Sacred heart ripped out

The recent trip to Kerala, I had a prioritised mission. I wanted to watch the ‘Good Friday’ celeberations of Kudamaloor church. I had last participated the programme in 1971, the year I left for Delhi. After that, though I wanted, I could not make it. This time, I had planned my Kerala trip to suit the good Friday. I must confess, the enthusiasm with which I wanted to visit my hometown, especially the key institution of the village, Kudamaloor Church, famous for it’s Good Friday programmes as also for being the birth place(parish) of Saint Alphonsa, could not sustain for long. The Kudamaloor St.Mary’s church was believed to have been built 900 years ago by the then king of the province, Chempakassery Raja. With so many wonderful architectural marvels, the old church in it’s present form might have been built not less than 400 years ago. The icon of the church was the beautiful painting of The Lady with baby Jesus with Kings, placed in the centre of the Alter of the main hall in a huge glass frame meticulously placed to fit in the painting. The church also has stone carvings inscribing some historical tit bits written in a Malayalam script, which the present generation could hardly understand. The stones were placed as floor marbles. With wide huge stone walls, the church hardly needed any cooling. In my last to last visit I had noticed that the floor has been done up with new ‘Rajasthan marbles’ probably to make it look modern. The carved stones were plucked and placed along the wall, as if to make it to speak it’s own age and ethnicity. I feel it would have been beautiful if it had remained where it was already laid. This time, what pained me most was the scene of the Altar of the old church. Empty, vacant, as if the ‘heart’ has ripped out. My church, Which I wanted to visit again and again, stand like a skeleton of the old church.
I saw the most famous painting of the ‘Mukti Amma’ is now framed and placed in front of the new church.
Next time, I may see a green patch in place of the old marvel. My heart weeps.

Sacred heart ripped out

The recent trip to Kerala, I had a prioritised mission. I wanted to watch the ‘Good Friday’ celeberations of Kudamaloor church. I had last participated the programme in 1971, the year I left for Delhi. After that, though I wanted, I could not make it. This time, I had planned my Kerala trip to suit the good Friday. I must confess, the enthusiasm with which I wanted to visit my hometown, especially the key institution of the village, Kudamaloor Church, famous for it’s Good Friday programmes as also for being the birth place(parish) of Saint Alphonsa, could not sustain for long. The Kudamaloor St.Mary’s church was believed to have been built 900 years ago by the then king of the province, Chempakassery Raja. With so many wonderful architectural marvels, the old church in it’s present form might have been built not less than 400 years ago. The icon of the church was the beautiful painting of The Lady with baby Jesus with Kings, placed in the centre of the Alter of the main hall in a huge glass frame meticulously placed to fit in the painting. The church also has stone carvings inscribing some historical tit bits written in a Malayalam script, which the present generation could hardly understand. The stones were placed as floor marbles. With wide huge stone walls, the church hardly needed any cooling. In my last to last visit I had noticed that the floor has been done up with new ‘Rajasthan marbles’ probably to make it look modern. The carved stones were plucked and placed along the wall, as if to make it to speak it’s own age and ethnicity. I feel it would have been beautiful if it had remained where it was already laid. This time, what pained me most was the scene of the Altar of the old church. Empty, vacant, as if the ‘heart’ has ripped out. My church, Which I wanted to visit again and again, stand like a skeleton of the old church.
I saw the most famous painting of the ‘Mukti Amma’ is now framed and placed in front of the new church.
Next time, I may see a green patch in place of the old marvel. My heart weeps.

Richeness means.....

Today, there was a picture of Anil Ambani with marigold flower garland around his neck, standing in front of Tirupati temple, in the front pages of some popular English dailies. Similar pictures were seen of Mukesh, Amitabh Bachan, Abhishek Bachan and A few such newsworthy souls of India. I am sure, they all were there to please the deity who, they believe, will shower them with blessings (of course wealth in billions), for their offer of a few lakhs. Rich Indians, no matter their religion, offer hefty sums to deities of their choice.

A few days back, there was a picture of Mr. Gate who with his extra bills(wealth),(which keep swelling every moment), busy shaking hands with kids in a remote Indian village, for whose, health, education, up-liftment, he spare his extra wealth. His wife also join him in this act of worship.