Shettihalli – Floating Church

A church that drowns every monsoon and emerges back during the summers… the Shettihalli Rosary Church located around 22km from Hassan in Karnataka, India is a structure that is in ruins, yet a wonderful piece of art that has stood the test of time. This Gothic church was built in 1860 by the French missionaries. Later, in 1960s Gorur reservoir was constructed so that the water of Hemavathi river can be used in a better way. Subsequently, the collateral damage during the process led to submersion of around 28 villages around the river in flood.

Though all the inhabitants were relocated to nearby villages, the church was abandoned forever. This roofless structure is located at a barren field, and is an unexplored location. Though not many travel here, it is visited by research scholars, architecture students and explorers. Today, the church is home to some birds and is a silent place where you can spend a lazy evening after a hectic week at work. Every year, the monsoons fill up the reservoir which floods the church thus submerging it, and as the water level recedes it emerges back in all its glory and gothic surroundings. Once in a year, around April, when the church is not under water, local people conduct prayers with lamps.

Shettihalli is located around 200km from Bengaluru. The place is also known as the “floating church”. It’s a photographer’s dream, and a cool place to hang around or have a picnic.