St. Andrew's Church, Calcutta

Boasting of an interesting tale behind its construction with simple yet quirky architecture for company, St. Andrew’s Church is perhaps amongst the least known of the heritage structures in Calcutta despite its prominent location in the famed historic area referred to as BBD Bagh (formerly known as “Dalhousie Square” after the then Viceroy, later christened after the three freedom fighters – Binoy, Badal and Dinesh). When the British writ reigned supreme in the country that had been converted into one of the colonies supplying expensive raw materials like spices and silk and providing a fledging market for cheap products like textiles, Calcutta was the capital of administration and BBD Bagh its heart where splendid structures straight out of Victorian England were raised both by the Europeans and the locals. The age was that of mingling of the Orientals and the Europeans, the period golden for the mercantile men, capitalists and plantation owners who decided to take risk and set up businesses offshore to maximize profits, the locals were forced to grow indigo and opium on their fields amid much hardship to supply to the markets in England and China respectively while the British East India “trading” Company was slowly expanding its influence over the subcontinent under competition from French, Dutch and Portuguese companies looking for their place in the spotlight – such were the conditions when the Scottish Minister Reverend James Bryce decided that the city needed an inspiring church for its Scottish population. Since the union of Scotland with England in 1707, Scots formed a large fraction of those coming to the subcontinent to eke out a living in the rapidly-expanding colonial trade and politicized administration of the controlled territories; they worked here as soldiers and mercenaries in service of both the Company and the local kings, doctors and surgeons, jute mill owners and captains, plantation owners and traders, missionaries and industrialists. 

A towering presence in the city and yet forgotten by the people!

The government of the day supplied land for building the hallowed structure and donations were raised by wealthy individuals for commissioning the church; but not only did Reverend Bryce think of building the magnificent church, he also decided that its spire ought to be higher than that of the nearby located St. John’s, an Anglican denomination church (refer Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church) – the latter wish annoyed Bishop Middleton, the first Bishop of Calcutta and the head priest of St. John's, who believed that only the English church has the authority to commission steeples and did not authorize the construction. Cruel words followed from both sides and an irritated Rev. Bryce pledged that not only will the spire of the Scottish church be higher, he will also have a rooster as the finial atop it that will crow on the Church of England’s head and remind them of this debacle – much to the mortification of Bishop Middleton, Rev. Bryce did obtain all the necessary permissions and permits for the construction and height of St. Andrew’s Church (or Kirk, as the Scottish churches are referred to) despite the entire bureaucracy and permits departments controlled by the English – hence the final result, a black rooster fixed on the finial atop the beautiful church. To pacify the enraged Bishop, the then government directed the Public Works Department to not touch the rooster whenever they undertake conservation and repair work at the church, a practice that has since been followed citing the controversial character and history of the rooster. 

Built over 1815-18 by the construction company Messrs Burns, Currie and Co. and dedicated to St. Andrew, the imposing church with its glistening white facade and tall Doric pillars is a striking sight to behold in the perennially congested and traffic-ridden BBD Bagh area – it is another matter that the handsome church square is so engulfed by fast moving vehicles that photographing the structure in its entirety becomes quite a feat (though my minimalist point and shoot camera had difficulty reading the brilliant white paint of the church building too against a deep blue sky interspersed with fluffy clouds) – but one can admire the church building, standing in all its majesty at the head of the broad road in vintage photographs. 

The magnificence of the massive church is only apparent here - poles apart from the congested, overcrowded and crumbling Calcutta of today (Photo courtesy - Oldindianphotos.in)

The urge to witness the black weather cock topping the conical spire lured me to St. Andrew’s but except for its interesting history and antiquity, the church doesn’t have much to show for; moreover as is the case with most churches, photography here too is restricted by the permission of the Vicar and since he wasn’t in the day I visited, I was allowed to only see the church interiors from the entrance and that too after much pleading with the person in-charge. I was able to sneak in just a single click and as is apparent, there isn’t much to see within the church too except for its simplistic white structure framed by tall ionic pillars and topped by low hanging lamps dangling from the blue-green ceiling; I’d let the photo say a thousand words since I cannot conceive enough thoughts to describe the structure. Interestingly, the church is the only one in India that is fully air conditioned, the air conditioners being visible in the photograph I clicked; also visible are the numerous stone tablets that adorn the walls and commemorate the Scotsmen who passed away while in India and were buried in the Scottish cemetery which falls under the aegis of this church. I wasn’t able to closely inspect and photograph these memorials since the caretaker had allowed me only to have a look at the prayer hall and return – newspaper articles suggest that as part of the conservation of Scottish heritage worldwide, the Scottish government has commissioned and funded a project under which both the church and the cemetery will be restored to their original pristine condition. 

