тАЛрдЦрд╝реБрджрд╛ рдХрд╛ рдШрд░┬а

рд░рд╛рдд рд╣реЛ рдЪреБрдХреА рдереА, рд╡реИрд╕реЗ рднреА рдореИрдВ рд╡рд╣рд╛рдБ рджреЗрд░ рд╕реЗ рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪ рдерд╛ред  рдЦреБрджрд╛ рдХрд╛ рдШрд░ рдмрдВрдж рд╣реЛ рдЪреБрдХрд╛ рдерд╛ рдФрд░ рддрд╛рд▓рд╛ тАШрдЕрдВрджрд░тАЩ рд╕реЗ рд▓рдЧрд╛ рдерд╛ред рд╕рд╛рде рд╕рдЯреЗ рдмрдВрдЧрд▓реЗ рдореЗрдВ рдореМрдЬ рдорд╕реНрддреА рдХрд╛ рдкреНрд░реЛрдЧреНрд░рд╛рдо рдерд╛ред рдореИрдВ рдмрд╕ рдмрд╛рд╣рд░ рд╕реЗ рд╣реА рдирдорд╕реНрддреЗ рдХрд░ рдЖрдЧреЗ рдмрдврд╝рдиреЗ рд╣реА рд▓рдЧрд╛ рдерд╛ рдХрд┐ рдЙрд╕ рдШрд░ рдХреЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рдиреЗ рдореБрдЭреЗ рд╕реЛрдЪрдиреЗ рдкрд░ рдФрд░ рдпреЗ рддрд╕реНрд╡реАрд░ рд▓реЗрдиреЗ рдкрд░ рдордЬрдмреВрд░ рджрд┐рдпрд╛ред рдЙрд╕ рддрдХ рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪрдиреЗ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдЗрд╕ рд╕рдБрдХрд░реЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рдиреЗрдВ рдореБрдЭреЗ рдмрд╛рдВрдз рд▓рд┐рдпрд╛ рдерд╛ред рдЕрд╕реЗрдВрдмрд▓реА рдСрдл рдЧреЙрдб рдЪрд░реНрдЪ рдмрд░реЗрд▓реА рдХреЗ рд░рд╛рдордкреБрд░ рдЧрд╛рд░реНрдбрди рдЗрд▓рд╛рдХреЗ рдореЗрдВ рд╣реИред рдпреЗ рдЧрд┐рд░рд┐рдЬрдШрд░ рдЕрдВрджрд░ рд╕реЗ рдХреИрд╕рд╛ рд╣реИ рдпреЗ рддреЛ рдореИрдВ рдирд╣реА рджреЗрдЦ рдкрд╛рдпрд╛ рдкрд░ рд╣рд╛рдБ, рдЗрд╕рдХреЗ рд╕рд╛рде рд╕рдЯреЗ рдЗрдВрд╕рд╛рдиреЛрдВ рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рдпрдХреАрдирди рдмрд╣реБрдд рдЦреВрдмрд╕реВрд░рдд рдереЗред рдЙрд╕ рд░реЛрдЬ рд╕реЗ рдпреЗ рддрд╕реНрд╡реАрд░ рдореЗрд░реЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдПрдХ рдкреИрдЧрд╛рдо рдмрди рдЧрдИ ред рд╣рд┐рдВрджреБрд╕реНрддрд╛рди рдореЗрдВ рдФрд░ рджреБрдирд┐рдпрд╛ рдХреЗ рднрд░ рдореЗрдВ рдореИрдВрдиреЗ рдПрдХ рд╕реМ рд╕реЗ рдЕрдзрд┐рдХ рдХрдереАрдбреНрд░рд▓, рдЪрд░реНрдЪ, рдЪреИрдкрд▓, рдмрд╕реЗрд▓рд┐рдХрд╛, рдРрдмреА, рдкреЗрд░рд┐рд╢ рдФрд░ рдХрдИ рдИрд╕рд╛рдИ рдорда рджреЗрдЦреЗ рд╣реИрдВ рдкрд░ рдХрд┐рд╕реА рддрдХ рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪрдиреЗ рдХрд╛ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рдЗрддрдирд╛ рд╕рдВрдХрд░рд╛ рдХрднреА рдирд╣реАрдВ рдкрд╛рдпрд╛ред рдмрд╕ рдкрд╛рддрд╛рд▓ рднреИрд░рд╡ рдФрд░ рд╡реИрд╖реНрдгреЛ рджреЗрд╡реА рдХреА рдЧреБрдлрд╛ рдХрд╛ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рд╣реА рд╢рд╛рдпрдж рдЗрддрдирд╛ рдпрд╛ рдЗрд╕ рд╕реЗ рдЫреЛрдЯрд╛ рд╣реЛрдЧрд╛ред рдЦреИрд░ред 

