<p>Farmers who grow paddy in the Ghanpur Anicut Command area of the district Medak, irrespective of caste and creed, and plush with the abundance of sugarcane will begin arriving at the church to offer thanksgiving. <br /><br />Unlike other places of worship, a large number of devotees arrive here to offer their hair in return for the favours bestowed by the Lord; barber shops around the church do brisk business during the two days of festivity. Others bring coconuts to break in the specific areas provided by the church authorities.<br /><br />Medak Church has been the centre of all the activities in the town, a presiding deity for the local population who offer prayers when someone in the family gets married, when a new child is born or someone finds employment.<br /><br />The Church belongs to the single largest diocese in Asia—the Medak Diocese—under the Church of South India (CSI).The formerly Anglican, now CSI Cathedral was built by the British Wesleyan Methodists.<br /><br />It stands gloriously as the main landmark of Medak town amid sylvan surroundings. Built on an extensive scale in pure white granite, this gothic style structure is one of the largest and magnificent churches in the country. Constructed by Rev Charles Walker Posnett, the church stands on a sprawling 1,000 acres of land. The resplendent structure took ten years to be completed and was sanctified on December 25, 1924.<br /><br />According to legend, the church was built during a famine that struck Medak during World War I. Posnett, the Reverend during that time, was moved by the plight of the people due to the unprecedented famine that lasted for three years, and he proposed to build a great church at Medak in 1914 so that the poor could find gainful employment.<br /><br />The poor used to work and stay near the construction site. The bond between the poor and the church remained unchanged. With its massive dimensions, 100 ft width and 200 ft length, the church can accommodate as many as 5,000 people at a time. The 175-foot tall main tower is surrounded by four pinnacles. The imposing tower can be seen from far away. If it hadn’t been for the Nizam, the church would have been taller. Old-timers say that when the cathedral was to be built, the Nizam had one condition, that the church should not be taller than the Charminar.<br /><br />The three magnificent stained glass windows inside the Cathedral, painted by Sir Frank Owen Salisbury (1874-1962 )- depict different phases of the life of Jesus Christ - Acension, Nativity and Crucifixion. Salisbury was a Methodist artist from Harpenden inthe UK who specialised in portraits, large canvases of historical and ceremonial events, stained glass and book illustration. In his heyday, he made a fortune on both sides of the Atlantic and was known as “Britain’s Painter Laureate”. <br /><br />His art was steadfastly conservative and he was a vitriolic critic of Modern Art – particularly of his contemporaries Picasso, Chagall and Mondrian. The three glass windows add to the gothic nature of the Cathedral.<br /><br />The roof of the church is sound-proof, built as it is with hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. The pipe organ, also from London, is lying unused because officials at the church rue that there is hardly anyone who can repair it. <br />However, Fr Dhanraj feels that there are enough musicians who can repair the pipe organ. The last time that the organ was used was 30 years ago. The Medak Diocese is in contact with organ repair workshops in Kolkata and hopes to play the piped organ to fill the church with gospel music.<br /><br />The floor<br /><br />The mosaic floor is composed of six different coloured tiles – red, brown, yellow, chocolate, black and gray – made in famous English potteries of the day and skillfully laid by Italian workers brought in from Bombay. The floor was the gift of Joseph Rank, one of the greatest benefactors of the Methodist Missionary Society. Rev Posnett, a true visionary, had kept tonnes of pottery tiles imported from Britain in the basement of the church for future use.<br /><br />The boys and girls from Wesley hostels run by Rev Posnett and a large number of worshippers used to sit on the floor. The floor and the gallery in the church can seat about 4,000 people. Old and faithful members of the church remember that when the church was inaugurated on Christmas Eve in 1924 there was a gathering of nearly 5,000 Christians and non-Christians from urban and rural areas and visitors from other denominations, all of who sat on the grand floor.<br /><br />According to presbyter-in-charge and Medak district church council chairman Y Robinson the church still has a huge inventory of tiles stored in the basement but ran out of certain colours and shapes.<br /><br />Two more structures in the church of the Medak diocese were built with imported stone. The baptismal forte was built of bath stones gifted by the O L Vickers couple in memory of Vickers’ sister who died while working as a staff nurse at the Holdsworth Memorial Hospital in Mysore. The reredos (ornamental screen in the back of altar) was a gift of J Gordon. Made of Italian marble of different colours, its broken edge has been replaced with black Indian marble.<br /><br />Christmas celebrations<br /><br />More than one lakh pilgrims are expected to participate in the celebrations on December 25. Devotees from not only the state but also from neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra will take part. The surroundings of the church are being illuminated with colourful lighting and the mood has already turned festive.<br /><br />Hundreds of makeshift tents are coming, to offer the pilgrims a variety of food, beads, toys, readymade dresses and an assortment of joy rides. <br /><br />Farmers bring their families in bullock carts a day before Christmas. They cook, pray and eat for a day. Youth wings of the Diocese organise prayers and Gospel singing on the night of December 24. <br /><br />Describing this year’s programme, Rev Robinson said: “The youth wings will be organising a night service at the Cathedral, followed by the early morning service. The Bishop Right Reverend T S Kanaka Prasad will be leading the mass on December 25.”<br /><br />He said that all arrangements to accommodate the devotees have been made. The district administration is arranging for drinking water and medical aid at the church premises.<br /><br />Medak can be reached from Hyderabad by road via Narsapur or via Toopran-Medak route on NH7.</p>
