Kerala’s antique and spices trade hit by terror attacks

Mattancherry, home to the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth countries, is a bustling market and has an interesting mix of business and history.

However, recession and the November 26 Mumbai attacks changed all the equations of the traders here as there are hardly any foreign tourists thronging Jew town. Since it is adjacent to the Synagogue frequented by tourists, there used to be a steady stream of visitors to the curio shops—some dusty and few air conditioned outlets.

‘Business has never been so bad. December is the peak time when we do business here and after the Mumabi attacks, there are hardly any visitors. The roads are deserted, says Johny L Malayil, Managing Partner of ‘Crafters’, an antique shop in Jew Town.

According to N B Majnu, who owns a popular heritage gallery ‘Heritage Arts’ and the Ginger restaurant, adjacent to it, says his business has fallen by over 60 per cent after the

Mumbai attacks.

The gallery has furniture, beautifully crafted doors and windows both new and old, doors and pillars made of wood and stone.

An annual exhibition organised by him this year soon after the Mumbai attacks hardly drew any visitors. “Business has been affected since the last two years and to add to our woes the stock market crashed,” Malayil says.

For the first time in the 19-year-old history of ‘Crafters’, there has been a 40 per cent dip in sales this time around on their last year’s turnover of Rs four crore.

The recently held Volvo Ocean Race also contributed negatively to the business in Jew Town as the organisers had booked all good rooms in major hotels for their guests.

Since the last three weeks, there have been hardly any tourists to the area and Fort Kochi, he said.

The Crafers normally stock architectural furniture, door and windows and curios for export and ship the same to buyers, their main markets being US, Europe, Australia and Canada. The traditional ‘Urilies’ (bronze containers used to cook payasams) in Kerala homes are their hot favourites.

Owners of resorts and farmhouses from abroad also come and purchase the beautifully carved doors and windows, he said.

Malayil also plans to soon start a coffee shop offering light snacks as there is no such joint nearby, he says.

A shop that none would miss in Jew Town is Krishna Handicrafts and Curios, which has been doing business here since the last 20 years.

C R Babu, the proprietor, who deals in antiques, handicrafts and gramphones, says business has never been so bad. There has been about 50 per cent fall in his business.

Domestic tourists from Andhra Pradesh and Karantaka do come, but there are hardly any foreign tourists.

The foreigners mostly prefer brass items of Indian gods, the most favourite being the Elephant God, ‘Lord Ganesha’.

Jew Town has at least 30 shops, including Kashmir handicrafts, selling curios and antiques. This is the first time Babu says he has seen such a fall in business.