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.
Nestled
within a copse of towering Deodar trees, the Church of St. John in the wilderness
stays true to its name. As we walk into the gates and approach the church from
the busy road leading to McLeod Ganj, the silence is marked – a much needed
respite from the honking of cars stuck in a traffic jam outside. The church
comes into view, shadowed by the trees, lit by a few rays of light escaping the
green canopy.
“How
aptly named” is
my first thought. It is indeed, a haven in the wilderness, even today. Inside,
the centuries-old stone adds a touch of warmth, and the brilliant reds and
blues of the stained glass appear like jewels in the evening light.
One
of the stained glasses depicts the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, to whom the church is
dedicated.
Above is a beautiful depiction of the "Lamb of God"...
Another represents Justice, with a sword, and Sacrifice, with a wreath.
The Anglican
church was built
in 1852, though the stained glasses were a gift from Lady Elgin, wife of James
Bruce, Lord Elgin, who was the Viceroy of India from 1862 to 1863. He died of a
heart attack while at Dharamsala, and is buried here. His memorial stands
behind the church, an impressive structure despite his too short a tenure as
the Viceroy.
More interesting
however, are
the other memorials inside the church. One speaks of a death due to a bear
attack! We can only imagine how wild this region would have been then!!
Another
pays homage to
British soldiers who died in the First World War, as far away as France,
Mesopotamia and Palestine, as well as those who died in Baluchistan. It is a
poignant thought to see these memorial stones, commemorating those who left
their homes and came so far, only to die away from their loved ones.
We walk
around for a while, savoring the silence, searching for the bell a board outside mentions.
The original bell and tower were destroyed by the 1905 earthquake, but a new
one was cast in 1915 by Mears and Stainbank, and brought all the way from
England. The bell tower was never rebuilt, and the new bell was installed
outside. After much searching, we find the bell, now enclosed in a cage,
keeping it out of bounds from curious tourists and thieving hands. It is sad to
see the bell so confined; it is meant to toll, after all.
Yet,
it symbolizes so
well, the state of our heritage today, which needs to be kept in a cage, under
lock and key, to protect it.
We
walk back to our car, the honking assailing us as we approach the road. The traffic jam is
still on. Our brief tryst with peace is at an end. Yet, there is an odd sense
of serenity we carry with us. Isn’t that the point of a place of worship, after
all?
Incidentally, the church reminded me very
strongly of Jageshwar.
We had visited the ancient temple of Shiva during our visit to Binsar, and I have
written about it here.
The similarity of course, stems from the fact that both places of worship are
nestled within Deodar forests. The trees tower over the shrines and their
spires, making us look up, towards the heavens. It is a feeling I can only
describe as deeply spiritual, and awe inspiring. Is this the reason the
builders chose these sites for their shrines? What do you think?
Information:
- Location: The Church of St. John in the Wilderness is located just before McLeod Ganj on the road from Dharamsala. It is within walking distance of the main market and the bus stop.
- Where to Stay: Both, McLeod Ganj as well as Dharamsala have lots of options for accommodation. If you stay at McLeod Ganj, walk down to the church. If you stay at Dharamsala, combine it with a sightseeing trip to McLeod Ganj and around.
- Timings: The church is open from 7 AM to 6 PM on all days. Services are held on Sunday mornings.
This post is part of my series on my #summertrip 2015, and I hope to take you along with me as I recount stories from my month long trip, which took me across the country. To get an idea of all the places I visited, and what you can hope to read about, click here.
Related Posts:
Related Posts:
- The Himachal Series-
Such a lovely church amidst the greens. Nice post, Anuradha.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Niranjan. and you are welcome! its a beautiful place.
DeleteThe very first photo rewinds memory of church in Lansdowne in Uttarakhand. Thanks for writing.
ReplyDeleteYes, Tushar. it is very similar to other churches built in the area during that period.
DeleteIt was lovely to tour the church with you via your photos and commentary. It reminds me of some parish churches I saw in Britain when I was visiting there many years ago. It is a shame that the bell tower wasn't rebuilt. Like you stated, the bell should have a chance to ring out instead of being confined to a cage.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Natalie. I guess many of these churches were inspired by those in Britain, since they were built by the British officers serving here. I just wish the bell tower was still standing and the bell was up there.. but then, we wouldnt have been able to see it up close!
DeleteSuch a stunning Church! What a engineering!
ReplyDeleteA lovely post for a beautiful church! I missed going into it to explore although I did see it on my way to McLeod ganj from Dharamshala. Hadn't stayed long enough to walk to the Church. This is a must do on my list for a future trip to that area :)
ReplyDeleteI guess we really did see very different Dharamsalas, Usha... time to make another trip!
DeleteBeautiful snapshot of the heritage!
ReplyDeleteHi Anuradha, Thank you for the lovely blog and photographs. I too remember having seen this huge and magnificent bell back in 2000. It is still very vivid in my memory even after many years. I would recommend this as a must see attraction on the way to Dharamsala.
ReplyDelete