Descandants of 10 Lost Tribes found in India - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

Various quotes from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Malabar_Nasrani#Christian_Jewish_tradition

The Judeo-Nasrani tradition of the Syro-Malabar Nasranis was wiped out when the Portuguese invaded Kerala, and denounced the Nasrani account of Christian faith as false. They imposed their European rituals and liturgy and obliterated the Jewish legacy from the Nasrani tradition. The Portuguese described the Nasranis as Sabbath-keeping Judaizers.[25]

History
Main article: History of the Saint Thomas Christian tradition

Nasrani DNA

The Nasranis of Malabar are of Hebrew or Israelite(Jewish) heritage [7] but their past is hazy, making it difficult to ascertain their exact origins. (Ref. Dr. Asahel Grant's 'The Nestorians or the Lost Tribes of Israel' for more about the Nazarenes and Nestorians). There is Y-DNA specifically J2 Cohen Modal Haplotype paternal lineages been found in many Nasranis that have undergone genetic testing. [7] Most of the Nasranis might be mixed of Indian, Jewish west asian Semitic ancestry through historic and genetic evidence. [7] The J2 Cohen Modal Haplotype and the R1a1 Levite Modal Haplotype are common genetic signatures that have been found in many of the Nasranis been tested. [7] It proves that many of them have Jewish ancestry. [7]

Origins
The ancient navigation route from the Judeo-Roman world to the Malabar coast

The Syrian Malabar Nasranis are some of the earliest people who joined Christianity in India and many of the from the Jewish diaspora of the pre-Christian era who were settled in Kerala[5]. The possibility of the early converts being partially or fully from the '10 Lost Tribes of Northern Kingdom of ancient Israel' can not also be ruled out (Ref. Asahel Grant's 'The Nestorians or the Lost Tribes, published in 1841). The community also comprises several ancient Aramaic Christian settlements in Kerala which included Nestorians who were fleeing persecution. The most prominent immigrations took place during the 4th and 9th centuries. The Knanaya Nasranis claim to be the descendants of one such group of 4th century immigrants.[8]

The first converts were mainly the Brahmins of Kerala called the Namboothiris, but others argue that the claims were made by the later Christians also. A notable point is that the Namboothiri history claims their origin in Kerala in the seventh century BC Which which could lead to the theory that they were from the 10 lost tribes of Northern Kingdom of ancient Israel and Apostle st.thomas had prior knowledge of this Rig vedic community in kerala before arriving hereCE,[9] while Christianity in India originated in the first century CE, after St Thomas was speculated to have landed in Kerala at 52 AD[10]. Besides several of the locals who joined early Christianity returned to their earlier faith during a Shaivite revival by the Shaivite scholar Manikkavacakar[11].

Thus the community consists of people from many ethnic groups of Kerala including the pre-Christian era Jewish diaspora, different trading diaspora of Muziris, local Malayalee brahmins converts, Aramaic Christian settlers of successive centuries and the Knanayas.[12]

The southern coast of the Indian subcontinent (hypothesized by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus to be the place mentioned as Ophir in the Old Testament) inevitably became a gateway from the Mediterranean world to Kerala.

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