ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Knanaya

Knanaya is a group of people who come from a part of India called Kerala. They have their own culture and traditions, and they try to keep these alive through their families and communities.

To understand knanaya, it's essential to know that they are a group of Christians. Their ancestors were Jewish Christians from the Middle East who immigrated to India about 2000 years ago.

Just like how different family groups have their own ways of doing things, knanaya also have their unique customs and beliefs that make them distinct from other Christians in Kerala. They have their own church and priests, and they speak a unique language called Syriac.

Some of the knanaya traditions include their way of celebrating weddings and naming babies, which are different from other Indian Christian groups. They also have their own special foods and dishes, like Knanaya-style pickle and papadum.

Overall, being a knanaya means having a unique identity and a sense of belonging to a special community that traces its roots back to ancient times.