Friends of Pondicherry Heritage

Association for the preservation of Pondicherry and French heritage in India

Puducherry 24th March 2010

Report on the state of the church Our Lady of Angels - Pondicherry

Describing the condition of the building before its restoration initiated by the Association Friends of Pondicherry Heritage in accordance with Father Michael-John Antonysamy, the parish priest.

Established by Patrick Lafourcade, consultant in charge of the building works, after five months working on the site.

The church of “Our Lady of Angels” was completed in 1855 under the direction of Louis Guerre, engineer. Its footprint on the floor is of 55 x 35 meters. It is built in strength, by means of lime and sand in the Romanesque style, with a rather simple exterior decoration including a cornice crowning all fronts, a projection molded overcoming each window (closed with color panes) and a series of pilasters with ionic capitals and bases pacing all fronts.
It includes a dome above the transept and two square, strong bell towers, symmetrical, flanking the end of the nave, where is located the main entrance. At the third level, these bell towers are decorated with 24 niches in total (3 per facade) occupied by the 12 apostles and 12 amphoras alternately. Both towers are healthy and show no harm in their close-out.

Overall impression: the church seems nearly unchanged since the date of its construction. Lack of well-run maintenance. Occasional infiltrations of rainwater.
The north wall was repaired by means of rich cement mortar, which fail to remedy the impregnation of masonry by rainwater dripping from the windows to the interior of the building. In the contrary, it extended the moist area. This defect appears to be as old as the church itself: 155 years. However it does not seriously compromise the strength of the wall.
In fact, the entire building is still healthy. There is no crack, flaw or significant weakness, except a minute circumferential crack (due to the mechanic of the materials) at the junction dome-transept, and some minor seepages at several points of the arches of the nave and transept.

Here is the list of weak points taken in account from 15.09.09 by the team of masons that I drive:

- The old lime coating of the roof (presenting two slopes) of the nave, transept and choir, after tests consisting in numerous soundings, is porous, presenting fine cracks and often taking off from its support (arch of tiles and lime mortar). Remedy: waterproof RCC slabs (thickness 6cm) armed with a steel mesh of 3 mm in parallel elements of 5 x 2.50 m joining each other by a narrow line of bitumen (5 mm);
- The rainwater vertical drains (concealed in the thickness of the walls) present several leaks at various heights. The output points are too high (about 1.50m) and must be extended down to the ground level, in order of preventing watering of the wall bases by projections;
- The perimetric wall ridge (width 1.25m) is porous. Solution: laying waterproof covering, sealed with a thin and convex RCC slab overlapping the interior side;
- Terraces of the two sacristies permeable. Significant leakage. Solution: waterproof slab + tightness sealing (approximately 1 m height) on the 4 walls surrounding the terraces;
- The interior side of the perimetric wall (above the aisles), which base is built in slope by diminishing rows of bricks ("steps"), must be flattened by mortar waterproof coating so as to have a unified slope to drain away the rainwater on the terrace without impregnating the masonry;
- 3 decayed roof windows (on the top) are to be replaced. The 16 window openings of the dome must be replaced. The frames of these windows, in good condition, will be preserved;  
- Rainwater collected from the windows of the aisles tends to permeate the thickness of the wall above which they are established. Causes (dating from the time of construction): serious defect within the window sills masonry and inversion of the openings (inside being set outside); no sloping outwards; absence of grooving and drilling of the lower part of the wooden frame to divert the remaining water;
- A general refection of the window panes must be done;
- Part of the exterior and interior plastering (mostly northern side), disintegrated by moisture, must be redone, as well as spots formerly repaired with cement mortar which, in fact, transmit moisture further in the walls;
- All the masonry works will be executed with lime and cement mortar in these proportions: lime = 4, cement = 1 + sand, so that the walls "breathe". A sample of this mortar is visible on a wall of the ground floor, southern bell tower;
- Cornices, moldings, fluting, capitals and other eroded ornaments, corroded by moisture and salt, must be repaired;
- Idem regarding the ceiling (innerside) of arches, stucco. Damages are not alarming, knowing that it must be confirmed after having built a scaffolding;
- Repainting of the entire building;
- Electrical system, outdated and dangerous, should be completely redone, with a sober yet efficient lighting - and a discreet sound equipment: building acoustics being very good (thanks to the conformation of the ceiling), it should remain within the limits of the budget ‘electricity’ figuring below;
- Rehabilitation of all passages to the 2 bell towers, including caps leading to the 2 terraces;
- Rehabilitation of the altar: among others, numerous explosions due to swelling of rust produced by the iron pieces sealed in the marble;
- Installation of a lightning rod, with earthing by drilling until a layer of wet basement;
- Setting up a 2nd drill providing fresh water to the shipyard;
- Setting up, for the works duration, a temporary electric wiring;
- Fixed and flying scaffoldings, platform with support, pulley and rope allowing materials delivery;

- Repairing of antique pieces of furniture (teak) belonging to the church. This furniture is sufficient in quantity and quality (the latter, outstanding), but is seriously damaged by the ravages of time and lack of maintenance.

