WOX Travel Contest | Week 12 - Church of Our Lady of Graces- Sardhana

Hello, my Steemian friends,

I am here to take you on a new journey closer to home for the WOX Travel Contest, Week 12, a contest by @o1eh. However, I will keep you closer to my present location this week. Let me make it clear at this point that I have no car right now, so we were traveling by two-wheeler.

I will not go into the historical facts or religious points of view about this place, but I will explain this church from the point of view of a common visitor of its architectural values.

Actually, we had sent a request to attend the mass and were allotted the time slot but we were late because we took the wrong route.

There is always a reason for delay when you travel with your wife so we started the journey with the help of Google Maps, because there had been no special contact with this place in the last decade, and these days the map of the surrounding areas has completely changed. Bypass and four-lane roads, flyovers, and service lanes have also been made, apart from the old route.

The place was too crowded so I parked my bike close to the gate. I have been there many times before, but this time it was too crowded. I remember that when I used to visit this church earlier, in those days, the number of tourists who visited the church was limited to 10–15.

On special days when a fair is held like Christmas Day, people used to come in buses from far and wide, and then that number would increase to a few thousand.

I still get the thrill of traveling on my scooter even at this age, and my wife supports me completely. No one ever leaves a chance to go to any new destination. So last month, the suitable place that I found near me was Sardhana. I have been visiting Sardhana Church and the palace of Begum Sumru, since my childhood and have their memories in my mind, but my last visit with my wife to this church erased all my old memories. The place looked more crowded than ever before.

I have lived in Delhi since my childhood, which is only 50 kilometers away, so I have gone to this church a number of times. I was never very religious, so I never went there not because it is a major center of Christian faith but for its beautiful architectural value.

My intention was to go there last year, but I did not reach there because then the farmers' agitation was going on here and the road was closed. Incidentally, Sardhana was situated only 20–22 kilometers from there, but I could not go there. Well, on the same pretext, I had also taken my wife to see Mother Mary's Church of Sardhana and Begum Sumru's Palace.

However, many times a program was chalked out, but due to one reason or another, it was postponed. This time, I had firmly decided that I would go to Sardhana on Sunday. On Saturday evening, I also told my wife that I had to go; you tell yours. When he also showed interest in walking together, the program was approved.

It was decided to leave at nine in the morning, but as it usually happens, when we were leaving the house and starting the bike, I looked at the clock, which was showing exactly 10.42. Never mind, it was a Sunday, and the heat was not too much.

It was better to adopt a straight and clear path than to reach here and there by walking on the wrong path. Google Maps helped a lot, and we reached the gate in about 40 minutes, passing through the boundary wall of the famous church of Sardhana.

We parked our bike near the gate and were ready to enter with our camera bag and water bottle, but two men stationed at the gate stopped us and asked plainly, "Are you Catholic?" We were not ready, yet we firmly clarified our affiliation by giving an answer to his question.

But he flatly refused to give us entry. Reason: The time until 12 o'clock on Sunday is fixed for prayer, and only Christians can go into it. Many more people were present there, waiting for entry. So we had no option but to wait on the lawn and wait for the next mass which they kindly allowed us.

On trying again after some time, the gateman gave entry, although there were about 20 minutes left until 12 o'clock. So we kept walking in the garden and watched the beauty of the church.

As soon as you enter the church, you will be mesmerized by its beauty.

The beautiful building of the cathedral from the main gate gives a pleasant view. The distance of the church from the main road is about 150 meters and there are shady and ornamental trees all over the road. During the year 2000, 14 monuments to Christ's journey were established on this main road. I want to give them all but that would be too many.

On the one hand, they provide information about the life journey of Jesus, and on the other hand, they are seen presenting magnificent specimens of architecture. Before entering the main door of the church, the statue of Jesus in the posture of love and forgiveness has been installed in a circle.

