Several first time visual treats await visitors to 417 year old Marian shrine on the banks of Hooghly River in Bandel 40 kms north of Kolkata. The West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (WBTDC) has announced special tour packages, including a visit to historic Marian shrine Bandel Church and Mother Teresa House for visiting tourists to mark the ongoing festive season – Christmas and New Year. A special chartered bus would take tourists on a tour to the well-known church of Kolkata on the evening of December 24.
On a visit to Bandel shrine during the Christmas season over 100,000 visitors of all religious beliefs are expected to see larger than life size statues of popular Christian saints like Mother Mary, Mother Teresa, Don Bosco, St Joseph, St Francis Xavier, St Ignatius of Loyola, St Augustine and larger than life size Stations of the Cross depicting 14 scenes from the final hours of Jesus’ life with 54 odd statues.
“This is the first time we install a statue of St Augustine as the saint is connected to the friars of the Augustinian Order who established the Christian community in Bengal,” says Prior of Bandel Church Fr T. L. Francis.
Greeting the pilgrims at the band stand in front of the shrine is 9 feet tall statue of Jesus with open arms welcoming all.
On the far right side of the church field is a giant Christmas crib depicting the birth of Jesus flanked by the Calvary scene showing the crucifixion and death of Jesus with twelve other stations laid out towards the river end of the church field.
On the far left of the field is the scene of the shepherds’ watch where angels appear to announce the birth of Jesus. Opposite to that is popular scene of Santa Claus hailing the arrival of Christmas and New Year.
And the crowning marvel of visual fiesta this year at Bandel Church is the music fountain showcasing the popular Christmas carols in sound, light and water brilliantly executed by Church Art Kolkata.
“We want to do something spectacular for the people who come to Bandel Church during Christmas and New Year,” says CEO of Church Art Kolkata Mr Subrata Ganguly explaining the reason for the visual treat.
“This year the visitors will see more orderly barricades for crowd management, seen never before, with iron rods replacing the clumsy bamboo fencing,” says Fr Francis who shows off the iron barricade starting 50 feet away from the main door of the church. The iron barricade extending into the Church verandahs allows smooth flow of pilgrims to the church, grotto and balcony, as well as to the souvenir shop.
“We are also appealing to visitors to maintain the sacredness of the place and not to convert the church field into a picnic spot,” says the prior Fr Francis holding a meeting with some 50 uniformed volunteers from the parish, both gents and ladies, who will help facilitate the sanctity of the church environs.
Local Bengali bhadralok (gentry) from neighbouring townships make it a point to visit Bandel church for special days and auspicious occasions. Among them is prominent Ganguly family from Belur in Howrah who have their ancestral home in neighbouring Chandernagar town in Hooghly.
Another visual treat this year are three ‘bronze finish’ doors at the main entrance of the basilica embellished with relief motives depicting religious themes. Third item to be seen is the restoration of the historical mast which had fallen in the storm that struck on 9th May 2010. The Portuguese ship’s mast was a votive offering to the Church from the captain of the ship that was miraculously saved in a tempest in the Bay of Bengal in 1655. An Archeological Survey of India team which visited the church after the storm declared the mast a heritage item and directed the public works department to re-erect it. But with the department taking no action, the church authorities had wrapped the mast and stored it. After a gap of almost five years one of the tourist attractions in Bandel, The Mast is once again displayed in a glass case.
“It is a matter of great prestige for Church Art Kolkata to be a part of this great renovation work in Bandel Church which draws pilgrims from across India and abroad,” says Mr Ganguly of Church Art – a Kolkata based company specialising in designing art work for churches.
This year for Mother Teresa’s canonization Mr. Ganguly installed her life size bronze statue in Archbishop’s House Calcutta with the help of famed Italian sculptor Mr Armando who had earlier sculpted a statue of St Pope John Paul II.
The major renovation of one of Hooghly district’s most iconic landmarks had been proposed to mark 400th anniversary of the establishment of Bandel Church in 1999. But the plan had to be shelved in the face of a raging litigation battle over the ownership of the church filed in front the shrine. However the matter was settled in favour of the church in 2014.
Established by Portuguese Augustinian monks in 1599, Bandel Church came under the charge of the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1928. Saint Pope John Paul II declared Bandel Church dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario – Our Lady of the Rosary – into a Basilica in 1988 in view of the 400 year celebrations scheduled for 1999.
6 Mar 2014 - 1:40pm | AT News
In a bid to curb EVM tempering in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission has the state government employees not to deal with the EVMs in the polls.In an order, the country’s poll panel...
25 Feb 2017 - 8:12am | AT News
An intensive probe into the multi crore agriculture department is likely to send more officers to the jail. Some stunning facts seemed to have surfaced during the ongoing investigation where five...
9 Feb 2017 - 9:34pm | AT Kokrajhar Bureau
Kokrajhar is all set to celebrate 15th Bodoland Day to mark the 15 years glorious step of the BTC Accord Day on Friday at BTC Secretariat ground Bodofa Nwgwr in Kokrajhar. Chief Minister Sarbananda...
5 Mar 2008 - 3:37pm | editor
An uneasy situation is what prevails in Nazira sub division along the Assam Nagaland border following as firing incident by the Naga militants at some Assam police vehicles on Wednesday. According to...
In a rare case of rags to riches story, an Assamese entrepreneur today heads a trillion dollar company in the U.S. employing over 4,000 people.
The man in the case is Siddhartha Chowdhary, the founder of Credence, a consulting organization based in Washington DC. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur (1988-92 Batch) he was two terms president of PAN IIT activities for over 5,000 members in the U.S.
