Kalimpong, Dec. 18: The
122-year-old MacFarlane Memorial Church that was damaged in the
September 18, 2011, earthquake will hold Christmas Mass after two years
this time.
The church, which
is a prominent landmark of the town, was reopened last month after the
completion of nearly two years of restoration work.
The church was
restored under the supervision of a team of experts, including
architects Subin Pradhan, Chetan Shrestha, Upendra Gurung and structural
engineer Gayatri Kharel, who died while the work was on.
The architects are from various private firms.
Architect Pradhan
said the earthquake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, had caused
extensive damage to the interiors and the belfry of the church.
“All the pinnacles were damaged. The slab on the top-most level had also suffered damage,” he said.
After the quake, the building was declared unsafe for use.
Pradhan said the
old lime plaster was removed from all the damaged walls and the cracks
filled up with a combination of cement, lime and jute fibre.
“All the cracks
were filled up. All the doors and windows were replaced. The tower and
its pinnacles have been restored with additional steel bracing along the
interior. The interior of the church has been repainted along with the
tower,” he added.
The restoration began in February 2012.
Prior to that, the
Church of North India (CNI) and the breakaway United Church of North
India (UCNI) had formed a joint restoration committee of 11 members from
both the sides to oversee the work.
“The repair was
taken up and supervised jointly by Kalimpong Local Kirk Session (under
the UCNI) and Pastorate Committee, Kalimpong (under the CNI). The team
of architects worked hard, day and night, to restore the building to its
former glory. The restored structure, which is reinforced with steel,
looks stronger and more beautiful. The total cost of restoration came to
about Rs 73 lakh,” said Eno Panlook, a member of the committee.
The money was
collected from Church members in the hills. Like before, the church will
witness a daylong Christmas day celebration, prayers and worship this
year.
While the CNI will hold its session from 9am, the UCNI celebrations will start from 2pm.
“Like in the past, the celebrations will include a prem bhoj, besides prayers and worship,” said Panlook.
The church is named after William MacFarlane, the first missionary from the Church of Scotland to come to Darjeeling in 1870.
The foundation stone of the church was laid on February 24, 1890, and it was opened on November 1, 1891.
“The church was
designed in the Scottish church style, and belongs to the Gothic revival
school of architecture. The tower and pinnacles were probably added
later,” said Shrestha.
The church is a
visual treat for all people and tourists in Kalimpong. With its spires
visible from almost all parts of Kalimpong, it is one of the most
important landmarks of the town.
“The church has
been a part of Kalimpong’s visual landscape. In the aftermath of the
quake, the damaged spire and fallen pinnacles of the church were a sad
sight. I consider it to be a privilege to work on its restoration,” said
Pradhan.
Source: The Telegraph