тАЛрдЦрд╝реБрджрд╛ рдХрд╛ рдШрд░ рд╣реЛ рдпрд╛ рдХрд┐рд╕реА рдЗрдВрд╕рд╛рди рдХрд╛ рджрд┐рд▓ рдХрд╣рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ рдХреА рдЗрди рджреЛрдиреЛрдВ рддрдХ рдкрд╣реБрдБрдЪрдиреЗ рдХрд╛ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рдмрд╣реБрдд рд╕рдВрдХрд░рд╛ рд╣реА рд╣реЛрддрд╛ рд╣реИ ред тАЛрдЦрд╝реБрджрд╛ рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рд╕реЗ рдорддрд▓рдм рдИрд╢реНрд╡рд░, рдЕрд▓реНрд▓рд╛рд╣, рдЧреЙрдб, рд╡рд╛рд╣реЗрдЧреБрд░реБ рдФрд░ рд╡реЛ рд╕рдм рдирд╛рдо рд╣реИрдВ рдЬрд┐рдирдореЗрдВ рдЖрджрдореА рдПрдХ рд╕рд╣рд╛рд░рд╛ рдвреВрдБрдврддрд╛ рд╣реИред рд╕рдмреНрд░, рдзреАрд░рдЬ рдФрд░ рдЙрдореНрдореАрдж рдХрд╛ рджрд╛рдорди рдЬрдм рдЫреВрдЯрдиреЗ рд▓рдЧрддрд╛ рд╣реИ рддреЛ рдЗрдВрд╕рд╛рди рдмрд╛рд░-рдмрд╛рд░ рд╕реБрдХреВрди рдпрд╛ рдорджрдж рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдЗрд╕реА рд╕рдВрдХрд░реА рдЧрд▓реА рд╕реЗ рд╣реЛрдХрд░ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдЕрдкрдиреЗ тАЛрдЦрд╝реБрджрд╛ рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рдЦреБрдж рдЬрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рдпрд╛рдиреА рд╣рд░ рдореБрд╢реНрдХрд┐рд▓ рдореЗрдВ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреЛ рдпрд╛рдж рдХрд░рддрд╛ рд╣реИ 

рджреБрдирд┐рдпрд╛рдмреА рдФрд░ рдЗрдВрд╕рд╛рдиреА рдлрд╝рд▓рд╕рдлрд╝рд╛ рднреА рдпрд╣реА рд╣реИ – рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рди рдкреНрд░рд╛рдкреНрдд рдХрд░рдиреЗ рдХрд╛ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рднреА рдЕрдХреНрд╕рд░ рд╕рдВрдХрд░рд╛, рдореБрд╢реНрдХрд┐рд▓, рдЕрдХреЗрд▓реЗрдкрди рдФрд░ рдЙрдЬрд╛рдбрд╝ рд╕реЗ рд╣реЛ рдХрд░ рд╣реА рдЬрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рднреАрдбрд╝рднрд╛рдбрд╝ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рд╕реЗ рдирд╣реАрдВ, рдмрд▓реНрдХрд┐ рдкреНрдпрд╛рд░, рдЖрддреНрдо-рдЪрд┐рдВрддрди рдФрд░ рдЕрдВрджрд░реВрдиреА рд╣рд┐рдЬрд░рдд рдХреЗ рдЬрд░рд┐рдП рд╣реА рдорд┐рд▓ рдкрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рд╡реЛ рд╕рдм рдЬреЛ рд╣рдореЗрдВ рдмрд╛рд╣рд░реА рджреБрдирд┐рдпрд╛ рдХреЗ рд╢реЛрд░ рдФрд░ рдЙрд╕рдХреА рдЪрдХрд╛рдЪреМрдВрдз рд╕реЗ рджреВрд░ рд▓реЗ рдЬрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИред  