Call me irreverent, but I had expected a more dazzling interior to match the passionate history 

Inspired by St. Martin-in-the-Fields of London, the Victorian architecture of the church building consists of a large square structure seated on a high plinth with a massive triangular facade supported on tall Doric pillars forming an elegant portico in the front and a high spire surmounting the building. The large black clock with orange dials was fitted on the spire in 1835. At the bottom of the plinth on which the church structure stands are two plaques – a simple wooden board that lists visiting hours & mass timings and an ornate iron one installed by Kolkata Municipal Corporation that provides a short history and photographs of the church. The interiors are dark and dimly-lit and the hour at which I visited the prayer hall was empty, in fact there was no one in the entire church except the caretaker. 

The wife of the then Governor-General of India, Lord Warren Hastings, laid the foundation stone of the church on St. Andrew’s Day (November 30), 1815 and since its conception it solely holds the responsibility for archiving of records (baptism, marriage & burial details), files and correspondence to the numerous Scottish churches existing in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Gulf nations as well as the maintenance of Calcutta’s Scottish Cemetery (opened soon after the church). While the church was under construction, another building close to its present location was used as a makeshift church for temporary basis. Besides the Scottish population of the city, the church also provided solace in the times of need to the local Bengali converts to Christianity as well members of other churches. Locally referred to as “Laat Sahib ka Girja” (“Church of the Governor”, I couldn’t fathom the reason for this odd vernacular christening), the beautiful building is hemmed in by some very important structures that can claim an essential architectural and cultural connection to Calcutta’s life and history, besides Writer’s Building and St. John’s Church, there is Tipu Sultan Mosque, Sacred Heart Church and a street leads straight to the historic but obscure “Quan Ti”, clubs-cum-shrines belonging to the Chinese community of the city (see links in the post footer). 

The church and one of the wings of the beautiful Writer's Building (Photo courtesy - Panoramio.com)

In reality, I had planned to visit St. Andrew’s much late in the day after finishing a tour of some of the more prominent structures that I mentioned above, but somehow I got lost in the jumble of Calcutta’s streets (despite, as always, having a handmade map displaying all the places I had to go as well as the routes and the time required for each) and turned up at this part of the city early in the morning even though I must have stopped a score times to click structures that caught my eye, street life and the trams. Needless to say, as Calcutta goes, the traffic even so early was a nightmare and the area was choked with pedestrians as well as vehicles; the entire area, on account of housing the office of the Chief Minister and the residence of the Governor, is very heavily guarded by police and paramilitary personnel and photography does invite a few unwarranted cautious stares. The sun, already high in the sky and scorching in its temerity, made the church’s flawless white dazzle brilliantly and as mentioned before, I had much difficulty clicking it with my simple camera – would suggest a very early visit if an uncrowded, serene click is the requirement. The church, with its painted exteriors and well-maintained grounds stand out in sharp contrast to the buildings of BBD Bagh, most of which have been accustomed to urban decay, collapse and a reoccupation by small shops, shanties (consider the street joining Tipu Sultan mosque to Sacred Heart Church) and vegetation (consider the fig tree emanating from the corner tower of Standard Assurance Corp. building). 

Noticed the rooster yet?

Hope the conservation project being spearheaded by the Scottish government doesn’t get entangled in India’s cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles but is fully supported by the governments of India and Bengal and the church is preserved for the benefit of the generations to come who too, like us, might be amazed by the age of colonialism and the spirit of the seafarers and merchants who reached out to distant foreign shores in search of business as well as adventure! 

