At first glance, this little Catholic church in Khanspur, Pakistan feels like other churches I've visited in the West: rows of wooden pews that always creak a biiit too loudly, a somber interior shaped like a cross, dusty arched windows punctuating thick brick walls.
Not necessarily surprising, considering British infantry were stationed in Khanspur into the 1900s.
But if you look beyond the obvious English influences, there are clear touches of South Asia:
A pair of tabla drums laid out to accompany the service.
A thick floral carpet softening the floor between the front pews.
Curling wrought iron stairs from Bombay (Mumbai) winding up to the choir balcony.
A Muslim chowkidar (caretaker) jangling keys to the church.
Islamic though this country may be, English though this building may seem, there's no denying this is a Pakistani church.
Alex Reynolds
