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Old Parliament House, New Delhi

Coordinates: 28°37′02″N 77°12′29″E / 28.6172°N 77.2081°E / 28.6172; 77.2081
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This article is about Old Parliament House. For New Parliament House, see Parliament House, New Delhi.

Old Parliament House
Samvidhan Sadan
Old Parliament House, seen from Rajpath
Old Parliament House, New Delhi is located in Delhi
Old Parliament House, New Delhi
Former names
  • Parliament House
  • Council House
General information
StatusRetired and waiting for heritage restoration
TypeHeritage
Architectural styleLutyens' Delhi
LocationNew Delhi
AddressSansad Marg, New Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi
Town or cityNew Delhi
Country India
Coordinates28°37′02″N 77°12′29″E / 28.6172°N 77.2081°E / 28.6172; 77.2081
Current tenantsMuseum
Groundbreaking12 February 1921, by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
Opened18 January 1927, by Lord Erwin, Viceroy and Governor-General of India
OwnerGovernment of India
Design and construction
Architect(s)
Other information
Seating capacity790
Public transit accessLogo of the Delhi Metro Central Secretariat

The Old Parliament House, officially known as the Samvidhan Sadan (Constitution House),[1][2] was the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council between 18 January 1927 and 15 August 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950, and the Parliament of India between 26 January 1950 and 18 September 2023. For 73 years, it housed the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha (the lower and upper houses) respectively in India's bicameral parliament.

The building was designed by British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker and was constructed between 1921 and 1927. It was opened in January 1927 as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council and was known as the Council House.[3] Following the British withdrawal from India, it was taken over by the Constituent Assembly of India, and then by the Indian Parliament once India's Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 with India becoming a republic.[4]

The New Parliament House, built near this building on a triangular plot from 2020 to 2023 was inaugurated on 28 May 2023. It was built as part of the Indian government's Central Vista Redevelopment Project.

Early History

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Further information: Lutyen's Delhi
The Council House, during the final phase of its construction, in 1926.

Background

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During the coronation of George V as the Emperor of India on 12 December 1911, he announced the transfer of the seat of the colonial government from Calcutta to the ancient Capital of Delhi.[5]

In 1919, the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms transformed the Imperial Legislative Council into a bicameral structure with two houses, those being the Central Legislative Assembly and the Council of State. The reforms necessitated the construction of the building.[6]

Planning and design

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The iconic circular design was proposed by Lutyens, who believed that this would be the most efficient design given the triangular shape of the plot of land on which the building is located.[7] The circular design was also chosen due to its reminiscence to the Roman Colosseum.[3]

The architectural style of the structure can be described as an amalgamation of classical architecture, inspired from Greece and Rome, alongside structural elements and decorative motifs from Indian architecture.[8] Lutyens believed that there was no "real Indian architecture or any great tradition." In his view, even picturesque structures of the subcontinent were supposedly pervaded by a "childish ignorance" of basic architectural principles. [9] On the other hand, Baker supported a blend of classical and Indian architecture, in what was termed "orientalised" classicism.[10]

Before the project commenced, Baker—encouraged by Lord Hardinge, and often accompanied by Lutyens—visited most ancient cities of northern and central British India, from Lahore to Bodh Gaya, in an effort, as Baker put it, "to learn all that I could of India." Baker sought to take the region's climate and cultural heritage into consideration, when designing the blueprint of the building. Following his tour, several "distinctly Indian" architectural practices appealed to him.[11] Furthermore, Hardinge also pressed Lutyens and Baker to adopt Indian elements such as Chhatri (dome-shaped pavilion) and Chhajja (overhanging eave or roof).[10]

However, Baker was also concerned with the political implications that the design would elicit. As he wrote, the architecture "must not be Indian, nor English, nor Roman, but it must be imperial."[12]

Construction

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The foundation stone was laid by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, on 12 February 1921.[3][13]

The building was constructed with 144 sandstone columns on the exterior. At the center was the circular Central Chamber, and surrounding this Chamber, three semicircular halls were built, for the sessions of the Chamber of Princes, the Council of State, and the Central Legislative Assembly. The structure was surrounded by expansive gardens, and its perimeter enclosed by Jali (latticed sandstone railings).[14]

Reportedly, around 2,500 stonecutters and masons were employed to shape the stones and marbles required for construction.[3] The structure was built over a period of six years, beginning in 1921 and culminating in 1927.[5]

Inauguration

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On 18 January 1927, Sir Bhupendra Nath Mitra, a member of the Governor-General's Executive Council, in charge of the Department of Industries and Labour, invited Lord Irwin, then Viceroy and Governor-General of India, to inaugurate the building.[5]

As the Council House

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Further information: Indian Independence movement
The Council House in 1927.

Named the Council House, the building acted as the seat of the Imperial Legislative Council, from its inauguration in 1927 till Indian independence in 1947.[3]

The third session of Central Legislative Assembly was held in this building on 19 January 1927, a day after the inauguration.[15][16]

1929 anti-colonial bombing

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On 8 April 1929, Bhagat Singh, an Indian anti-colonial revolutionary, affiliated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA), bombed the Council House, with the help of Batukeshwar Dutt.[17] The bombing was conducted as a protest against the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Dispute Bill, which had been rejected by the Central Legislative Assembly, but enacted by the Viceroy due to the latter's special powers.[18] Following the bombing, the men chanted "Inquilab Zindabad!" ("Long Live the Revolution!") and threw leaflets. They were subsequently arrested.[19]

Post-independence history

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Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the Constituent Assembly in 1946.

