Hyderabad: While the Qutb Shahis planned Hyderabad in a straight line from North to South, the British built Secunderabad from East to West, said Sibghatullah Khan, founder of Deccan Archives, during a heritage walk through Secunderabad’s major churches ahead of Christmas.
The first stop of the walk, organised by Intach and Deccan Archives, on Saturday, was St John the Baptist Church. It is located at the easternmost side of what the British wanted to build.
Standing at this point in 1818, it was stated, that one could see all the way up to Begumpet. The church came to be associated with some very interesting stories as the British soldiers and their families settled around in the area.
The church has many plaques commemorating the services of British personnel who worked in governmental departments then, such as the Nizam Guaranteed Railways.
Originally shaped like the Cross, a bell tower was funded by Dewan Bahadur Seth Ramgopal Malani, after whom Ramgopalpet is named. Its rare, fully functional pipe organ — likely the only one in South India — remains a significant draw.
Participants heard stories of British soldiers who settled around the church and a tragic ghost tale from the 1857 rebellion era. The walk continued to St Mary’s Basilica, dating back to around 1850. Elevated to Basilica status in 2008, the church has the St Ann’s School, established by Turin-based nuns in 1871.
The group also visited Wesley Church, completed in 1905, known for its striking stained-glass window depicting the Resurrection of Jesus. The church was supported by the Wesley mission established by Reverend Willian Burgess and his wife Lillie Hay. She established the Wesley Girls and Boys schools and hostels in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Bolaram and Ammuguda.
A painting specifies that she along with her child and other members passed away in a shipwreck 'SS Roumania' in the Mediterranean Sea off Spain near Pineche on October 27, 1892.
The final stop was the Clock Tower, a landmark that once helped workers, soldiers, and residents keep time for factories, service duties, and church services.
