• Capacity: 8500 people
• Height: 8-storey building
• Labour: 2000 workers
• Space: 27 rooms
• Budget: Rs. 25 Crore 30 Lakh
Morung Express Feature
Zunheboto | May 4
No matter where you are in Zunheboto Town, you will see much of the sky, and a bit of a church. The blue dome and white turrets of the Sumi Baptist Church Zunheboto (SBCZ), can be seen from, they say, around 20 villages in Zunheboto district alone. On a clear day, you see it as you enter Tseminyu Town.
Currently under construction, and slated to be completed by early 2017, the new SBCZ is touted to be, in some ways, one of the largest church buildings in Asia. Sitting atop a hill at nearly 1,800 meters, this Sumi church at the centre of Zunheboto Town has attained the height of an eight-storey building.
“Our old church could accommodate only 3000 people but membership increased, which is why we felt the need for a new building,” notes HK Yepthomi, Chairperson of the SBCZ construction Planning Board.
In late 2004, thus, Architect Honoholi K Chishi-Zhimomi, of the firm akitektura, was commissioned to design the church.
On May 5, 2007, the construction began.
Egg shaped, the church has a maximum length of 197 feet, combined with a maximum width of 140 feet. It stands at a height of 156 feet, from its underground floor to the pinnacle of the cross (97 feet from ground floor to top floor). Its outer shell is gothic/classical architecture infused with contemporary architecture.
“The church sanctuary features a comfortable seating with good viewing capability for 8000 church goers,” informs Architect Honoholi.
This, she observes, would make it “one of the largest churches in Asia,” in terms of a church building built specifically for Baptist Christian religious purposes with an at-a-time seating capacity of 8000-8500 as opposed to convention halls/theatres/stadiums used for religious gatherings, but not in terms of monumentality.
Watching over Zunheboto Town, more than 2000 workers have been issued Inner Line Permits in the past nine years to build the church.
One of the main challenges for the building’s construction was its precarious site, atop a hill, in Seismic Zone V (earthquake prone). The architect assures that the best of engineering technology available at the time was used through close collaboration and consultation with a structural engineering firm, Map Project Services Pvt. Ltd.
The church will have 27 rooms including the main sanctuary, a 300-seater chapel, offices, conference room, training room, bride and groom dressing rooms and sick room. An underground library-cum-cafeteria will make room for people to meet and interact after service. Two elevators in the building will, reportedly, be the first ones to ever be operated in Zunheboto. The sanctuary’s stage will be equipped with a (hidden) baptism pool. The church’s bell—500 kg, 93% brass, 7% tin with a 1.5 km radial sound outreach—has been imported from Poland.
Only the bell cost Rs. 15 Lakh. The whole construction currently stands at a budget of Rs. 25 Crore 30 Lakh.
“Initially, as per Nagaland PWD schedule of rates, our budget was Rs. 10 Crore 50 Lakh. But there was a price rise and by 2009, we had enhanced the budget to Rs. 16 Crore. Now, it is more than Rs. 25 Crore. God knows if this will suffice,” says an unruffled Yepthomi. Zunheboto’s remote location increased the costs manifold.
50% of the construction funding came from SBCZ, 10% from well wishers and 40% from its members. “We divided the members into five categories based on their financial capacity,” explains Nikheto Jimomi, Secretary of the Planning Board. Officers, businesspersons, daily wage earners—all were accommodated. Every member gave.
“People want to come together in congregation. Many old people who were anxious for this have already died. This is the purpose of the new church building,” observes Rev. Yevito Sumi, Pastor of SBCZ. For the past nine years, people affiliated to the SBCZ have been praying in separate fellowships in each of their colonies in Zunheboto Town. “When we come together in big groups, people are encouraged through the fellowship which is a great joy for all of us,” highlights the Pastor.
The overall inspiration, for all involved, came from faith. Architect Honoholi acknowledges God and says, “All glory and honour go to Him.”
