Kandisa

Kandisa is an ancient prayer in Aramaic. The literal translation of this word may be Holy/ Holy Praise / Divine Praise. This prayer is chanted even to this day in the Syriac Orthodox Church of the Syrian Malabar Nasrani people from Kerala, South India. The Kerala Syrian Malabar Nasrani people also called as Nasrani Syrian Christians are the descendants of the local people [1] and Jewish diaspora in Kerala [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] who became Christians in the earliest days of Christianity in the Malabar Coast.[1][2][3][4][5][6]. They have preserved some of the traditions of the early Jewish Christians uptill now [1][2][3][4][5][6].

Contents

Prayer

Kandisa Alahaye, Kandisa Esana,
Kandisa Alahaye, Kandisa Esana.
aalam aalam Aalam, Aamenu Aamen.
sliha Mar Yose, Almaduba-ha Kudisa-ha,
angene Dhanusa, Nyahveh Dukharana.

aalam aalam Aalam, Aamenu Aamen,
sliha Mar Yose, Almaduba-ha Kudisa-ha.
angene Dhanusa, Nyahveh Dukharana.
kandisa Alaha, Kandisa Esana, Kandisa La Ma Yosa Isaraha Malem.

Conceptual Interpretation

Holy God, Holy Strong One (epitome of divine strength-Omnipotent),
Invocation (3),
Truly, Truly, Truly (So be it) (Sanskrit: thathaasthu)
Our father Joseph, at your Holy altar,
humbly I submit (Sanskrit: Sarvam Samarpayaami), may that be forever in memory (heart and mind).
Holy GOD, Holy Strong One (epitome of divine strength- Omnipotent),
Holy immortal (epitome of immortality-Omnipresent), please have mercy on me.

The last two lines are the ancient Christian Trisagion (thrice holy) prayer, which is part of all Orthodox and Eastern Catholic church services and forms the summit of the Roman Catholic Good Friday service. Indian Ocean's rendering is slightly corrupted; the proper Aramaic pronunciation is: :ܩܕܝܫܐ ܐܠܗܐ، ܩܕܝܫܐ ܚܝܠܬܢܐ، ܩܕܝܫܐ ܠܐ ܡܝܘܬܐ، ܐܬܪܚܡܥܠܝܢ :Qadisha Alaha, Qadisha Ħilthana, Qadisha La mayotha, 'Ithraħim 'aleyn.

In popular culture

The Band Indian Ocean released a 2000 album and track named Kandisa.

References

  1. ^ a b c Menachery G (1973) The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, Ed. George Menachery, B.N.K. Press, vol. 2, ISBN 81-87132-06-X, Lib. Cong. Cat. Card. No. 73-905568; B.N.K. Press – (has some 70 lengthy articles by different experts on the origins, development, history, culture... of these Christians, with some 300 odd photographs).
  2. ^ a b c Menachery G (ed) (1982) The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, B.N.K. Press, vol. 1;
  3. ^ a b c Menachery G (ed); (1998) "The Indian Church History Classics", Vol. I, The Nazranies, Ollur, 1998. [ISBN 81-87133-05-8].
  4. ^ a b c Mundadan, A. Mathias. (1984) History of Christianity in India, vol.1, Bangalore, India: Church History Association of India.
  5. ^ a b c Podipara, Placid J. (1970) "The Thomas Christians". London: Darton, Longman and Tidd, 1970. (is a readable and exhaustive study of the St. Thomas Christians.)
  6. ^ a b c Leslie Brown, (1956) The Indian Christians of St. Thomas. An Account of the Ancient Syrian Church of Malabar, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1956, 1982 (repr.)
  7. ^ Thomas Puthiakunnel, (1973) "Jewish colonies of India paved the way for St. Thomas", The Saint Thomas Christian Encyclopedia of India, ed. George Menachery, Vol. II., Trichur.
  8. ^ Koder S. 'History of the Jews of Kerala".The St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Ed. G. Menachery,1973.
  9. ^ T.K Velu Pillai, (1940) "The Travancore State Manual"; 4 volumes; Trivandrum)

External links