India’s ancient connection with Christianity

By Justice Katju

Since this is the Christmas season, it may interest many to know of India’s ancient connection with Christianity. 

The first connection began with the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem, when an Indian named Caspar ( or Gondophares) ,was among the three wise men coming from the East, who visited that manger, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the infant Jesus. 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.peepultree.world/livehistoryindia/story/people/gondophares-indias-biblical-connection%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOorShx5Mwh5gwwkiOvdnA31MjXzYLCaDM1H-oK96MtNd1Wv-LymH&ved=2ahUKEwj5tOGWq8GKAxVIODQIHQoJAq4QFnoECFYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0Git0yebZnfN9L6q16d_Ad

Caspar, ( whose name may be a derivative of Kripa or Krishna, common names in India) who came from India, is said to have brought myrrh, which indicated that Jesus was born to die as a saviour, taking on the sins of others. ( Myrrh was used in India for anointing dead bodies). 

The second connection of Christianity to India was with the arrival of the Apostle of Christ, St Thomas, in the southern Indian state of Kerala in 52 A.D.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DI9M0wx5N24k&ved=2ahUKEwiU-5mjr8GKAxWxCTQIHQBMEBAQwqsBegQIRxAG&usg=AOvVaw2seRHWmSZj7Oy-mMzUtfzb

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_India%23:~:text%3DThe%2520written%2520records%2520of%2520St,day%2520Kerala)%2520in%252052%2520AD.%26text%3DLargest%2520Christian%2520population%2520in%2520Kerala,18.4%2525%2520of%2520state%2520population).&ved=2ahUKEwjOydXFscGKAxWJLzQIHXKuAIwQFnoECBMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2hy9EGwSUXMVa1sM200HPe

The history of Christianity is largely Eurocentric, ie, there is voluminous material about how Christianity spread in Rome and other parts of Europe ( and later to America). Much less is known about how it came to India

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DKrCT0ZlFiGk&ved=2ahUKEwjwiufXtsGKAxWzOTQIHWDqAzsQwqsBegQIQxAG&usg=AOvVaw1j8WMMe8IMuLWFsos8IAyU

At one time it was believed that Christianity came to India only with the coming of the Portuguese to India in the 16th century A.D. ( and later the English) 

But now it is accepted that Christianity came to India much before that, and even before it spread to many parts of Europe

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DCHi0973lbrw&ved=2ahUKEwjVjtS5usGKAxXxxuYEHewgC68QwqsBegQILBAG&usg=AOvVaw14i27hqiQmOBWtX1mvz-nX

So Christianity is as much an Indian religion as it is a European or American religion