Community Building : Syrian Christians – India’s oldest Christian Community

Written by Suvro Sanyal.

The Syrian Christian or the Nasrani Community, forming one of the wealthiest communities in Kerala, is said to be the oldest Christian Community in India, even before Christ was embraced in Rome. Thomas the Apostle, the Patron Saint of India, is said to have arrived on the Malabar Coast in 52 AD.; which began the era of the flourishment of the Community. The community thrived for centuries though there is speculation as to the veracity of their origin with historians speculating However, historians and sociologists have speculated that that the community might have originated in the sixth and seventh century and not the claimed origin of Apostle.

The term “Syrian Christian” is said to be of Dutch origin and having little or nothing to do with the country of Syria, alongwith the culture of Syrian Christians is said to be a mix of the Eastern Syrians, the Jewish and Indian influences with the colonial rule having an effect too. The texts of Marco Polo vividly mention the community in his travels to the south of India.

The arrival of the Dutch and Portuguese marked a major shift in the lives of Syrian Christians. The Roman Church sought to bring in the Syrian Christians into the fold of its practices and this ensued a string of rifts in the community. The community is now split into several sects and groups owing their allegiance to one of the four Churches – the Catholic, Church of the East, Oriental Orthodox or Reformed/Independent.

Today, they speak Malayalam and many of the socio-cultural practices are similar to Hindu rituals and were even accorded a status as per the caste system, being placed in the same level as the Savarna Hindus and Nairs. They have also adopted many Hindu customs. For example, during the Syrian wedding ceremony the Christian bridegroom follows the Nayar custom of tying a thread round the bride’s neck and giving her a white cloth which he drapes over her head.

Their Impact on India: The Syrian Christian Community accounts for 21% of the Kerala population in the latest census and remain one of the most influential communities of the state.

Some of the most famous Syrian Christians have been Dr Varghese Kurien, the Father of India’s White Revolution & AMUL; along-with Mr. Kandathil Varghese Mappillai the founder of Malayala Manorama Newspaper & the present Editor-In-Chief Mr. Mammen Mathew, which is regarded as one of the highest circulated newspapers in the country.

Jews Of India: Saturday oil-pressers 

Judaism has an adept & ancient relation with India. Over the ages they are scattered far and wide, adopting indigenous cultures pertinent to the locality, we decided to explore this community while we continue our journey envisaging the Communities, and their constitution.

The first Jewish community to arrive in India is said to have been the Cochini Jews who arrived on the Malabar Coast in 562 BC. The Cochini/Malabari Jews were welcomed by the Hindu Rulers and local population where they quickly established themselves as traders. They were allowed to own land, setup synagogues and live freely until the arrival of the Portuguese. The 16th Century brought about the migration of the ‘white’ or “Paradesi Jews” who had different customs from the centuries old Malabari Jews.

The largest Jewish Community in India were the “Benae Israel”, also claimed to be one of the “Lost Tribes” and descendants of the early Hebrews. Their exact time of arrival in India is unknown though it’s estimated at around 2,100 years ago. The community settled on the West Coast of the country in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Legend says that seven men and seven women landed up after their ship had wrecked not far from present day Mumbai. With no possessions and unable to speak the language, they opted to earn their livelihood as the “oil-pressers”. Ironically, they were nicknamed the “Saturday oil pressers” because they abstained from working on Shabbat.

The Baghdadi Jews which had moved into Bombay, Calcutta and Rangoon 280 years ago from the Middle East and Central Asian countries of Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, quickly became the wealthiest communities in the regions by establishing entrepreneurial and trade setups, even venturing into politics and philanthropy.

Their Impact on India: Indian Jews try to follow as many traditions as possible. Jews are known for adjusting to the society they live in, and borrowing from local culture.  The Indian elements at Jewish Weddings are said to be performed – including the Mehendi ceremony, the exchange of garlands between partners, and the applying of yellow turmeric paste on both the bride and groom’s face.

Indian Armenians, a community reckoned in India

Seven centuries before Vasco Da Gama had arrived India, an Armenian merchant by the name of Thomas Cana landed at the Malabar Coast in 780 AD. through the same route. He is known by the Malabar Christians to this date as someone who revived Christianity in the area. The Armenians are widely acclaimed to have located the tomb of St Thomas, who bought the Christian faith to Indian subcontinent in 52 AD., centuries before Europe adopting the faith.

The trade relations between India and Armenia had enabled many Armenians to visit the cities of Bombay, Surat and Calcutta.

The first Armenian colony was established in Agra with the support of Emperor Akbar, creating an impetus in the establishment of an Armenian Church in 1562, the cost of constructing the church was borne by Emperor Akbar. It was Emperor Akbar who had given the Armenians a significant recognition when he married an Armenian woman named Mariam Zamani Begum, and had appointed some notable Armenians such as Abdul Hai as his Chief Justice, and Juliana as his Doctor.

