Anglican cemetery gets funds for maintenance

The cemetery has graves of collectors and British officials.

(Photo: The Hindu)

Salem: 

The over two century old Anglican Cemetery in Tamil Nadu has received funds for its maintenance, which were stopped since 2011.

The East India Charitable Trust, Kolkata would pay the maintenance funds to the 224-year-old cemetery in Salem that belongs to the CSI Christ Church, Fort, and located opposite the Collectorate.

The British High Commission in New Delhi was providing 1,200 rupees as maintenance fund to the church administration every year till 2011.

However, it was stopped and Salem Historical Society requested the Commission to continue to provide the funds.

The Commission forwarded the request to The East India Charitable Trust which sanctioned. 3,600 as yearly maintenance recently. The trust was formed by the British in 1860. When the British left India in 1947, they deposited money as endowment fund, so that the interest out of deposits could be used for maintaining the 3,000-odd British cemeteries in the Indian sub-continent.

Secretary of the Salem Historical Society J. Barnabas said that though the annual endowment fund was meager, it is considered as recognition for maintaining cemeteries.

Earlier, the fund was 25 rupees and it was later increased to 500 rupees in 1998. In 2009, it was increased to 1,200 rupees, he added.

The cemetery has graves of Collectors and British officials who served in the then Salem district.

“Adequate funds are needed for maintenance of these cemeteries,” he added.

There are four British cemeteries in the district, 224-year-old Anglican Cemetery in the city, 220-year-old cemetery at the foothills of Sankari Fort, 162-year-old Holy Trinity Church and Cemetery at Yercaud and the 150-year-old cemetery at Peramanur in Four Roads in the city. But these cemeteries were turning into a safe haven for anti-social elements that needs immediate attention, he added.

The British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia had published a book on the restoration works carried out at the Anglican Cemetery.

Source: The Hindu