Some bells are now silent, and many still peal loud and clear. Some churches are lost behind roses turned to briar and walls claimed by ivy. And there are many where the brass still shines, the flowers in the vases are always fresh and light filtering through the stained glass windows still dances timeless patterns on the floor. Spread over Himachal the churches and little chapels live on as adminicles to a vanished past and a lingering glory.

In a thatched building, in 1836, church service began at Shimla. In less than a decade serious moves were taken to build a ‘proper’ church and the town’s neo-Gothic Christ Church on the prominent Ridge, steadily began taking shape. This was consecrated on 10 January 1857. The stark walls and lonely spire had to wait a while for the embellishments which were slow in coming. For eleven years there were no pews and the congregation brought their own chairs or used rough benches. The porch was added later. The organ was shipped in from London. A Mrs. Gubbins presented a stained glass window for erection over the altar. This is emblematical of the four evangelists and portrays an angel, a loin, an eagle and a calf. A fresco to decorate the side of the chancel window was designed by Lockwood Kipling and executed by his students of Lahore Mayo School of Art. Today the church still marks the pews where the British Viceroy of India and the Commander-in-Chief sat, and holds several memorial tablets and fine stained glass windows.

While Lockwood Kipling did his bit for Christ Church which belonged to the Anglican Communion the more celebrated son, Rudyard acted in the play ‘A scrap of Paper’ to raise funds for the Catholic Church. It was the Viceroy, Lord Ripon who chose the site of St. Michael’s Cathedral. This is built with an elegant, if partial vocabulary of the French Gothic style and its exterior is of dressed-grey stone. It has a cruciform floor plan and is one of Shimla’s most attractive buildings. The interior has been designed with a nave and two aisles, two side chapels, a high altar and two side altars, a vestry, baptistery and a confessional. A statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, presented by the people of Mexico has also been installed in the church.

While these are Shimla’s most prominent churches – and were regular services are conducted – there are others, some de-consecrated that stand as minor luminaries in the town’s ecclesiastical firmament. Now a library, St. Andrew was the Church of Scotland – and decorative corner stones are the only concession to its unpretentious brick façade. The All Ssaints Chapel on the former Viceregal Estate is quite forlorn; and now part of a school is St. Thomas’. St. Mark’s no longer holds services, while in the suburbs – at Mashobra – is the former St. Crispin’s with stained glass windows. Then there are some fine chapels that form a part of the town’s educational Institutions.

Placed at the end of a long diagonal from Shimla is the little town of Dalhousie. It’s old world architecture has been garnished with four attractive churches. Quite oblivious to the bustle around it St. John lies comfortably ensconced at Gandhi Chowk. This is the oldest church in Dalhousie and its solid stone walls took the place of wooden planks after Rev. Pratt visited the place in 1863 and exhorted Christian community to build something more suitable. Shying away from the activity a few meters below. St. Francis’ Church rests on a wooded rise above Subhash Chowk. This was built in 1894. Services are conducted every Sunday at both.

Below the main town at Balun is Dalhousie cantonment. Originally built to cater to the army, the churches of St. Patrick and St. Andrew were built in the first decade of the twentieth century.

Not far from Dalhousie is the ancient town of Chamba. Here tucked behind other structures is the Church of Scotland.

One of Himachal’s most enchanting churches is at Dharamshala just short of Mcleodganj. The Church of St. John in the Wilderness lies in a sheltered grove of high cedars. Like a blessing over the valley it has a commanding location on the hillside. Within its compound lie the remains of the viceroy, Lord Elgin who died here. A namesake there is another church of St. John at nearby Palampur.

Other churches are at Subathu, Kasauli, Dagshai and Kotgarh.

It is possible to visit all these churches in a tour of ten or eleven days.