Afghan Church: An Ancient Marker

Markers or Landmarks are the crucial part of our day to day life. They form cognitive anchors, or reference points for orientation, wayfinding and communication. They have no fixed scale as they are subjective. Landmarks are elements of the urban form containing design features that reinforce their uniqueness and memorability. Landmarks by their nature attract and hold people’s attention. Landmarks communicate to observers that they are a special place. Surrounding land use and building design provide a background context for the landmark, reinforcing its role as an important

visual element. Landmarks can also be defined as features with distinctive spatial features and by virtue of their colors, shape or semantic values have the potential to help people to orientate or find their way in the environment (Lynch, 1960; Tlauka and Wilson, 1994; Appleyard, 1970). Moughtin et al (1999) defines a landmark as an element or a group of coherent elements that can be singled out against a landscape background of repetitive detail. These are physical components “whose key physical characteristic…is singularity, some aspect that is unique or memorable in the context. Landmarks become more easily identifiable, more likely to be chosen as significant, if they have a clear form; if they contrast with their background; and if there is some prominence of spatial location.

Figure background contrast seems to be the principal factor”(Moughtin et al, 1999, pp.45). These definitions encompasses and representative of many traditional concepts of landmarks. This photo essay is a short tour to the heritage structure which as an important landmark in the history of the city.

Church today.

An old picture of the church. (Source http://discoverindiabyroad.blogspot.in/p/lost-mumbai.html)

Situated in the military cantonment area at the southernmost tip of the island city of Mumbai, Afghan church, the Grade I heritage structure is well known for its unique architecture and history. After crossing Colaba causeway we started walking down through the pleasant streets of Navy nagar, an old cantonment area established in 1796. The area houses the residences of naval officers and sailors. While engaged in experiencing the surrounding with some old structures, military memorials, soldiers moving around, we spotted a long tapering tower rising in the sky through trees and I realized the strength of the structure as a marker!

A Memorial park in Navy nagar. 

View from the road. 

Among the heritage landmarks that situated in the historic Colaba area, The Church of St. John the Evangelist also known as afghan church is a beautiful gothic structure dating to 1865. The first Anglican Church in the Navy Nagar district began as a small thatched chapel just about a kilometer south of its present day location. Later, the government released a new patch of land for the setting up the church with the elongated slender spire as a marker greeting ships as they enter the waters of Bombay’s natural harbour. The spire is clearly visible also from the Girgaon chowpatty near Malabar hills even today.

The church was built by the British to commemorate the dead of the First Afghan War and the disastrous 1842 retreat from Kabul. Memorials and laid up regimental colours displayed at the rear of the nave also record casualties from the Second Anglo- Afghan War. The construction of a new more permanent church in the 1840s was led by the Rev. George Piggot, Chaplain to the East India Company in Bombay. The immediate impetus for fundraising and construction was for the church to serve as the principal memorial to the casualties of the First Anglo-Afghan War. The retreat of the

British forces from Kabul in 1842 was described at the time as the worst disaster suffered by the British in India. The reason for constructing the church here in Mumbai that many of the casualties of

the conflict came from the East India Company's Bombay Army and military establishments located in proximity to the present church site.

Heavily ornamented entrance door.

The foundation stone of the church was laid on the 4 December 1847 by Sir George Russell Clerk, Governor. The church was consecrated on January 7, 1858, by Bishop of Bombay, John Harding but it was still incomplete. The spire cost a sum of Rs 5,65,000 and was finished on June 10, 1865 completing the overall construction of the church. The structure was constructed using locally available buff-coloured basalt and limestone makes façade look elegant. Inside it is known for its wide gothic arches and beautiful stained glass windows. The chapel has a nave and aisle with a chancel 50 ft (15 m) in length and 27 ft (7 m) in width. The materials used and minute detailing makes it a genuine art piece. Butterfield's tiles used for the geometric floor pattern were imported from England. Church’s windows are also one of the features creating a distinct identity of the structure. The east and west windows were designed by William Wailes, a nineteenth century stained glass expert. The light passing through these windows adds on to the calm ambience inside. The piers, arches, consignees and dressings are of Porbunder Stone. The roof is an open one of varnished teak-wood with a pitch of 50 feet and with height 60 feet. Eight large bells in the bell tower came from the Taylor bellfoundry of England in 1904, and are acknowledged to be the best in western India.The splendid tower and spire are 198 ft (60 m) high.

 Tower and Spire. 

buff-coloured basalt stone facade.

View of the Nave.

stained glass windows in chancel. 

In the chancel there is a huge commemorative plaque with the following words, "This church was built in memory of the officers whose names are written on the walls of the chancel and of the non commissioned officers and private soldiers, too many to be so recorded who fell, mindful of their duty, by sickness or by sword in the campaigns of Sind and Afghanistan, A.D. 1838-1843."

Buttresses supporting the wall.

Large trees in the surrounding.

Plaques placed inside the memorial.

Small memorial outside the church.

Architecturally, St. John's was not outstanding, but historically it was the first Church, erected in India along the lines laid down by the Ecclesiological society embodying the new principles of Gothic Architecture. In 1858, it was a novel architectural experiment in India but it paved the way for the high Victorian buildings both secular and ecclesiastical that were to become the hallmark of the British architecture, in India.

With the unique features St. John's Church was an important addition to the Churches in Mumbai, since its tall towers when spotted by the Sailors coming into Bombay by sea, gave them a sense of home coming as it represented the architecture that they had left behind at home. The calmness and serenity around St. John's Church created a spiritual haven for them.



Address: Navy Nagar, Colaba, South Mumbai, Maharashtra (India)– 400005.

Best time to visit: Tourists can visit this church at any time of the year. However, the
church surroundings bloom with joy during Christmas and new year. November to
January is the time when a large number of people flock to this church.

Timings: The church remains open all days of the week from 07:00 am to 06:30 pm
except Sunday. If you find the church close between these timings, then the church
caretaker will help you to open the door (he lives just next to the church).

Entry Fee / Ticket Charges: The entry is free to everyone. They do not take any sort of
entry charges.

Time Required: 1 Hour is sufficient to explore the Church and its surroundings.

How to Reach: The church is very near to the Colaba Causeway which is between
Colaba and Old Woman’s island. One can easily reach here by taking a cab from
anywhere in the city.
 Nearest Bus Stop: You can catch BEST Bus number 123 from Churchgate
station or Regal Cinema to reach the church.
 Nearest Railway Station: Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on Central Railway is the
convenient railway station (6.5 km away) to reach Afghan church Mumbai.
Churchgate station on Western Railway is another option which is 3.5 km away.
Taxis are available outside the station which will take you to the church within 10
to 15 minutes.
 Nearest Airport: Mumbai Airport is the closest airport to the church. Airport is 27
km away from the church.

Bibliography:

- Morris, Jan (1983). Stones of Empire: The Buildings of the Raj (Reissue 2005ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 189. ISBN 0-19-280596-7.

- "John Macduff Derick (c. 1805/6 - 1859) by Phil Mottram, 2004" (PDF). p. 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2011. Retrieved March17, 2011.

- Paul Thompson: "William Butterfield", Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1971, p.450 ISBN 0-7100-6930-8

- "Afghan church gets a glass makeover". Indian Express.

- "Day Five: The Prince and the Duchess Visit India". The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Retrieved 13 October 2015.

- The Bombay Diocesan Trust Association Ltd.:http://www.bdtapvtltd.org/afghan.htm

- Kevin Lynch, Image of the City(1960)