Knesset Eliyahoo, Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Kala Ghoda district, Mumbai, India.
Knesset Eliyahoo is an Orthodox synagogue at 55 Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, completed in 1884. The British firm Gostling & Morris designed it with a stone masonry basement and brick superstructure. Inside, the bimah is flanked by carved marble beneath a tall stained-glass arch reaching the ceiling, and women sit in an upstairs gallery.
Jacob Elias Sassoon founded this synagogue in 1884 as the second Sephardic house of prayer in Mumbai, commissioning British architects Gostling and Morris for its design. The building has long stood as a testament to the established Jewish presence in the city and reflects the architectural language of British India from that era.
The synagogue reflects the presence of the Sephardic community in Mumbai and shows how Jewish communities shaped their religious spaces with local architectural influences. The interior with its decorated columns and separate women's gallery demonstrates traditional Jewish practices that have been passed down through generations in this Indian city.
The building stands in downtown Mumbai on Dr. V.B. Gandhi Marg and is easy to spot from outside thanks to its distinctive turquoise facade. Visitors should be aware that access may be limited by time constraints and it is worth checking conditions on location beforehand.
The 2018–2019 restoration by conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah returned the facade to white with bright indigo borders; the building had earlier been painted grey, then turquoise, which earned it the name Blue Synagogue. The synagogue holds Torah scrolls and silver-cased sefarim belonging to the Sassoon family.
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