Mumbai’s tryst with Christianity

One of the only two Christian museums in the country the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum AHM nestled on the mezzanine of the Diocesan Seminary St Pius X College Goregaon East is a treasure trove of artefacts which bring the rich Christian history of the city to life To herald the spirit of Christmas Joynel Fernandes assistant director AHM has curated a walking tour of this historically important site She shares ldquoA guided tour typically lasts for around two hours But it can also scale up to a good three to four hours depending on the visitorrsquos interest levelrdquoAn accidentally charred bust of a statue of Christ 1630sFernandes promises a knowledgeable commentary that will keep participants intrigued throughout the tour ldquoThe semicircular space at the entrance follows the apse of the chapel above An adambo a modern take on the traditional lock greets visitors into a world of fascinating stories and local artrdquo informs the curator The 2000plus objects and artefacts celebrate the history of Christianity in the Mumbai region The collection scouted from church attics crypts and family altars include a display of sacred vessels liturgical books vestments manuscripts paintings statues and more At the start of the walk participants will spot the first artefact which is a beautifully carved and gilded Monstrance a replica of the Gothic architecture of the faccedilade of Bycullarsquos Gloria ChurchRemnants of a burnt statue of Christ and relics at the museumFernandes shares that the walk will include interesting interpretations and discussions on the unique iconography at times hidden in plain sight of certain artworks in the collection ldquoThis includes the 400yearold depiction of St Paul as a local ascetic on a lotus platform the Virgin Mary with a bindi on her forehead diya shaped oillamps an IndoPortuguese altarpiece with cashews kirtimukhas and angels with snailshell curls as witnessed on the Buddharsquos headrdquo She adds that the highlight will be an exploration of the wellresearched timeline from 100 AD to 2010 illustrating the local national and international history within a single spectrum This pictorial timeline serves as a great reflection of the rich history of Mumbairsquos parishes and the legacy of the Archdiocese of BombayJoynel FernandesAnita Yewale coconvenor of INTACH Greater Mumbai Chapter which is organising this visit calls this museum ldquoa hidden gem of the cityrdquo adding ldquoSome of the motifs colours materials designs and iconography of the artefacts draw inspiration from our local culture and worship practices which gives rise to a renewed visual language which appeals to the local population morerdquoInterestingly this historically important museum is part of the Seminary that has hosted both the Popes ie Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II both saints now in 1964 and 1986 respectively It intends to create awareness within a confined space of an apse Midway through the collection is a tiered seating for audiovisual presentations to educate visitors For its evolved design its architect Ainsley Lewis won an award from the Interaction Design Foundation in 2014 This Christmas special edition walk will include a short carol singing session at the end of themuseum tourOn December 17 1030 amAt Archdiocesan Heritage Museum Mezzanine Floor St Pius X College Goregaon EastCall 8087773299Cost Rs 700 members Rs 850 nonmembersTreasured historygtgt IndoPortuguese altar piece 1608 from the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Manorigtgt Relics physical remains or clothing of several saints including the apostles of Christgtgt Bible dating back to 1890s with beautiful gilded illustrationsgtgt Baptism and marriage registers dating back to the 1800s that tell tales about the city and the Churchgtgt A 400yearold statue of crucified Christ from Our Lady of Bethlehem Church Dongri that caught fire on Good Friday in the 1630s A masterpiece of art it was skilfully restored by local artists