Bells toll again in Srinagar church

NT Correspondent

Srinagar: After 30 years, the bells are ringing again in a Srinagar church that’s easily over a hundred years old!

The St Luke’s Church located in Srinagar, built in 1896 on the foothills of the city’s Shankaracharya hill was thrown open for the public on Thursday.

JK’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the reopening ceremony and termed the church as “a unique symbol of J&K’s composite culture.”

The opening of the historic church ahead of the Christmas festival has come as a cheer for the Christian community in the valley. On Thursday, special prayers were also held to mark the day. Before the restoration work, officials said the Church was lying in a dilapidated condition and the whole structure over the years had deteriorated.

According to officials, the Church is a single-story building constructed on a cruciform plan. The Church follows the Gothic style of architecture which is distinct from the other important monuments dotted across Srinagar.

Locals said it was a welcome move. “The church has been in a very bad condition all these years. It is good that the administration has taken steps to renovate the church after a long time,” Faizan Ahmad, a resident of Dalgate area told NewsTrail.

Athar Aamir Khan, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation said that the church will see its first Christmas this year after more than 30 years.

“Grateful to my Srinagar Smart City Team, Tourism dept. and our local artisans and workmen who made this possible within a short span of time,” he said.

Officials said the restoration and conservation work of the church was carried out under the ‘Smart City Project’. “The up-gradation of the surrounding landscape has also been attended to including access to the Church, lighting, and the allied components,” a government statement said.

JK’s LG Manoj Sinha who inaugurated the church said reopening “is a historic occasion to celebrate and imbibe Lord Christ’s message of sacrifice, service, redemption, love, and compassion.”