рдкреНрд░реЗрдо рдЧрд▓реА рдЕрддрд┐ рд╕рд╛рдБрдХрд░реА рддрд╛рдореЗрдВ рджреБрдИ рдирдпрд╛ рд╕рдорд╛рд╣реА – рдХрдмреАрд░ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рднреА рдЬрд╛рдирддреЗ рдереЗ, рдЙрд╕рдХреА рдореБрд╢реНрдХрд┐рд▓реЗрдВ рднреА рдЬрд╛рдирддреЗ рдереЗ рдФрд░ рд╡реЛ рдпреЗ рднреА рдЬрд╛рдирддреЗ рдереЗ рдХрд┐ рдЙрд╕ рд╕рдВрдХрд░реЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рдкрд░ тАШрджреЛтАЩ рдЪрд▓ рд╣реА рдирд╣реА рд╕рдХрддреЗ, рдЕрдВрджрд░ рдмрд╕реЗ рдЙрд╕ тАШрджреВрд╕рд░реЗтАЩ рдХреЛ рдкреАрдЫреЗ рдЫреЛрдбрд╝ рдХреЗ рд╣реА рдЬрд╛рдирд╛ рдкрдбрд╝рддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рдЕрдкрдиреЗ рдЖрдк рдХреЛ рдЦреЛ рдХрд░ рд╣реА тАШрд╡реЛтАЩ рдорд┐рд▓рддрд╛ рд╣реИред рдЕрдореГрддрд╛ рдкреНрд░реАрддрдо рдХреА рдХрд╡рд┐рддрд╛ рдореЗрдВ рд╕рдордВрджрд░ рдХреЗ рддреВрдлрд╛рди рдФрд░ рд╕рдВрдХрд░реА рдЧрд▓рд┐рдпреЛрдВ рдХрд╛ рдЬрд┐рдХреНрд░ рдЖрддрд╛ рд╣реИ, рдЬреЛ рдореБрд╢реНрдХрд┐рд▓реЛрдВ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд╡рдЬреВрдж рд╕рдЪ рдХреА рдЦреЛрдЬ рдХреЛ рдЕрд╣рдо рдмрддрд╛рддрд╛ рд╣реИ ред 

рдЖрдЬ рдмрдбрд╝реЗ рд░реЛрдЬ, рдИрд╕рд╛ рдХреЛ, рдЙрдирдХреЗ рдЬрдиреНрдо рдХреЛ рдпрд╛рдж рдХрд░рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рд╣рдо рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рддрдХ рдкрд╣реБрдЪрдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ тАШрджреВрд╕рд░реЗтАЩ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЛрдВ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ рднреА рд╕реЛрдЪреЗрдВ рдФрд░ рдЗрдВрд╕рд╛рди рдХреЗ рдмрдирд╛рдП рдЙрди рд╕рдБрдХрд░реЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЛрдВ рдХреЗ рдмрд╛рд░реЗ рдореЗрдВ рднреА рд╕реЛрдЪреЗрдВ рдЬрд┐рди рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЛрдВ рдиреЗ рд╣рдорд╛рд░реЗ рджрд┐рд▓реЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рдПрдХ рджреВрд╕рд░реЗ рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдЗрддрдиреА рдирдлрд░рдд рднрд░ рджреА рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рд╣рдо рдордЬрд╝рд╣рдм рдХреЗ рдирд╛рдо рдкрд░ рдПрдХ рджреВрд╕рд░реЗ рдХреЛ рдорд░рдиреЗ рдорд╛рд░рдиреЗ рдкрд░ рдЙрддрд╛рд░реВ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВ ред 

