Author: Nayan Dave
Publication: The Times Of India
Date: January 14, 2008
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/An_all-Christian_village_in_Gujarat/articleshow/2697451.cms
You can't help raise an eyebrow when residents
of Wallacepur introduce themselves.
"Cecil Patel," says one as he shakes
your hand, "Walter Dilojan Patel," another introduces himself. Wallacepur
is the only Christian village in Gujarat. All of its 500-odd residents are Protestants.
On the face of it, the village of farmers is
no different from any other in the region, with neatly lined houses and men
with long, upturned moustaches. But as the name suggests, Wallacepur was established
by an English pastor, reverend Wallace, around 1840. He brought people from
different parts of Gujarat and gave them the land here.
The settlers later adopted Christianity and
built a large church in 1871. However, the villagers have no written history
or documents to give details about Wallace. All they know is that he left after
settling the village.
Village pastor Nilesh Vaghela says, "We
still follow father Wallace's plan for village with space for cattle at rear
of the houses." Wallacepur is 100% literate. Says a resident, Barnabas
Robertbhai Parmar, "Girls are better educated with most of them working
as nurses and teachers."
"We prefer to resolve all our disputes
internally," adds Alfred Theodore Patel, another resident.
Wallacepur residents are also proud of winning
the cleanest village award from the district panchayat for the last two years.
