Amid cacophony, St Xavier's Church stands as an oasis of calm

PUNE: East of

Gaffarbeg Street

in Pune Cantonment, stands the stately Shivaji Market.

'Stately' does not necessarily mean clean, though. An overpowering stench and ever-present filth are the hallmarks of the Cantonment's principal market complex, especially for meat and fish.

Birds of prey circle the area, feasting on the little flesh that spills out of garbage bins or shops. Trucks and people throng the place furiously , honking or cussing with impatient abandon.

Across the street lies a different world altogether. Hidden by a line of tall trees, one would barely notice it, in fact, is the St Xavier's Church.

It completed 150 years in 2014 as a church building, though records show the actual construction began late in 1860. According to researchers, parishioners prayed in the confines of bare walls till the roof was completed, and the structure was fully ready .

The entrance to this grand old building is located on the quaint little St Vincent's Street, diagonally across another area landmark--the

St Vincent School

, which turns 150 next year.

The structure, with its exposed cobblestoned exterior and stained-glass windows and protective grills (a recent addition), occupies one corner of the fairly expansive grounds. It is easy to feel dwarfed by the vast and imposing main prayer hall. The tiled roof, supported by wooden planks, seems beyond anyone's reach. Seen from above, the hall is in shape of a cross, with the altar at its head.

Oil paintings, portraying the life and times of Jesus Jesus Christ, adorn almost every wall here. Numerous memorial stones of yellowing marble, tell yet another story--that of the origins of the church and its founding congregation. It was founded by a group of Jesuits. Their patron saint is Ignatius of Loyola, a Basque saint. The current pope, Francis, is also a Jesuit.

Like all churches, the faithful commune here every day , or on Sundays, for services, weddings or funerals. But what is unique here is the pulsating melting pot of people who attend.

“I am a Bohra. We recently had a feast here on the occasion of St Vincent's 150-year celebrations. The church never fails to impress me,“ says

Murtuza Poonawalla

, a businessman.

While all is calm after service ends, within the same compound, an outhouse is abuzz with activity, a common sight. It is a free dispensary that the church runs for such local residents who cannot afford treatment. People from all faiths and backgrounds stream in.