Mangaluru: The Christian community leaders have appealed to the Commissioner and Mayor of Mangalore City Corporation objecting to the renaming of Ladyhill Junction or Ladyhill Circle.

In the letter addressed to these people’s representatives, the Catholic Sabha has detailed the historical significance of the name ‘Ladyhill’ and the sentiments attached to the name.

The letter mentioned that the Apostolic Carmel sisters landed in Mangaluru from Bayonne, France, and started its mission of education. In 1885 when Mother Mary Des Anges, the first Superior General came down to Mangaluru, local people had requested her to open a school for girls. In the hilly area, St Ann’s Ladyhill Victoria Girls High School was started. A large number of females were being educated in the said school. The term ‘Ladyhill’ assumes its importance mainly for the reasons that girl children were provided education. As a mark of respect for the women empowerment, everybody called the area as Ladyhill. Several thousands of women have been benefited through education at this place. Given the historical significance of the area, the name ‘Ladyhill’ should not be allowed to be changed. For more than a century now, the place is called Lady Hill Junction or Lady Hill Circle.

In fact, the said school is started by the Apostolic Carmel sisters under the patronage of our Lady of Mount Carmel. Lady of Mount Carmel refers to Mary the mother of Jesus Christ. Catholics revere Mary and which also has religious significance. Change of existing status quo would wound religious feelings of lacs of Catholics residents in Mangaluru city. Hence in the interest of maintaining communal harmony too, it is just and necessary to retain the same name.

There are educational institutions also which are run under the same banner and style such as Ladyhill Primary School, Ladyhill High School, Ladyhill PU School for more than 100 years. There is also a rickshaw and bus stand known as Ladyhill rickshaw stand and Ladyhill bus stand.

Even the bus permits mention the name Ladyhill Junction and a number of buses ply through the Ladyhill junction. So also, the Karnataka Bank has been permitted to design, construct and maintain Ladyhill circle at Lady hill Junction for a period of three years as per the resolution of Mangaluru City Corporation dated 30.01.2020.

Now, as per Mangaluru City Corporation resolution, No 98/2018-19 dated 28.02.2019 passed a resolution to name the road between Ladyhill Junction to Newchitra Junction as ‘Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Kshethra Rasthe’.

In the said area a large number of Catholics reside. Now if the name is altered, it will hurt the religious feelings of the Catholics and also twist the history. Earlier in the year 2003 and in the year 2018, attempts were made to change the name of Ladyhill Junction but because of the objections raised by the public, the said proposal was dropped. Hence it is unfair to change the name of the circle the letter mentioned.

The same leaders met the District Commissioner and apprised him about the happenings and also requested the DC to intervene and maintain the status quo on retaining the ‘Ladyhill Circle’ name.

Rolphy D’Costa, President Catholic Sabha Mangaluru Pradesh (R); AICU President Lancy D’Cunha; P.J. Rodrigues; Alwin Panir; Sr Ujwala S.C, Principal Ladyhill School, Sr. Maria Chetana A.C., President and members of various associations and committees, and the public were present and handed the request letter to the MCC Commissioner, Mayor and other leaders.