A note about the significance of St. Andrew for the Scottish people - A fisherman by profession, St. Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and is considered the patron saint of Scotland among several other countries. According to one legend, the mortal remains of St. Andrew were preserved in Greece and a monk named St. Regulus had a dream invoking him to set sail and take the remains to the "end of the (known) world" for protection and build a shrine wherever he was shipwrecked - it is said that the said shrine was built in Scotland (though there is confusion regarding when Regulus lived - Scottish documents state 8th century but historical records peg the date at 7th century AD). Another legend says that during a battle in which they were vastly outnumbered, the Scottish king Oengus II prayed to St. Andrew that if he won the battle he will declare St. Andrew the patron saint of Scotland. The morning of the battle, the clouds formed an 'X' shape in the sky ('X' being the symbol of St. Andrew since he was crucified on an X-shaped crucifix) and the Scots were victorious. Since then the Scottish flag (and consequently the Union Flag) bears a white 'X' against a blue background.

Location: Next to Writer's Building, BBD Bagh
Nearest Bus terminus/Metro station: Esplanade
How to reach: Buses and metro are available from different parts of the city for Esplanade. Walk or take a taxi from there.
Open: Tuesday to Saturday, 9 am - 2 pm
Service: 9.30 am on Sundays; 9.30 pm on New Year’s Day, Christmas & Easter’s
Entrance Fees: Nil
Photography/Video Charges: Nil, but restricted by permission of Vicar
Time required for sightseeing: 30 min

Relevant Posts -

1. Pixelated Memories - Nam Soon Chinese Club
2. Pixelated Memories - Sacred Heart Church
3. Pixelated Memories - Sea Ip Chinese Club
4. Pixelated Memories - St. John's Church complex
5. Pixelated Memories - Tipu Sultan Mosque
6. Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building

Suggested Reading -

1. Telegraphindia.com - Article "Scottish cemetery tapestry on world tour" (dated April 22, 2014) by Sebanti Sarkar
2. Wikipedia.org - Andrew the Apostle

St. John's Church, Calcutta

Located in the heart of Calcutta’s heritage zone, St. John’s Church is surrounded by several famous landmarks of the city including the mighty Writer’s Building & Raj Bhavan, the peaceful Andrew’s Church & Sacred Heart Church & the enchanting Dalhousie Square. & yet it remains one of the most serene spots in the entire city, untouched by visitors who might write love letters on its walls & hidden from the prying eyes of passerbys. Old, crumbling & cut off from the rest of the city, yet beautifully maintained, it hides several treasures in its bosom. The blackened, yellow walls & shutters, surrounded by memorials & mausoleums set in a garden of flowering trees & bushes, filled with birds & cats, seem inviting. The graves – old, yet still showing signs of their erstwhile magnificence - hold ancient stories within themselves, revealed only to the most obstinate of travellers.

St. John's Church

That particular day I was alone, no friend accompanied me to Calcutta, walking through the old lanes & bylanes & checking my hand-made maps for directions & asking shopkeepers & pedestrians when my maps misled me, I finally walked in St. John’s Church. A signboard outside it detailed its history, old walls reminded me of several structures that I have seen during my travels, each with its own story. This one seemed special, it invoked silence around itself, despite being located in a commercial neighbourhood. Cars did not honk much here, dogs did not bark. I walked around the church’s hallowed grounds, alone, not even a soul in sight. This was good, I could photograph it as much as I wanted, from different angles, different perspectives. The grounds were recently watered, yet no gardeners were in sight. Only a small family with a lady doing laundry & kids playing nearby in a corner. They did not pay any attention to me, nor did I to them. It seemed we were the only people left in the entire world, there was no other sound from the outer world. & yet we stood obvious to each other. A whitish grave on one side of the church caught my attention. The headstone proclaimed it belonged to Michael Knatchbull, Viceroy of Bengal. A heavy stone cross stood looking over it.

Michael Knatchbull's grave

Walking further, I gazed at the line of coconut trees on one side, proudly displaying their green fruit. On the opposite side was a row of gleaming cars, perhaps people just park their cars here, the entire place was empty as I said. I glanced at the drivers, many dozing off on the grass under the bright sun, some smoked, others gossiped. As earlier I moved ahead, I did not know if photography inside would be permitted, so wanted to take as much photographs from outside as possible. I noticed a small section of the garden walled, the gate perennially open. A few white structures stood inside. As I progressed, out came a small kitten, rolling around, smelling at the flowers, gazing at me in silent contemplation, perhaps wondering who this intruder was. It came close, yet maintained its distance, allowed me to sit even closer & take as many snaps as I wanted. The drivers started laughing boisterously as I crouched to photograph the kitten. Perhaps they did not know that it was his (or her??) land, his jungle. It sat there, imploring me to click more, but as soon as I tried to pat it, it sprung & retreated, not showing itself again that day. 

