India’s new parliament building: Blending architectural excellence with rich cultural tradition

An unfathomable happiness of being a part of a glorious moment in India’s more than seven-decade-old parliamentary history was flashing over the face of 91-year-old H D Deve Gowda as he sat inside the new parliament building in New Delhi to watch its splendid inauguration on Sunday. Deve Gowda, who was the Prime Minister of India from June 1, 1996 to April 21, 1997, never thought he would sit in the new parliament building in his lifetime. “I never thought I would be seated in a new parliament building in my lifetime—I did so at the age of 91,” overjoyed Deve Gowda said. Indeed, a history was created when the curtain was pulled down on the colonial-era built infrastructure which once functioned as the Council House of British India and later became the country’s first Parliament House after Independence. Why the new parliament building? In plain words, the old parliament house experienced a space crunch, especially during the Joint Session of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. While there are 793 members of parliament (543 for the Lok Sabha and 250, including 12 nominated members for the Rajya Sabha). The Central Hall, where the joint sessions took place, could accommodate only 440 members. The new parliament which is a grand and awe-inspiring structure and that in the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflects “aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians, will not have a Central Hall, but it is designed in such a way that the Lok Sabha can accommodate up to 1,272 people. That is where the joint sessions of parliament will now occur. Moreover, after 2026, the number of Lok Sabha seats are likely to increase when a freeze on the total number of seats will be removed. That means, the old parliament building would not have failed to accommodate more seats for the members. New parliament building’s designs and architecture Spread in the area of 65000 square meter, the new Parliament building, a triangular-shaped structure features bamboo wood flooring sourced from Tripura. Bamboo wood, known for its eco-friendliness, natural beauty, and exceptional strength compared to traditional hardwood, adds an air of opulence to the space. Bamboo wood flooring is considered as a next-generation floor design element in the architectural world. Furthermore, exquisite carpets adoring the floors were painstakingly handcrafted by around 900 weavers from Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh. While teakwood used in the building was sourced from Nagpur in Maharashtra, red and white sandstones were procured from Sarmathura in Rajasthan. The Kesharia green stone has been procured from Udaipur, the red granite from Lakha near Ajmer and the white marble has been sourced from Ambaji in Rajasthan. The stone carving work was done by sculptors from Udaipur and stone aggregates were sourced from Kotputli in Rajasthan. Manufactured sand was sourced from Charkhi Dadri in Haryana for creating concrete mix for the construction activities. The fly ash bricks used in the construction of the new parliament building were brought from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, while brass works and precast trenches were from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The steel structure used for the false ceilings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers has been procured from Daman and Diu, while the furniture in the new building was crafted in Mumbai. The stone ‘jaali’(lattice) works that mark the building were sourced from Rajnagar in Rajasthan and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The materials for the Ashoka Emblem were sourced from Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Jaipur in Rajasthan, while the Ashok Chakra donning the massive walls of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers and the exteriors of the parliament building were procured from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. While the design of the Lok Sabha is based on the theme of a peacock and that of the Rajya Sabha on a lotus flower. Adding to the significance of the new parliament building is the ‘Sengol’—a sceptre that symbolizes virtue and righteousness. Until now, housed at a museum in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, the Sengol from Tamil Nadu now finds its new home within revered walls of the new parliament building. Architect of the new parliament building Considered as an architectural masterpiece, the new parliament building has been shaped by Bimal Hasmukh Patel, the visionary architect who heads the Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd. Patel has already left an indelible mark with remarkable projects like Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Sabarmati Riverfront Development, Centre for Performing Arts in Ahmedabad, and the renovated Jagannath Temple in Puri. Conclusion Construction of this iconic parliament building commenced on December 10, 2020 with a budget of Rs 971 crore. The new building's triangular design ensures optimal space utilization and functionality, featuring larger legislative chambers. It is an earthquake-resistant structure which has been built to withstand tremors in Zone V, while Delhi falls within Zone IV. The new building bids farewell to cumbersome wires and unwieldy screens to embrace a paperless, wireless, and smart AI-based communication technology. This seamless integration aligns perfectly with the building's serene and modern ambiance. Overall, the new parliament building stands as a testament to India's progress, blending architectural excellence with sustainability, while honouring India’s rich cultural heritage. *** The writer is a Hyderabad-based journalist; views expressed are her own