Church with ‘futuristic’ architecture dates back to the Portuguese era
Our Lady of Salvation Church in Dadar was redesigned by Charles Correa, has skylight by M F Husain.
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Our Lady of Salvation Church is one of the early churches in the island of Bombay, built by the Portuguese Franciscan Missionaries sometime between 1595 and 1610. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)
For most of us, the word ‘church’ conjures up images of towers and shingled roofs. The flat, shell-roofed Our Lady of Salvation Church, amid the bustling streets of Dadar, could not be more different. Yet, for all its modern architecture, the church is one of Mumbai’s oldest. Built more than 400 years ago, it was redesigned by celebrated architect Charles Correa in the 1970s.
The heavy rain over the past few days has uprooted a 90-year-old tree. As it finally fell after standing tall for years, it damaged the parapet towards the entry. Repairs are on as some people sit inside and pray, oblivious to the sounds outside the cocoon of the church. Popularly known as the Portuguese Church, the building’s shell roofs are ventilated at the top. The skylight in the baptistery is by noted Indian artist M F Husain.
The church and parish of Our Lady of Salvation has a history extending over 400 years. It was one of the early churches in the island of Bombay, built by the Portuguese Franciscan Missionaries sometime between 1595 and 1610. It was rebuilt as a larger church in 1651.
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According to Joseph D’souza, who works in the administration of the church, one of the murals painted by a foreigner — which has Adam and Eve painted on the two ends — has been covered with curtains, with only the portions depicting Mother Mary and baby Christ visible now. “The regular church-goers did not appreciate the depiction of Adam and Eve, and so we covered that part a few years ago,” he says.
It wasn’t just the mural that was put to question. When Correa first remodelled it, the church design was much debated, though now many consider it a landmark. The funeral mass of Correa also took place here in 2015.
A write-up on its history provided by the church states, “The controversial church constructed by an architect of international repute has evoked mixed reactions….Somebody once described it as a futuristic Church…..The church is essentially a house of prayer. The high massive wall of random rubble is meant to isolate it from the din and bustle of the outside world within which the worshippers can commune with God in silence.”
Explaining the concept behind the architecture of the church, the website of Charles Correa Associates says that the church consists of a series of interlinked spaces, some covered and others open to the sky. The shell roofs are ventilated at the top, thus setting up continuous convection currents of air. “The areas are functionally differentiated in an analogue of Christ’s life.
First the year of preparation, secondly the years of public life and finally death and resurrection,” it states.
While the design might have meant to keep the church naturally ventilated, Father Bartol D Machado, Parish Priest, says ventilation is now a problem, with people complaining about the heat inside, especially in May. “Installing an air-conditioner is also not possible,” he says. However, he adds, “The architecture was Correa’s way of creating something new. We may not understand it as we are not experts. But we have to take his ideas into consideration.”
Conservation architect Abha Lambah feels that the building is a stunning modern landmark. “It challenges the traditional notions of Gothic churches. It has a very bold, exposed concrete exterior, minus the plastering we are used to, and allows a volume of light in naturally,” she says.
Housing a medical centre, a fitness centre, an Alcoholics Anonymous facility and a separate help group for the spouses of alcoholics, the structure challenges the conventional idea of what a church looks like and leaves a lasting impression on any visitor.
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