Whenever possible, while at CMC Vellore Bagayam campus, I take an opportunity to visit the chapel and the Big bungalow, which are two historical sites associated with its founder, Dr Ida Scudder.
The institution is getting ready to welcome its 125th year in 2025. It is indeed an occasion of memories and recollections taking us back to its humble beginning and leavening presence in health care in India.
The first photo in this blog, is of the view of the chapel from the edge of the Sunken garden, which too has its association with Dr Ida Scudder.
In the early days, during the time of Dr Scudder, the medical students led a service in the morning on all working days in the chapel, where the students and faculty gathered. Dr Scudder shared her thoughts on Fridays at another short service in the evening. The Sunday evening service in the chapel was another occasion when the community gathered together for worship. The senior faculty met together for a time of fellowship and prayer before the chapel service on every Sunday. They then walked together to the chapel as a symbol of a journey to be present with each other in God's presence.
This chapel located between the women's hostel and the academic wing of the college is a treasure of memories and messages.
As I walked around the chapel and the Big bungalow during a recent visit, what was obvious was the flourishing gardens surrounding the chapel and the Big bungalow.
At six in the morning, what I noticed was a gardener pruning the hedge plants in a drizzle. The bird calls could be heard, but it was dark to spot the birds. At day break to see a gardener at work was surprising. He does this on five days a week and attends to the gardens to keep them well pruned and decorative. His response to my enquiry, about his routine was that: 'Dr Scudder used to walk in the garden each day and tend the plants. I do my small part now to remember her' !
The gardener begins the day by going to the chapel each day. He finds his inspiration from the history of its story!
Now the chapel, which is hidden by the trees around, remains hidden as a symbol of a journey of faith in human hearts. The chapel is not just a monument, but an experience of 'light' in the consciousness of many people.
I happened to meet a house keeping staff who is due to retire next week. He spoke about his forty years of association with CMC as an experience of many blessings. His children were trained at CMC in allied health science courses and are now well placed. He 'found peace by coming to work each day' ! He used to go to chapel on Fridays to remember the habit of the staff to meet with Dr Scudder.
While taking the some photos outside the Big Bungalow, few students of the batch of 2024, who joined the college two days ago, while on their evening walk, stopped to ask about the garden and the building facing it. It led a to a conversation about Dr Scudder and her dream for the college to train doctors to go to rural India!
One of the students mentioned that, it was reading the biography of Dr Scudder, which initiated her interest to train in medicine, although there was none in her family in medical profession.
It is now 16 years since I superannuated from CMC Vellore. The thirteen years I spent at CMC in its faculty gave me an experience of work as a vocation. Its history is of men and women, who lived to 'serve rather than to be served'!
This message is hidden in the hearts of many, who live and work at CMC Vellore.
This vocation is hidden in the hearts of many, which makes CMC a place where people are formed while being trained!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
Beautifully written words that will resonate with a lot of us who have been fortunate to be associated with this great institution. Thanks for sharing Sir. Those students are fortunate to have met you and gain from your wisdom. No doubt atleast one of them will remember the episode.
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