After India gained independence from the British Raj on 15 August 1947, the building served as the seat of the Constituent Assembly of India, tasked with creating the Constitution of India. When the Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, the building became the seat of the Parliament of India.[20] The building was thus renamed to Parliament House, officially known as Sansad Bhawan.[3]

Expansion

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In 1956, Baker led the addition of two new floors to the structure, due to a demand for more space.[21]

2001 Parliament attack

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Main article: 2001 Indian Parliament attack

On 13 December 2001, five terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), two Pakistan-raised militant organisations, attempted to invade the Parliament House. They were all killed outside the building. The attack led to the deaths of six Delhi Police personnel, two Parliament Security Services personnel, and a gardener. The attack increased tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in the 2001–02 India–Pakistan standoff.[22]

New Parliament House

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Main article: Parliament House, New Delhi

Background

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Proposals for a new parliament building to replace Parliament House emerged in the early 2010s as a result of questions being asked about the stability of the original structure.[23] In 2012, a committee was assembled by the then Speaker, Mira Kumar, to suggest and assess several alternatives to the usage of the building.[24]

Commencement

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In 2019, the Indian government launched the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, a multi-billion dollar project to redevelop the Central Vista, India's central administrative area near Raisina Hill, New Delhi. The construction of a new parliament building, as well as redeveloping the Rajpath will create a new office and residence for the Indian prime minister, as well as combining all ministerial buildings in a single central secretariat.[25]

The ceremony for the new building was held in October 2020 and the foundation stone was laid on 10 December 2020.[26][27]

Museum of Democracy

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44th US President Barack Obama addresses the Parliament of India at the Central Hall in 2010

After the inauguration of the New Parliament House, the Old Parliament House will be converted to a Museum of Democracy.[28][needs update] In a speech held on 19 September 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed that the building be renamed Samvidhan Sadan ("Constitution House").[29] Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, announced later that day that it had been so renamed.[30]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Old Parliament Building To Be Called As 'Samvidhan Sadan'".
  2. ^ "Official Notification by Loksabha Secretariat on Renaming of the building previously known as Parliament House to Samvidhan Sadan". X (formerly Twitter). All India Radio. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "From Council House to Indian Parliament building after Independence: The history behind the edifice". The Indian Express. 27 May 2023. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ Anisha Dutta (31 January 2020). "New Parliament complex may seat 1,350 members". Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "With the New Parliament building's inauguration, the story of how the old parliament building came up". The Indian Express. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023.
  6. ^ Irving, Robert Grant (1981). Indian Summer: Lutyens, Baker and Imperial Delhi. New Haven; London: Yale University Press. p. 295.
  7. ^ Baker, Herbert (1926). "The New Delhi". Journal of the Royal Society of Arts. 74 (3841): 781–782. JSTOR 41357264.
  8. ^ Volwahsen, Andreas (2002). Imperial Delhi: The British Capital of the Indian Empire. Munich; New York: Prestel. p. 140.
  9. ^ Metcalf 1989, p. 228.
  10. ^ a b Metcalf 1989, p. 225.
  11. ^ Metcalf 1989, pp. 222–223.
  12. ^ Metcalf 1989, p. 222.
  13. ^ Shikha, Swati (18 January 2024). "Old Indian Parliament: An Odyssey Of Colonialism, Independence And Protest". Outlook.
  14. ^ "Parliament House: 144 pillars of pride". Hindustan Times. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  15. ^ "History of the Parliament of Delhi". delhiassembly.nic.in. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  16. ^ Chopra, Prabha (1976). "Delhi Gazetteer".
  17. ^ Gaur 2008, pp. 100–101.
  18. ^ Gaur 2008, p. 100.
  19. ^ Gaur 2008, p. 101.
  20. ^ Original edition with original artwork – The Constitution of India. New Delhi: Government of India. 26 November 1949. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  21. ^ Patel, Shivam; Lakhani, Somu (24 January 2020). "Diversity, efficiency, flexibility: The brief for redeveloping New Delhi's Central Vista". The Indian Express. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  22. ^ "Terrorists attack Parliament; five intruders, six cops killed". rediff.com. 13 December 2001. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  23. ^ "Delhi may see a new Parliament building". The Times of India. 13 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  24. ^ Firstpost (13 July 2012). "Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament". Firstpost. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  25. ^ "Central Vista Redevelopment Project". Drishti IAS. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  26. ^ PTI (1 October 2020). "Groundwork For New Parliament Building Begins, To Be Completed In 22 Months". BloombergQuint. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  27. ^ Mathew, Liz (6 December 2020). "PM Modi to lay foundation stone for new Parliament building on December 10". The Indian Express. New Delhi. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  28. ^ "New Parliament Building May Not be Called Parliament House, May Get a New Name". 25 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Old Parliament building to be known as 'Samvidhan Sadan': Modi". The Statesman. 19 September 2023.
  30. ^ "Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla notifies renaming old Parliament building as 'Samvidhan Sadan'". The Statesman. 20 September 2023.

Citations

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