Old Parliament House, New Delhi

Early history

Background

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 Delhi. 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 Council of State. The reforms necessitated the construction of the building to accommodate the houses.

Planning and design

The building was designed by English architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Lutyens proposed a circular design for the new building, which he believed would be the most efficient given the triangular shape of the plot of land on which the building is located. The circular design was also chosen due to its reminiscence to the Roman Colosseum.

The architectural style of the structure is an amalgamation of classical architecture, inspired from Greece and Rome, alongside structural elements and decorative motifs from Indian architecture. 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. However, Baker supported a blend of classical and Indian architecture, in what was termed "orientalised" classicism.

Before the project commenced, Baker, encouraged by Lord Hardinge, and often accompanied by Lutyens, visited ancient cities in 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. Furthermore, Hardinge also pressed Lutyens and Baker to adopt Indian elements such as chhatri (dome-shaped pavilion) and chhajja (overhanging eave or roof). 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."

Construction

The foundation stone was laid by Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, on 12 February 1921. The building consisted of 144 sandstone columns on the exterior. At the core was the circular central chamber, and which was surrounded by three semicircular halls, 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). About 2,500 stone cutters and masons were employed to shape the stones and marbles required for construction. The structure was built over a period of six years, beginning in 1921 and finishing in 1927.

Inauguration

On 18 January 1927, 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.

As the Council House

The third session of the Central Legislative Assembly was held in the new building on 19 January 1927, a day after its inauguration. 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.

1929 bombing

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. 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. Following the bombing, the men chanted "Inquilab Zindabad!" ("Long Live the Revolution!") and threw leaflets. They were subsequently arrested.

Post-independence

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. The building was renamed to Parliament House, officially known as Sansad Bhavan. In 1956, Baker led the addition of two new floors to the structure, due to a demand for more space.

2001 attack

Main article: 2001 Indian Parliament attack

On 13 December 2001, five terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, two Pakistan-based militant organisations, attempted to invade the Parliament House. They were killed outside the building in a firefight with the security forces. The attack resulted in 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 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff.

New Parliament House

Main article: Parliament House, New Delhi

Proposal for a new parliament building to replace the existing complex emerged in the 2010s due to ageing of the old building and space constraints. A committee to suggest alternatives to the current building was set up by the then speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar in 2012. In 2019, the Indian government launched the Central Vista Redevelopment Project, which aimed at redeveloping the area around the Central Vista, the major administrative area in New Delhi. The project included a plan to construct a new parliament building at plot number 118 of the Parliament Estate in Rafi Marg. The construction of the entire project was completed on 20 May 2023. On 28 May 2023, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi officially opened the new parliament building, On 19 September 2023, the first house proceedings at the new building commenced as a part of a special session of the parliament.

Museum of Democracy

After the inauguration of the new Parliament House, the Old Parliament House was proposed to be converted to a Museum of Democracy. In a speech held on 19 September 2023, Modi proposed that the building be renamed Samvidhan Sadan ("Constitution House"). Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla, announced later that day that it had been so renamed.

Gallery

File:Lord Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes.jpg|Mountbatten addressing the Chamber of Princes as viceroy and governor-general of India in 1947. File:A Constituent Assembly of India meeting in 1950.jpg|A Constituent Assembly of India meeting in 1950. File:Obverse of the 10 Rupees silver coin of 1972, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Independence (1947—1972), featuring male and female figures standing (the man carrying Indian National Flag) before the Parliament of India building.jpg|The Old Parliament House building depicted on the obverse of the 10 Rupees silver coin of 1972, commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Independence (1947—1972). File:Stamp of India - 1977 - Colnect 578217 - 25th Anniversary of Rajya Sabha.jpeg|A 1977 India Post stamp showing the Rajya Sabha chamber. File:Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai listens to Jimmy Carter as he addresses the Indian Parliament House. - NARA - 177385.tif|Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai listens to U.S. President Jimmy Carter addressing the Indian Parliament in 1978. File:A lighting illumination of Parliament building on the occasion of the 61st Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2007.jpg|The Old Parliament House, illuminated for the 61st Indian independence day on 15 August 2007. File:Barack Obama at Parliament of India in New Delhi addressing Joint session of both houses 2010.jpg|U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the Parliament of India at the Central Hall in 2010 File:Inside Indian Parliament.jpg|Lok Sabha chamber in 2020

References

Citations

References

1. (28 May 2023). "With the New Parliament building’s inauguration, the story of how the old parliament building came up". [[The Indian Express]].
2. Irving, Robert Grant. (1981). "Indian Summer: Lutyens, Baker and Imperial Delhi". [[Yale University Press]].
3. Baker, Herbert. (1926). "The New Delhi". Journal of the Royal Society of Arts.
4. (27 May 2023). "From Council House to Indian Parliament building after Independence: The history behind the edifice".
5. Volwahsen, Andreas. (2002). "Imperial Delhi: The British Capital of the Indian Empire". Prestel.
6. Shikha, Swati. (18 January 2024). "Old Indian Parliament: An Odyssey Of Colonialism, Independence And Protest". [[Outlook (Indian magazine).
7. (7 June 2011). "Parliament House: 144 pillars of pride". [[The Hindustan Times]].
8. "History of the Parliament of Delhi". delhiassembly.nic.in.
9. (1976). "Delhi Gazetteer".
10. (26 November 1949). "Original edition with original artwork – The Constitution of India". Government of India.
11. (24 January 2020). "Diversity, efficiency, flexibility: The brief for redeveloping New Delhi's Central Vista". [[The Indian Express]].
12. (13 December 2001). "Terrorists attack Parliament; five intruders, six cops killed". [[Rediff.com]].
13. (15 July 2012). "We need a new House, but preserve Parliament House: MPs". [[The Hindu]].
14. (13 July 2012). "Speaker sets up panel to suggest new home for Parliament". [[Firstpost]].
15. Chitlangia, Risha. (8 September 2022). "Central Vista revamp: Project of ‘national importance’ for New India". [[The Hindustan Times]].
16. (6 June 2021). ""Rs 20,000 crore on Central Vista amid pandemic?" Cente dispels myths". [[NDTV]].
17. Srivastava, Ritesh. (13 May 2021). "What is 'Central Vista' and why it is being opposed". [[Zee News]].
18. (4 December 2021). "8 new buildings likely under new Central Vista". [[The Hindu]].
19. Dutta, Anish. (4 March 2023). "Central Vista revamp: New Parl, Vice Prez house will be first to be completed". [[The Hindustan Times]].
20. (23 September 2013). "New Parliament building explained: Costs, construction, design & more". [[Business Standard]].
21. (28 May 2023). "PM Modi inaugurates new Parliament building". [[The Hindu]].
22. (14 September 2023). "Parliament special session to be held from Sept 18-22, all-party meet on Sept 17; here's what you need to know". [[Business Today (India).
23. (12 September 2023). "How the new Parliament building is readying for special session". [[Firstpost]].
24. (25 May 2023). "New Parliament Building May Not be Called Parliament House, May Get a New Name". [[Times Now]].
25. (19 September 2023). "Old Parliament building to be known as 'Samvidhan Sadan': Modi". The Statesman.
26. (20 September 2023). "Lok Sabha Speaker OM Birla notifies renaming old Parliament building as 'Samvidhan Sadan'". The Statesman.