A week ago I was in Fort Cochin, so full of experiences and feelings.
Manolo, as I call the ex-driver who worked at my ex-hotel stays, sent a texts message and was waiting for me at the Tower House Hotel
Just to say Hello
Manolo is christian and like most people in Kerala, a practising Christian. Muslims are practicing Muslims and Hindus are practicing Hindus
Cochin is truly a show case for religious tolerance. People tend to celebrate the religious holidays across the lines
we chatted for a while, reminisced about the multiple times he had either picked me up or taken me to the airport, and of that morning close to 4 am when we were waiting to pick up someone arriving in Air Arabia from Tehran via Sharjah.A few days later after my departure, I received this greeting from Manolo, my christian driver of Fort Cochin in India
Neither of us are Muslims but that does not mean that we must not rejoice in the happiness of millions of Muslims around the world.Manolo had in the past also sent me greetings on important Hindu holidays.
You are a good man, Manolo ..
Interdenominational veneration is nothing new in Cochin. Two good examples are tombs of Nomi Mutta (Jewish) and Kappiri Muttappan (a black african slave of the portugese colonizers)
Here is the tomb of Nomi (Nehemia) Mutta in Mattancherry.
Here rests the Kabblist and famous old man of sanctity
Who emanated the light of his knowledge
And shines every where in the Jewish dispersion
(He is) the perfect wise man
(and) the righteous person of divinity
(he is) the rav and teacher.
Nehemia son of the rav and teacher, the wise and beloved
Abraham Muta (old person) of blessed and saintly memory
And he passed on his life to the (late) rabbanim ( e xpired)
On Sunday 28th of the month of Kislev
In the year of creation 5376 (1616AD)
translation by the late Yitzhak Hallegua of Mattancherry.
The tomb is an area which used to be Black Jewish cemetery but when the black Jews left for Israel in 1955, owner of the house donated the house and the tomb to a local Christian family on condition that the tomb will be kept whitewashed and clean.
The fact that the original Kappiri were Christian and that Nehemiah Mutta was Jewish, is of no concern to the devotees. They offer their prayers and seek the help from Kappiri Muthappan or Nehemi Mutta.
people of all faiths come to pray, light candles, offer flowers and in case of Kappiri muthappan, offer toddy (arrack) or cigarettes.
Kappiri, a corrupt version of Portuguese, caffre, meaning a black African male, has entered vividly into the imagination of Cochinis. Many people would swear by the existence of this spirit,a benevolent one. The story goes back to the retreat of the Portuguese when they were thought to have buried their African slaves when they hid their treasures, so that it would be guarded when they return.
May this inter religious tolerance continue and be a light to others in other parts of India and the rest of the world.
Be like Manolo!
