When the building echoed with the blasts of bombs thrown by Bhagat Singh, know the special things about the old Parliament House

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New Parliament Building: The new Parliament building is being discussed in full swing in the country. Meanwhile, let us tell you some special things about the old Parliament House. A unique example of architecture, a symbol of guiding India’s destiny for almost a century and now going to be recorded in the pages of history, the historic old Parliament House was inaugurated by the then Viceroy Lord Irwin on January 18, 1927, after which this building Witnessed many important events.

Parliament House heard the echo of bomb blasts thrown by Bhagat Singh

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates and dedicates the new Parliament House to the nation on May 28, the old Parliament House will also hand over its 96-year-old status as the seat of the country’s sacred legislature to the new building. Worshiped as India’s temple of democracy, the old Parliament House witnessed British imperial rule in the past decade and its chambers echoed with the bomb blasts thrown by freedom fighters Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. Listened.

Witness to Nehru’s historic speech

This building saw the dawn of independence in the country and it also got the privilege of witnessing the historic ‘Tryst with Destiny’ (interview with destiny) speech of the country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 15 August 1974. The circular Old Parliament House with 144 pillars of red sandstone on the first floor is a splendid piece of architecture. The old building was inaugurated with much fanfare when the new imperial capital of the British Raj – New Delhi – was being built in the Raisina Hill area.

This building was known as ‘Council House’

According to archival documents and rare old photographs, a grand ceremony was held on January 18, 1927 to inaugurate this grand building. At that time it was known as ‘Council House’. A century ago, when the process of nation-building was still on and independence was 26 years away, Britain’s Duke of Connaught laid the foundation stone of the Parliament House on February 12, 1921, saying that the building would be the “rebirth center of India”. in which the country would “achieve an even higher destiny”.

Sir Herbert Baker designed the building

The building, with a total diameter of 560 feet and a circumference of one-third of a mile, was designed by Sir Herbert Baker, who along with Sir Edwin Lutyens was selected to design the new imperial capital in the Raisina Hill area. According to the book ‘New Delhi – Making of a Capital’, Lord Irwin arrived in his carriage at the ‘Great Place’ (now Vijay Chowk) and then opened the door of the ‘Council House’ with the golden key handed to him by Sir Herbert Baker. At that time, the inauguration of the Parliament House had gathered a lot of headlines in the domestic and foreign media, just as these days there is a lot of discussion in the media before the inauguration of the new Parliament House.

New Parliament Building: Bhadohi’s handmade carpet will enhance the beauty of the new parliament building, because of this it is very special

However, the inauguration ceremony of the new campus has been mired in controversy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid its foundation stone in December 2020. The country’s 20 opposition parties have decided to boycott the inauguration ceremony of the new parliament building, saying that they see no justification for the new building at a time when “the very soul of democracy has been taken out”. The Congress and other opposition parties have raised questions over the country’s constitutional head President Draupadi Murmu not being invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building.

The last session of Parliament ended in April

The new campus will have a grand constitution hall, a chamber for parliamentarians, a library, several committee rooms, dining areas and ample space to park vehicles to showcase India’s democratic heritage. The last session of Parliament held in the old building was the budget session which ended in April. The old Parliament House has been witness to many important events in history. It has witnessed many intellectual debates, on the other hand it has also witnessed extremely noisy and uproar debates. This Parliament House saw the passing of many historical and many controversial bills.

Lord Irwin inaugurated the Old Parliament House in 1927.

A visit to the old Parliament House is also a visit to the new capital of India built under the rule of King George V, the then Maharaja of Britain, which he named New Delhi in 1926, a month before the building was inaugurated. Lutyens and Baker shaped the new imperial capital, with the Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) being built and the ‘North Block’ and ‘South Block’ forming the center of New Delhi. Lord Irwin inaugurated the old Parliament House in 1927. India will start a new chapter with the inauguration of the new Parliament building built under the redevelopment of ‘Central Vista’.

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