Catholic Church at Bandel, near Hooghly in West Bengal - 1820

Watercolour by Sir Charles D'Oyly of the Catholic church at Bandel, near Hooghly in West Bengal, inscribed: 'N1' 'Bandel Church and Refectory. Augt 1820.', from an album in red leather covers with a gold stamped border, containing 28 water-colours of a trip along the Bhagirathi and Ganges Rivers, dated August to October 1820.

Christianity came to Bengal initially with the Portuguese in the 16th century AD. For two centuries missionary work was carried on mainly by two Roman Catholic orders: the Jesuits and the Augustinians. In 1598-9 the Jesuits established a school and hospital at Hughli, where the Portuguese had obtained permission from the Emperor akbar to settle. The Jesuits remained in Bengal until their suppression by the Pope in the late 18th century. But it was the Augustinians who were responsible for the major part of Christian activity. They established a monastery at Hughli in 1599, from where they reached out to other centres including dhaka. By about 1630 there were 7000 Christians at Hughli, consisting of Portuguese, their Eurasian descendants, and converts, including slaves. The monastery was destroyed when shahjahan attacked Hughli in 1632, but the Augustinians were subsequently allowed to resettle at Bandel, where they built a church which still survives.

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Image source : British Library