Bombay Municipal Corporation Building

New York Times "Frugal Traveler" columnist Lucas Peterson has been on the beat...in India!

Mumbai, he writes, "is an electric and complicated city, an extraordinary place, both uplifting and heartbreaking. Its eclectic composition of different groups and cultures makes it a difficult city to define, but for many, it’s a city that represents possibility."  It's a "happening" city much like New York.

Peterson spent hours walking the streets of Kolkata and found it the best way to get to know the city. Kolkata's rich literary tradition, strong educational institutions, spicy Bengali cuisine and love of fried street food make the city "a rewarding place to explore."

Peterson also offers India travel tips. Read his stories here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/travel/frugal-mumbai-budget-travel.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/22/travel/budget-travel-kolkata-india.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/travel/budget-travel-tips-india.html

Peterson does not mention the rich Jewish heritage in both Mumbai and Kolkata. Alongside our exploration of India's general travel sites, that's the specialty we can bring to travelers who join us on our tours.

December 2018 was a month of celebration in Cochin. The Paradesi Synagogue in Mattancherry marked its 450th anniversary in the presence of 200 joyous former Cochin residents who traveled from all over the world. They joined the few stalwarts who remain in Jew Town, including Queenie Hallegua and nonagenarian Sarah Cohen. 

In nearby Ernakulam, rededicating the centuries-old Kadavambagam Synagogue was a dream come true for Elias “Babu” Josephai, who has maintained the synagogue behind Cochin Blossoms, his garden and aquarium shop. The building, which dates to the 16th or 17th century, had fallen into disrepair and closed in 1972, but a recent campaign to renovate it has restored it to its former beauty. Accompanied by drummers and Hebrew chanting, a Torah from Israel was paraded through Market Street  and placed in the newly repainted ark.  

Read my story about Cochin's Jewish community, published in Hadassah magazine:
http://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2017/03/09/kochi-ancient-jewish-treasure-south-india/