By Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History & Archaeology, University of Mysore

For most of the traditional people Diamond Jubilee does not seem to be a familiar concept but we are all familiar with Shashti Poorthi which literally means attaining the age of sixty. Individuals who attain sixty years celebrate this event with pujas and feed friends and relatives with good lunch. Thus sixty useful years is a turning point in an individual’s life.

Normally, buildings do not enjoy this distinction due to many reasons. This does not apply to temple architecture because we have a large number of Kadamba, Kalyana, Chalukya, Hoysala, Vijayanagara temples and many Islamic monuments including mosques and Christian churches and the like because they are protected monuments and are taken care of properly.

In this connection great news came that Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha is touching a diamond or Diamond Jubilee of Vidhana Soudha is going to be celebrated. In fact, Vidhana Soudha at Bengaluru is a marvellous piece of architecture and it houses the Karnataka Government’s administration in all its ramifications. It also houses the Offices of the Chief Minister and other Ministers, Secretariat and the sittings of Assembly takes place here. In other words, it is the central seat of Karnataka Govt.

The building is so magnificent and artistic that a guided tour at Bengaluru is conducted and people from Karnataka and other parts of India who see this architectural marvel are amazed at this wonderful heritage building. In fact, the Karnataka Government wanted to celebrate this great event by giving golden plaques to all its legislators but it was given up because of the protests by the legislators themselves and the general public. Our President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the legislators in the Vidhana Soudha and that was the best way of celebrating this great event.

Vidhana Soudha has an interesting history of its own. Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the then Chief Minister, was its real architect, though it was planned by his predecessor K. Changalaraya Reddy. In April 1952, Kengal succeeded K. C. Reddy and the monument began to take a concrete shape. When Kengal Hanumanthaiah was taking around Russian delegates, one of them asked ‘Sir, you are showing only European architectural buildings of which we are familiar. Don’t you have an architectural style of your own area.’ Kengal became very unhappy about this question and decided that he will build a Secretariat, which symbolises the architectural styles of Karnataka such as Kadamba, Chalukya, Hoysala, Vijayanagara and Indo Sarcenic styles. He immediately swung into action.

He asked B. R. Manickam, a Government architect and Chief Engineer, to prepare a design, so that it will have an Assembly Hall for two hundred members and a gallery for about 500 visitors to watch the proceedings. After examining many designs and plans, Kengal selected one of them.

At this time, I was a student of Master’s degree in Indology at Maharaja’s College, Mysore. Our Professor was the famous south Indian scholar K. A. Nilakantha Sastri. Kengal used to visit the Maharaja’s College and the Vice-Chancellor would request Prof. Sastri to meet Kengal Hanumanthaiah and advice him on the architectural style of Karnataka. Prof. Sastri was not only a good historian but an expert in identifying various characters of Karnataka architectural and sculptural styles. Thus as students we were happy that our Professor was being consulted in building Vidhana Soudha.

We later learnt Prof. Sastri visited Bengaluru and advised the architects and builders on various styles of ancient Karnataka. It is a conglomeration of various Karnataka architectural styles which can be given a broad name — Dravidian style.

The then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone on 13.4.1951. The work commenced in 1952 and was completed in 1956. A total of Rs.1.75 crore was spent on the construction. More than five thousand unskilled labourers worked on this project, while 1,500 artists and sculptors participated in its refined work. The first sitting of the legislature took place on 19.12.1956.

Vidhana Soudha is 720 ft long and 360 ft wide. In the middle of it is a courtyard which measures 260 ft in length and 250 ft in width. This marvellous building can be entered from all sides by massive and tall entrances. However, the eastern entrance is magnificent with forty-feet tall pillars and elegant flight of steps to enter. These add beauty to the structure.

The four corners of the building have shikharas and on them are found small domes and in the centre are found metallic Kalashas or spires which are painted with gold. There is a central Kalasha which is slightly bigger and adorned by the national emblem of four adorned lions. Though blue stone is used for external construction, green, blue, red and black stones are used for embellishments.

The interior of the Soudha is spacious enough. It has 172 rooms and includes Banquet Hall, Assembly and Council Halls, Cabinet Meeting Hall and chambers of Ministers and top ranking officers.

Another significant character of this building is wood work. The artistic doors of the Chief Minister’s chambers, Cabinet Hall and Assembly are specially noteworthy. They testify to the continuation of the wood work of ancient Karnataka for which we are famous. Thus Vidhana Soudha is a magnificent architectural marvel of the 20th Century Karnataka architectural style, incorporating various styles such as Chalukya and Hoysala. This Soudha is adorned with lights, which enhances its beauty hundredfold. On the façade is an excellent message, engraved in Kannada and English which reads Government work is God’s work. What a noble message!

Unfortunately, Kengal Hanumanthaiah had to pay a heavy price for this magnificent structure. By that time he lost his power as Chief Minister and aspersions were cast on him on various counts.

Ordinary people of the present times might not know Kengal Hanumanthaiah but they pay compliments to the creator. Kengal is gone but has become immortal by this Soudha and will live in history as long as this long-standing monument Vidhana Soudha lasts.