Home > Indian History > Temples of India > British Cathedrals in India
British Cathedrals in India
History of British cathedrals in India began with a bang, spreading Christianity amongst every native.

Share this Article:

British Cathedrals in IndiaBritish Raj in India has always served as that part in Indian history, constituting umpteen ups and downs amongst both the community of natives and English alike. If that liberty can be taken to leave out the brutal and merciless dominance over Indians for two hundred years, the Empire had done much to introduce western civilization into eastern society. Beginning from the British East India Company and flowing down to Queen Victoria`s rule for the rest of the years and finally ending with Lord Mountbatten, British Empire can be singled out for its various innovations in every field of work. The likes of economy, administration, society, politics, entertainment, architecture and infrastructure can be enlisted under some of the few titles that the imperialists had grounded onto the Indian sub-continent. In order to make the English civilisation comfortable for day-to-day existence, the architectural aspect was perhaps the most improved and sophisticated amongst all other groups. In this context comes the phase of cathedrals built throughout colonial rule. British cathedrals in India amount to several in number, which still stand to this day with their glory and pomp.

Commencing from the basic Presidency towns comprising Bengal, Bombay and Madras, British cathedrals in India started branching out gradually to other villages and cities, not leaving out the mofussils (a town smaller than a city, with its own municipality). Architects were shipped in huge numbers from England to erect masterpieces, who then replaced the amateur men being trained for building. The Company rule which was brought to an end after the Sepoy Mutiny(1857) in 1858, holds supreme importance here, which later witnessed massive masonry work for constructing cathedrals. Borrowing from several erstwhile European architects and their fashion of architecture, British cathedrals in India started to shoot their spires up, touching the sky. The kinds of architectural fashion that prevailed primarily were: Gothic, Palladian, Ionic, Indo-Saracenic, or the various other colonnaded halls, predominating every nook of a city or town.

With the mind-boggling course and path of British architecture in India that had been built, it can perhaps only be assimilated into a colossal book, redefining the annals. History of British cathedrals in India thus encompasses the periods and stages within which these structure were built, almost always with solemn financial and governmental aid. The governor-generals had made it a point that Christianity was widely distributed within the country, to make people aware about the religion even more consciously. The legendary cathedrals, for instance, St. Thomas` Cathedral, Mumbai or St. Paul`s Cathedral, Kolkata defy every human capability for their exquisiteness and meticulous adornment for even the following years to come.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Temples of India


Khajuraho Temples
Khajuraho Temples are known the world over for their beauty and architectural construction. This group of temples is situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
Temples In Hampi
Temples in Hampi are the manifestations of rich religious beliefs and architectural and sculptural abundance.
Dilwara Temples
Dilwara Temples located at Mount Abu date back from the 11th to 13th century and rank among the popular tourist destinations of Rajasthan.
Chola Temples
Chola Temples of South India comprises of the three great temples that were constructed in the 11th and 12th century and is declared as a World Heritage Site.
Badami Cave Temples
The Badami Cave Temples, an exemplary production of Indian architecture, are situated in the town of Badami.
Temples in Guwahati
Known to be the temple town of Assam, the temples in Guwahati are a reflection of the Assamese style of culture and architecture.
West India Temples
West India Temples are worth a visit for their beautifully designed masterpieces on stone.
North Indian Temples
India has a rich cultural and historical heritage because of its temples and pilgrimage sites. The North Indian Temples are in plenty and cater to people of all religion.
South Indian Temples
South Indian Temples lavishly built and aesthetically designed, in true sense are the symbol of architectural brilliance.
East India Temples
East India temples are really fascinating and enthralling and visit to these places can mesmerize a person very easily.
Northeastern Temples of India
Religious fervor and spiritual passion enlaces the northeastern temples of India.
Central India Temples
Central Indian temples amidst their religious fervour reverberates the true spirit of Hinduism.