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As the Christ Church in Shimla turns 150 years old,
in September 1993, the whole year is earmarked for
celebrations-special services and seminars, lots of literature and an
overall revival. What better time to visit this graceful and
well-proportioned landmark?
We spent a whole day
hanging about the Shimla ridge in the hope of getting a good shot of
Christ Church. Not just an ordinary head and shoulders shot but a
special one that would merit a delighted gasp of surprise from the
viewer. It didn’t seem likely, though. Right through the day,
banks of cloud were blocking out the sun and when the sky finally
cleared, there was but half an hour to go before sunset. Let’s
try a silhouette, suggested someone. As on cue, we skirted the church
compound and bounded up the long flight of steps at the back till we
came level with the base of the spire. With the setting sun behind
the spire it could have been an impressive view but for the buildup
of electric cables in the foreground. Disappointed, we walked back to
the ridge and had all but left for out hotel when suddenly the
western horizon burst into flame and for one brief, magic moment,
Christ Church was plated in copper. We got our shot.
For generations now, the
graceful, well proportioned Christ Church has been perhaps the best
known landmark in Shimla. It has appeared again and again in books
and brochures and on picture postcards. It needs no caption, even as
Shimla needs no introduction. Down the years, Christ Church has been
many things to many people, from the halcyon days of the Raj to the
present time. Naturally it was designed as a place of worship and
remains such to this day, despite the fact that the congregation has
dwindled in number and no longer includes peers and dyed in the wool,
five star generals, all very British and all very proper. With a
young but highly motivated chaplain-Sunil Caleb, to lead them, the
devout still worship at this church, not only on Sundays but on other
days as well. The door is open right through the daylight hours, with
an old caretaker from Kinnaur, Devi Ram by name, in regular
attendance. Being the 150th year of its existence, 9th
September 93 to 8th September 94 has been earmarked as a
time for celebration and revival, with special services and seminars
and the publication of relevant literature, all under the
enthusiastic leadership of Chaplain Caleb.
Church services first
began in Shimla in 1836 and the house of worship was no more than an
old, thatched building on the Mall, just below the present GPO. But
this church was in a sorry state, apart from being too small to hold
ht e400-strong church going population of Shimla. In 1844 it was
decided that a new church be built on a different site. A building
Committee was formed and Major Boileau (after whom the locality of
Boileaugunje has been named) designated architect. The cornerstone of
Christ Church was laid on 9th September 1844 and the
building opened for divine service two years later. But it was
conscrated only in 1857, taking nearly thirteen years to build and
coasting between Rs.40 and 50,000/-
From the very start the
going was rough. The Building Committee applied to the Bishop of
Calcutta for permission to build a new church accommodating about 500
people and asking for aid. But the Supreme Government was unwilling
to help. A letter from Lord Ellenborough stated Shimla is the last
place in India at which it is necessary for the government to be put
at the expense of building a church. The amount that finally came
through as aid was a meager Rs.5,000/-, the rest being raise through
loans and voluntary funds.
The site of the new
church was part of the old Ballyhack Estate, purchased for Rs.100/-
by the Committee. The quarry on the state was expected to provide
enough stone for the entire building but it is served only the
foundations. With the need for bricks and mortar, the building costs
were pushed up. To cut down expenses, some material from the old
church was also used. For instance, the organ loft is really the
gallery from the old church. Parison labour was used to clear and
level the site.
Services started long
before the church was complete and this raised a fresh crop of
problems. The church was like a shell, without pews. People brought
their own chairs or sat on benches. Crinolines were in vogue at the
time. But one Sunday the chaplain commented on the room taken up by
crinolines and lo and behold, the following Sunday all the ladies of
the congregation turned up in riding habits! Indeed many people did
ride to church and some of the ladies preferred to be carried in
dandies or jhampanis as they were called. The church compound could
boast of sheds for both horses and jhampanis.
The struggle for funds
continued right through, as did the battle with snow and rain, of
which Shimla has always received a fair share. Come bad weather and
the construction was stopped forthwith. The attendance at church
also dropped dismally. The elements seemed to have reigned supreme
well into the 20th century. Within the church compound,
towards the north lies a grave, the inscription on the headstone long
since obliterated. But parish records say it is the final resting
place of one Cecilia Winifred Soysa, who passed away on 4th
January 1945 but could not be taken to the cemetery at Sanjauli
because of a heavy snowfall. A week later, she had to be interred
within the church compound.
But problems
notwithstanding, the structure that emerged was charming, within and
without. Pews in polished deodar and beautiful stained glass windows
lent grace to the serene, well ordered interior. The window to the
east was erected in 1890, in memory of Jilia Elizabeth Mathew, wife
of Bishop Mathew, who was for many years organist of this church. The
fresco on the sanctuary wall was copied from the original design by
Lockwood Kipling (father of novelist Rudyard Kipling) by one of his
most gifted pupils from the Mayco College of Art, Lahore.
At one time the choir
used to emerge and vanish behind the curtain at the back of the
organ. One morning, after a sermon in which there had been repeated
references to God’s house, a child in the congregation asked his
mother, What is God’s house? The church, dear came the answer.
There was a pause and then came the next question, loud and clear,
and is the bit behind the curtain God’s bathroom?
The choir continued to be
select and well trained. After the construction of the church was
complete, a balance of Rs.281/- was left over from the voluntary
building fund and this amount was deposited in a post office savings
bank. The interest annually received was spent on a prize for the
best choir boy.
The church still has
copies of the Bible dating back to British times. One in Roman Urdu,
titled Kitab-e-Muqaddas (The Holy Book) is a vintage publication
dated 1804. The hymn book goes back to 1906. There are several
memorial tablets in brass along the walls. The floor plan of the
church has remained unchanged. The pews are as they were, and in
surprising good shape considering the years that have elapsed in
between. During the Raj, the front pews were reserved for the
Viceroy, the C-in-C and other dignitaries. Till the early years of
the 20th century, it was considered a social and moral
duty to attend mid-day service. But then there were some who went
for reasons of their own. Sir. Edward Buck of Shimla Past and Present
fame has an interesting story to release. One day a pretty young
thing came to church with her mother. On the way she was heard
gushing. Oh mother, wasn’t it a wonderful service? Why wonderful
dear? It seemed to me just as usual. Oh mother, cried the girl,
didn’t you notice? There were five ADCs!
Rudtyard Kipling acted in
a play A Scrap of Paper at the Gaiety Theatre to raise funds for the
church. The Kiplings worshipped here, as did the Mountbattens. And
novelist M.M.Kaye was baptized under this roof. Weddings at Christ
Church used to be a grand affair with ushers in morning suits,
lavender waistcoats and top hats, the porch and aisle gaily carpeted,
floral decorations all over and soul stirring music flowing from the
pipe organ…
British nationals still
come to Shimla because someone near and deer was either baptized or
married here. Donations still arrive from England. But the church is
in need of restoration and the present congregation of 120 strong
cannot raise enough funds for the purpose. Chirst Church is an
institution. To this day it holds services in both Hindi and English,
along with Sunday School and special services to mark Christmas, Good
Friday, Easter and Independence Day. The devout come from Chhota
Shimla, Totu, Jotugh and Sanjauli to spend an hour or two in an
atmosphere of peace that passeth all understanding.
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