<p>Farmers who grow paddy in the Ghanpur Anicut Command area of the district Medak, irrespective of caste and creed, and plush with the abundance of sugarcane will begin arriving at the church to offer thanksgiving. <br /><br />Unlike other places of worship, a large number of devotees arrive here to offer their hair in return for the favours bestowed by the Lord; barber shops around the church do brisk business during the two days of festivity. Others bring coconuts to break in the specific areas provided by the church authorities.<br /><br />Medak Church has been the centre of all the activities in the town, a presiding deity for the local population who offer prayers when someone in the family gets married, when a new child is born or someone finds employment.<br /><br />The Church belongs to the single largest diocese in Asia—the Medak Diocese—under the Church of South India (CSI).The formerly Anglican, now CSI Cathedral was built by the British Wesleyan Methodists.<br /><br />It stands gloriously as the main landmark of Medak town amid sylvan surroundings. Built on an extensive scale in pure white granite, this gothic style structure is one of the largest and magnificent churches in the country. Constructed by Rev Charles Walker Posnett, the church stands on a sprawling 1,000 acres of land. The resplendent structure took ten years to be completed and was sanctified on December 25, 1924.<br /><br />According to legend, the church was built during a famine that struck Medak during World War I. Posnett, the Reverend during that time, was moved by the plight of the people due to the unprecedented famine that lasted for three years, and he proposed to build a great church at Medak in 1914 so that the poor could find gainful employment.<br /><br />The poor used to work and stay near the construction site. The bond between the poor and the church remained unchanged. With its massive dimensions, 100 ft width and 200 ft length, the church can accommodate as many as 5,000 people at a time. The 175-foot tall main tower is surrounded by four pinnacles. The imposing tower can be seen from far away. If it hadn’t been for the Nizam, the church would have been taller. Old-timers say that when the cathedral was to be built, the Nizam had one condition, that the church should not be taller than the Charminar.<br /><br />The three magnificent stained glass windows inside the Cathedral, painted by Sir Frank Owen Salisbury (1874-1962 )- depict different phases of the life of Jesus Christ - Acension, Nativity and Crucifixion. Salisbury was a Methodist artist from Harpenden inthe UK who specialised in portraits, large canvases of historical and ceremonial events, stained glass and book illustration. In his heyday, he made a fortune on both sides of the Atlantic and was known as “Britain’s Painter Laureate”. <br /><br />His art was steadfastly conservative and he was a vitriolic critic of Modern Art – particularly of his contemporaries Picasso, Chagall and Mondrian. The three glass windows add to the gothic nature of the Cathedral.<br /><br />The roof of the church is sound-proof, built as it is with hollow sponge material and has an impressive style of vaulting. The pipe organ, also from London, is lying unused because officials at the church rue that there is hardly anyone who can repair it. <br />However, Fr Dhanraj feels that there are enough musicians who can repair the pipe organ. The last time that the organ was used was 30 years ago. The Medak Diocese is in contact with organ repair workshops in Kolkata and hopes to play the piped organ to fill the church with gospel music.<br /><br />The floor<br /><br />The mosaic floor is composed of six different coloured tiles – red, brown, yellow, chocolate, black and gray – made in famous English potteries of the day and skillfully laid by Italian workers brought in from Bombay. The floor was the gift of Joseph Rank, one of the greatest benefactors of the Methodist Missionary Society. Rev Posnett, a true visionary, had kept tonnes of pottery tiles imported from Britain in the basement of the church for future use.<br /><br />The boys and girls from Wesley hostels run by Rev Posnett and a large number of worshippers used to sit on the floor. The floor and the gallery in the church can seat about 4,000 people. Old and faithful members of the church remember that when the church was inaugurated on Christmas Eve in 1924 there was a gathering of nearly 5,000 Christians and non-Christians from urban and rural areas and visitors from other denominations, all of who sat on the grand floor.<br /><br />According to presbyter-in-charge and Medak district church council chairman Y Robinson the church still has a huge inventory of tiles stored in the basement but ran out of certain colours and shapes.<br /><br />Two more structures in the church of the Medak diocese were built with imported stone. The baptismal forte was built of bath stones gifted by the O L Vickers couple in memory of Vickers’ sister who died while working as a staff nurse at the Holdsworth Memorial Hospital in Mysore. The reredos (ornamental screen in the back of altar) was a gift of J Gordon. Made of Italian marble of different colours, its broken edge has been replaced with black Indian marble.<br /><br />Christmas celebrations<br /><br />More than one lakh pilgrims are expected to participate in the celebrations on December 25. Devotees from not only the state but also from neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra will take part. The surroundings of the church are being illuminated with colourful lighting and the mood has already turned festive.<br /><br />Hundreds of makeshift tents are coming, to offer the pilgrims a variety of food, beads, toys, readymade dresses and an assortment of joy rides. <br /><br />Farmers bring their families in bullock carts a day before Christmas. They cook, pray and eat for a day. Youth wings of the Diocese organise prayers and Gospel singing on the night of December 24. <br /><br />Describing this year’s programme, Rev Robinson said: “The youth wings will be organising a night service at the Cathedral, followed by the early morning service. The Bishop Right Reverend T S Kanaka Prasad will be leading the mass on December 25.”<br /><br />He said that all arrangements to accommodate the devotees have been made. The district administration is arranging for drinking water and medical aid at the church premises.<br /><br />Medak can be reached from Hyderabad by road via Narsapur or via Toopran-Medak route on NH7.</p>
