There are spaces in the city which lead a quiet existence. There is no pomp or show. These spaces derive their strength from the purpose for which they exist. One such place which I recently visited is the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum. Located on the mezzanine floor of St. Pius college, Goregaon east, it is a treasure trove of artefacts which bring the rich Christian history of the city to life.
Established in 2011 with the efforts of Fr. Warner D’souza and the Christian Heritage Committee, the museum is now home to over 2000 objects. I was here for a walking tour led by Ms. Joynel Fernandes who is the Asst. Director of the museum. She and her team under the guidance of Father Warner do a great job at documenting, archiving and preserving many of these invaluable objects while also disseminating information to the general public.
I spent close to about three hours at the museum and over that period learned a great deal about various facets of Christianity as well as that of the city. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn more about the neighbourhoods of my childhood – Poinsur and Mt. Poinsur which have influenced me a great deal. A study of history is often a reflection of our past but as a student of history of the city, I have always tried to locate myself in the narrative. Therefore it was a sheer delight to see a beautiful gilded tabernacle from Our Lady of Remedy Church, Poinsur in the collection. Likewise, objects and mentions of churches from the neighbourhoods of Bassein (Vasai), Matharpacady, Mazgaon, Byculla, Marve, Malwani, Erangal, Dhobi Talao, Wodehouse Road made me quite nostalgic as the tour progressed.
Most of the objects have been sourced from the archives, godowns and forgotten cupboards of churches across the city as well as from donations by generous members of the community. And Ms. Joynel made sure to share the history of how the objects came to be housed there while also explaining in great detail the significance and symbolism of every object. The monstrance from Gloria Church for instance, which greets the visitor at the entrance, was shaped to mimic the facade pattern of the erstwhile church. This narration of history told through various objects was very compelling. The genius of the collection lies in the arrangement and layout of the museum too.
Throughout the tour, there was emphasis on how local cultural elements have found their way into the symbolism. Such as depiction of St. Paul as a Hindu ascetic on a lotus platform or a statue depicting Mother Mary with kohl lined eyes. However, the most striking was depiction of the kirtimukha and cashews on an altar from Manori which symbolised the intermingling of cultures. A sprawling wall — the apse of the chapel above has been beautifully used to superimpose varying timelines of the World, India, and Bombay. It was fascinating to note that so many churches including the St. Andrew’s church of Bandra, Our Lady of Remedy Church were built even before The Taj Mahal! Thanks to Dr. Fleur D’souza and her students who have put up this amazing body of work in such an accessible way.
Stitching a coherent narrative through objects is difficult. But this is precisely the feat that Fr. Warner and Ms. Joynel have painstakingly achieved. The tour also touched upon the various acronyms normally seen on these objects which was peppered with some classic schoolboy humour by one of the participants. She also interspersed her narration with anecdotes from her personal family history which added a personal touch to the entire experience.
I learnt many new things and felt a lot more connected to the city after the visit. The true syncretic nature of the city is best understood by immersing oneself in such historical chapters. I highly recommend that you visit this museum for an introduction to this extraordinary slice of history.
To visit please ring them on 022-29271557, the museum is open from 10 to 5 PM on all days except Mondays.
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This walk was specially organised by One Of a Kind – India. But visitors can also directly visit the museum by calling on the number mentioned above. The museum also sells a catalogue which documents all the objects at the museum in rich detail along with the historical facts.
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