Georgina’s 93rd Christmas

[Text and photos by Mayank Austen Soofi]

This grand building style originated in Constantinople, now known as Istanbul. Although a world away from that city, our Delhi does contain a sample of Byzantine architecture. Purani Dilli’s Holy Trinity Church too has a domed roof, Byzantine’s most distinguishing element. The dome swells out on Faasil Road, beside the Mughal-era Turkman Gate. Inside the building, its bulge is bordered in light blue (see one of the photos).

The church was erected more than a hundred years earlier. A plaque notes:

To the glory of God
And in memory of
Alexander Charles Maitland
The foundation stone of
This Church of the Holy Trinity
Was laid on Feb.1.1904
By his widow Mary R. Maitland

The stunningly long-titled book “Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900” describes London-born Maitland as “One of the saints of this earth,” who “gave his life to the Delhi Mission.”

Today, Maitland’s church compound is one of the Walled City’s most serene and open spaces, housing an enclave of 35 families. Their homes give tantalising glimpses of the cozy domestic interiors, with sightings of the plastic flowers above the fridge, the frayed towel dangling by the washing machine, the family portrait on the wall… and on rare occasions you even spot a pair of eyes boldly gazing at you out of the kitchen window.

Speckled with potted plants, the sprawling churchyard sustains a neighbourhood liveliness. Children play hide-and-seek, teens confide secretively to their mobiles, and men and women huddle in separate groups gossiping about politics and relatives. Sometimes they all gather in front of the church’s red doors, singing hymns after the tunes of Mata ki Chauki bhajans.

Holy Trinity’s living landmark is Georgina Lazer. She has seen 92 Christmases. Often attired in starched saris, she resides with sons John and Joel. Georgina was born in Old Delhi’s Gali Bandook Wali, and, following her marriage in 1952, moved to Holy Trinity. Indeed, a visit to the church is incomplete without a darshan of this venerable woman. During winter, she is often sighted on one or the other of the churchyard’s sun-soaked benches, her long white hair regally falling about her frail shoulders.

On a September evening this year, following a leisurely excursion to the bazar, Georgina returned home in a rickshaw. Being aged, she was finding it challenging to get off on her own. An alert neighbour lifted her in his arms and carefully put her down. After finding her footing on the solid ground of her churchyard, Georgina slowly straightened, and posed for a portrait, along with rickshaw puller, the elderly Muhammed, who rode her to the church. See the photo.

PS: Georgina is currently visiting daughter Daisy in Punjabi Bagh, and is likely to celebrate her 93rd Christmas today at New Delhi’s Cathedral Church of the Redemption instead.