This Cathedral's bells sing hymns!

As you climb up to this awesome Roman Catholic Cathedral shyly showing off its sacred bells under a turquoise blue sky, its ancient stained glass windows beckon you with their golden, rose and emerald glitter. It has its own school and convent alongside it. It is in Hyderabad’s Gunfoundry, north of Abids and King Koti.

Once you enter the Cathedral it immediately shows you that all its gorgeous architecture, glorious murals, carvings of the various historical events of Jesus and Mary, and the Crucifixion were imported from Italy. Its famous 5 bells were shipped from Milan and installed in 1892. Pope Leo X111 notified St. Joseph's Church to be the Cathedral of the Diocese on 17-03-1887. In 1952 the Nizam of Hyderabad gifted the clock, the oil painting of the Madonna by Murillo, the chandeliers and furniture.   This has been the Mother Church for 2 centuries.

The gorgeous bells were used to tell the time in ancient days and also to warn people against impending storms and tempests. The blessings of the bells are even now sought after by the people. In the olden days they were used to draw out evil spirits from the body. The bells have been tuned in such a way that a number of hymns can be played on them!

An imitation of Michelangelo's Pieta , a famous work of art depicting the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion is in the alcove inside the Cathedral. And there are glorious images of Mary and Child that will hold you spellbound for several minutes, even hours, because they have been done by the world's most famous  artists.

The stained glass windows and the re-telling of the Crucifixion under them, makes the morning shine with the magic and misery of the world's saddest story. This Cathedral holds you snugly in the solemn sweetness of its ancient treasures. Its silence allows history to flood your heart with sorrow and ecstasy. I was a bit jealous of the school boys there who could enjoy this historical  art everyday.

Then a small yellow and white cat stalked in coolly, sat down under Mary's gorgeous watchful face, to wash her own! So I decided to be  jealous of little kitty too, as I walked out into the turquoise and grey slate lunch hour.