Over the years I have become very fond of Cochin in Kerala, India.
One cunning man eyed me wearily and asked: there must be more than just love for the place that brings you here so often?
No, I happen to like the people I know here.
He continued Do you have family here ?
Before I could answer, my good friend Mathew answered, yes, I am his family.
Mathew is a devout Syrian Catholic Christian, descended from the time of St. Thomas who visited these parts 52 CE nearly 2 millennia ago. Like many of his co religionists he may have descended from the Jews who inhabited these lands at that time
He had introduced me to Dr Verghese a good friend who also happens to be an excellent dentist with Offices in Ernakulam, on the other side of the Backwaters that divide it from Cochin.
He enlightened me one day. I was told that Verghese is a Malayalam version of Vargas, a common Portuguese surname in the cochin area when the Portuguese arrived here more than 500 years ago!
Today is Hari Raya in Malaysia and the celebration of EID in the Muslim world including among the Muslims who live in Cochin.
So this good dentist, a Christian, sends me, a Jew, best wishes on this Muslim Holiday!!
He had added something in the beautiful script of Malayalam
ചെറിയ പെരുന്നാൾ ആശംസകൾ!
Whatever it says, I accept it gracefully and with thanks.
Pra você também, Sr Doutor Vargas
One cunning man eyed me wearily and asked: there must be more than just love for the place that brings you here so often?
No, I happen to like the people I know here.
He continued Do you have family here ?
Before I could answer, my good friend Mathew answered, yes, I am his family.
Mathew is a devout Syrian Catholic Christian, descended from the time of St. Thomas who visited these parts 52 CE nearly 2 millennia ago. Like many of his co religionists he may have descended from the Jews who inhabited these lands at that time
He had introduced me to Dr Verghese a good friend who also happens to be an excellent dentist with Offices in Ernakulam, on the other side of the Backwaters that divide it from Cochin.
He enlightened me one day. I was told that Verghese is a Malayalam version of Vargas, a common Portuguese surname in the cochin area when the Portuguese arrived here more than 500 years ago!
Today is Hari Raya in Malaysia and the celebration of EID in the Muslim world including among the Muslims who live in Cochin.
So this good dentist, a Christian, sends me, a Jew, best wishes on this Muslim Holiday!!
ചെറിയ പെരുന്നാൾ ആശംസകൾ!
Whatever it says, I accept it gracefully and with thanks.
Pra você também, Sr Doutor Vargas