Along the diagonal..

I entered through the gates, perhaps this was the cat’s home, I could see several snake holes all around in the bushes. On one side of me stood two memorial tablets, one with a triangular head, and the other in a stair-pattern with three differently sized stones. I read what they had to say, prosaic & sad, they were perhaps built by near & dear ones on the passing away of a family member or may be a regimental acquaintance, after all St. John’s is one of the first churches to be built in Calcutta by the British East India Company. Job Charnock’s tomb, a diminutive, octagonal structure with a dome for a roof stood in the centre of the walled garden (refer Pixelated Memories - Charnock's Tomb). Charnock, a trader with the British East India Company, is supposedly the guy who established the city of Calcutta by combining three neighbouring cities into one & established the Company’s stronghold there (a claim that has since been rejected following an order by Calcutta High Court, refer to the post about the Tomb for details). In here are also buried Charnock’s wife & several others. I stepped outside again, that harsh sunlight again blinding me. I looked down, there was an iron plate down there, I push aside the soil & fallen leaves, there were more graves all around the memorial. I was standing over them. Forgotten, covered with compost & decay, unlike Charnock who lies in his tomb next to them. Are spirits & the dead also rich & poor, I wonder. I walk away, how long can I stay with the dead, they don’t speak. Nearby are other memorials too, this place is littered with them. There is a memorial dedicated to Lady Francis Johnson (refer Pixelated Memories - Lady Johnson's Memorial), another dedicated to the Second Rohilla War (refer Pixelated Memories - Rohilla War Memorial), & a third dedicated to the “Black Hole” tragedy of Calcutta (see Pixelated Memories - Black Hole Memorial). There is also the tomb of Admiral Watson, who helped Lord Clive of the East India Company capture Bengal after the Black Hole tragedy.

The walled garden, filled with several mausoleums & tombs

I notice many pigeons flocking to overhead electrical wires near Charnock’s Tomb, they cooed but their voices were lost before reaching me. I look at the church. Nothing, no sound, no soul in sight. I head to it. Its spire rose high, I look up but am again blinded by the sun. The large clock on the 174-feet high spire ticking slowly, even time seemed to stop here. I start observing the architecture of the church – designed with a Greek touch by military architect Lt. James Agg, the church was built with stone & brick (hence often referred in Bangla as the “Pathare Girja” or “The Stone Church”) mostly derived (or as many say, robbed) from the ruins of Gaur in 1787 on land donated by a local lord Maharaja Naba Krishna Deba. The church’s large square base, & the pillared portico look impressive. Lt. Agg was good at what he did. Lost in these & several other thoughts, & clicking pictures here & there, I move ahead. The entrance was on the other side. 

The Stone Church

Before reaching the entrance I see another grave-like memorial sitting in the church’s corridor. This one was skilfully sculpted, a glorious cross stood over it. It belonged to Lady Charlotte Canning, the wife of Charles Canning, the first Viceroy of India (refer Pixelated Memories - Lady Canning Memorial). She died of malaria & lies buried in nearby suburb of Barrackpore. But this memorial was designed elaborately & constructed in the corridor of the church. I photograph it & step down the staircase.

Charlotte Canning's memorial

The entrance seems far, I find pleasure in the wonderful gardens, fragrant flowers spread cheers around, yet the place seems desolate, the air heavy. At the entrance is a big visitor’s book kept on a stand, its torn pages fluttering with the breeze as if some invisible being was turning them over to find some reference. Scrawled comments & signatures graced its pages. Many were illegible. As I entered the entrance, I saw a room on either side – the right one barred by a large, carved wooden board (more on it later), the other open. A man sat stooped in his chair, pen in hand, writing furiously in the latter room. I knock, no response. I knock again. He welcomes me in, offers me a chair, and asks the purpose of my visit. He too found it a matter of extreme importance that someone was visiting this long lost place.

