Editor,
One went through the contents of the ST, Letter to the Editor (ST July 26, 2022), titled “Whither all Saints Church Property,” with a sad sense of foreboding and concern. Let me clarify from the start that I am not a member of the above church. I belong to a different Christian denomination have no business poking my nose in the internal affairs of the All Saints Church, Shillong. What they do or decide among themselves is their own in- house matter and it should remain so.
On the other hand the prime property under discussions happens to be in the heart of this city, Shillong an urban entity that we live and breathe in. We therefore have a right to be concerned what happens to this “unplanned piece of paradise under heaven” and also the right to express our concerns if and when they so arise. Now that piece of prime property under the custody of the Anglicans and under discussion here is Revenue land but no doubt the Church management must have obtained permission from the Revenue authorities to alter the category under which it is being occupied. The point I wish to drive home is different. Is permission from the revenue authorities the only permission required? Is that enough? Is it the only requirement needed to alter, change, transform and redo the face and beauty of the place? The urban space we are talking about also happens to be where one of the most beautiful, iconic, impressive, historic church building in India is located. On it also stands one of the oldest most iconic coniferous tree to be found in the whole of Meghalaya. The tree has become synonymous with Shillong Christmas celebrations. Who in their right minds would want to cut it down? So much so that time and again the whole setup has been referred to as a Heritage building and the place where it stands, as a heritage site. I have no qualms in claiming that the All Saints Church building and its frontage is one of the most beautiful facets that give meaning to the claim of Shillong being the Queen of Hill stations.
So what do the above entail? It simply means that the location of All Saints Cathedral of Shillong, building together with the frontage where the church is located, may legally belong to the church and is church property, but its emotional, sentimental and aesthetic beauty belongs to the hearts of all Shillongites. There have been too many instances where an unfeeling and insensitive Church management has heartlessly trampled upon the interests and welfare of the people. I turn to my own Presbyterian church. I see the damage it has done to Student’s Field and Madan Mission in Mission Compound. Ugly concrete buildings have been setup on playfields where generations had played and recreated. At what cost to society? The social cost- benefits analysis of such acts, if ever conducted, would prove tremendously disastrous. It has deprived youth of a place to spend their energy in. We now see youth of those areas standing and loitering in street corners, easy prey to all sorts of temptations. Addiction to drinks and drugs are only some of the social evils such unthinking actions have produced. And then we have the gall to preach and demand that they repent ! Do we know what we are saying? Do we realize the hypocrisy it exhibits? I’ll be soundly criticized for this write-up. I don’t care because it happens to be the truth. Also I have seen in too many places in India where church property has been exploited, divided and turned into monstrous commercial structures for the benefit of a few. We should not allow such practices to happen here in Shillong. Let’s keep our sanity while discarding our greed.
Luckily there are institutions and authorities set in place to protect these heritage sites and public sensitivities. These are offices whose permission and acquiescence is required before any physical intervention is allowed that has the potential to alter the site in question. First is MUDA and its bye laws. Very sensitive to issues that affect environment and public interests! Then there is the Heritage Committee set up under the Chief Secretary to identify and protect such heritage sites. Its views is called upon here. There is the Department of Tourism that is very possessive of places and sites that add beauty and attraction to the tourist potential of the state. Then there is INTACH ( Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage) a Central watchdog over such sites. Last but not least are the citizens of Shillong who are most zealous over the beauty of their city, its historical charm and its environment.
My organization ICARE had successfully challenged in the court the intention of the then Govt to set up the Assembly building in another heritage place called Tara Ghar. We will again challenge any future intention of the Govt to change the status of the IGP skyline with a monstrosity of a proposed shopping mall. We will definitely react to any proposal to change the beautiful and historic frontage and scenic beauty of IGP by whosoever. Last but not least I hope that better sense, better counsel and better esthetic tastes prevail in the interest of all concerned.
Yours etc.,
Toki Blah,
Via email
Caught between heaven and high hopes!
Editor,
The article on the plots on which the All Saints Cathedral stands becoming a commercial plot is a seismic upheaval. Being a member of this congregation, I hope the other members of the congregation stands united no matter what the outcome. A consensus must be arrived at. The writer claims that the recommendation to convert it into a commercial plot was done behind closed doors. Really? Well, now that the closed doors are opened let the congregation take a stand. Let each and every member of the congregation use their inherent free will and stand by it – the free will to choose whether to have a shopping mall or to maintain a Cathedral. It is impossible to think that both can be accommodated in the same place. The incongruity is stark. These are two empirical opposites. The dissolution of a tradition is a difficult reality to bear with when it is taking place before our eyes. NEIDTA has embraced a more physical kind of thinking which does not rely on a transcendent soul or an afterlife but on living in the here and now. The congregation is caught between heaven and high hopes!
Yours etc.,
Gregory F Shullai,
Via email