Last month, “The New York Times” published a story by special correspondent Michael T. Kaufman about the plight of the few remaining Jews in Cochin, India.
The article “In Malabar, a Vivid Tapestry of the World’s Faiths” (Dec. 19, 1980) reminded me of a trip I took to Cochin seven years ago.
The early entrance of Jews in Southern India is the subject of many tales and traditions. Some claim that King Solomon’s fleet was the first to reach the coast of South-Western India. Others claim that Malabar Jewry’s forefathers were exiles from the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, or refugees fleeing Judea following the destruction of the Second Temple.
Source: https://www.toviapreschel.com/the-jews-of-cochin-in-india/