Mumbai News: Restoration of 450-Year-Old St Andrew's Church In Bandra Uncovers Hidden Architectural Heritage

Older than the Taj Mahal, that is how Father Nigel Barrett, parish priest of Bandra's St Andrew's Church, describes the four-century-old church that is currently undergoing extensive restoration.

The conservation work on the church, built around 1575 AD by Jesuit priests from Portugal, has revealed many forgotten features, like the choir loft with windows that brought sunlight into the nave. The restoration will  revive architectural features of the building, which, according to late historian and founder of the Bombay Historical Society, Braz Fernandes, is the oldest in Bandra. Fernandes, who died in 1951, is buried in the church's cemetery.

Restoration work and the church facade Restoration work and the church facade

The restoration, which began in April 2024, is expected to be completed in October or November 2025, Barrett said. "It is a heritage building and due permission of the BMC has been obtained." 

To ensure that the building's heritage features are not lost during the work, Savani Heritage Conservation Private Ltd, which has restored monuments such as St Thomas's Cathedral, Mumbai; the Cellular Jail, Port Blair; and heritage structures at Aligarh Muslim University, was hired for the work. 

Restoration work and the church facade Restoration work and the church facade Restoration work

Dilipkumar Sankhat, the conservation architect who is in charge of the restoration, said that the structure, made of stone, lime plaster, and wood, is strong, having withstood the vagaries of nature for centuries. "The church was located on the shore, but reclamation of the coast means it is now located away from the sea. It is different from other churches because of its Portuguese-style design," said Sankhat.

Restoration work and the church facade

Every chapter of the restoration process has thrown up surprising architectural features that were obscured during extensions and repairs over the centuries. In the 1960s, a reinforced cement concrete section was added to expand the building. "The architecture of the church is old and complicated. We are restoring all the elements. In conservation terms, we call it the 'old fabric'. We are concerned about preserving the old fabric and giving it to the next generation," said Sankhat.

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Conservation means using materials used in the original construction, including lime plaster, which has a longer life than cement. The original Mangalore-tile roof is being restored. "As the structure is close to the sea, water has been seeping up the walls," said Barrett. The lime plaster should take care of this problem, Barrett added.

During the restoration, religious services at the church were moved to the Bosco Hall. "I appreciate the work. The parish is putting in good effort," said a member of the church.

The restoration is expected to cost between Rs 3.5 to Rs 4.5 crores. New features like ramps for wheel chairs will be added to the building. The church, which has collected a corpus for the work, recently appealed for more donations.