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Around the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese began using Bandel (West Bengal, India) as a port. During or around 1571, they were given permission by Akbar, the Mughal emperor, to build a town in Hooghly. As they began settling around the area, their priests began to baptize the natives – by 1598, Catholics in Hooghly numbered around five thousand, including natives and mixed races.
Bandel Church has several altars and a shrine of Mary, who is known as Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Happy Voyage.
The church has a fascinating history. It was here that in the middle of the night that Father de Cruz heard a familiar voice of Tiago calling him from the waters of the river and announcing that ‘Our lady was coming back’.
The Father thought that it was just a dream and then Tiago announced in a miraculous light that ‘She saved the Christians from death’. The next morning the statue of Mother Mary was brought by the local fisherfolk stating that ‘Guru Maa’ is back.
As another story goes, when a captain of a vessel encountered a storm in the Bay of Bengal, Mother Mary rescued him. Hence, a ship’s mast stands in front of the church. This was in fulfillment of his vow and gratitude for having survived the shipwreck.
On the grounds of the Bandel Church one can witness violet blossoms among the vintage tombstones. A spectacular life sized statue of Mother of Sorrows in marble sitting with the body of dead Jesus on her lap can bring tear to the eyes of the beholder.
Every year during the month of November, an annual festival is held in this Basilica of Bandel. This is the time when thousands of pilgrims all over India congregate to thank Our Lady of Rosary and celebrate her miracles.
The Bandel Church is located about 43 kilometers from Calcutta in West Bengal. It can be reached by air or rail. The Basilica is hardly about fifteen minutes from the Bandel railway station.
This Bandel church is a heritage church that was declared a Basilica in 1988 by Pope John Paul II.