255-year-old city church celebrates Michael Madhusudan connect

Kolkata: Old Mission Church on RN Mukherjee Road near Dalhousie revived a historic moment by unveiling a plaque commemorating the baptism of poet and playwright Michael Madhusudan Dutt in 1843.The unveiling of the plaque turned the focus on the layered history of the church on RN Mukherjee Road. The plaque marks Feb 9, 1843, the day the young Bengali poet and playwright was baptised. "For many of us, the moment is not only a tribute to a literary giant but a reminder that this quiet building near Dalhousie was a silent witness to some of the most dramatic events in the city's history, from personal to political to natural," said Ajit Sikder, a member of the church congregation.
On most days, the church stands almost concealed behind parked vehicles and hawkers. But beyond the gates, a long corridor leads into a space that feels untouched by the hustle and bustle of the central business district. Founded in 1770 by the Swedish missionary John Zechariah Kiernander, the Old Mission Church is the oldest Protestant church in Bengal. Kiernander was invited to Kolkata by Robert Clive at a time when the British, consolidating their power in Bengal, lacked a church of their own. Kiernander began with a small chapel and school near the old Fort William before purchasing land to build a larger church. The foundation was laid in May 1767, and the building was dedicated "on the 4th Sunday in Advent in 1770". Over the decades, the church grew along with the city and stood witness to two world wars, at least two pandemics, and the independence struggle. It was in this church that a young Michael Madhusudan Dutt, a student deeply influenced by English literature, was baptised. The church's endurance was not merely symbolic. It survived the Great Cyclone of 1864, which destroyed the Khejuri and Hijli ports and inundated much of western Calcutta. When the Assam earthquake struck in 1897, only one spire was damaged and later demolished to prevent mishap. During Cyclone Amphan, some of the church's walls were damaged. "The church has seen everything Kolkata went through," said Sikder. "From colonial times to Independence, from natural disasters to world wars. And yet it stands quietly. When we unveiled the plaque, it felt like one more chapter of the city's story returning to where it happened." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !