Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak

Tripoto
17th Sep 2017
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Day 1

I had read about this small place about 100 km from Hyderabad which was home to the world's second largest diocese (A Church's governance structure), second only to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, Rome. You know right, you read/hear something like this and you want to visit this place all the more - the world's second largest... that's a big deal man!

I did my basic research about the Church and found out the Sunday service starts at 09:30 AM. I had the information I needed, and one fine Sunday morning I set out from Hyderabad on my bike at 05:00 AM. I could reach before 7:30 with a short tea-break is what my math said.

Let's Hit the Road!!!

Light at the end of the "road"

Photo of Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, India by Ananiah Blessing

"Because the greatest part of a road trip isn't just arriving at your destination."

Photo of Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, India by Ananiah Blessing

"on the road"

Photo of Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, India by Ananiah Blessing

Narsapur Forest Range road

Photo of Narsapur, Andhra Pradesh, India by Ananiah Blessing

Passing by the Narsapur Forest range road, there are these countless monkeys crossing the street and jumping and running here and there. Tempting as it might seem to halt, take some photos and play with them, the risk of being stormed by a dozen of them is always there. Be careful around them.

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Grasslands

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

The road was pretty much empty as it was early morning with just a few buses crossing once in a while. After about an hour or so, I saw this water stream on the left that seemed interesting. I stopped my bike in a safe place and walked towards the stream. The view was pleasant with the water current flowing downstream cutting through the rocks. Took a 15 min unplanned break just sitting there listening to the current with no other sound around. Bliss!

Time to move on.

The water stream I stumbled upon somewhere.

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

I reached Medak Cathedral around 07:30 AM (as calculated ;-)). I parked by the gate and took a stroll the grass areas surround the church. The church doors were still locked. There were people who were sitting, walking, relaxing around the place setting up small picnic like groups. Took some photos & talked to some locals here getting to know more about the Church and it's story.

Medak Cathedral main gate

Photo of Medak Cathedral (CSI), Medak, Telangana, India by Ananiah Blessing

The Cathedral from the entrance (not the main gate)

Photo of Medak Cathedral (CSI), Medak, Telangana, India by Ananiah Blessing

The church is a solid white granite build with tiles brought in all the way from England, some marble brought in from Italy, It stands tall at ~173 feet (I got to know it could have been well higher than that, unless the then Nizam laid down a condition that this Church couldn't be higher than Hyderabad's Charminar!, seriously!!! ).

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Go Mommy Go - take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green ;-)

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Stained Glass windows depicting the Phases of Christ's life.

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Hands down the most beautiful feature of the Church - a depiction of the gospel trilogy - nativity, crucifixion & ascension, a fascinating view during daytime with the sun rays lightening up the artwork.

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

After about 30 minutes, I left to go visit the Medak Fort and come back by 10 for the Sunday Service. Asking for directions from the locals, I took a path that goes up till the resort. This point is almost the starting point of the Fort. 2-3 km from the Cathedral.

Road to the Fort

Photo of Medak Fort, Medak, Telangana, India by Ananiah Blessing

As luck would have it, there was a Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan going on at the Fort conducted by the Collector along with a group of school students. They had an initiation session and then got into small groups to clean the entire area.

I, because of this, couldn't visit the entire Fort due to security reasons. :-(

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Medak City from the Fort

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Clean India Movement in Action

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Aerial view

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Fort entrance

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

Found a spot to sit and relax enjoying the city's aerial view. I sat there for about half an hour. The atmosphere was simply refreshing with the clouds and cool breeze.

I then went back to the Church, reached by 09:45 AM. I reached to the sound of the choir singing hymnals and people filling the church all over. After attending the church service I proceeded towards the next destination nearby.

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

I had heard about this Pocharam Dam nearby which was just 15-16 km from the Medak Church. I reached there after leaving from the Church around 1:00 PM. There's a rough road after about 14km from Medak Church that leads to the Dam.

Photo of Pocharam Dam Reservoir, Telangana, India by Ananiah Blessing

Pocharam Dam

Photo of Pocharam Dam Reservoir, Telangana, India by Ananiah Blessing

Besides the road is a check dam which I guess during peak monsoon overflows in to a small waterfall like current, but that wasn't the case when I visited. There were couple of kids playing in the water there.

I went further to the main area which had a wall and water on one side. Water flows to the other side when the level rises. If you're the kind of person who loves to walk by calm water, feeling the cool breeze and sit doing nothing, then this is the place to be.

The Wall

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing
Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

roads that lead to beautiful destinations

Photo of Visiting the 2nd largest Christian Diocese in the world & more - Medak by Ananiah Blessing

I left around 04:0o PM from Pocharam Dam for Hyderabad and reached home by 07:00 PM. A single day's trip that was totally worth it. You go to Medak without any great expectations, and you for sure will be surprised.

Let's see where the wheels take me next to!