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Vidhana Soudha
The Vidhana Soudha is the largest legislative building in India. It measures 213.36 by 106.68 metres on the ground and is 53.34 metres tall. The architecture includes elements of styles from the mediaeval Kannada kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Hoysalas and Vijayanagara.
The two houses of legislature of the princely state of Mysore, the legislative assembly and the legislative council, were established in 1881 and 1907 respectively. Sessions of the two houses took place in Mysore until India's independence from British rule on 15 August 1947, when Mysore acceded to India. The state's capital was shifted to Bangalore; the two houses moved into Attara Kacheri, a British-built building in Cubbon Park that housed the High Court of Mysore.
A need was felt for more spacious quarters for the legislature than Attara Kacheri, and in April 1951. The foundation stone of the building was laid by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on 13 July 1951. The structure was planned to be a two-storeyed building housing the assembly and the council.
Kengal Hanumanthaiah succeeded as Chief Minister after the 1952 election in the state. Calling the existing plan a "plain and simple type of American architecture", Hanumanthaiah ordered extensive revisions to produce "a work of art in keeping with the tradition of Mysore State". Apart from house chambers, the revised plan included government offices, archives, a library, and a banquet hall. Construction of the building was completed in 1956. Hanumanthiah personally supervised and ordered several aspects of the construction; one of them was to inscribe Government Work Is God's Work and its Kannada equivalent on the entablature of the front façade. The final design was meant to dwarf the British-built Attara Kacheri, currently the seat of the Karnataka High Court, located directly opposite.
*Image Credits: Housing.com
The two houses of legislature of the princely state of Mysore, the legislative assembly and the legislative council, were established in 1881 and 1907 respectively. Sessions of the two houses took place in Mysore until India's independence from British rule on 15 August 1947, when Mysore acceded to India. The state's capital was shifted to Bangalore; the two houses moved into Attara Kacheri, a British-built building in Cubbon Park that housed the High Court of Mysore.
A need was felt for more spacious quarters for the legislature than Attara Kacheri, and in April 1951. The foundation stone of the building was laid by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on 13 July 1951. The structure was planned to be a two-storeyed building housing the assembly and the council.
Kengal Hanumanthaiah succeeded as Chief Minister after the 1952 election in the state. Calling the existing plan a "plain and simple type of American architecture", Hanumanthaiah ordered extensive revisions to produce "a work of art in keeping with the tradition of Mysore State". Apart from house chambers, the revised plan included government offices, archives, a library, and a banquet hall. Construction of the building was completed in 1956. Hanumanthiah personally supervised and ordered several aspects of the construction; one of them was to inscribe Government Work Is God's Work and its Kannada equivalent on the entablature of the front façade. The final design was meant to dwarf the British-built Attara Kacheri, currently the seat of the Karnataka High Court, located directly opposite.
*Image Credits: Housing.com
Bangalore Palace
Bangalore Palace is a royal palace located in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, in an area that was owned by Rev. J. Garrett, the first principal of the Central High School in Bangalore, now famous as Central College. The commencement of the construction of the palace is attributed to him.
The property was purchased from Rev. Garrett in 1873 at a cost of Rs. 40,000 by the British Guardians of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X using his personal funds. They were in charge of his education and administrative training to ready him to take over his reign in 1881 AD. As the young Maharaja did not have a suitable place to stay during his training in Bengaluru, this property was purchased and transformed.
Construction of a palace building was started in April 1874 and completed by 1878. Mr. Cameron of Lalbagh did the landscaping. Many additions and improvements were carried out in subsequent years. In the later years, Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar added some portions outside of Durbar Hall e.g. the twin external staircase and platform for musicians. The palace has a floor area of 45,000 sft, and grounds of 454 acres. The sprawling grounds surrounding the Palace is used for holding public events including music concerts
The palace was built in Tudor Revival style architecture with fortified towers, battlements and turrets. The interiors were decorated with elegant wood carvings, floral motifs, cornices and relief paintings on the ceiling. The furniture, which was neo-classical, Victorian and Edwardian in style, was bought from John Roberts and Lazarus. The upkeep of the gardens was the responsibility of the horticulturist Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel. A total of 35 rooms were built in the palace with most of them being bedrooms and a swimming pool. The renovation included addition of stained glass and mirrors, specially imported from England, besides a manual lift and wooden fans from General Electric.
In 1970, HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar is said to have transferred the possession of the property to two companies promoted by a civil contractor by name Chamaraju. The Government of Karnataka was making various attempts to confiscate the property under Land Acquisition Act 1894 and Urban Land (ceiling and regulation) Act 1976. Having not succeeded in their designs, the government ultimately enacted the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition & transfer) Act 1996 under Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda to expropriate the entire premises spreading over 450 acres of prime real estate in the world for a farthing of 11 crores Rupees. This dispute is pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India till date as it needs constitutional issues like whether material resources of the community under Article 39(b) of the Indian Constitution covers what is privately owned. The same awaits decision by a 9 Judge Constitution Bench of Indian Supreme Court. A judgement in favour of government might lead to more such legislation for acquisition of similar properties. This is alleged to be in contrast to new Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2013 recently passed by the Indian Parliament.
