Mind on Edge - Meraki - Rasasvada - Fernweh - Dormiveglia - Numinous - Vorfreude: Stephen's Church - Ooty

St Stephen's Church - Ooty

Close to the Collector's office in Ooty is St Stephen's Church, large and grand. Built around 1830s the church attracts a large crowd not only for prayers but also some who are interested in history of Ooty and in the Church.

St Stephen's Church - Ooty

My short visit to the Church was interesting, the church like St Mary's in Fort St George has many marble / brass plaques in memory of Britishers. Like may old buildings this church too takes visitors back in time on a short journey. One can sit in the church and imagine being a part of a service or a wedding about a hundred years ago.

In memory of a Freemason.

I find that it is easier to relate to time inside relatively newer buildings such as this, built of brick and mortar and with writings on the wall that can be understood easily. In contrast walking into an ancient Hindu temple in South India which may be over 1500 years old leaves one speechless and most times with little knowledge of the temple's history. The temples will also most probably sport inscriptions in ancient languages which a commoner will not understand. All buildings over 100 years old must have a document stating pertinent and interesting facts about the building, it's history, people associated with the building etc. The authorities in charge of the building must cause such a document to be written in English and in local languages.

Many temples have a small booklet on the temples history which at times is obscure and is meaningless to the reader leaving him in a state of helplessness. If we do not show that we care and take interest we will lose much due to our carelessness. I remember walking through the magnificent Vaitheeswaran Koil which is over a 1000 years old and no one there could tell me how old the temple is or provide more details on the architecture and my search for a book that would give me the details was also not available. The temple Devsthanam also was not helpful.

St. Stephen's Church was built in the 1830s and after the local Britishers who numbered over 100 made a plea for a place of worship. By this time the British had defeated Tipu Sultan and had taken charge of Srirangapatinam.To help bring down the cost of constructing a Church in Ooty, Tipu's palace was ordered to be demolished and the timber and other building materials thus obtained to be brought to Ooty for the construction of the Church. Timber used in the construction of St Stephen's Church comes form Tipu's palace and was brought up through the Sigur ghats which in those days was a tribal track.

The Church has a graveyard in the rear wherein lay interred,
1. Maj. Pitt MacDonald the first Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge of Madras (Freemasons) the grave has been redone by brethren of the Pitt MacDonald Lodge from Madras.

2. John Sullivan' wife

3. Casa Major - is this the same person whose name has been given to a major road in Madras?

and many more. I am sure a proper search would reveal much and maybe study of the Church's records would help in identifying more people in the grave.

The Church and the land appurtenant leave behind an impression of serenity and a certain sense of beauty and I would happily recommend all those who go to Ooty to visit this Church.