Infant Jesus Shrine, Bangalore

On today’s devalayam visit, let me take you to the Infant Jesus Shrine, at Viveknagar, Bangalore. Once an isolated place, the (Catholic) church is now located at the centre of bustling crowds indulging in various activities. The footpath of the road that leads to the church is chock-a-bloc with vendors who sell flower garlands, flowers, candles, and other worship paraphernalia. The traffic leading to the church centre is heavy, and it is not easy to navigate the small lane that runs in the front of the church. Having done that, we drive down to the basement parking, and are impressed to find ample parking space for all kinds of vehicles. We have come on a Saturday evening, when the crowd is comparatively thin. We collect the parking token from the gentleman at the entrance, drive in and park comfortably.

We walk up to terra firma, and approach the shrine first. The Infant Jesus shrine is famous for the miraculous statue of the child Jesus with a crown upon his head. Devotees of all religious faith flock here every Thursday to worship the Infant. As a result, the church is packed on Thursdays. There is a charming legend behind this statue. Click here for the legend. 

Infant Jesus shrine 

The shrine is a long rectangular hall, with the statue of the Infant at the centre. Wooden benches (called pews) are placed inside. There is a small portion of the hall where the devotees can pray with candles. The devout are standing with lit candles sending fervent pleas or thanksgiving to the Almighty. I notice an unnecessary detail; that part of the floor is waxy and sticky! 

If you have brought candles, light them, and leave them on the stands provided for them. There are two replicas of the statue of the child placed on either side of the centre of the shrine for the devotees’ benefit. If you have brought garlands to adorn the child, place them on the either of the two statues. There is also a hundi kept next to the idols for donations. We drop in our contribution, and sit down. The walls lead to a high dome right above the statue. Pigeons find peace in the small coves that dot the dome. There are pretty glass paintings that depict the mythology of the Spanish duchess bringing the statue to Prague.

We make our way to the church that is beside the shrine. It is a semicircular structure, with the altar at the centre. Service is going on, so we quietly tiptoe in and occupy one of the wooden seats. All churches have pews that have provision for the devout to kneel. The church is lovely, with a huge wooden cross at the altar. Its high walls are decorated with paintings. There are glass paintings with each panel narrating a scene from the Way of the Cross, the steps that Christ took before he was crucified.

Infant Jesus church

The church conducts services in languages including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Konkani, Hindi, and English. We have come in time for the English mass.

As we sit in all humility, the fragrance of samprani or dhoopa wafts around the church. The celebrant is conducting the regular prayers, and we try to follow it as best as we can. We seem to have arrived close to the end of the worship. The devout form a line to receive Communion as the choir sings the hymn. Each ritual has a hymn to it. The celebrant concludes the worship, and we slowly step out. 

Church premises

There is a small curio shop to the right of the church, when you step out. You can buy anything from rosaries to Bibles to prayer books to candle stands, to figures of the Infant Jesus and Mother Mary. We spot a few statues where Mother Mary is holding the young child in her arms. We walk around to the church, and re-enter through a small side door that leads us to the wooden mini chambers that serve as the confessionals. Devotees can also enter this mini corridor from inside the church as well.

There is a small school behind the church. The church also supports an old age home, wedding hall, and has accommodation facilities for outstation pilgrims. The church compound is fairly large, and we walk around, taking in the surroundings. There is a Catholic Enquiry Centre next to the shrine. We don’t have any queries, so we skip it.

With that, we slowly ease out of the parking lot at Infant Jesus, and make our way to the next devalayam. Till then, stay safe, and stay devout!