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Saturday 12 November 2016

Christ Church, Mathura (Church of North India)


I came across pictures of Christ Church, Mathura while randomly browsing on details for churches' in Mathura. The pictures were bound to catch up attention due to the peculiar architecture of this church building. My first reaction was that of confusion and intrigue. The building didn't conform to any one style of church architectures popular in India.

The side view of the church.
(Picture Courtesy: Shweta Sherry, Mathura)

 The Church as it appears from the front.
(Picture Courtesy: Beautiful Mathura's FB page)

After seing pictures on the internet, I was resolute to visit the Church during my short visit. Mathura is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 kilometers north of Agra, and 145 kilometers south east of Delhi. Mathura is a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination being the birthplace of Krishna. Christ Church is located in the Cantonment.

 
The Church as it appears from the left entrance gate to the compound.

More popularly known as the English Church, Muttra (in old memoirs and post cards) the church was consecrated by Bishop Dealtry in December, 1856.

 
The Rt. Rev. Thomas Dealtry (1795-1861) was the Anglican Bishop of Madras.
(Picture Source: Wikipedia)

The Church is in a nondescript style of architecture. It's bell tower looks like an Italian campanile. While the church itself is in the formal classical temple architecture of the ancient Greeks and Romans. This style is perfectly suited to local conditions. A large open interior space for worship is particularly useful in making air circulation easy, which is important in the tropical climate of northern India.

Side view of the church from the bell tower end.

 Side of the church from the front end.

 Chancel end of the church with the campanile or the bell tower on right.

 
Another view of the Church from the back with the bell tower.
(Picture Courtesy: Shweta Sherry, Mathura)
F.S.Growse in his 'Mathura A District Memoir' wrote "The only exceptions are the lofty minarets of the Jama Masjid on the one side, and the campanile of the English Church seen through the trees in the distance below".

Church Muttra: Coloured Printed Postcard by Moorli Dhur & Sons, Ambala.
(Source: ebid.net)

Notice the bright red colour on the church, its possible that the church was earlier painted in a darker shade. Red is a common color for many Anglican churches of the time.

The front porch and entrance to the Church.

Here's a link to another post card printed in 1910 with the English Church as it appeared from front: click here. Do visit wiki.fibis.org - an encyclopaedia about life in British India. Its a great resource.

 
The Front porch and the entrance door as they appear today.

The main entrance door, notice the beautiful wedge wood plaster work over the door.

 Close up of the beautiful wedge wood work perhaps in plaster or wood over the main entrance door.

When I visited the church the presbyter in charge was not on the location, so I could not see the church from inside. I am lucky to have come across Shweta from Mathura who was very kind enough to share pictures from inside. All of the pictures below have been shared by her except the last two.

The Holy altar, decorated perhaps for a festival or wedding.

Another close up of the Altar - this time without the decoration.

Holiness to the Lord - inscriptions as the steps to the Altar.

 The chancel and the Altar.

The Stained glass window behind he altar.

The stained-glass were a later addition to the church. They were put in memory of a young officer of the 10th Hussars, who met his death by an accident while "out pig-sticking near Shergarh".

Close up of the stained glass window.

A memorial tablet on the Church wall, perhaps of the same person in whose memory the stained glass windows were added.

 Church pews as they appear from the Chancel.

Church as it appear from the entrance door.

The Pulpit.

The Presbyter's chair.

At the entrance gate to the church compound. Christ Church formerly Church of England now Church of North India - Diocese of Agra.

The post card from Colonial period showing the Church.

Please do leave your comments and in case you have old pictures or other information related to the church, then please do share on my email: niklucknow@gmail.com.