Many Armenians served the Royal Court and the Armenian Trader community remained active in Agra till the 20th Century, as is evidenced by the Armenian Cemetery in the city.

While the Armenian population in the country never rose to astronomical heights, nevertheless it is largely demonstrated that while Job Charnock had founded Calcutta in 1690, the Armenians were in fact the first inhabitants in the region, more than 60 years before the commencement of the British Rule.

Colonel Jacob Petrus, an Armenian, is said to have held the city of Gwalior against the British for 70 years and on his death, the entire city of Gwalior is said to have mourned with a 95 gun’s salute.

Similarly, an Armenian merchant who wrote poems under the name of Sarmad, remains one of the most famous Armenians in the country, with his shrine being visited by many Muslims and his works finding special mention in Sufi culture.

The world’s first Armenian journal by the name of “Azdarar” was started in Madras by Father Haroutiun Shmavonian in 1794. Recent discoveries have revealed that Britain’s Prince William have an Indian-Armenian connect from the side of his late mother Princess Diana.

Their Impact on India: The present Armenian population in the country stands at less than 100 with most of them living in Calcutta. The Armenians are not just aware, but also proud of their culture and practice it religiously. This includes the practice of celebrating Christmas on January 06^th. in line with the Armenian churches which disregard the 25th December, birth date of Christ. The various churches and Armenian streets stand strong as proof of the Armenian influences on Indian culture. The Armenians formed some of the wealthiest patrons of Calcutta while only a few remain presently as most of them emigrated abroad. While we often hear stories about the Parsis and other minorities with dwindling populations, it seems shocking that a community with more than 1,000 years of Indian connect is being ignored.

Siddi Community, Mighty rulers, lost in transition

A term for Indians with African features – represents one of immense melancholy and bravado; it’s speculated that the trade routes between India and Africa bought the first Africans to the country. The more prominent belief is that subsequent trades between the Arabs and Indians saw Africans being brought to the country to act as slaves, servants, concubines and soldiers. The Hindu and Muslim rulers of the country had taken deep trust on the Siddis upon their arrival, because of their physical strength and equestrian skills.

Africans had been the principal constituent of Gujarat since the first century where the town of Barygasa (known as Bharuch today) was said to be an Ethiopian town, inhabited by trade merchants from East Africa. The oral history recounted by the Afro-Gujaratis states how their ancestors served as bodyguards to the palaces of Hindu kings. They were even expected to taste the food of the Maharaja

before him to check for any attempted poisoning.

Their Impact on India: once ruled over towns and sometimes even kingdoms, now lie in the depths of poverty and discrimination. The main Siddi settlements are now located in the states of Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh where they have embraced Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, losing most of their original African legacy. The Siddi population in the country stands at more than 50,000 and yet the quest for acceptance still exists, with few heart-breaking experiences exist for the members of the community – from being asked to pay foreign tourist charges at the Taj Mahal, to being directed to the foreign exchange counter on their first day at work for a bank. The Siddis are recognised as Scheduled Tribes by the Gujarat and Karnataka government.

The Anglo-Indian Community

The Anglo-Indian community is one of the smallest minority groups in India. Most of the current estimates for the Anglo-Indian population are around 125,000-150,000, living mostly in Kolkata and Chennai. A population estimated at about 1 million at the time of Independence has seen rapid recession, with large-scale migration to the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

During the Indian rebellion of 1857, the Anglo-Indians sided with the British, and consequently received favoured treatment from the British government in preference to Indians, serving in large numbers in the strategic services of the railways, the postal and telegraph services, and customs. In 1919 the Anglo-Indian community was given one reserved seat in the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. The English-speaking Anglo-Indians identified themselves with the British against the nationalist Congress Party, despite British attitudes of superiority.  

After independence in 1947, Anglo-Indians faced a difficult choice: to leave India or to integrate. Many Indians distrusted their pro-British attitudes and Western-oriented culture. Large numbers did leave, mainly for Britain and Australia. In contemporary terms, the Anglo-Indian community is an ageing community and also fast declining in numbers. Most of its younger members have either chosen to emigrate to Britain, Australia or Canada and the few that remain are unlikely to have the numbers or social cohesion to continue as a dynamic community.

Their Impact on India: Constitutional and legislative guarantees are provided for the Anglo-Indians to maintain their schools and retain English as the medium of language. There is no significant social pressure on Anglo-Indians to assimilate within mainstream Indian society: members of the community view their choices as being limited to assimilation or migrate to countries of their ancestors. 

Anglo-Indians are a group specifically defined in the Constitution Art 366(2), and are the only ethnic community that has its own representatives nominated to the Indian Parliament (two members) and to several state assemblies (14 of the 29 states have one nominated member each).

Writer Suvro Sanyal

Mavericknews30 has launched a series of articles on community building, sharing insights and success stories. Stay tuned for the next article as we explore how to create stronger, more connected communities!

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