Perumthachanistic Puttukuttipally

I jokingly call St. John's Cathedral in Thiruvalla as Puttukuttipally but I am in all praise for it since I decided to take a closer look at it recently. Unlike Perumthachan's temple pond this is not just an illusion it is a good job blending all the sabha's characteristics onto one structure. If we go a little closer the outsides resembles typical Keralite temple architecture. But once inside it is Roman Catholic in its cathedral-styled grandiosity but at the same time Antiochene-Syrian in the settings. It also looks like a mosque in this picture!

Much of the beauty in any Syrian church is in the characteristic bright red veils hiding the Sanctum Sanctorum (Madbaha); here the reddishness goes great with the reddish-brown woodwork that make up the whole of the madbaha. And BTW this church enshrines has some 5 Holy Relics: one of them being some part of a bone of Saint Thomas and the other a piece from the Holy Cross.

Considering the atrocities committed on some of the ancient churches of this region (a few of them being as old as Christianity) this one stands out, in my view, as a very well thought of design especially considering the most important factor that this is very new construction. The Syro-Malankara Catholic church authorities and/or the architects took pains to include all the elements the sabha stands for while not in any way reducing it's modernity and flambouyancy. The atrocities I was talking about will be dealt with in detail in upcoming posts. Just that when most of the old churches lost their originality and beauty this new one tries to bring them back.

Here's a quick video of its interior. Catholic, Antiochene and Keralite. Great work Bretheren! I for once say the loads of church funds didn't go to waste.