Inside St. John's Church (Notice the secondary arch on the right side & the golden-ish painting on the left of the altar)

I tell him who I am, what I do. Satisfied, he grants me permission to photograph inside the Church. Cheerfully I leave, the prayer chamber is huge, painted white, its walls covered with epitaphs (mainly of army officers and civil servants besides other prominent citizens) & sculptures. I look around, not sure what to photograph & what to leave. Blue-paned windows usher in sun’s rays to lighten the chairs & benches. An organ starts playing as I step on the aisle. Confused, I look here & there, not sure where the sound is coming from. It seemed as if the entire hall was vibrating. My heart thumping, I regain my composure. Two pretty foreigners sit in the front rows, reading quietly from their hymn books. I walk ahead, we talk. I notice the monstrous pipe-organ besides the altar. I ask the ladies if going in is allowed. They did not know. I started photographing the altar, it was beautiful - a blue-painted arched wall covered with a row of golden paintings. More flowers & candles on the altar, a golden cross graced the table. 

The Altar view

The altar was flanked by a shallow arch on its right side. Angels with folded hands guarded the arch & splendid stained glass windows depicting scenes from Christ’s life adorned it. The left side had a painting similar to Da Vinci’s “Last Supper”. But the characters seemed different, the props were different. The only character unmistakeable was that of Mary Magdalene sitting next to Jesus. I later read that this rendition of the “Last Supper” was created by England-based German artist Johann Zoffany. It is said that the artist scandalized the elite of that time by representing various known British personalities as Jesus & his disciples in this image.

Colorful..

I photograph as much as I can, then notice the organ player smiling at me. He steps down. An old, crippled man, he uses a stick as a walking aid. I acknowledge his presence with a smile & continue with photographing the church interiors. The two ladies come & talk to him, they move to a window & point out directions, and then they leave. 

John, the church's organ-player

The old man comes to me, asks my name & where I was from. I compliment him for the wonderful music he played. His name too was John, he says like the Church, I say like the saint. He tells me how he got crippled & asks me if I have taken as many photographs as I wanted for my writings. He then leads me to Warren Hastings room. It was the room right to the entrance, the door of which was barred with the wooden board. He switches on the lights (instructing me to switch them off when I am done). Warren Hastings was one of the Governor-Generals of British-ruled India. His room has been restored exactly to what it used to look like when he used it, & is decked with framed photographs hanging on the walls, old Bibles, wooden cupboards & furniture. A chair is placed in a sealed glass case, the inscription reads that it is the actual chair used by Hastings himself, since then preserved in its original condition. After I am done, I go back to the prayer hall, it seems much grander, yet lonelier without John & the foreigners. A wooden arching staircase on the right connects the first floor, I climb up but the door is locked. I step down again & look around one last time. The mighty organ was silent now, so was everything around again. Nothing, no sound, no soul in sight.

Hasting's room

I walk out again, silently contemplating the fates of numerous people buried here, hoping I come here again. Hoping then this beautiful place shows more signs of life, when people too tread its grounds along with the kittens.

Goodbye, dear friend!!

Location: BBD Bagh area. Walking distance from Raj Bhavan, the residence of Governor of Bengal.
Nearest Metro Station: Esplanade Metro Station
How to reach: One can simply walk from either Esplanade Bus Terminus or Raj Bhavan. Or take a taxi.
Open: All days, 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday service: 8–9 am
Entrance Fee: Rs 10 (for visitors on foot, you have to pay more for parking)
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
Time required for sight seeing: 1.5 hrs
Relevant Links - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Black Hole Memorial
2. Pixelated Memories - Charnock's Tomb
3. Pixelated Memories - Lady Canning Memorial
4. Pixelated Memories - Lady Johnson's Memorial
5. Pixelated Memories - Rohilla War Memorial
6. Pixelated Memories - Sacred Heart Church
7. Pixelated Memories - St. Andrew's Church
8. Pixelated Memories - Writers' Building

Suggested Reading - 

1. Deccan Herald - Article "Much loved and always interesting" (dated January 13, 2008)
2. The Telegraph - Article "Wicked man on the wall" (dated January 3, 2010) by Samhita Chakraborty