Church car with intricate carvings
M. BALAGANESSIN
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The church at Vadugarpettai celebrates car festival today.
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PHOTO: R. ASHOK
RICHLY EMBELLISHED: The church car.
`Our Lady of Good Health' shrine in Vadugarpettai near Tiruchi is one of the ancient churches in the district. It was built in different phases during the past three centuries. As early as 1676, a portion of the church was constructed and Rev.Fr.Vincent Puwart was the first Parish Priest. The main portions of the church were constructed by Veeramamunivar (Rev.Fr. Joseph Constantine Beschi) when he was the Parish Priest from 1717 to 1720.
The church, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kumbakonam Diocese, has special features but the most important is its church car, designed and built on the lines of the Hindu tradition.
Beautiful panels
The church car has images pertaining to the life of Lord Jesus. The car has eight major rectangular wooden planes, centrifugally joined by giant images of horses, protruding outside the car. The supporting basal part is beautifully decorated with floral carvings in garland forms. And, each plane is equally divided into four major sub-panels. While the upper sub-panels display the happy mood of the Holy Angels with musical instruments, the lower ones contain the images of Satan with cruel eyes and harsh faces, and the consequent sufferings caused to humanity. Moving is the panel giving details of the Lord's march from Harod's Palace to Mount Calbary.
In the adjoining frame, Lord Jesus carries the Cross, while the third one shows him being mercilessly pulled by soldiers, with His hands tied to a rope.
The Magi kings from the East who acknowledge Infant Jesus at Jerusalem as the King, is another intricately carved panel.
The `Martyrdom of the Innocents' carries the images of innumerable Innocents thrust into a metallic vessel held by soldiers.
"We do not know exactly when the car was built," said the Parish Priest of the church, Fr. A. Antony Joseph. The car was last renovated in August 1964.
Veeramamunivar brought the statue of St. Mary from Manila while Fr. Math brought a bell `Mariyaloo' from France.
The ten-day festival commenced on August 30 and will be on till September 8 (today), when the idol of St. Mary will be taken round the church.
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