An all-Christian village in Gujarat
Nayan Dave, The Times Of India
January 14, 2008
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/An_all-Christian_village_in_Gujarat/articleshow/2697451.cms

You can't help raise an eyebrow when residents of Wallacepur introduce themselves.

"Cecil Patel," says one as he shakes your hand, "Walter Dilojan Patel," another introduces himself. Wallacepur is the only Christian village in Gujarat. All of its 500-odd residents are Protestants.

On the face of it, the village of farmers is no different from any other in the region, with neatly lined houses and men with long, upturned moustaches. But as the name suggests, Wallacepur was established by an English pastor, reverend Wallace, around 1840. He brought people from different parts of Gujarat and gave them the land here.

The settlers later adopted Christianity and built a large church in 1871. However, the villagers have no written history or documents to give details about Wallace. All they know is that he left after settling the village.

Village pastor Nilesh Vaghela says, "We still follow father Wallace's plan for village with space for cattle at rear of the houses." Wallacepur is 100% literate. Says a resident, Barnabas Robertbhai Parmar, "Girls are better educated with most of them working as nurses and teachers."

"We prefer to resolve all our disputes internally," adds Alfred Theodore Patel, another resident.

Wallacepur residents are also proud of winning the cleanest village award from the district panchayat for the last two years.