ARCHITECTURE OF PARLIAMENT

Subject: History & Culture

Concept:

• The SansadBhavan is the seat of the Parliament of India. It houses the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha which represent lower and upper houses respectively in India’s bicameral parliament.
• The existing building draws inspiration from Ekattarso Mahadeva Temple (in M.P.) and was built under the British empire for its Imperial Legislative Council in 1927.
• The opening ceremony, which then housed the Imperial Legislative Council, was performed on 18 January 1927 by Lord Irwin, Viceroy of India.
• Following the end of British rule in India, it was taken over by Constituent Assembly of India which was succeeded by the parliament of India once Constitution of India came into force in 1950.

Architectural details:

• Originally called the House of Parliament, it was designed by the British architects’ Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker in 1912-1913.
• It was held as part of their wider mandate to construct a new administrative capital city for British India.
• The perimeter of the building is circular, with 144 columns on the outside.
• The building is surrounded by large gardens and the perimeter is fenced off by sandstone railings (jali).
• Construction of the House began in 1921 and it was completed in 1927.