Pavithra’s Perspective

The Church from Armenia

Details about the miniature: Black and White; Pen and Ink. Dimensions: Approximately: 3.5” X 5”

My trips around North Madras showed me a new side of the city at every turn; I unearthed unlooked-for and unexpected heritage sites everywhere. I learnt to literally bump into beautifully preserved pieces of Chennai history in the middle of the traffic teeming around the High Court – but even I was unprepared for the beauty of the Armenian Church, tucked away in yet another street in George Town.

Foreigners in Chennai was hardly a new concept for me, but the idea of them from somewhere as far away as Armenia, and with such solid roots was definitely amazing. And here was, perhaps, the finest example of their presence: built in 1712, spreading an aura of complete serenity within cool corridors, its ancient photographs and perhaps the best of all; the impressive belfry looming amidst the foliage. After wandering through the halls, gazing at the plaques and spending time in the cemetery (which contained a grave that was fashioned like a book!), I kept going back to the belfry – eventually capturing the picture as a miniature.

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