INDIA GATE

INDIA GATE

The India Gate situated in India delhi, was part of the work of theImperial War Graves Commission(IWGC), which came into existence in December 1917 for building war graves and memorials to soldiers killed in theFirst World WarThe foundation stone of the All-India War Memorial was laid on 10 February 1921, at 4:30 PM, by the visitingDuke of Connaughtin a solemn soldierly ceremony attended by Officers and Men of theIndian Army,Imperial Service Troops, the Commander in Chief, andChelmsford, theVictory.On the occasion, the viceroy said, "The stirring tales of individual heroism, will live for ever in the annals of this country", and that the memorial which was a tribute to the memory of heroes, "known and unknown would inspire, future generations to endure hardships with similar fortitude and "no less valour"ARCHITECT DESIGN

The 42-metre tall India Gate, stands on a low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge moulding. The shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries but this is rarely done. The India Gate hexagon complex, with a diameter of about 625 metres, covers approximately 306,000m in area.

PARLIAMENT HOUSE

CONSTRUCTION The building was designed by two famous architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Bakerwho were responsible for the planning and construction of New Delhi.The Foundation Stone of Parliament House was laid on the 12th February, 1921 by H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught. The construction of the building took six years and the opening ceremony was performed on the 18th January, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The cost of construction was Rs. 83 lakhs.SIZE OF THE BUILDINGParliament House is a massive circular edifice 560 feet (170.69 metres) in diameter. Its circumference is one-third of a mile 536.33 metres and it covers an area of nearly six acres (24281.16 square metres). The open verandah on the first floor is fringed with a colonnade of 144 creamy sandstone columnseach 27 feet (8.23 metres) high. The building has twelve gates among which Gate No. 1 on the Sansad Marg is the main gate.ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNApart from the fact that the building was built with indigenous material and by Indian labour, the architecture of the building bears a close imprint of the Indian tradition. The layout of fountains both inside and outside the building, the use of Indian symbols the "Chhajjas" which shade the walls and windows and the varied forms of "Jali" in marble are reminders of the story of the craftsmanship displayed in ancient monuments and memorials. With the ancient features of Indian art are mingled modern scientific achievements in acoustics, air-conditioning, simultaneous Interpretation and Automatic Voting etc.FREEMASONS HALL

The indirect benefits the land of India received due to the influence of several emperors and countries are the mechanical improvements and the infrastructural developments that embraced the country to a great extent. The British colony, dominating the country for a significant long time, gifted it with several historic places which form the varied heritage of the country. South India, for an instance, has number of forts and mansions which the British built in their early days in India. One of such structures, the Freemasons Hall, was constructed at the Egmore area on the Commander-in-Chief Road of Chennai in 1923 to aid the military troops of the foreign power. The living legend of the cultural and traditional heritage of the people who inhabited the ancient city of Madras, the hall, is based upon the Greek pattern of engineering agreeably reflecting it through its four giant pillars, prolific utilisation of Italian tiles and marbles in its interiors.

One of the finest buildings of Tamil Nadu, the Freemasons Hall enjoys a locational advantage which makes it easily reachable from any corner of the city. Freemasons Hall is a double storey mansion and can accommodate around 200 people at a time. The small lodge room on the first floor is capable of accommodating 60 people at a time and is meant for holding Masonic meetings.

Architecture

There is also a dining hall on the first floor which is approached by a winding staircase. This staircase is made up of Sholingar stones, with wrought iron and grill. The capacity of this dining hall allows maximum accommodation of about 150 people. The two lodge rooms are illuminated and ventilated with the help of huge windows, nearly 12 feet above the floor. The walls are decorated with Masonic emblems, which are formed by plaster and glided while the verandas are adorned with Italian tiles. Consequently, the Freemasons Hall is constructed keeping in mind all the modern day requirements and Indian climatic conditions. The process of renewal has resulted in reviving its shine and lustre which has fetched tourist's attraction to a great extent.

SENATE HOUSEIt is one of the finest monuments in Chennai and a living example which shows the remarkable architectural skills of the famous architect of 19th century, Robert Fellowes Chisholm. The wonder of Chennai, the Senate house, located on the Madras University Campus, near Marina is a landmark in Chennai. The structure is a live example of the Indo-Saracenic style with a harmonious blend of Byzantine architectural features.

ArchitectureThe Senate house has a central hall with corridors on the ground floor. The corridors stand on six massive pillars standing on either side. Also the four sky touching towers standing at each of the corners of the building gives it a dazzling look. The six porches, two on the eastern and western sides of the building and one each on the northern and southern side of the building further lend the structure a vintage look. There also are three segmental arch openings in each porch in the east, west and south of the porch. The roof is made of brick shell with lime mortar.

VICTORIA MEMORIALThe Victoria Memorial was built to commemorate the peak of the British Empire in India. The Victoria Memorial, conceived by Lord Curzon, represents the architectural climax ofKolkatacity. Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy specified its classical style but the actual plan of Victoria Memorial was laid down by the well-known architect, Sir William Emerson. The Victoria Memorial blends the best of the British and Mughal architecture. The Victoria Memorial hall was built with white Makrana marbles. The Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone of Victoria Memorial in 1906 and it was inaugurated in 1921 in memory of Queen Victoria. The Victoria Memorial is 338 by 228 feet and a height of 184 feet.