Bangalore Palace is currently owned and managed by H.H.Smt Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, legal heir to H.H.Sri Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.
*Image Credits: Karnataka.com
The property was purchased from Rev. Garrett in 1873 at a cost of Rs. 40,000 by the British Guardians of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X using his personal funds. They were in charge of his education and administrative training to ready him to take over his reign in 1881 AD. As the young Maharaja did not have a suitable place to stay during his training in Bengaluru, this property was purchased and transformed.
Construction of a palace building was started in April 1874 and completed by 1878. Mr. Cameron of Lalbagh did the landscaping. Many additions and improvements were carried out in subsequent years. In the later years, Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar added some portions outside of Durbar Hall e.g. the twin external staircase and platform for musicians. The palace has a floor area of 45,000 sft, and grounds of 454 acres. The sprawling grounds surrounding the Palace is used for holding public events including music concerts
The palace was built in Tudor Revival style architecture with fortified towers, battlements and turrets. The interiors were decorated with elegant wood carvings, floral motifs, cornices and relief paintings on the ceiling. The furniture, which was neo-classical, Victorian and Edwardian in style, was bought from John Roberts and Lazarus. The upkeep of the gardens was the responsibility of the horticulturist Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel. A total of 35 rooms were built in the palace with most of them being bedrooms and a swimming pool. The renovation included addition of stained glass and mirrors, specially imported from England, besides a manual lift and wooden fans from General Electric.
In 1970, HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar is said to have transferred the possession of the property to two companies promoted by a civil contractor by name Chamaraju. The Government of Karnataka was making various attempts to confiscate the property under Land Acquisition Act 1894 and Urban Land (ceiling and regulation) Act 1976. Having not succeeded in their designs, the government ultimately enacted the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition & transfer) Act 1996 under Mr. H.D. Deve Gowda to expropriate the entire premises spreading over 450 acres of prime real estate in the world for a farthing of 11 crores Rupees. This dispute is pending before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India till date as it needs constitutional issues like whether material resources of the community under Article 39(b) of the Indian Constitution covers what is privately owned. The same awaits decision by a 9 Judge Constitution Bench of Indian Supreme Court. A judgement in favour of government might lead to more such legislation for acquisition of similar properties. This is alleged to be in contrast to new Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2013 recently passed by the Indian Parliament.
Bangalore Palace is currently owned and managed by H.H.Smt Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, legal heir to H.H.Sri Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.
*Image Credits: Karnataka.com
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park, officially known as Sri Chamarajendra Park, is a landmark 'lung' area of Bengaluru city, located within the heart of the city in the Central Administrative Area. Originally created in 1870, when Major General Richard Sankey was the then British Chief Engineer of Mysore state, it covered an area of 100 acres (0.40 km2) and subsequent expansion has taken place and the area reported now is about 300 acres (1.2 km2). It has a rich recorded history of abundant flora and fauna plantations coupled with numerous impressive and aesthetically located buildings and statues of famous personages, in its precincts.
This public park was first named as Meade’s Park after Sir John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysuru in 1870 and subsequently renamed as Cubbon Park after the longest-serving commissioner of the time, Sir Mark Cubbon. To commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s rule in Mysore State, in 1927, the park was again renamed as Sri. Chamarajendra Park, in memory of the 19th-century ruler of the state Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar (1868–94), during whose rule the park came into existence.
The landscaping in the park creatively integrates natural rock outcrops with thickets of trees, massive bamboos, with grassy expanse and flowerbeds and the monuments within its limits, regulated by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Karnataka. The predominantly green area of the park has many motorable roads, and the well-laid-out walking paths running through the park are frequented by early morning walkers and the naturalists who study plants in the tranquil natural environment. Tourists visiting this park in the city of Bengaluru have nicknamed the city itself as 'Garden City'.
The importance of the park to the city's environment is best stated by two urban architects who have won the national competition to design 'Freedom Park'.
Indigenous and exotic botanical species found in the park are about 68 genera and 96 species with a total of around 6000 plants/trees. Indigenous species found in the park are:[8] artocarpus, cassia fistula, ficus, polyalthias etc., and exotic species such as araucaria, bamboo, castanospermum australe, grevillea robusta, millettia, peltophorum, schinus molle, swietenia mahagoni, tabebuia. sp etc.
