Bengaluru: Vidhana Soudha
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A backgrounder
Arnav Chandrasekhar, April 17, 2023: The Indian Express
To a new visitor to the city of Bengaluru standing opposite the Vidhana Soudha, the imposing structure might seem to be something out of a bygone age, a remnant of an era of maharajas and sultans. But in truth, it has its roots in the years immediately after Independence, with its story firmly intertwined with the transformation of the old princely state of Mysore to what would be recognised as modern Karnataka. As veteran journalist and academic Ravindra Reshme pointed out in his recent lecture at the Century Club – “Agony and Ecstasy – The Story Behind the Vidhana Soudha”. It is also inextricably linked with the tale of Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the second chief minister of the erstwhile state of Mysore.
While the construction of the Vidhana Soudha itself began in 1952, its conception lies a year earlier, during the term of KC Reddy, the first chief minister of Mysore. According to Reshme, the original plan for the building was far more modest, only going up to two floors. The foundation stone was laid by PM Nehru in 1951. Interestingly, the original site was within Cubbon Park, somewhere in the vicinity of the Press Club. With Hanumanthaiah’s chief ministership came not only a determination to see the Vidhana Soudha built but to see it built as a grand edifice that would represent Karnataka united.
Reshme said, “Hanumanthaiah wanted to build a grand structure from the materials such as granite available within Karnataka, with the architecture in a ‘Neo-Dravidian’ style. Over 6,000 workers were involved in the construction.” He also noted that over 5,000 of these were convicts, performing labour in exchange for the commutation of their sentences. Nearly 1,500 artisans were also present to work on the artistic elements of the building. The building material itself was granite sourced from the quarries of Magadi.
As the immensity of the three-floor building became obvious, at 700 feet from east to west and 350 feet from north to south, the construction became something of a tourist attraction, drawing visitors who wished to see the building slowly come together. International dignitaries were among these – from Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin to Queen Elizabeth herself. Reshme said that Hanumanthaiah himself would often visit alone and in disguise without any security to observe the construction, with more security being introduced after one of the labourers assaulted Hanumanthaiah – though Hanumanthaiah reportedly forgave his assailant.
Many figures associated with the history of Bengaluru also crop up in association with the Vidhana Soudha. Reshme said, “Hanumanthaiah had appointed a council of 12 advisers for the construction. Two prominent figures included GH Krumbiegel, who was responsible for the landscaping of Bangalore, as well as Sir M Visvesvaraya.”
It also drew opposition from those who felt it was an unjustifiable expense. According to Reshme, Hanumanthaiah was also facing opposition from stalwarts within the Congress itself, as many feared the dilution of their influence with the union of north Karnataka with Mysore, as well as economic problems. Opposition to Hanumanthaiah culminated in 1956. With an investigation ordered by Hanumanthaiah against himself failing to assuage the antipathy of other party members, he resigned from his post just before the Vidhana Soudha was completed. It fell to his successor Kadidal Manjappa to oversee the final touches, with the required religious ceremonies being performed in an understated fashion. Apart from its 1951 foundation stone laying, the Vidhana Soudha does not seem to have had any formal inauguration.
The architecture of the Vidhana Soudha also stands apart. Reshme attributed the broad 44 steps leading up to the Vidhana Soudha to an incident where Gandhi and several other Congress leaders along with Hanumanthaiah had gone to meet the then viceroy, who told Gandhi to stop on the step below his throne – something that had angered Hanumanthaiah. The interior of the legislature including the Speaker’s chair was built to rival and even exceed London’s House of Commons. Many elements such as designs on the parapets and pillars are reminiscent of south Indian temple architecture. Meanwhile, according to historian Meera Iyer’s book “Discovering Bengaluru”, the northern portico of the building is modelled after the gateway of the Krishnarajasagar dam.
