and during specific time periods called darshan, the spirit of a god will inhabit an idol and worshipers can view him or her.

By obvious contrast Judaism believes in one God, who has many different characteristics which are all embodied in Oneness, and God is both everywhere yet invisible.

Yet, in certain Hindu ceremonies there are immediate similarities with Jewish tradition. The family is very important in both cultures. Many Indians and Hindus live in extended family living situations and families are a very cherished structure within ceremony and celebration. So too in Judaism, a lot of tradition is focused on familial and communal worship.

I had the great opportunity to be in Jodhpur during the winter wedding season and there are many similarities with Jewish wedding ritual. Both are held under a canopy and in Hindu weddings the bride and groom walk around a fire together, while in Judaism the bride encircles the groom. Both Jewish and Hindu brides are veiled. The holiday of Duvali, recently ended, is a week long and many aspects of it are similar to Chanukah. Oil lamps are placed throughout the house and family members exchange presents with each other. Music and dancing are part of the regular rhythm of Hindu religious life and can be heard through the beat of drums and voices of men and women from temples and as festivals wind their ways through crowded streets.

[Posted 12/5/02]