With a population of around 4
million, Armenia is a small Country in central Asia which once was a mighty
empire. It gained independence and became a Republic after the dissolution of
the former Soviet Union in 1991. India’s Armenian connection could be several
centuries old for one Thomas of Cana is said to have visited South West India
sometime in the 8/9th century CE. He is said to have been an Armenian and was
accompanied by several families. Though not much is known about him, he is some
times referred to as a merchant and sometimes as a Bishop. A group of Catholics
in Kerala also claim to be his descendents. Incidentally Armenia happens to be
the first country in the world to officially embrace Christianity way back in
the 4th century CE.
Unlike Jews and Parsees, the
Armenians did not look to India for asylum or shelter, they came in to trade
and make money. During the 16th century CE, Mughal Emperor Akbar invited
Armenians to settle down at Agra with all trading rights. Over a period of
time the population grew and Agra had a sizeable Armenian population. They also
settled down at Surat and became renowned merchants. Likewise they spread to
other cities as well, trading mainly in precious stones, jewellery, silk and
spices.
Chennai has an Armenian Street and
still is known by that name. However there are no Armenians to be found as such.
All that remains is a beautiful Church dedicated to St. Mary, reminding their
glorious past. In this business area of George Town they lived peacefully, with
their own houses, lower portion of which served as a store house for their
merchandise. The said Church is amongst one of the heritage buildings of
Chennai. During 1668 they had a temporary Church built of timber within the
precincts of Fort St. George. In 1712 they had a permanent structure but
immediately thereafter the city of Chennai came into French possession for some
time. During the French reign the Armenian Church is said to have been
demolished but some say that it was done by the British. Eventually in 1772 the
present Church came to be constructed on a piece of land belonging to a wealthy
Armenian. It had his private chapel and
cemetery. It is only because of the existence of this Church that the City could
connect to those Armenians who once roamed around. Incidentally their population
all over India is around 350 only and the largest number being at Kolkata. It
is their Church at Kolkata which takes care of the Chennai Church and its upkeep
through a resident care taker.
Existence of an Armenian Street and a
Church thereat was well known to me and possibly I have passed through the
street many times when I was young. But then I did only loafing around. Peeping
into the past as an obsession developed much later. But even when that dawned,
my stays in Chennai used to be too short and confined in a particular area. This
time, I had plenty of time and could bank on my brothers help to move around
with a personal conveyance. I landed on the Armenian Street one day and looked
around. Yes there were the doors that lead to the Armenian Church as I could
gather from what was written above. Unfortunately the door was closed. On
enquiry a pavement vendor asked me to come at 5.00 PM but while I was conversing
I found the door being opened and a watchman coming out. On enquiry the watchman
told that I need to come between 9.30 AM and 2.30 PM. He frustrated all my pleas
and attempts to get in. Incidentally the door and the walls were so high that
one can not get even a glimpse of the Church behind.
A week later I once again visited the
street but this time the doors were pretty open and I was well within the time
span prescribed for visitors. A gentleman who was sitting inside welcomed me
with all courtesies. He was Mr. Trevor Alexander, the caretaker belonging to the
local Anglo Indian community.
The above one is the Bell Tower
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| This is the Church (from Wikimedia) |
Immediately upon entry, the imposing
structure that greets you is that of the Bell Tower and it is the one
which gets portrayed to denote the Church. The real Church is a humble one with
practically a flat roof just on its right side. There was a wooden ladder
leading up to the tower but people are not being allowed for fear of the ladder
crumbling down. Mr. Alexander took pains to restrain me suggesting that apart
from being old, the ladder is too steep and one may encounter fatal falls due to
giddiness. Perforce I thought it would be wiser to go by his words.
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| Erected in memory of Mrs. Coromsimee Leembruggen |
On the right there is a corridor
adjoining the Church. Some wall hangings could be seen with a marble plaque
embedded into the wall to commemorate the visit of their Patriarch in 1963. It
was serene inside the Church with St. Mary at the Altar and a candle kept
burning. I was at peace with myself and relished the quietness. Beneath the
Altar there were miniature paintings depicting the scenes from Jesus’ life. At
the other end there was a balcony for the Church Choir group to be
seated.
Once again outside the Church, the
area is covered by a number of Frangipani trees bearing large white flowers.
Probably the decomposed bodies of around 370 Armenians buried under the soil are
providing extra nutrients to the trees there to grow so well. All the graves are
at the ground level and it would be difficult not to walk over them unless some
one cares to see the inscriptions they contain. As an exception there is a well
elevated and well maintained grave of Reverend Harutyum Shmavonian who breathed
his last in 1824. It was he who brought out the first Armenian journal in the
world "Azdarar" in 1794. I was curious to have a look at that journal, alas!,
not a single copy exists at least at the Chennai Church. It was here that the
Armenians of that time prepared a draft constitution for an independent country
in 1781. Ironically Armenia became independent only after the dismemberment of
the Soviet Union in1991.
It would be of interest to learn that
Armenians unlike other Christians do not celebrate X’mas on the 25th of
December. They are Eastern Orthodox Christians and claim to have been
celebrating X’mas on the 6th of January much before the date was prescribed in
325 AD. They continue that tradition. So are the Orthodox Church of Russia but
their date being 7th of January.
While returning home, I was too sorry
for not having climbed the Bell tower which still has 6 large bells weighing
between 150 to 200 kgs. The oldest one was cast at London in 1754 by the makers
of Big Ben which was recast at Chennai (known as Madras at that time) in 1808.
This bell is said to bear an inscription in Tamil.
Incidentally the Armenian Association of India is planning to celebrate the 300th year of the Church during this year.