рдордЬрд╣рдмреА рдШрд░реЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рдЬрд╛рдиреЗ рд╕реЗ рдкрд╣рд▓реЗ рд╣рдо рдПрдХ рджреВрд╕рд░реЗ рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рдЖ рдЬрд╛ рдХрд░ рдорд┐рд▓ рдмреИрдареЗрдВ рдФрд░ рдЕрдЧрд░ рдкреНрдпрд╛рд░ рдмрд╛рдЯреЗрдВ рддреЛ рдпрдХреАрдирди рдЖрдкрдХреЗ, рдЖрдкрдХреЗ рдФрд░ рдЖрдк рд╕рдм рдХреЗ рдШрд░ рдХрд╛ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддрд╛ рдКрдкрд░ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛ рдЦреБрдж рд╣реА рдвреВрдВрдв рд▓реЗрдЧрд╛ред рдЙрд╕ рдкреНрд░реЗрдо рдЧрд▓реА рдореЗрдВ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рдЦреБрд▓реЗ рд╣реЛрдВрдЧреЗ рдЬрд╣рд╛рдВ рд╣рдо рд╕рдм рдЗрдХрдЯреНрдареЗ рдЪрд▓ рд╕рдХреЗрдВрдЧреЗ ред рдЖрдк рд╕рдм рдХреЛ Merry Christmas рдХрд╣рддреЗ рд╣реБрдП рдореЗрд░реА рдпреЗ рджрд┐рд▓реА рдХрд╛рдордирд╛ рд╣реИ рдХреА рдЖрдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓рд╛ рд╕рд╛рд▓ рдЖрдк рд╕рдм рдХреЗ рд▓рд┐рдП рдкреНрдпрд╛рд░ рдХреЗ рд░рд╛рд╕реНрддреЗ рдмрд▓рдиреНрдж рдХрд░реЗ ред 

рд░рд╛рдЬреЗрдиреНрджреНрд░, 24 рджрд┐рд╕рдореНрдмрд░ 2025 

Assembly of God Church, Rampur Garden, Bareilly
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St. John-in-the-Wilderness Church, Naini Tal

I bought this booklet from a street vendor walking The Mall outside the Naini Tal Club sometime in the winter of 1978 or 79 ┬а(I prefer the usage Naini Tal instead of Nainital). This booklet, together with a set of four colour slides, cost eight rupees.┬а Printed in 1914 (111 years back), in Cawnpore (Kanpur), this 28 page booklet about St. John-in-the-Wilderness Church in Naini Tal continues to be a treat, probably one of the first collectibles I acquired unknowingly. Accidently pulling it out of the shelf today, triggered a chain of thoughts about my one-time-favourite pahad or what people call as hill-station (which sounds so impersonal and bechara).┬а

I don’t have any pictures from that trip. This picture of the church is not my picture. Our family’s Kodak Box 120 format camera was an expensive hobby those days, thus picture postcards were all one could afford over and above one roll of film, its processing and prints. I acquired a 35mm film format camera much later.

Those days the way up to the elegant stone structure church was from behind the Talli Tal (рддрд▓реНрд▓реА рддрд╛рд▓) over a kuccha or a mule trail through┬аthick Banj (Oak), Deodar and Cheed (Pine) trees. Even at peak noon very little sunlight filtered down to the path. It would feel colder under the foliage. The hills behind the church were an untended jungle, completely covered with trees and very few locals had their houses up there. The trail up to Kilbari and snow view ridge was infamous for bear attacks. One would go up only on clear sunny days, more to look┬а at the shimmering, blue, kidney-bean-shaped Naini Lake from the top and not so much for the Himalayas which lay perpetually hidden by the clouds. Only a few people came to Naini Tal in winters. There was no direct bus from Delhi, one had to board the Naini Tal bound bus either at Haldwani or Kathgodam. Some of these buses reached Nainital via Bhimtal. Sighting mule-trains, bringing essentials from the plains, was common sight enroute.┬а

