Kochi: Prince Charles, who turned 65 today, paid a visit to the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth— the Pardeshi Synagogue at nearby Mattancherry—along with his wife Camilla Parker Bowles.
The traditional Jewish prayer of blessing for the Royal family was held after which Queene Hallegua, warden of the Synagogue, wished him on his birthday.
The couple, who arrived at the bustling centre for spice trade Mattancherry, from Kumarakom, were shown the ancient scrolls of the Old Testament, the ancient copper plates that recorded the grants of privilege left by Kochi rulers and the golden crown gifted by the Kochi ruler.
The synagogue is noted for its mid-18th century hand-painted 1100 Chinese floor tiles, all of them different from each other and 247 years old and the Belgian chandeliers.
There are also numerous finely wrought gold and silver crowns that were gifted by the patrons of the time.
