Royapuram St Peter's Church: A tiny piece of maritime history in blue and white

CHENNAI: There was a time when South Mada Street in Royapuram would turn into a fairground during Easter with merry-go rounds and other rides, and the ‘Persian bakery’ on the street would get bombarded with orders for freshly baked cakes. It was the only outlet with an oven of its own. Not anymore, but the centre of activity continues to be the nearly 200-year-old St Peter’s Church, which is all set for a grand Easter service.

The church, with its signature blue and white paint and known as ‘Mudaliar church’ to locals, is not just a place of worship but a part of Madrasappattinam’s history. “When it was built in 1829, it was the most imposing structure in the area and the sea could be seen from the church,” says Rhoda Alex, who has researched on churches in North Chennai. This isn’t possible anymore, but the oblong-shaped structure with Gothic filigree windows and bell tower next to it amid a vast compound is still a sight to behold.

Come evenings and groups of children play cricket, while adults walk or sit around in the compound, says T Gokulachandran, president, board of trustees. “During Easter, people from all over Chennai and other districts attend the services.”

As the choir songs fill the air, the azaan call joins; opposite the church is the Royapuram Jamia Masjid; the Parsi fire temple is situated a little away. “Since this was the port area, it was always a melting pot of cultures,” says Rhoda. The Mater Dolorosa Church nearby catered to the Anglo-Indian community, which used to thrive in the area.
The European appearance of St Peter's Church, says historian Nivedita Louis, could have been inspired by the Portuguese and French structures the boatmen saw on their voyages.

The blue and white combination might have to do with sailors’ maritime colours, says Venkatesh R, founder of Madras Local History Group. “The architecture is Manueline but there is an unusual curve at the back, which might have been inspired by a temple nearby, which had a similar shape.”

St Peter’s Church is known most for its unusual origins; it was constructed by the Christian boat owners of the Gurukula Vamsha Varnakula Mudaliars of Chepauk and Mylapore, who settled in Royapuram in the early 1800s, on the land gifted by the British govt. “These boatmen were in high demand, as the ships could not anchor directly in the port. They were quite well-off as well,” says Venkatesh.
There were tussles between village headmen and the vicars over power from the beginning, probably owing to this problematic ownership. Soon the Varnakula Mudaliars split into two factions, leading to the church being closed for a decade in the 1920s. But the very name Royapuram is said to be derived from the regional name for Peter; Rayappar or Rayar.