Cathedral Church of the Redemption, New Delhi, Delhi India

Crowning the northern vista from the Jaipur Column and west of Sansad Bhawan is the Cathedral Church of the Redemption built in 1927-35. Designed by H A N Medd it appears, from all records, to be the result of an architectural competition. One wonders how as there’s nothing remarkable about the building – the British have made finer churches in India. For those familiar with Lutyens’ work in Britain, it is strikingly reminiscent of his Free Church in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Built in coursed rubble masonry with split red sandstone, it lacks both beauty and gravitas. What the architect has achieved to perfection, however, is the softening of the harsh Indian sunlight with the help of small, recessed openings. The moving force behind the church’s construction was Lord Irwin. He presented the picture at the east end and a silver cross as a thanksgiving for his escape from an attempt to blow up his train in 1929.