Govt fund sought for restoration of 140-year-old church in Bandikui

JAIPUR: The 140-year-old St John Baptist Church in Bandikui remained closed this Christmas too as the government has not taken any step to restore it despite repeated requests from the Christian community in the state.
The Protestant church was established by the Britishers when Bandikui was an important railway junction. More than 60 British Christians and Anglo-Indian families (mostly railway employees) used to reside near the church.However, after independence, most of these families shifted to other places in search of better opportunities. Currently, only one Protestant family resides in the vicinity of the church that was last operational in 2013.
Sandeep Edwin, president of the Rajasthan Christian Youth Association, said he had been fighting for the restoration of the Church for a long time. "In 2013, prayers were held in the church for the last time. As a community, we have no one left there to look after it. The government has sanctioned funds for the restoration of many heritage sites. It should look into the Christian heritage of the state too," said Edwin.
The condition of the abandoned church continues to deteriorate by the day. The church bell was stolen a few years ago along with doors and windows. The stained glasses with mother marry and Jesus’s portraits painted were broken along with the white marble Baptism pond. The wooden benches and other furniture were stolen leaving an empty hall that has now become a gathering point for miscreants.
Secretary of the Diocese of Rajasthan, Church of North India, Rakesh Samual, said they had met politicians but no strong step was taken to preserve the church. "We met politicians too. As a small community, we are not in inadequate numbers to restore the church and to maintain it for years after that," said Samual. The deputy director of the archaeology department, Krishnakanta Sharma, said if the building is more than 100-years-old, we will look into its historical importance and send a proposal to the Jaipur circle superintendent. Many Anglo-Indian families, that have lived in Bandikui, have written about the beautiful times they had spent during Christmas. One online blog has mentioned that Christmas used to be a month-long celebration for the Protestants.