My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.
The twin spires of the church towering over the trees and the
houses grab my attention, and my auto driver tells me it is the St. Philomena’s
Church. “You have been in Mysore for a week and haven’t seen it yet?” he
exclaims, and proceeds to rectify my grave error in not paying a visit to this
landmark of Mysore.
“Don’t miss the crypt” he insists, as he drops me outside, and
later, after parking his vehicle, follows me to make sure I have seen all there
is to see. It is evident that he is proud of this church, and, as I soon
realize, he has due reason to be.
The St. Philomena’s Church is one of the largest churches in
India, and it was first built in 1843 to serve the British officers stationed
at Mysore and Srirangapatna. That was a simple, wooden structure, which lasted
over a century, before plans were laid down for a new, majestic structure in 1933.
The present church, completed in 1936, was designed by the French architect,
Daly, in the Neo Gothic style, and is modelled after the Cologne Cathedral in
Germany.
The church is dedicated to St. Philomena, a Grecian Princess
who was martyred in the 4th century. It is said that she was the
daughter of a Greek monarch, born after much prayer. As a child, she was very
pious, and showed signs of greatness. When she was 13, her parents took her to
Rome to obtain the favour of the Emperor, who, as it turned out, was enamoured
by her beauty and wished to marry her. She refused, choosing instead to
dedicate herself to God. As a result, she was imprisoned, tortured, and
eventually, beheaded, in Rome. Her relics were found centuries later in one of
the Roman catacombs, and, in 1926, Thamboo Chetty, the secretary of the
Maharaja of Mysore, obtained one of these relics to house in the church by her
name.
Inside the church is the altar with a statue of the saint, and
an idol of Christ. Above the altar are beautiful stained glass windows from
France, depicting stories from the Bible. Near the altar are steps which lead us to the
crypt below, where the relics of the saint are preserved. Walking into the
crypt is an eerie experience, but a memorable one. The casket containing the
relics seems to exude its aura, enveloping visitors, believers and non-believers
alike. The names of the thousands whose remains lie interred all around, seem
to call out their stories. I find myself wondering who they were, and what
stories they could tell me, if only I could find a way to listen to them.
Emerging from the crypt into the sunshine, I take a deep
breath, and strain to look up at the high turrets of the church. The sun glints
over the stone and the glass, and I am happy I made this detour.
It is an interesting church indeed – dedicated to a Greek saint, built
by a French architect, for the British soldiers, in the German style, paid for
by a Hindu king!
Information:
- Location: The church is located about 3 Km from the Mysore Bus stand and 2 Km from the Mysore Palace.
- Timings: The church is open from 5 AM to 6 PM, every day. Mass is held every morning and evening, and special masses are held on Sundays and festivals.
- Entry is free.
- Photography is allowed outside, but not inside the church
Love this Gothic church though I have not been there. Nice post on it with all those details.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Niranjan! Next time you are in Mysore, you should certainly go there!
DeleteHi, We're having summer vacation trip in Mysore with family on may of this year and I'm so exited to visit there in church. We want to visit there in the evening so I would be glad If you suggest me that there is any bus are available in evening from bus stand or can I get any taxi or other vehicle.
ReplyDeleteHi Seema, I am sure there are plenty of buses from the main city bus stand, but plenty of autos and taxis are also easily available from anywhere in the city.
DeleteThis church appears to bring an European flavour in India. It is amazing how the churches built in the Neo Gothic style seem to resemble each other very much, and yet they are so different. It would be nice to go on a holiday and visit different famous churches around the world, or to visit various churches across the same country.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs of the Church. Last week I had been there and had a lovely time.
ReplyDelete