Siddhartha affectionately called as Sid was introduced as an unmatched achiever from northeast India at a felicitation held at Press Club Dispur in his home city Guwahati, on 22nd December 2023.
Introducing him was his former principal at Don Bosco School Guwahati Fr V. M. Thomas who said, “Sid...
Siliguri: A premier Catholic school in North Bengal staged an ambitious musical performance marking its golden jubilee with two-day open air mega event by 1,200 children teaching and learning from animal kingdom.
Some 12,000 people including school children and their guardians, as well as students and faculty members from Siliguri participated in both shows staged by Don Bosco School Siliguri.
The musical ‘The Lion King’ stage production with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and a book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi, with additional music and lyrics by Lebo M and others is based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' film of the same name.
In the golden jubilee...
Imphal, July 29: In a gesture of peace and reconciliation, elders of Vaishnavite Community in Imphal have taken on moral responsibility for the misdeeds of the immature youth of their community, by declaring an indefinite fast and prayer.
In the wake of Archbishop Emeritus Thomas Menamparampil’s third visit to Manipur (25th to 27th July 2023) coincides with the initiative of the Convener of Interfaith Forum for Peace and Harmony of Manipur, Mr. Deben Sharma, announcing Indefinite Fast and Prayer in the name of his Vaishnavite Sanamahi community.
Mr. Sharma, one of the initiators of the Interfaith Forum for Peace along with a number of highly placed leaders...
In a post-covid outreach effort to connect with the local community, Radio Salesian journalists made their first attempt and reached one of the far-flung tea garden in Mirik Sub-Division, some two hours' drive from Sonada.
On Saturday 5 March, the Radio Salesian RJ team including 4 new radio journalists RJs Wang, Garima, Bandana and Pratap went for their first community outreach programme guided by senior RJs Moses, Rejina and Programme Co-ordinator RJ Samir.
Upon reaching Murmah Tea Estate, the Radio Salesian team members were received with traditional khadas (scarf) and welcome greetings from the residents of Murmah.
Radio Salesian regular listener and caller Laxmi Pradhan...
Siliguri: Marking the 50th anniversary of the birth of Bangladesh and the 13-day Indo-Pak war of 1971, a group of college students organised a felicitation program for war veterans on 18th December 2021.
Leading a group of six veterans, as well as a war widow was 86-year old Hon Cap S.B. Chhetri, who belonged to 5/11 Gorkha Rifles who were part of the decisive battle of Bogra to capture Dhaka, then the capital of East Pakistan.
Other eminent veterans present were Hawaldar Duryodhan Tamang (Army Corps of Engineers); Hon Capt Hemant Subba; Subedar Bijai Kumar Subba Sena Medal; Hav M Gautam Tamang; Subedar Tilak Ram Chhetri, and war widow Mrs Ishadevi Thapa, representing late Sub SB...
A college in North Bengal concluded two day college events with celebration of diversity of India with a much awaited popular item - fashion show, 17th December 2021.
Salesian College Siliguri organised the event christened Exsurge 2021 (Arise and Take Flight), which has had its tradition since 2009 when Salesian College Sonada established in 1938 started its Siliguri campus.
Unlike other years, this year, despite the pandemic, students were able to participate in 20 events including: bands, dancing, painting, collage, sketching, doodling, poetry, stand up comedy, photography and short film making among others.
“It is our way of affirming the diverse culture of India represented by...
Guwahati, 22 October 2021: A group of academicians and social activists came together under the leadership of the archbishop emeritus of Guwahati to promote peace at a time when the whole of Brahmaputra Valley is “in search of peace”.
The occasion was the release of an Assamese language book entitled Hanti Bisari (In Search of Peace) written by Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil.
The original work in the English language was translated into Assamese by a civil society leader, Mr. Paresh Malakar.
The book-release turned out to be a social-discussion session in which the need for mutual understanding between communities was emphasised. A reputed intellectual of Assam, Mr. Hiren...
The combined 10-day Annual National Cadet Corps (NCC) Training Camp was held under the aegis of the 16th Bengal Battalion at Salesian College Siliguri from 16th to 25th September 2021.
As many as 400 NCC cadets from 10 colleges from in and around Siliguri participated.
Camp activities included drills, weapons training, map reading and various team-building exercises along with social activities.
28 Cadets from Salesian College participated in the camp along with Salesian College NCC Coordinator Lt Risha Chettri.
The Cadets followed their daily schedule which included doing morning meditation, morning and evening drills, studying subjects from the armed forces as...
Darjeeling: The first college Community Radio in North Bengal launched a creative initiative to mark 75th year of India’s Independence with what it calls ‘Azaadi Freedom Songs’ - a celebration of diversity and harmony.
India snatched its freedom from British colonial rule on 15th August 1947.
Radio Salesian 90.8 FM - The Voice of the Hills based at Salesian College Sonada is the first and only FM radio channel of Darjeeling since 2016.
This Independence Day initiative by Radio Salesian is in collaboration with two youth groups : Darjeeling NGO Mukh Bandh Kaam Suru (Shut Up Start Work) and Salesian Youth Movement Kolkata.
“It is our humble effort to promote fraternity, liberty,...
A group of Non Government Organizations (NGO) in the hills have come together to fight Covid 19 with joint well being campaign with slogans: ‘Bring Back the Smiles’, and ‘We Build Each Other.
“Using the hashtags #Bringbackthesmiles #Webuildeachother, the Well Being Campaign is all set to change the information game in these trying times,” says Adarsh Rai Founder of Encompass and team member of Hayden Hall Darjeeling.
“We plan to do it from top-down directives to modelling everyday safety standards, from negativity to positive action language, from fear and doom to healing, well being, hope and growth,” says Psychologist Susan Subba of Heart works....
Add new comment