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Jewish Cemetery, Chennai, India
The Jewish cemetery in Chennai, India, is located in the Tamil Nadu province. The Cemetary was relocated twice before finding its final place off Lloyd's Road. Small, inconspicuous, and tucked away from the bustling streets of Chennai, the cemetery is the last physical remnant of Chennai's Jewish community.
Description
The Jewish cemetery of Chennai houses graves belonging to the first Jewish settlers of the area in the 17th century. Quite unassuming, many locals are oblivious to the existence of the Cemetery. The entrance is marked by a Star of David and the words “Beit Ha Haim” (The House Of Life) over the light-blue gates. The original cemetery was located next to the now-demolished synagogue, on the northern end of Mint Street [1]. In 1983 a school was built there, and the headstones were moved to the “Jewish corner” in Lloyd's Road cemetery. All that remains now is the small plot, housing about 30 graves [2]. The oldest tombs date back over three hundred years; while most of the centuries-old tombs have fallen into ruins, a few remain legible [2]. One of the most notable is that of Abraham Salomons, a coral merchant, who died in 1745 [3].
Today, the cemetery faces problems from stray dogs and trespassers [2]. Slowly the cemetery is being maintained, the old gates were replaced by sturdier mental ones in 2016 [4]. The cemetery is overseen by a woman named Kumari; Kumari’s mother was the caretaker before her [3].
Chennai
The city of Chennai is also known by the name Madras. The Jewish community was formed in Chennai for the export of diamonds and the import of silver, coral, and pearl. They lived in Coral Merchant’s street, located in northeast George Town. By the late 18th century, the gemstone trade died following the depletion of the Golconda vein. The last Jewish merchant, Moses de Castro, left in 1786. Only the lone cemetery remains as a memory of what was once a significant Jewish population [1].
Chennai, India
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Sources
Notes:
1. “Chennai”, International Jewish Cemetery Project; International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies, https://iajgscemetery.org/south-a-central-asia/india/chennai
2. Chennai’s link to its Jewish past, cemetery in Mylapore fading into oblivion, DT Next, published May 9, 2016, https://www.dtnext.in/city/2016/05/10/chennais-link-to-its-jewish-past-cemetery-in-mylapore-fading-into-oblivion.
3. “A Cemetery Buried in History”, The New Indian Express, published November 14, 2016, https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/nov/14/a-cemetery-buried-in-history-1538218.html
4. Andrew Whitehead, “Uncovering a story of ill-fated romance and tragic death”, British Broadcasting Corporation, published June 11, 2017, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-40221002
Works Cited:
“A Cemetery Buried in History”, The New Indian Express. Published November 14, 2016. Accessed August 3, 2022. https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/nov/14/a-cemetery-buried-in-history-1538218.html
“Chennai”. International Jewish Cemetery Project. The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://iajgscemetery.org/south-a-central-asia/india/chennai
“Chennai’s link to its Jewish past, cemetery in Mylapore fading into oblivion”. DT Next. Published May 9, 2016. Accessed August 2, 2022. https://www.dtnext.in/city/2016/05/10/chennais-link-to-its-jewish-past-cemetery-in-mylapore-fading-into-oblivion
“Chennai Jewish Cemetary”. Jews Of Chennai. Youtube. Posted August 1, 2019. Accessed August 4, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-AMBirRlSI
