By Nilima Pathak

Nestled away in a small Indian town, a church attracts tourists eager for a glimpse into the life of a remarkable 18th-century woman.

Sardhana is a small and dusty town, about 100 kilometres from India’s capital New Delhi and southwest of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. Even though it does not figure in tourist guides, people from across the world visit the place to see the 18th-century Begum Sumru church, considered one of the largest and oldest in northern India.

Upon leaving the highway, trees on both sides shade the road and you have to wind through narrow streets to reach Sardhana. The Begum Sumru church, formally known as The Church Basilica of Our Lady of Graces, is close to the broad Ganges canal that was built in 1848 as an outlet for water that used to flood the lower part of Sardhana during the monsoon. It is quite amazing to see the free-flowing water canal without garbage and pollutants that are generally dumped into such water bodies. 

Away from the maddening traffic, you reach a walled compound with high trees that enhance the beauty of the church with serene and green environs. The cathedral with gothic architecture comprises two lofty spires and three domes. The central dome is larger than the two on either side. The path from the entrance gate leads towards the building, graced with marble sculptures on both sides.

Adding to the building’s grandeur, several images adorn the interiors depicting Begum Sumru’s life through a series of sculptures. The prominent one is of Begum Sumru herself, who once ruled Sardhana. In this six-metre marble monument, Sumru is seated atop an edifice, holding the scroll of Emperor Shah Alam II who conferred on her the jagir [estate]of Sardhana. On either side are her adopted son David, and Diwan Rae Singh, the great grandfather of Motilal Nehru,who was Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s great grandfather.

Pointing to the gigantic structure, church guide Robin says it was “carved by Italian sculptor Adamo Tadolini and transported to Sardhana from Italy to Kolkata by ship and then boats and ultimately by bullock carts.”

Below the edifice is Sumru’s grave and preserved for posterity are tableaus carved in marble.

Interestingly, in a church dedicated to Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ and some saints, in one montage. Sumru is seen holding a hookah and is flanked by European and Indian courtiers, while in the others she is shown riding an elephant and receiving petitions from her courtiers.

“The church is as much worth a visit if one wishes to relive its historical importance, as it is to know about Sumru’s interesting life story belonging to an era when most Indian women wore veils,” Father Sasin Babu, the church priest says. “However, way beyond her time, the Begum led a remarkably liberated life.”

The daughter of Latif Ali Khan, a Muslim nobleman of Arab origin, Sumru was born Farzana Latif in the early 1750s. Her father, who had settled in the town of Kotana, near Meerut, died when she was just six years old.

Sumru’s charms

Circumstances forced her mother to move to Delhi. Sumru later became a dancer in the court of the Raja of Bharatpur. She happened to meet the European adventurer Walter Reinhardt when he visited the red light area. Reinhardt fell for Sumru’s charms and the two were married when she was barely 14. Reinhardt was 30 years her senior. He had come to India in 1754 as a private soldier in the French East India Company. He commanded his own body of troops and offered his services to chieftains needing men for routine conflicts across the country.

In the service of Indian rulers and on the run from the British for certain brutalities in Patna,Bihar, Reinhardt endeared himself to Mir Qasim, who was appointed the Nawab of Bengal by the British in 1760. In his service, Reinhardt rose to distinction. He trained the Nawab’s troops in European warfare and commanded a sizeable section of them. Because of his sombre nature and attitude, fellow Europeans bestowed upon him the title of ‘Le Sombre’. Gradually, in Indian pronunciation, the sobriquet became ‘Sumru’. 

“Earlier appointed as nawab (governor) of Agra in Uttar Pradesh for his military abilities, Reinhardt made Agra his residency,” Robin says. “But some twists and turns later, he was rewarded with a large jagir by Emperor Shah Alam and he made Sardhana its capital. Thus began, in 1773, what was afterwards known as the Principality of Sardhana. Reinhardt died in 1778. And even now his name stands on his gravestone in Agra.”

After Reinhardt’s death, his wife, who had begun to be referred to as Begum Sumru, took command of her husband’s 82 European officers, 4,000 troops and the Principality of Sardhana.

Sumru was only 25 then and not only did she run the administration effectively, but also led her troops on horseback into battle during the first freedom struggle. Though a diminutive woman, standing barely 1.3 metres, she played a crucial role in politics and the power struggle in 18th and 19th century India. Wielding a remarkable influence, her word was law and she commanded immense respect in the region.

Three years after her husband’s death, Sumru was baptised and given the name of Joanna. On her conversion to Christianity in 1781, she became the only local Catholic ruler in India.

Pulling out another leaf from history, the guide adds: “A favourite of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II, Sumru is said to have saved his life twice and used the might of the sword and the lure of gold to win him supporters and fend off all his rivals. It earned her the titles of Zeb-un- Nisa (jewel amongst women) and Farzand-i- Azizi (most beloved daughter).”

Subsequently, Sumru had a liaison with Le Vaisseau, a young Frenchman, who entered her service in 1790. In 1793, when it was rumoured that she had married Vaisseau, her troops triggered a mutiny. The two decided to escape in the night, but having barely gone a few kilometres away, the duo realised they were being pursued. Sumru and Le Vaisseau then made a suicide pact at the behest of the romantic Frenchman.

Even though he could have escaped easily since he was riding a horse, he stopped upon hearing gunshots. Galloping back, he found that Sumru had stabbed herself in the chest with her dagger.

True to his promise not to be separated from his beloved by death, the Frenchman shot himself in the head. He died instantly.

Sumru’s attempt at stabbing herself had only resulted in a little loss of blood and she survived.

Actually, the Begum had heard shots being fired and presumed the Frenchman was murdered.

So, in keeping with her promise and also afraid of the mob of frenzied soldiers, she had stabbed herself. But the wound was not fatal and she survived, resuming her earlier role as the ruler of Sardhana.

“In 1803, by way of an acceptance treaty of British protection, the Begum was allowed the security and riches to turn to philanthropy,” Robin says. “Prior to his death, Sumru’s husband Reinhardt had very much wished to build a church in honour of Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Sumru took it upon herself to fulfil his desire and, enlisting the services of Italian architect Major Anthony Reghelini from Vicenza, the church was built in Sardhana in 1822.”

Based upon St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, with a touch of Andrea Palladio’s Italian architectural influence, every aspect of it is of very high craftsmanship. Using the best expertise and materials available, it was constructed at a cost of Rs400,000 [Dh53900].

Completed in 20 years, the Begum Sumru church is today an important pilgrimage spot not only for Christians but also people of other faiths. In 1961, Pope John XXIII decided to upgrade the church to the status of Minor-Basilica, a dignity that is bestowed rarely and only on churches that are both historically famous and striking. It is among the 23 such churches in India and the only one of its kind in north India. The Begum also built a palace for herself in Sardhana, which is now St Charles’ Inter College. In a room atop this palace, Sumru died in 1836, at the age of 90.

(Source: Gulf News. Nilima Pathak is a journalist based in New Delhi.)