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the-south-asian.com SEPTEMBER 2002 |
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September 2002 Contents Earth
Summit 2002
Lifestyle
Sports
Health Stroke
- recognition &
Women's Issues
Purkayastha
- photographing
Around us Indo-Pak
mountaineers for Coke paints red on Himalayas The surviving Mughals The plight of HSPs
i.e. 'Bapi-
the love of my life' 'Knock
at Every Alien Door'
Books
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Dome Over India---Rashtrapati Bhavan authored by Aman Nath and published by India Book House is a coffee table book on one of the most splendid structures of modern India….by Isidore Domnick Mendis
It was known as the Viceroy House when India was governed by the British. After the country gained independence it was re-named Government House and when India became a republic in 1952 it was re-christened as Rashtrapati Bhavan or President House.
This magnificent building nestled on the Raisina Hill, apart from being the official residence of the President of India, has also played host to numerous heads of state and governments. The National Awards are bestowed in its Durbar Hall. It has one of the largest gardens in the country - the Mughal Gardens spread over 342 acres. The edifice has played a pivotal role in free India. Fifty years after India became a republic, an attempt has been made to give people a chance to peep into the residence of twelve Indian Presidents, two Governor Generals and five Viceroys of the British Raj. Dome Over India---Rashtrapati Bhavan authored and designed by Aman Nath and commissioned by - well - Rashtrapati Bhavan and published by India Book House is a coffee table book on one of the grandest structures of modern India. When the British built it they thought they were going to be in India forever. In the meetings that took place it was decided that though the outside façade would have Indian features the inside would be decidedly British. The building was to be out of bounds for Indians. Alas, that was not to be. The British had to leave India 17 years after it was built. However, the British rulers of India could not foresee their exit which is why they took so much pain in building this grand structure. It was meant to be like Capitol Hill in Washington. Since it was the supposed to be the residence of the imperial ruler it was consciously built at a height.
The British wanted the Union Jack to fly over and above everything. Architectural drawings showed it as taller than other highrise buildings of the era like Jama Masjid and the Red Fort. It took eight years to build Rashtrapati Bhavan. World famous architect Edwin Lutyens was given the contract to design the building. The work for its construction commenced in 1913 and its first occupant, Viceroy Lord Irwin moved in on January 23, 1931. The Statistics The Rashtrapati Bhavan covers an area of 18,580 sq meters (200,000 square feet). The total cost involved in the construction was Rs. 1.4 million. Over 3,500 men worked on 3.5 million cubic feet of marble. And 1,700 million bricks went into its construction. " At that time it was called the largest stone yard in the world," says author Aman Nath who has earlier done books on Goa and Jaipur and co-authored two books on Rajasthan, one on frescoes of the Shekhawati region and the other on the arts and crafts of the state. " President Narayanan gifted my book on Rajasthan to his daughter for her wedding. He also presented it to President Clinton during his state visit to India in 2000. When I met the President I asked him why should Delhi be presenting a book on Jaipur to visiting dignitaries? We should have a book relevant to Delhi. The President instantly agreed," says Nath Nath had just four months to research and write the book. The work commenced in March 2002 and he had to complete it before President Naryanan’s term came to an end on July 25, 2002 . " Of all my works this was the most ambitious and most challenging. For four months my working day stretched for 18 hours a day," says he. The Dome Over India---Rashtrapati Bhavan priced at Rs. 2000 spreads over 152 text and pictorial pages and dwells on the many facets of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Some pictures offer a panoramic view others an aerial view. The book also has some rare archival pictures of this symbol of Indian architecture. But Nath says, " Edwin Lutyens disliked anything Indian. He had nothing but contempt for Indian architecture. The Rashtrapati Bhavan would have looked like any British building had the then Viceroy Lord Harding not given strict instructions to Lutyens to assimilate the designs from Indian architecture." According to the author, Lord Harding had a very clear idea about the location. He wanted the Rashtrapati Bhavan (then Viceroy House) to be on the Raisina Hills with one axis towards the Purana Quila as it was a blend of Hindu and Muslim cultures and the other axis towards Red Fort as it was a Mughal building." Lutyens worked with another architect, Herbert Baker. Their styles came to be known as Indo-Saracenic architecture. The two relied heavily on existing buildings and styles. Though Lutyens did not admit it, he borrowed heavily from Indian architecture. The dome was a virtual replica of the Sanchi Stupa---the final resting place of the Buddha. The Mughal jalis and motifs were copied from the Diwan-i-Khas in Delhi's Red Fort. The sprawling Moghul Garden inside the Rashtrapati Bhavan was inspired by the Shalimar Gardens in Srinagar and the green spreads around the Taj Mahal. But despite such eclectic borrowings, the final result is both captivating and stunning. " Rashtrapati Bhavan is an exhibitionist building which has everything huge--- verandahs, balconies and massive columns. It is an imposing structure," says Nath. He feels builders of modern houses can learn a lot from Rashtrapati Bhavan. The book also discusses the work done by the various occupants of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. During the tenure of President R. Venkatraman attention was paid to the art treasures in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The artefacts are now deposited in a museum which was once upon a time the Viceroy’s private supper room. Similarly, President Narayanan took upon a novel initiative of conservation of water through rain water harvesting with the help of the late environmentalist, Anil Aggarwal. Now the new incumbent, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam has many plans which he wants to implement in his own unconventional style of functioning.
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