Tharangambadi, formerly Tranquebar - First Danish trading post in India (Part - 4)

In the concluding part, lets explore the main street called Kings Street which is lined by important historical landmarks.

Kings street- most important street here

 At the start, you come across the Zion Church.
This was consecrated in 1701 and is the oldest Protestant Church in India.

Zion Church

Zion Church

Ziegenbalg was a German Theologist missionary and scholar, who came to India  for  Missionary work.

He was  involved in bringing social changes in contemporary TamilNadu. His service to Tamil Literature was very significant . Later on
Missionaries like cordes (1840) and Hardman (1912) developed this Institute according to the needs of the locality. Rev. Pamperrein brought new changes and new techniques in the teaching method which were appreciated by the education department. This institute was recognized by the Madras Government in 1916.

This information resides on their official website.

Inside the teacher training institute

Inaugural stone

Ziegenbalg spiritual centre

 This structure is actually Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg’s house now housing Ziegenbalg Spiritual Centre. The Ziegenbalg Spiritual Centre is Adult Christian Education Centre of the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church


Next up is the New Jerusalem Church which was constructed in the year 1718.
This was established by Ziegenbalg for Lutheran congregations as the already existing Zion church was not ready to accept native worshipers. The Tamil converts also did not want to worship in the European Zion church as they looked down on their lifestyle and moral norms.

The services are conducted on Sundays.

The church records of the New Jerusalem Church, Tranquebar from 1707 to 1888 are preserved at the Danish National Archives  in Copenhagen. The records are initially in German, then in English during the British period

New Jerusalem Church

The church carries the royal monogram of Frederick IV of Denmark, with the year of consecration 1718 written below the monogram.

 I also heard that the 2004 Tsunami destroyed a major part of it and had to be reconstructed

Cemetery inside the New Jerusalem Church where Ziegenbalg lies buried

I have taken these pictures inside the Church.

So.. from Danish Forts to British Bungalows to German missionaries to Portuguese trading to Christian Church to Lutheran preaching..this place has it all.

This place would grip a history buff .

Would equally enamor a person seeking a holiday in solitude as this surely qualifies as treading on the road less traveled.

You could walk , try creative photography , curl up with a book or just observe it all mesmerized.............

Tharangambadi, formerly Tranquebar - First Danish trading post in India (Part - 3)

Upon reaching the T point , walking down from the town gate, one turns left and you hit the
Queens Street.

Second left from here takes you to the Ziegenbalg House. This is the Admiral Street

I was very excited and looked forward to seeing the printing set up.

Walking towards the Ziegenbalg House

Ziegenbalg , the man who started it all

Old Chapel

Printing room

The first printing machine prototype though the earlier one was in wood

The printout comes out like the one displayed above in red

Printing machine in metal. The earlier period machine was made in wood

Print letters

Vinod seeting up the printing machine. 

Vinod, seen in the photo above , was gracious enough to give us a demonstration :

Most of the buildings here are restored. Its only in the photographs one gets a glimpse of the original structure. I guess this kind of restoration work is essential or else they might crumble and fall.
History then would stand erased. 2004 Tsunami had a role to play in destroying some of the old edifices as well as the houses of local people and fishermen,

But what does not appeal to me is the fact that the restoration work makes the structures take on a pristine new look. How can 400 year old buildings look this way in the present time?

Restoration work should keep this in mind and that would be true test of their craft.

Ziegenbalg, a 23 year old Protestant missionary , arrived in Tranquebar on July 9 , 1706.
He was a born linguist and quickly learnt Tamil.

He was keen on the new printing technology rather than preaching and conversion . Am sure that's not what the King had in mind!!

By 1713, he was able to set up his printing press.



A printer named Johanne Adler came to Tranquebar the same year to help Ziegenbalg with his printing press work... Adler set up a "type-making " factory near Tranquebar to supply Ziegenbalg's press. In 1715, he started a paper mill in the village. And then Adler opened a printing ink making factory nearby. Now Ziegenbalg printing factory had all that it needed !

Thats pretty much how India got its first printing press.

He translated the Bible into Tamil.

Ziegenbalg and Heinrich  began preaching and baptized their first converts about ten months later. 

Their work was opposed both by militant Hindus and by the local Danish authorities.

 In 1707/08, Ziegenbalg spent four months in prison on a charge that by converting the natives, he was encouraging rebellion.

More than the opposition, he had to cope with the climatic conditions in India. Ziegenbalg wrote: “My skin was like a red cloth. The heat here is very great, especially during April, May and June, in which season the wind blows from the inland so strongly that it seems as if the heat comes straight out of the oven”.

Having battled with bad health all his life , he died on 23 February 1719 at the age of 37.

He lies buried at the New Jerusalem Chruch, which he helped establish in 1718