Skip to main content

Featured Post

The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

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.

Fort Kochi - Part 5: The Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica

On the outside, it is a grand, Gothic structure, resplendent in its whiteness. 




Inside, it is vibrant and colourful, every inch of space filled with Christian art.



This is the Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica in Fort Kochi, first built by the Portuguese in 1505. This was one of the only two churches left standing by the Dutch, when they captured Kochi. The other was the St. Francis Church, which I have already written about. However, while the St. Francis Church continued to function as a place of worship, through Dutch and British rule, this one was used as an armory by the Dutch, and eventually demolished, by the British. It was finally rebuilt in 1887 during British rule, grander and more beautiful than ever, and consecrated in 1905.



It is evident that the British intended this to be an impressive structure, both from the outside and the inside, befitting its status as a Cathedral. The exterior might be whitewashed, and appear plain, but a closer look reveals intricate details proclaiming its importance.



It is however, on the inside that the cathedral really shows its artistic side. Every inch of space is covered with art, making this one of the most vibrant churches I have ever seen! From pastel shades on the walls and ceiling, to the bright blue and white of the cast iron pillars and the simple, but bright stained glass, the interior was a stark contrast to the muted exterior, as if making up for the complete whiteness of the outside!


Walls, arches, pillars... art everywhere!

Paintings on the ceiling

A closer look at one of the paintings on the ceiling

Above the altar hangs this painting.. a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper

I loved the details on the arches

The stained glass is simple, compared to others I have seen, but the effect it produces is beautiful indeed! 

The art here is the work of Antonio Moscheni, a Jesuit brother and painter, best known for his frescoes at the Church of the St. Aloysius College in Mangalore. Interestingly, among the churches he worked on is the Holy Name Cathedral in Mumbai, a church I visited recently. It was only when I read this bit of information that I realized why the church looked strangely familiar, though I was visiting it for the first time. Undoubtedly, I was unconsciously recognizing the similarity to the Holy Name Cathedral!! Unfortunately, though Moscheni was responsible for most of the artwork at this cathedral, he did not live to see it appreciated. He passed away just four days before the consecration of the church! What a quirk of fate!



Wandering around the church, I pondered on just how different this one was, to the St. Francis Church, just a few roads away. There, we had encountered crowds of visitors, while here, we were the only ones. A couple of people did enter, but they were worshippers, not tourists. It is quite understandable, considering that this is comparatively a much more recent structure, and therefore less historical and more religious in nature. The sense of history which we experienced at the St. Francis Church was completely lacking here, though in artistic terms, this one was far more fulfilling.




How ironic, that the structure which has been used as a church for over 600 years, should today be known more for its history, than for its sanctity, while, this one, which has been used for worship only for the last century, should be more religious in nature! 

A shrine dedicated to the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima,
erected to commemorate the visit of the Statue of the Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima  to the Cathedral in 1949

Comments

  1. Those wooden ceiling and its wood work is a masterpiece.
    Like that effect of the stained glass.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

The Power of 8 - The Ashta Dikpalas and Ashta Vasus at Khajuraho

The four cardinal directions form the axis on which a temple is built, and are thus the basis of temple architecture. Leading from them are the eight directions, which are believed to be guarded by the eight guardians, or Ashta Dikpalas . In the temples of Khajuraho, great care has been taken by the sculptors to carve the Ashta Dikpalas on the walls, both inside and outside. They not only guard the temple, but also look over us as we circumambulate the shrine, protecting us by their presence. They are augmented by the Ashta Vasus , celestial beings which represent natural phenomena. Together, they enhance the idea of the temple as cosmos, enfolding within it, all the aspects of nature, both, on earth, as well in space.

Rama Temple, Gokarna

To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.