A long-awaited visit in 2014 brought together family ties, a shared vocation of service, and the history of one of India’s oldest cities.

Some journeys remain unwritten for years, waiting for an unexpected moment to bring them back to life.

Last month, I lost a large amount of data from my hard disk. Although some of it was recovered with difficulty, the experience reminded me how easily photographs—and the memories attached to them—can disappear. Among the recovered files was a set of photographs from my 2014 visit to Patna. Before those images were lost forever, and before the details faded from memory, I decided to record the story of that memorable journey.

More than a cousin

My association with Rev. Dr. Scaria John Mammoottil, SJ, goes beyond ordinary family ties. He is the eldest son of my father’s eldest brother and therefore my cousin, but to me he has always been much more than an elder brother.

Our lives were quietly linked by time and name. I was born in the year he entered the Society of Jesus, and my family affectionately gave me his pet name, “Kuttappen.” When he was ordained a priest in 1966, I too stepped onto a religious path by joining the Don Bosco Aspirantate, at the tender age of 12, hoping to follow his example in another congregation. By 1972, however, life had led me in a different direction: commerce studies, teaching, and later service as a principal of S B College and director MBA.

Between us, the shared name became a term of affection. We addressed one another as “Senior” and “Junior”—he the senior Kuttappen and I the junior.

A Life Devoted to Education

Fr. Scaria pursued education with exceptional dedication, completing his B.Ed. and M.Ed. before earning a Ph.D. He became the first Jesuit of the Patna Province to receive that distinction.

His long career reflected a deep commitment to learning, institution-building, and social service. He served as principal of St. Xavier’s School and Kristu Raja School in Patna, and of Rajarajeshwar High School in Barbigha. He later became Director of Schools and founded the Centre for Education Research and Services. He was also associated with the Bihar Social Institute for Research and served as Programme-in-Charge of the IGNOU B.Ed. Study Centre in Patna.

Through the years, our bond remained alive through letters and, later, telephone calls that carried his familiar voice across the distance. I always looked forward to his visits home. Yet I now regret that I waited until 2014—five years after my retirement and during the diamond jubilee year of his Jesuit life—to visit him in Patna.

Arrival in Patna

I travelled to Patna by train. When I arrived, Achen—as I affectionately called Fr. Scaria—was waiting at the designated platform to receive me. I was overjoyed to see him and to accompany him to the Jesuit community where he lived.

He was staying at Digha Ghat on a campus shared by St. Michael’s High School, established in 1858, and St. Xavier’s College of Education, established in 1988. My room was next to his. During my stay, I joined the community for Holy Mass in the chapel and for meals in the refectory. The welcome was warm, and life in the community was simple and joyful.

Patna Province: A Springboard to the North

Patna is the second-oldest Jesuit province in India and has played a significant role in the growth of Jesuit missions across northern India and Nepal. Its history gave me a deeper appreciation of the institutions and communities that Achen introduced to me.

Within the campus, he took me to his office at the IGNOU B.Ed. Study Centre in St. Xavier’s College of Education.

He also accompanied me to several Jesuit houses in Patna, introducing me to the members of each community. Everywhere we went, it was evident that he was well known, respected, and held in great affection.

One initiative that particularly impressed me was Tarumitra, an ecology centre established by the province. Its work in environmental education, renewable energy, and sustainable development showed how service could respond creatively to the needs of the present age.

A Visit to the Archbishop

Achen also took me to the Archbishop’s House, where we met Archbishop William D’Souza. He received us warmly, and we exchanged pleasantries. Their easy conversation revealed the cordial relationship Achen enjoyed with Church leaders in Patna.

Discovering an Ancient City

Patna, the capital of Bihar, stands on the banks of the Ganges and carries a history stretching back more than two millennia. Known in ancient times as Pataliputra, it served as an important centre of the Mauryan and Gupta empires. Exploring the city with Achen allowed me to encounter several landmarks associated with its long and varied past.

Golghar

Golghar, the great beehive-shaped granary, was one of the most striking sights. Built in 1786 by Captain John Garstin of the British East India Company, it was intended to store grain in the aftermath of devastating famines. Its massive form remains a reminder of both colonial history and the region’s struggle against scarcity.

Biscomaun Bhawan

Another prominent landmark was Biscomaun Bhawan, an 18-storey building that rises about 71 metres above the city. The building houses government and private offices and is a familiar feature of Patna’s skyline. At its summit is the Pind Balluchi revolving restaurant, offering panoramic views of the city, Gandhi Maidan, and the Ganges.

Kargil Chowk

At the north-eastern corner of Gandhi Maidan stands Kargil Chowk, a war memorial established in 2000. It honours soldiers from Bihar and Jharkhand who gave their lives in the 1999 Kargil War. The memorial brought a note of solemn remembrance to our sightseeing.

Mahatma Gandhi Setu

We also travelled on Mahatma Gandhi Setu, the bridge across the Ganges. Approximately 5.75 kilometres long, it was India’s longest bridge when I visited in 2014. The immense span offered a vivid sense of the scale of the river and the engineering ambition that connected communities on its opposite banks. It has since become the third-longest bridge in the country.

A Memory Worth Preserving

My visit to Patna was memorable not merely because of the places I saw, but because I saw them in Achen’s company. Through his life, his work, and the affection with which others received him, I came to understand more fully the reach of his service.

It would have been a loss if the story had remained buried in an old hard disk. The near-disappearance of those photographs prompted me to recover not only the files, but also the memories they held. “Better late than never” seems the right conclusion: I am glad to share this journey while its people, places, and emotions can still be recalled.

A Story Still to Come

Yet one of the most fascinating chapters of my Patna visit remains untold. Achen had planned a journey several hours beyond the city to a historic place of special significance—not only to us, but to the wider public. That remarkable excursion deserves a story of its own, and I look forward to sharing it in my next blog.