Christ Church, Kasauli - earliest Anglican church in Himachal Pradesh!!

.Christ Church, Kasauli,HP ftd.travel

Christ Church, Kasauli,HP tripadvisor in

Kasauli, which was a colonial hill station,  is a cantonment in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh State. Like countless hill stations across India  like Ooty in Nilagiri hills of Tamil Nadu, Kodai (Kodaikonal), Tamil Nadu, Darjeeling in West Bengal, etc  this hill station was first discovered during the early colonial period. The British officials with the East India Company wanted to  escape from the scorching  hot summer season  and hot weather conditions in the plains and took refuge in  cool, lush green  hill stations. The cantonment  in Kasauli was established by the British  in 1842 and it is about  77 km from Shimla, 65 km from Chandigarh, and 94 km from Ambala Cantt (Haryana), an important railway junction of North India. Presently, lots of people visit this hill station to be free from summer heat and hot winds prevailing in the lower plains in the summer. Christ Church in this town is a historical one and  is open on all days.
In the early period it was an Anglican church, consecrated on 24 July 1853. At present it  is part of CNI - the Church of North India  in the diocese of Amritsar since (1970). Located on the Mall street, no body can miss this  colonial church which is the oldest one in Himachal Pradesh. Set in a nice, picturesque ambiance with tall trees around,  this church attracts lots of heritage lovers. The most striking features in this place of worship are the well-made stained glass windows depicting Christ, Mary, St. Barnabas and St. Francis specially  imported from Spain and Italy. When the sun's rays pass through them, the images in the windows come alive and the view is just breath-taking.

Interior - Christ Church, Kasauli,HP  tripadvisor.in

The spiritual and divine services in the church first began  on 24 July, 1853, by Chaplain Thomas John Edward Steel, M.A., St. John's College, Cambridge. The church was revered as a holy place by Authority of the Bishop of Calcutta in 1857 as it is dedicated to
St. Francis and St. Barnabas.

Interior - Christ Church, Kasauli,HP trell.co/

Simplicity in design  is the hall of this church. The gray colored  church  building with  eye-catching stained glass windows and the green colored roof  enhance of the beauty of this quiet place with a lot of greenery around. Tucked among tall trees with shadows all around, you can not miss the fragrance of pine and other trees.   Built in  distinctive Gothic style, the  church  is a fine piece of European  architecture  that includes an impressive  clock tower with a sundial in the front, main hall, cruciform floor, beautiful stained glass windows  behind the altar that can be accessed by  a comfortable  aisle.

Interior - Christ Church, Kasauli,HP  flicker.com

The stained glasses over the altar  carry the image of  Christ and  the Crucifixion. Here,  Christ is flanked by Joseph and Mary. The church is shaped like  a cross  and it was done by British families  who lived here way back in 1840s and the foundation of the church was laid in  1842.
 Out side the church lies  a cemetery with graves and tombstones  dating back to 1850s and earlier. There  are many graves of British soldiers and others. This church is yet another legacy of the early colonial period under the English company (EIC).
.https://www.tourmyindia.com/states/himachal/christ-church-kasauli.html