Amongst the ornamental and flowering exotic trees lining the roads in the park are the Grevillea robusta (silver oak)—the first oaks introduced to Bangalore from Australia—and the delonix or the gulmohar tree (bright red flowers with long petals) along the Cubbon road in the park, which is a widely cultivated tropical ornamental tree around the world.
The formal gardens, from the central hall of the original Attara Kacheri (means 18 government offices) now the Karnataka High Court, extends along the ceal promenade developed symmetrically with avenues, to the Museum building. Another impressive artistic structure is Iyer Hall, which houses the Central Library with a rose garden as a frontage. It is undisputedly the largest public library in the state as evidenced by the college students thronging to read here and has the world's most extensive collection of Braille books. Other buildings located within or at the periphery of the park are 1) Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library, 2) Venkatappa Art Gallery, 3) Aquarium 4) YMCA, 5) Yuvanika — the State Youth Centre, 6) Century Club, 7) Press Club, 8) Jawahar Bal Bhavan, 9) Tennis Pavilion, 10) Cheshire Dyer Memorial Hall and 11) Ottawa Chatter.
*Image Credits: Bangalore Tourism.in
This public park was first named as Meade’s Park after Sir John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysuru in 1870 and subsequently renamed as Cubbon Park after the longest-serving commissioner of the time, Sir Mark Cubbon. To commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar’s rule in Mysore State, in 1927, the park was again renamed as Sri. Chamarajendra Park, in memory of the 19th-century ruler of the state Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar (1868–94), during whose rule the park came into existence.
The landscaping in the park creatively integrates natural rock outcrops with thickets of trees, massive bamboos, with grassy expanse and flowerbeds and the monuments within its limits, regulated by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Karnataka. The predominantly green area of the park has many motorable roads, and the well-laid-out walking paths running through the park are frequented by early morning walkers and the naturalists who study plants in the tranquil natural environment. Tourists visiting this park in the city of Bengaluru have nicknamed the city itself as 'Garden City'.
The importance of the park to the city's environment is best stated by two urban architects who have won the national competition to design 'Freedom Park'.
Indigenous and exotic botanical species found in the park are about 68 genera and 96 species with a total of around 6000 plants/trees. Indigenous species found in the park are:[8] artocarpus, cassia fistula, ficus, polyalthias etc., and exotic species such as araucaria, bamboo, castanospermum australe, grevillea robusta, millettia, peltophorum, schinus molle, swietenia mahagoni, tabebuia. sp etc.
Amongst the ornamental and flowering exotic trees lining the roads in the park are the Grevillea robusta (silver oak)—the first oaks introduced to Bangalore from Australia—and the delonix or the gulmohar tree (bright red flowers with long petals) along the Cubbon road in the park, which is a widely cultivated tropical ornamental tree around the world.
The formal gardens, from the central hall of the original Attara Kacheri (means 18 government offices) now the Karnataka High Court, extends along the ceal promenade developed symmetrically with avenues, to the Museum building. Another impressive artistic structure is Iyer Hall, which houses the Central Library with a rose garden as a frontage. It is undisputedly the largest public library in the state as evidenced by the college students thronging to read here and has the world's most extensive collection of Braille books. Other buildings located within or at the periphery of the park are 1) Indira Priyadarshini Children’s Library, 2) Venkatappa Art Gallery, 3) Aquarium 4) YMCA, 5) Yuvanika — the State Youth Centre, 6) Century Club, 7) Press Club, 8) Jawahar Bal Bhavan, 9) Tennis Pavilion, 10) Cheshire Dyer Memorial Hall and 11) Ottawa Chatter.
*Image Credits: Bangalore Tourism.in
Government Museum Bangalore
Government Museum, Bangalore, established in 1865 by the Mysore State with the guidance of Surgeon Edward Balfour who founded the museum in Madras and supported by the Chief Commissioner of Mysore, L.B. Bowring, is one of the oldest museums in India and the second oldest museum in South India. It is now an archaeological museum and has a rare collection of archaeological and geological artifacts including old jewellery, sculpture, coins and inscriptions. The museum is also home to the Halmidi inscription, the earliest Kannada inscription (450 AD).
The government museum in Bangalore was established on 18 August 1865, during the period when L.B. Bowring was Chief Commissioner of Mysore State. A formal official notification was issued in the Mysore Government Gazette on 17 April 1866, a copy of which is still preserved in the Karnataka State Archives in Bangalore. The gazette notification officially invited citizens to contribute cultural and natural artifacts to the museum for display.
The museum was founded at the advice and counsel of Edward G. Balfour, a medical officer of the Madras Army, transferred to Bangalore from Madras. Balfour suggested setting up a museum similar to the museum he had previously established in Madras in 1851. Balfour had organized collections for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Balfour had a collection of zoological and natural specimens to exhibit in the Museum. The Government museum in Bangalore was then known as the Mysore Government Museum and the building opened in 1877 which was located on what was then Sydney road (today Kasturba road).