ArchitectureToday the Victoria Memorial Hall is a museum having an assortment of Victoria memorabilia, British Raj paintings and other displays. As night descends on Calcutta, the Victoria Memorial Hall is illuminated, giving it a fairy tale look. It is interesting to note that the Victoria Memorial was built without British government funds. The money required for the construction of the stately building, surrounded by beautiful gardens over 64 acres and costing more than 10 million was contributed by British Indian states and individuals who wanted favors with the British government. At the top of the Victoria Memorial is a sixteen foot tall bronze statue of victory, mounted on ball bearings. It rotates with wind.

MARBLE PALACEMarble Palaceis a palatial nineteenth-centurymansionin NorthKolkata. It is located at 46, Muktaram Babu Street, Kolkata 700007. It is one of the best-preserved and most elegant houses of nineteenth-century Calcutta.The mansion is famous for its marble walls and floors, from which its name derives.

HistoryThe house was built in 1835 by britishers and Raja Rajendra Mullick, a wealthy Bengali merchant with a passion for collecting works of art. The house continues to be a residence for his descendants, and the current occupants are the family of Raja Rajendra Mullick Bahadur. Raja Rajendra Mullick was the adopted son of Nilmoni Mullick, who built aJagannathtemple which predates Marble Palace, and still stands within the premises, but is only accessible to members of the family.

ArchitectureThe house is basicallyNeoclassicalin style, while the plan with its open courtyards is largely traditional Bengali. Adjacent to the courtyard, there is athakur-dalan, or place of worship for members of the family. The three-storey building has tall fluted Corinthian pillars and ornamented verandas with fretwork and sloping roofs, built in the style of a Chinese pavilion.The premises also include a garden with lawns, a rock garden, a lake and a small zoo.

GATEWAY OF INDIAThe Gateway of India was built to commemorate the visit ofKing George VandQueen Maryto Mumbai, prior to theDelhi Durbar, in December 1911. However, they only got to see a cardboard model of the structure since the construction did not begin till 1915.The foundation stone was laid on 31 March 1911, by the governor of BombaySir George Sydenham Clarke, with the final design ofGeorge Wittetsanctioned on 31 March 1913. The gateway was built from yellow basalt and concrete.Between 1915 and 1919, work proceeded at Apollo Bundar (Port) to reclaim the land on which the gateway and the new sea wall would be built. The foundations were completed in 1920, and construction was finished in 1924.The gateway was opened on 4 December 1924, by theviceroy, theEarl of Reading.

The last British troops to leave India following the country'sindependence, the First Battalion of theSomerset Light Infantry, passed through the gateway on their way out in a ceremony on 28 February 1948, signalling the end ofBritish rule.

Design and structureThe architectGeorge Wittetcombined the elements of theRoman triumphal archand the 16th-century architecture ofGujarat.Hindu HYPERLINK "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_of_India" \l "cite_note-Gupta2003-16"

Its design is a combination ofandMuslimarchitectural styles; the arch is of Muslim style while the decorations are of Hindu style.The gateway is built from yellowbasaltandreinforced concrete.The stone was locally obtained, and the perforated screens were brought fromGwalior.The gateway faces out toMumbai Harbourfrom the tip ofApollo Bunder.

The central dome is 48 feet (15 metres) in diameter and 83 feet (25 metres) above the ground at its highest point. The whole harbour front was realigned in order to come in line with a plannedesplanadewhich would sweep down to the centre of the town. On each side of the arch, there are large halls that can hold 600 people.The cost of the construction was2 million(US$32,000), borne mainly by the ImperialGovernment of India. Due to a paucity of funds, the approach road was never built, and so the gateway stands at an angle to the road leading up to it. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is aUNESCO World Heritage Siteand an historic railway station inMumbaiMaharashtra, India which serves as the headquarters of theCentral Railways. Designed byFrederick William Stevenswith influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and traditional Mughal buildings, the station was built in 1887 in theBori Bunderarea of Mumbai to commemorate theGolden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The new railway station was built on the location of the Bori Bunder Stationand is one of the busiest railway stations in India,serving as a terminal for both long-distance trains and commuter trains of theMumbai Suburban Railway. The station's name was changed to its present one in March 1996 and it is now known simply as CST (or CSTM).ArchitectureThe station building is designed in the HighVictorian Gothicstyle of architecture. The building exhibits a fusion of influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and traditional Indian architecture. The skyline, turrets, pointed arches, and eccentric ground plan are close to traditional Indian palace architecture. Externally, the wood carving, tiles, ornamental iron and brass railings, grills for the ticket offices, the balustrades for the grand staircases and other ornaments were the work of students at theSir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art. The station stands as an example of 19th century railway architectural marvels for its advanced structural and technical solutions.