Delhi-NCR notches up two wins. It has received the Award of Merit in Heritage Conservation from UNESCO for cultural preservation in the Asia-Pacific region for two of its landmark buildings.
The restoration work that has transformed Gurugram’s Church of Epiphany and Delhi’s Bikaner House and preserved their past for the future is a labour of love.
Restoring the House of God
Consecrated in 1866 by the Bishop of Calcutta, the Church of Epiphany in Gurugram was founded to serve as a place for worship for British soldiers when the area served as the cantonment in British India. In 1970, more than two decades after India’s independence, it was transferred to the Church of North India under the Diocese of Delhi. More than 50 years later, Reverend Daman Derick Rodgers, the Presbyter-in-charge of the church, took it upon himself to restore the church’s glory that had gradually diminished over time. “This is Gurugram’s first church, yet its existence is largely unknown. I felt compelled to address this oversight; after all, it is a heritage church,” he says. It was then that he proposed the restoration project to the church committee in July 2021.
Times were tough, COVID-19 had struck, and there were few visitors and fewer donations. The 18-member church committee, though tight on funds, gave the proposal the green light. Then started hour-long conference calls to decide on a contractor for the restoration work. For Rodgers, the project was especially important; he was one of the oldest Christian families of Gurugram. “By November 2022, we had a detailed plan. We were already in touch with Adapt—the company hired to carry on the restoration,” he shares.
The structure was, indeed, crying out for an overhaul. Its vibrant red paint was peeling off, the gable roof was crumbling, bricks were exposed and its rib vaults were neglected. Instead of being uniform, the planks had multiple layers of enamel and paint on them. Moreover, being unexposed to sunlight, the planks had to get an anti-termite polish.
The committee had to decide between a simple fix, involving additional cementing, and a more comprehensive restoration, preserving the church’s original layout. Opting for restoration, a special mortar of lime and surkhi was used. The roof was dismantled and replaced following the design of the transept—a rectangular area, separating the main area of the church from the semicircular recess towards the top of the church.
During the excavation of the floor, Victorian tiles, hidden under layers of cement, were also uncovered. “We removed five layers of paint and two layers of primer,” shares Rodgers. Mosaic tiles at the altar were also cleaned and customised where they were found missing. In April 2022, the restoration began in full swing.
Not limited to floors and mouldings, even brass latches and hinges underwent restoration. The incorporation of electrical wires presented a challenge; plastic battens were initially considered, but they did not go with the church’s Gothic architecture. Inspired by his grandmother’s house in Gurugram, Rodgers introduced wooden battens for wires and ordered special switches from Kapurthala to maintain an “Anglican look”.
Efforts to restore the church to its original state proved successful, and it was opened to the public on December 19 of the same year. Despite financial challenges during the pandemic, Adapt, the restoration company, displayed generosity by agreeing to payments in instalments.
All this effort paid off when Rodgers was informed about the UNESCO Award. “I never thought our efforts would make it this big. We did it for the church, for our future generation and for our nation,” says Rodgers with pride.
From Bus Adda to Art Adda
Almost an hour’s drive from the church, Bikaner House in central Delhi, is one of the oldest princely palaces, constructed in the 1930s by Maharaja Ganga Singh of the then princely state of Bikaner.
Originally a brick mansion covered in white plaster, the palace featured barracks, a reception suite and private rooms for the Maharaja. While the chhatris reflect Rajput tradition, the facade showcases Western architectural influences.
Despite its heritage value, Bikaner House was reduced to a bus terminus for an extended period, from where one could catch a luxury bus to Rajasthan. In 2014, thanks to the initiative of the government of Rajasthan, the process of transforming the palace into an art centre under the guidance of heritage conservator Abha Narain Lambah began. The renovation concluded in 2015, and the House officially opened as a cultural centre on November 18. In April 2016, it was registered as the Bikaner House Management Society; the registered society is responsible for the management, curation and event programming.
Recognised with the UNESCO Award of Merit, the House exemplifies re-adaptive use—reusing an existing building for a different purpose than its original intent. The space has been transformed into an art gallery, with each room repurposed and well-lighted. The barracks now house the Living Tradition Centre, the amphitheatre serves as a haat bazaar and the ballroom boasts of a renovated wooden floor, high-roof ceilings and chandeliers.
Both Bikaner House and the Church of Epiphany contribute to conservation in their own unique ways. While the church is driven by faith and the pursuit of heritage restoration, Bikaner House, guided by bureaucratic efforts, equally works towards safeguarding heritage for future generations.