There are eighteen wide and beautiful pillars standing on the porch of the church. In childhood, I did not feel as much thrill as I do now after seeing many forms of the world. On entering the church, the magnificent statue on which the vision is fixed is the huge and unique statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

Let's have a look at the statues on the walls of the church compound-

It is said that this idol was received as a donation at the last of the Begum. It is also said that when she built the church and wanted to dedicate the building to Mother Mary, the mother of Jesus, and pay respect to her.

However, she never might have thought even in her dreams that in doing so she would be honored herself. Today, this church has become a symbol of Mother Mary's memory.

Most of the floor of the church is white marble. The vaulted ceilings and special arches are decorated with various types of stucco workmanship. This workmanship is in oriental style.

Fairs are held here twice a year in memory of Mary, in which people from far and wide take part. All the people are here to seek blessings almost daily. In 1960, Pope John Paul II decorated it with the title "Minor Basilica."

  
After the Sunday prayer, we came back to the church compound and went to the souvenir shop. After purchasing three books based on the life story of the church and Begum Samru, we left for the return journey. Begum's palace was just a short distance from the church, which still exists. This palace is now converted in a school which was built after this church was completed.

Unfortunately, Begum Sumru could reside in this beautiful palace only in the last year of her life. He died in this palace at the age of 83, in this beautiful palace only in the last year of her life. She died in this palace at the age of 83. Now there is a school for the people of the Catholic community. Actually, this building was bought by Catholics long ago. This huge and beautiful building is being used to train the youth of the community to become priests.

The story of Begum Sumru is no less than a mystery that sounds like a Bollywood movie story. But I have no intention to go into history. But for a ready reference, I can tell you this much: she was a Muslim dancer before she married the local king and took over the state of Sardhna when he died. Later, she adopted Christianity and planned this world-famous church.

Sardhana Church is a unique example of faith and art. People come from distant places to pray to the miraculous image of Mother Mary.

They say that this miraculous picture of Mother Mary of Graces in the church of Sardhana fulfills all the wishes of the visitors. It is believed that if you stand in front of this miraculous picture of Mother Mary and pray wholeheartedly, then Mother Mary definitely listens to all your wishes and fulfills them.

It was the miraculous picture of Mother Mary that gave Sardhana Church the title of Basilica in 1961. Since then, Sardhana Church has become a place of pilgrimage for the Catholic Christian community.

If you stand in front of the main door of the church, you will witness a great variety of workmanship. The 18 broad and beautiful pillars support the heavy outer portico of the church.

There are three domes above the main altar, and on the altars on the right and left sides, two are smaller. These three domes are similar to the ones at St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome.

They did not emphasize beauty during the construction of this church, but the customs of the Catholic religion were kept in mind. As we all know, in Catholic churches, altars are made in such a way that the priest and worshipers face east.

Every year on the second Saturday and Sunday of November, the festival of the Mother of Grace is held here. A grand fair is held at the church during the Christmas festival. Thousands of people visit the church on Christmas Day.

There are special prayers every Sunday in November and December. Special prayers are also offered in the church on Easter and Good Friday.

The miraculous picture of Mother Marry in the church of Sardhana is an exact copy of the picture on the hill of Montenegro, near the town of Leghorn, which is the famous shrine of the 'Mother of Graces'.

You will see beautiful monuments made of marble right at the entrance of the church, which attract tourists. You will witness the incident of hanging Lord Jesus on the cross depicted through a number of statues, which describe the entire story in detail.

All the sculptures made of marble stones in the church compound look so real and beautiful that they keep the visitors spellbound.

There is an arrangement for visitors on the church premises but if you wish to have tea, coffee, or any other food outside, you will get them on the roadside at the gate. It was interesting to see a number of kiosks selling snacks, fruits, ice cream, drinks, and tea on the roadside, but we had planned our lunch in a nearby hotel at the Sardhna Canal on our way back. Yes, we saw better eating points and a couple of star hotels there on the highway.

We had our lunch here

All Images mine

Beneficiary @wox-helpfund