Despite widespread opposition, the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has begun a £2bn overhaul of Delhi's grand complex of government buildings in a bid to sever the nation from its colonial past.
At a ceremony held last week, Modi laid the foundation stone for a new building to replace Parliament House, designed by English architects Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker, which upon its completion in 1927 became the seat of power for British-ruled India.
— The Art Newspaper
The ambitious plan by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overhaul the sprawling complex of historic, colonial-era government buildings in Delhi is off to a rocky start: despite ceremonially laying the foundation stone for a new parliament building on December 10, further spending on the project was blocked by India's Supreme Court within the same week.
Since its official reveal in May, Modi's plan to have the heritage-listed central vista redesigned by architect Bimal Patel has been sharply criticized as an "expensive vanity project," including by Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor. In his Guardian Op-Ed, he writes: "Architecture is an effective propagandist tool. [...] This is not the redesign of buildings, it is instead Modi’s way of placing himself at the centre and cementing his legacy as the maker of a new Hindu India."
The new parliament building is expected to be ready for India's 75th anniversary of independence in 2022.
19 Comments
The old circle looks nice and the new design isn't a huge improvement. America too has a colonial past, but it isn't necessarily to redesign the Capital or White House to try to recreate some false alt-history. If there is a utilitarian argument, maybe, but 2 Billion (pounds) for a downgrade seems like a waste--i just hope they keep the old building for another use. Perhaps they should have called Doshi.
If Anish Kapoor's name is attached, I'm generally unsurprised to find the motives fishy and the money to be made of primary importance. Usually combined with bad "art."
ummm, Anish Kapoor is criticizing the move..
Well, shit. My apologies for letting my preconceptions color my comment. Mr. Kapoor, I apologize.
I am not making excuses for not clicking through and reading the op-ed, as I should have. The language in the sentence which includes that link is difficult to parse for me. It doesn't excuse my comment, however.
The Central Vista Complex along with the parliament building is a beautifully designed urban complex with a great sense of place. It may be modernized with better technology but it should not be replaced or redesigned. Mr. Modi is enamored with symbolism and fake history. Perhaps, the money would be better used for innovations for lower income housing in the Capital.
The Upcoming New Indian Parliament Building - it’s going to be the most symbolic accustomed of an amicable new strong most innovative sunrising 10000+ yrs civilized matured new India under the great , legendary & world of history’s most prolific, visionary & active leadership in name of Shri NARENDRA DAMODARDAS MODI.
Our sincere congratulations, acceptance & 1.3+ billion standing salutations to this greatest most extraordinary holy & active human figure the human history of the world will always be very proudly remembering and will read for further motivation and all good means . Simply Very Proud to be Indian!
Thank you.
Dr. BIPLAB Dutta, MD, MS (Cardiac Surgery),
Moscow
Oh lordy, a Modi sycophant. GTFOH lickspittle.
Pathetic! Anyone who doesnt agree with you is a sycophant and Modi is the Fascist?
PM Modi and his party were elected by an overwhelming majority of Indians - and as PM he represents hundreds of millions of people. No coward on the internet can change that or diminish the mandate of hundreds of millions of people.
Many despots, dictators, and fascists were initially elected with wide popular support.
So were many great leaders and social revolutionaries...
So we're in agreement that popular support is not, itself, an indicator of either greatness or despotism.
Democracy is a guarantee that we will get shitty leaders. The majority of people are stupid after all.
Firstly the "Lutyens Zone" is a semi-finished mishmash of so-called Indo-Sarcenic bunkum cooked up by Luytens. It was made for colonial use and was a shambolic disaster even in its day with its poor use of space, almost Fascistic size and utterly un-Indian architectural principles! Lutyens himself was as ignorant about India as anyone could have been at the time and his mishapen "round" Colosseum knock-off centerpiece remains a ridiculous and shambolic farce as evidenced by Ministers having to sit behind pillars and around beams which giving speeches!
Further, "Fake History" is the one foisted by a English educated dilettante who pretended to be Indian but was about as alien to Indians as would be a Martian yet went on to be the "First Prime Minister". So great was the farce that the man who claimed to be almost fanatically "aethistic" was responsible for the worst communal violence in Human history during the Partion of India! Such is the "true history" that came to baptise India under the tender ministration of the "englightened" progressives.
Lastly, a building built 75 years ago with basic electricity and which seated barely 200 is now avcomodating nealry 550 members! Its absurd design makes it neither possible to expand nor capable of extensive renovation, yet Indians are supposed to slavishly worship this grotesque dungeon build by their oppressors ? For what?? To remind them of their days as slaves or to reinforce their hatred for their oppressors? Its like asking the victims of a violent assault to relive their assault forever!
Most sensible thing would be to turn it into a museum of their past.
Try separating your political views from your architecture views. Then I might give a shit.
So were many great democrats and social reformers and world leaders... It is people who vote that decide who is a tinpot dictator and who is a saint - not the arm chair political pundits or self-advertised intellectuals!
"the arm chair political pundits or self-advertised intellectuals"
*looks at your posts*
Sure. Keep talking.
Some 700 million Indians don't even have access to a toilet, otherwise I would say 2bn flushed down the toilet...
Good one!
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