The museum was first established at the Cantonment's jail building. It continued to function there for 13 years until 1878. The jail building was considered not suitable for a museum and it was decided to construct a special museum building near the Cantonment. The current site of the museum was identified for the new museum. The new museum (the current structure) was planned and built in 1877 by Col. Richard Hieram Sankey, the Chief Engineer of Mysore State at that time. The museum was popularly known as the tamasha house (entertainment house). The museum is flanked by the Visvesvaraya Industrial And Technological Museum and the Venkatappa Art gallery. The museum is located centrally on Kasturba road. The museum is built in 1877 in the neoclassical architectural style. It has two porticos on either side, Corinthian columns, circular arches, sloping eaves and prominent sloping parapet walls.
The museum has two exhibition floors which are divided into 18 galleries. The galleries cover sections that span sculpture, natural history, geology, art, music and numismatics. The museum is an archaeological museum and has a rare collection of archaeological and geological artifacts including old jewellery, sculpture, coins and inscriptions. The museum has 70 paintings, 84 sculptures, and hundreds of other artifacts, some of which unique to the museum. The museum has sculpture from the Hoysala, Gandhara and Nolamba periods. Neolithic pottery from excavations carried out at Chandravalli, excavations artifacts from Mohenjodaro, Halebid and Vijayanagar, terracotta from Mathura and weapons from Kodagu. Many relics housed at the museum are as much as 5000 years old. The museum also houses rare paintings of Deccan, Mysore and Tanjore kingdoms are found.
The museum has a model of Srirangapatna, the fort of Tipu Sultan. There is a slab in the museum from Tipu's times that has 12 persian couplets. The museum also showcases various old musical instruments. A Tanjore style framework of 64 Nayanamars is a unique piece there. The prized collections of the Museum include the earliest Kannada inscription- the Halmidi inscription (450 C.E.), Begur inscription (890 C.E.), Atakur inscription (949 C.E.) slabs are found in this museum.
*Image Credits: trawell.in
The government museum in Bangalore was established on 18 August 1865, during the period when L.B. Bowring was Chief Commissioner of Mysore State. A formal official notification was issued in the Mysore Government Gazette on 17 April 1866, a copy of which is still preserved in the Karnataka State Archives in Bangalore. The gazette notification officially invited citizens to contribute cultural and natural artifacts to the museum for display.
The museum was founded at the advice and counsel of Edward G. Balfour, a medical officer of the Madras Army, transferred to Bangalore from Madras. Balfour suggested setting up a museum similar to the museum he had previously established in Madras in 1851. Balfour had organized collections for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Balfour had a collection of zoological and natural specimens to exhibit in the Museum. The Government museum in Bangalore was then known as the Mysore Government Museum and the building opened in 1877 which was located on what was then Sydney road (today Kasturba road).
The museum was first established at the Cantonment's jail building. It continued to function there for 13 years until 1878. The jail building was considered not suitable for a museum and it was decided to construct a special museum building near the Cantonment. The current site of the museum was identified for the new museum. The new museum (the current structure) was planned and built in 1877 by Col. Richard Hieram Sankey, the Chief Engineer of Mysore State at that time. The museum was popularly known as the tamasha house (entertainment house). The museum is flanked by the Visvesvaraya Industrial And Technological Museum and the Venkatappa Art gallery. The museum is located centrally on Kasturba road. The museum is built in 1877 in the neoclassical architectural style. It has two porticos on either side, Corinthian columns, circular arches, sloping eaves and prominent sloping parapet walls.
The museum has two exhibition floors which are divided into 18 galleries. The galleries cover sections that span sculpture, natural history, geology, art, music and numismatics. The museum is an archaeological museum and has a rare collection of archaeological and geological artifacts including old jewellery, sculpture, coins and inscriptions. The museum has 70 paintings, 84 sculptures, and hundreds of other artifacts, some of which unique to the museum. The museum has sculpture from the Hoysala, Gandhara and Nolamba periods. Neolithic pottery from excavations carried out at Chandravalli, excavations artifacts from Mohenjodaro, Halebid and Vijayanagar, terracotta from Mathura and weapons from Kodagu. Many relics housed at the museum are as much as 5000 years old. The museum also houses rare paintings of Deccan, Mysore and Tanjore kingdoms are found.
The museum has a model of Srirangapatna, the fort of Tipu Sultan. There is a slab in the museum from Tipu's times that has 12 persian couplets. The museum also showcases various old musical instruments. A Tanjore style framework of 64 Nayanamars is a unique piece there. The prized collections of the Museum include the earliest Kannada inscription- the Halmidi inscription (450 C.E.), Begur inscription (890 C.E.), Atakur inscription (949 C.E.) slabs are found in this museum.
*Image Credits: trawell.in
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