Thursday 6 February 2014

ICON 1: CHURCH FOR MARTYRS 

CHURCH FOR MARTYRS

BY P S SUNDAR


On Feb 2, 2014, the top brass of the military establishment in Wellington, Nilgiris, assembled at the 129 year old St. George's Church at Wellington Garrison and participated in a solemn Martyrs' Day Memorial Service organised by the Madras Regimental Centre (MRC).   My article on this appeared in The New Indian Express on Feb 3, 2014 as under:

This is the uniqueness about this Church.  Every year, on the Sunday closest to India's Martyrs' Day (January 30, Mahatma Gandhi's demise day), MRC conducts such solemn memorial service when the Commandant pays homage to the known and unknown soldiers who had sacrificed their lives for the cause of the nation  by placing wreath on the prestigious plaque installed on the chancel between the choir stalls and the altar reading as described in my above article.  My photo of this marvellous plaque appears below: 

Ever since the Church was built in 1885 as worship place for British troops stationed in Wellington, Nilgiris, it is popularly called Garrisons Church.   It has an attractive structure as can be seen from this photo:



This is the largest CSI Church in the Nilgiris with loftiest spire hailed for architectural beauty as I have captured in this photo:

The oak choir stalls, pulpit and brass altar railings came from Birmingham.  Three paintings of St George, Crucifixion and St Michael came from London in 1892.  These can be seen in this photo I took when the Church was celebrating its Quasquicentennial  (125 years) in May 2010 with Rev J Rodrigues Bernabas as Presbyter:
  

These stand highlighted in the following article of mine published in The New Indian Express on May 13, 2010:

This article of mine published in The New Indian Express on May 13, 2010, captures the 125 year celebrations at the Church:

Another unique feature of this Church is the 112-year-old pipe organ filling the Church with sacred music during its services.  Its majesty can be seen in my photo below:

I have highlighted the special features of this historic pipe organ in this article of mine published in The New Indian Express on May 14, 2010: 



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16 comments:

  1. At Your Service6 February 2014 at 01:02

    Very interesting!! MRC has another Martyr's day memorial in your article!!

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  2. P S SUNDAR6 February 2014 at 01:11

    Thanks..P S SUNDAR

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  3. P S SUNDAR6 February 2014 at 19:19

    “Very Interesting!!! MRC has another Martyr's Day memorial in your article!! “. P VIbhkar Ooty

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  4. P S SUNDAR8 February 2014 at 23:40

    The historical facts given by you and the continuance of Martyr's Day celebration at Garrison Church, Wellington, The Nilgiris, is a nugget. Thank you...GVJA Harshavardhan

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  5. P S SUNDAR9 February 2014 at 18:46

    Apart from the one on the Church, the others are moving articles especially the ones on the ‘elderly’- I do not like to call them as ‘old’. They have aged respectfully and the respect due to them is mandatory.

    The write-up on your dear son touched me indeed.

    The one of the rude behaviour of Junior staff towards their Senior staff is so common these days, that it no longer surprises me-of course not all apples are rotten-there are some wonderful people in these public places-.

    Thanks and I have shared this with my contacts.
    ==DR GEORGE JAYAPRAKASH

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    Replies
    1. P S SUNDAR9 February 2014 at 18:48

      Many thanks for your highly valuable comments..P S SUNDAR, FEB 10, 2014

      Delete
  6. P S SUNDAR10 February 2014 at 19:47

    I have not seen this Church so far...but have now seen it through your article..Thanks..Geetha V Raghavan, Dubai.

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    Replies
    1. P S SUNDAR10 February 2014 at 19:48

      Many thanks...may be, next time when you are in the Nilgiris..P S SUNDAR

      Delete
  7. P S SUNDAR13 February 2014 at 00:07

    Yours is a huge oeuvre and has covered such diverse topics. I have read your blog and enjoyed it.
    With regards,
    Vikram GA, Hyderabad

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  8. P S SUNDAR13 February 2014 at 00:30

    I have visited the web. It is awesome..G PREMANAND, SECRETARY GENERAL, YMCA, COONOOR

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  9. P S SUNDAR24 February 2014 at 05:51

    Dear Mr Sundar,

    Thank you so much, for your interesting useful information on St.Georges Garrison Church, Wellington.... REV RODRIGUS BARNABAS

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    Replies
    1. P S SUNDAR24 February 2014 at 05:52

      Very nice to hear from you..Happy to note that the information are interesting and useful..P S SUNDAR

      Delete

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