The six entrances of the New Parliament Complex, and their guardian animals

The six entrances of the New Parliament Complex, and their guardian animals

Subject :History

Section: Art and Culture

Context: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar hoisted the national flag at the Gaja Dwar of the building on Sunday morning (17th September 2023).

• The new Parliament has six entrances, each signifying a different role.
• In the New Parliament Building, red sandstone sculptures of auspicious animals have been installed as ‘guardian statues’ on all the six entrances based on their importance in Indian culture, their aesthetic appearance, positive qualities, and the study of Vastu Shastra.
• Out of these six entrances, three are designed as ceremonial entrances, to welcome special guests and to mark special events. These ceremonial entrances display Indian art, culture, ethos, and patriotism. They have been named as Gyan, Shakti and Karma, representing the Indian knowledge system, patriotism and artistic traditions, respectively.

Gaja Dwar

• The sculpture of an elephant or Gaja has been installed to guard the entrance to the north.
• Elephant represents wisdom and wealth, intellect, and memory, and also embodies the aspirations of the elected representatives of the democracy.
• According to Vastu Shastra, the northern direction is associated with planet Mercury, which is the source of higher intellect. The Lord of the direction is Kubera, the god of wealth. Therefore, the Gaja is placed to the north.

Ashva

• Ashva or the horse standing alert and ready at the southern entrance is symbolic of endurance and strength, power, and speed, also describing the quality of governance.

Garuda

• The eagle-like Garuda stands at the eastern ceremonial entrance, signifying the aspirations of the people and the administrators of the country. In Vastu shastra, the eastern direction is associated with the rising sun representing hope, the glory of victory, and success.

Makara

• A mythological aquatic creature, the Makara combines the bodily parts of different animals, representing unity in diversity among the people of the country.

Shardula

• Another mythological creature, Shardula is said to be the most powerful, foremost of all living beings, symbolising the power of the people of the country.

Hamsa

• The most important quality of the people of a democracy is the power of discernment and self-realisation born of wisdom. Reminding the people of this essential feature is the Hamsa, or swan, at the public entrance to the north east, as per the plan.

New Parliament House

• As part of India’s Central Vista Redevelopment Project, a new parliament building was constructed in New Delhi. It was inaugurated on 28 May 2023 by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi.
• It has a built-up area of about 65,000 sq m, with its triangular shape ensuring the optimum utilization of space.
• The design of this Parliament building resembles the Vijaya Temple of Vidisha.
• The new building will house a larger Lok Sabha hall with a capacity of up to 888 seats, and a larger Rajya Sabha hall with a capacity of upto 384 seats. The Lok Sabha may accommodate up to 1,272 seats for joint sessions of Parliament.
• The Lok Sabha hall is based on the peacock theme, India’s national bird.
• The Rajya Sabha is based on the lotus theme, India’s national flower.
• A “Platinum-rated Green Building”, the new Sansad Bhavan will embody India’s commitment towards environmental sustainability,
• The new Parliament will be divyang-friendly.
• A Central Lounge that will complement the open courtyard will be a place for members to interact with each other. The courtyard will have a banyan, the national tree.
• Construction materials have been brought in from across the country, including red and white sandstone from Sarmathura in Dholpur and granite from Lakha village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
• Similarly, the wood used in the decor is from Nagpur and craftsmen from Mumbai have led the wooden architecture design.
• Bhadohi weavers from Uttar Pradesh have made the traditional hand-knotted carpets for the building.
• The building is replete with national symbols, including the national emblem — the Lion Capital of Ashoka — that weighs 9,500 kg and is 6.5 meters in height, and is visible from a distance. At the entrance, the Ashoka chakra and the words ‘Satyameva Jayate’ have been carved in stone.
• The new building has a Constitution Hall, where the journey of Indian democracy has been documented.
• A golden sceptre (sengol), given to Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of Independence to mark the transfer of power from the British, will sit in the new Lok Sabha chamber, near the Speaker’s podium.
• A gallery called ‘Shilp’ will exhibit textile installations from across India, along with pottery items made from the mitti of all Indian states.
• The gallery ‘Sthapatya’ will exhibit the iconic monuments of India, including those from the different states and UTs. Besides monuments, it also amalgamates yoga asanas.