Selah Church & Community
Since 1815

A 211-year-old church in the heart of Mumbai.

Selah gathers inside the Church of St Andrew and St Columba — the “Scots’ Kirk” — one of the oldest churches in Mumbai and among the oldest Scottish churches in India, standing opposite Lion Gate in the historic Fort district of South Mumbai since 1815. Come worship inside a genuine piece of the city’s history.

An architectural cutaway of the Church of St Andrew, Fort — the 211-year-old building
Bombay’s first Scottish church

Raised for the city’s Scottish community after their first minister, Rev. James Clow, arrived in 1815.

Work on the St Andrew’s building began in 1815 and was completed around 1818, with its first service in 1819. Its neoclassical façade is said to echo London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields; look for the grand church with the tall Doric columns, opposite Lion Gate. A second Scottish church, St Columba’s, followed in 1843, and the two congregations merged in 1938 as the “Scots’ Kirk.”

More than two centuries on, it remains an active church — and, on Sundays, it’s where Selah gathers.

Inside a two-century-old sanctuary
A ship-hull ceiling

High timber ceilings, said to have been shaped by Arabian shipbuilders like the hull of an upturned ship, rise over the nave.

Plain by design

Decidedly Presbyterian: no stained glass, no statues or statuettes, no likenesses — a deliberate plainness that keeps the focus on the Word.

A historic pipe organ

A small pipe organ still stands in the St Andrew’s building — part of the fabric of two centuries of worship.

In the Kala Ghoda precinct

It sits within Fort’s Kala Ghoda heritage precinct — one of the finest concentrations of colonial-era architecture in the city.

More than two centuries on, its walls still gather people to pray — not a museum, a living church.

You don’t have to be a historian, or a Christian, to come and see it. Join us for a Sunday, or simply visit — the door is open.

Plan a visit The building on Wikipedia
Find us

Sundays, 11:30am, in the heart of Fort.

We gather at the Church of St. Andrew — opposite Lion Gate, in Fort, South Mumbai. A short walk or auto from Colaba, Churchgate and CST, and easy to reach from right across the city.

Church of St. Andrew, 138 Shahid Bhagat Singh Rd, Opposite Lion Gate, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001

Get directions Everything for your first visit
SelahTrains & busesParkingEat nearbySee nearby
Common questions
What is one of the oldest churches in Mumbai you can still visit?
The Church of St Andrew and St Columba — the "Scots' Kirk" — in Fort, South Mumbai, is one of the oldest Scottish churches in India, dating to 1815. It's an active church today: Selah gathers there on Sundays at 11:30am, and visitors are welcome.
Is there a historic Scottish church in Mumbai?
Yes — the Church of St Andrew and St Columba, opposite Lion Gate in Fort, was Bombay's first Scottish (Presbyterian) church, built for the city's Scottish community after their first minister, Rev. James Clow, arrived in 1815. It remains an active church today.
How old is the Church of St Andrew in Fort, Mumbai?
The St Andrew's building was begun in 1815 (completed around 1818, with its first service in 1819) — making it more than 211 years old. St Columba's followed in 1843, and the two Scottish congregations merged in 1938 as the Scots' Kirk.
Where is the Church of St Andrew and St Columba?
In the Kala Ghoda heritage precinct of Fort, South Mumbai — opposite Lion Gate, on Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, a short walk from Kala Ghoda, the Gateway of India, and Churchgate and CST stations.
Can I attend a service at the historic church?
Yes. Selah meets there every Sunday at 11:30am for a 90-minute English service — come as you are. You'll be worshipping inside a genuinely historic building, still in use two centuries on.
More on the church’s history