With their fine examples of religious architecture, it would be provident to open up Bombay's heritage churches to the public
Holy Name Cathedral. File pic
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It was a typically wet Sunday morning in late August. Except that for yours truly, a suburbanite, it felt like a refreshing departure from the predictable sights of concrete jungles and shoppers blitzing across markets and malls. We had the opportunity to savour a slice of Colaba and Fort at a leisurely pace (and soak in it as well, what with the incessant downpour). Moving away from the teeming crowds who braved the rains as they headed towards the Gateway of India for a memorable frame, we headed in the opposite direction, towards Holy Name Cathedral.
By the time we reached, it was past 11 am. We were sure that the church would have been closed after the last service in the morning. Thankfully, a christening was underway, and we were able to step into the 112-year-old Gothic masterpiece. As we gazed around the space, baby Ivan was being baptized at the spectacular altar, surrounded by his parents, godparents, friends and family.
Despite the gloomy sky, the stained glass windows came to life, as it showcased scenes from the Annunciation, the emblem of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Nativity. In fact, later, on further reading, we learnt that during World War II, these windows were removed and stored in a safe place. Above us, frescoes by Jesuit lay-brother A Moschemi based on scenes inspired from the Bible blew our mind. At eye level, we spotted marble and wooden craftsmanship along the pews, rails, pulpit and choir loft. By now, baby Ivan had been welcomed into the faith, and as if to announce the news, the heavens smiled, and sunlight bathed the entire structure in ochre-golden streaks. As we sat there, juxtaposing the mind between history and celebration, a thought hit upon us.
Just as we seemed keen to know more about the cathedral's origins, the minds and the hands that brought this space to life, imagine countless others who might be as curious to appreciate such fine examples of church architecture. Many of the city's churches — both Roman Catholic and Protestant — are museums in their own right — thanks to great attention paid to detail by those who had the vision to fuse religion, art, sculpture and history in places of worship. Now, imagine if these sites were thrown open and transformed into museums for a few hours in the day? There is no shortage of exemplary displays of church architecture — from the Neo Gothic spectacle at Afghan Church and its stained glass art, to Mount Mary's umbilical cord-like connect with the city, or the marbled memorials and epitaphs inside St Thomas Cathedral, each chronicling a war or the life of a brave commander.
At that point, the mind jogged back to our visits to the churches of Old Goa and Fort Kochi. These continue to wow not only tourists and the faithful for their divine significance but also open up pages of history that would have otherwise been unknown to members of other faiths.
Likewise, it would make for a fascinating experience if Bombay's churches were to showcase its treasures and antiquities. After all, each represent a reminder or a footnote centred on the evolution of the city, from seven islands into a diverse land mass of communities and complexities. It will also open up our tourist map, especially to the discerning kinds, in search of the 'other' Bombay.
Of course, we'll be the first to highlight the reality that such ideas need a 360-plan for execution, especially with safety and security inside a sacrosanct space, not to forget the concerns around vandalism. Still, it's a thought, and an initiative that we believe can energise and offer a new avenue to highlight the rich legacy and role that these religious landmarks in Bombay. With support from civic authorities and local communities, it can go a long way to reiterate Bombay's identity as a cosmopolitan city. Just the way our founding fathers had envisioned to be.
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