The soothing bells of Naina Devi temple enticed even atheists and lazy city boys like us to line up for prasad on a freezing winter morning when even the Sun took leave off work. The Mall was a peaceful place. I miss that bansuri wala who played painful yet magical notes leaning on the stone wall. Sitting on a bench by the placid lake had a calming effect unlike any ‘substance’. Locals used to smile more often and were helpful to visitors. Tourists respected the hills and hill folks (pahad and pahadis). Mules had the right of way over Marutis or Marshalls. No one ogled at hand-holding lovers strolling on serene Thandi Sadak which was pedestrian only. The soothing scent of flaming red Buransh (rhododendron) and the pine needles is what we missed when back home.

The skating rink and the football ground reverberated with the laughter and excitement of children and the young ones. The elderly sun-bathed or sulked depending which team they were backing. Thankfully Nanak restaurant had still not debuted with its golgappas and chicken tikka. Those days we drank endless glasses of hot and sweet tea without ever thinking of Old Monk.┬а A late evening show at Capitol cinema was all that one needed to get a high and entertain oneself. During sunny afternoons we watched shining Cadillacs parked outside the most expensive hotel in Naini Tal, The Metropole. Some of the Chauffeurs of those guzzlers looked as handsome as Bollywood actors. A decade later I had the opportunity to stay in that hotel when I almost spoiled their three-tiered German Pipe Organ with a pedalboard. Despite that they offered us excellent tea in the well-provided tea lounge.┬а

Naini Tal was all that I had dreamed of when in Delhi and Naini Tal was where I wanted to own a small cottage with my own small library ‘all for myself’ – just like the White House Cottage my friend Bipin Pande owned on higher slopes. His father owned a shop next to the Ghoda stand. Bipin was the one who took me to (NTMC) Nainital Mountaineering Club and stoked my passion for mountaineering. I wonder where Bipin is now !!! The last time I met him was in Jipti camp during the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra. Pahad nostalgia will kill me sooner than later. And now Mary Hopkins is killing me with her husky voice singing ‘those were the days my friend we thought they’ll never end…’, the song, btw, was produced by another great – Paul McCartney. Mary Hopkins too belonged to mountains.

Coming back to the booklet and the St. John-in-the-Wilderness church. In the booklet put together by Mrs I. D’O Elliott – she tells us that it is an Anglican church and one of the oldest buildings in Naini Tal. The site for the church was earmarked in 1844 by Bishop Daniel Wilson. Its cornerstone was laid in October 1846. Captain Young, an executive engineer with the Company, made its design plans and had it constructed at the cost of Rs 15,000 raised from private subscriptions. Built in a Gothic style, it was inaugurated on 2 April 1848. A memorial in the church commemorates those killed in the 1880 landslip. There have been many landslips (landslides) since then when parts of the church building have been damaged. The once famous Sookha Tal (Dry Lake), which was behind the church, has since been lost.┬аSimilarly, no records are available to dig out more information about Mrs I. D’O Elliott. Rest in Peace Ma’am, your booklet is precious and useful.

The last time I visited the church was sometime in 1993 or 1994 with Rajni, my wife. Till then its exterior, the prayer benches inside, and its large sized beautiful stained-glass windows were all intact. I have those colour negatives tucked safely somewhere (meaning untraceable now). The church keeper and an attendant had opened the main church door for us with a metal key that was nearly 12 inch in length.┬а I wonder if they still hold Sunday Service in the church. I must visit it soon.┬а I miss you Naini Tal.┬а

There is another church by the same name ‘St. John-in-the-Wilderness’, which┬аis a Protestant church dedicated to John the Baptist. It was built in 1852 and is located near Dharamshala, on the way to McLeod Ganj, at Forsyth Gunj. True to its name that church is still in the wilderness with few visiting it.