Puducherry 24th March 2010

News of the Association

Mission of the FPH in India – March 2012

Two events have marked the end of restoration works at Our-Lady-of-Angels church. On the 26th February, Mr. Thierry Mariani, Minister for Transport in the French Government and the Deputy Mayor of Villeneuve-lez-Avignon (Gard) were welcomed into a church brimming with the faithful and the curious.

Monsieur Mariani is also running in the next legislative elections as a candidate of the French expats in Asia. He announced a new subsidy towards the restoration of the wall surrounding the church. A few days later, on the Sunday, 4th of March, the restored building received its official benediction from the Archbishop of Pondicherry who was accompanied by around twenty priests from the Diocese. Also present on this occasion were: Mr. Philippe Toussaint, President of the VMF Foundation (Vieilles Maisons Françaises) and Mr. Francis Wacziarg, Managing director of French Heritage in India. All the on-site workers were welcomed and congratulated. This was followed by a festive reception at the presbytery, organized by the parish council.

The restoration work on the wall surrounding the church was begun on the 20th of March. The first plans were drawn for the refurbishment of the garden of Joan of Arc.

French Heritage in India, a new association of which the FPH are members, was worried about the future of the Hôtel de Ville (Town hall) of Pondicherry. FHI awarded 4 new plaques in honor of successful restorations: the Tamil house of François Grimal, the guest house Gratitude, the Hôtel de l’Orient and Our-Lady-of-Angels church. An award for artisans is being planned for the next year. And finally, plans are being considered for the French cemetery of Pondicherry as well as for the restorations of Chandannagar and the La Martinière College in Lucknow.

News from Pondicherry

Three members from the office of our association (the President, the Treasurer and the Deputy Secretary-General) will participate this Sunday, 4th of March, at the function celebrating the completion of renovation work at the church of Our-Lady-of-Angels, initiated in September 2009.

Two and a half years! Samuel Victor, the new site foreman succeeding the late lamented Patrick Lafourcade, and the artisans have doubled their efforts in a bid to finish the glass panes and the furniture on time. Completely funded by private donations that have come as much from Pondicherians (40%) as from the Friends of Pondicherry Heritage (50%) and the Foundation VMF - Vieilles Maisons Françaises (10%), this project received in December 2011 a grant from the Ministry of Culture through which restoration work was begun on the wall surrounding the church..

Two unfortunate recent events have left their mark on all the friends of Pondicherry: the death of Sister Thérèse, our life-long friend, who looked after the most beautiful residence in the town, her workroom ; and a cyclone that ravaged the trees that once made the white town, the greenest town in India.

Our Lady of Angels (Notre-Dame-des-Anges). Recent Events.

Thanks to the Internet and to Skype, communication between the ‘Friends’ in Paris and the building site, has been in full flow. Especially with regard to the choice of colours, which was still subject to our Heritage Advisor - Marc Pabois. A new poster has been displayed on the collection box at the entrance of the church, appealing for aid to finance some interior finishing touches and the building’s exterior (20,000 Euros). Victor Samuel, who has taken over Patrick Lafourcade’s joinery, is taking a keen interest in the restoration work and keeps the ball rolling. The ventilators and the sound system have almost been finalised. The search for a glass manufacturer in India or France is still on, so that those glass panes that need to be changed (70% of the church windowpanes) may be replaced.

4 FPH in Pondicherry !

In fact, our ‘friends’ aren’t idle. This summer, 4 of our members are on site.
Joseph Moudiappanadin, Secretary General, is in his home town till the end of August. Aygline de Clinchamps, Deputy Secretary General, accompanied by Marie de La Bellière, another FPH, are in Pondy for at least another 6 months. Both are preparing to venture into the services sector, in addition to which, one of them is teaching as well. And finally, our new member Albert Desjardins is in his home town, ensuring a daily presence and reception at Our Lady of Angels. A meeting before the end of August, is being planned between the 4 FPH and the parish council, so that a consensus may be reached, in the presence of the contract authority – Fr. Michael John.

FHI-VMF Awards

« French Heritage in India – VMF » is an association founded in March 2011, of which the FPH are participatory members. On the March 4th at Pondicherry, two FHI-VMF awards in the form of plaques to be attached on buildings, were bestowed by this new association on two remarkable recent restorations : Le Café, Goubert Avenue, belonging to the Government of Pondicherry, and the hotel Perumal, a Tamil mansion in the Indian part of the city. Francis Wacziarg, Chairman of FHI-VMF, Philippe Toussaint, President of VMF, the Tourism Minister of the Government of Pondicherry, Dr Nallam, President of the FPH in Pondicherry and Charles Hubert de Brantes, President of the FPH in Paris and others were present.

Meeting

The FPH and the parish committee of Our Lady of Angels, met on the February 23rd 2011, at Pondicherry. The president of the FPH (CH de Brantes), the contract authority (Fr. Michael John) and the master builder (Patrick Lafourcade) were present. Venue : rectory of OLA. Around fifteen people. An important meeting since, despite a few tussles, it enabled the achievement of a near unanimity on most of the topics : parking, plantations around the church, etc. The great news was that the 78,500 Euros required for the restoration of the church had been found, and that donations from Pondicherry had been far more considerable than anticipated: 51 %, which translates into a local majority largely in favour of adding colour to the church. The meeting was also important because it was the last for Patrick Lafourcade and Charles de Condappa, before their accidental deaths.