Savig A Church

FIRST METHODIST CHURCH OF ASIA SAVED

Rajshekhar Pant

"Heritage properties of the Methodist Church in India" alleges a veteran member of the community from the historical town of Almora, "are being sold to builders in utter defiance of the existing law and corrupt Church officials and trustees are entering into illegal land transactions with land-mafia  all over the country. They have done it successfully in Madhya Pradesh, in UP and are now in Uttarakhand, -all poised to repeat their success" Requesting anonymity this highly grieved representative of the community further alleges that in Almora itself the heritage property at Papparsali "has already been sold off besides leasing out the heritage Ramsay School of the town, taking full advantage of corruption rampant everywhere." Unfortunately, what reportedly started from Almora has trickled down to Nainital also.

    The property of the oldest Methodist Church of Asia, consecrated in the year 1860 close to the shoreline of the lake was all set to be sold here for effecting a commercial construction. Thanks to the RTI and the commitment of Dr Ajay S Rawat- a renowned activist from the region -"to save Nainital from the vandals and land sharks," as says Manoj Lohumi, a local resident and scholar of history, "that it couldn't get materialized despite meticulous planning." Opening himself in an interview Dr Rawat says that the church authorities were all set to sell the property "as prices of land in Nainital have rocketed sky high." On 16.05.2009 "A Transporter and Builder" Dr Rawat reveals "signed an agreement under the Chairmanship of the Bishop in Bareilly to the effect that commercial construction will be done in the small plot of land adjacent to the church and the builder will get the map approved by the Lake Development Authority." Interestingly, to press the "sanctity and truthfulness of the agreement",  a C.B.S. Cheque equivalent to draft no. 530896, dated 16.05.09 amounting to Rs. 2 lacs was reportedly attached to it. Subsequently, the followers of the Methodist Church and some citizens of Naini Tal approached Dr. Ajay S Rawat to intervene. Dr. Rawat in turn requested the Commissioner Kumaon under RTI that how commercial construction can be done in close proximity to the church, which is a heritage building and 151 years old. He further upheld that as per the directions of the Hon'ble Supreme in Writ Petition No. 694, (of Dr. Ajay Singh Rawat vs Union of India) of 1993 decided on March 1995, commercial construction is banned in Naini Tal and also that the site of the proposed construction is under the category of 'dangerous zone' where construction is not permitted. The church authorities then submitted a map in the name of the Bishop, R. Vijay Kumar for the construction of a Bishop House and Community Hall. Commissioner Kumaon S. Raju and Secretary of the Lake Development Authority Dhiraj Singh Garbiyal rejected the map on the basis of the clause 7.4.3 of the Bye Laws of the Lake Development Authority quoted by Dr Rawat. It reads that in case of religious, cultural, and historical buildings and landmarks no construction shall be allowed in the periphery of 10 metres of that building. Dr. Rawat has been informed just recently about the rejection of the map by the RTI Officer of the Lake Development Authority.

Incidentally, this Church was established by William Butler, the person with whom the Methodist Episcopal Society arrived in India from America in 1856. Butler and his family landed in Calcutta on September 22nd 1856 and in 1857 they settled down in Bareilly with a vision to preach the gospel in India. Repercussions of the political conflagration of 1857 were felt in Bareilly too. On 14th May Colonel Troup, Commanding Officer in Bareilly sent a personal messenger to Butler urging him to take his family to Nainital, which was a safe refuge for the whites. After the outbreak of 1857 was over, Butler purchased more than six acres of land for a Methodist Church in Naini Tal for 1650 dollars. The area was known as The Ruins and was sited in a favourable position, close to the shoreline of the lake. When corner stone of the church was being laid on September 1858 by Sir Henry Ramsay the then Commissioner of Kumaon, Butler had no idea that history was being created. The building was completed later and consecrated on October 1860 as the first Methodist Church of not only India, but of Asia too.

Badri Bhavan

Saket,

Bhimtal

Distt: Naini Tal

Uttarakhand- 263136

pant.rajshekhar@gmail.com