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Architecture of India||Introduction||Temple Architecture|| Cave Architecture||Rajput Architecture|| Jain Architecture || Indo-Islamic Architecture||Colonial Architecture||Modern Architecture||Sculpture in India||World Heritage Sites|| COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE European colonists
brought with them to India concepts of their "world view" and a whole baggage of
the history of European architecture --- Neo-Classical, Romanesque, Gothic and
Renaissance. The initial structures were
utilitarian warehouses and walled trading posts, giving way to fortified towns along the
coastline. The Portuguese adapted to India
the climatically appropriate Iberian galleried patio house and the Baroque churches of
Goa. Se Cathedral and Arch of Conception of Goa were built in the
typical Portuguese-Gothic style. The St.
Francis Church at Cochin, built by the Portuguese in 1510, is believed to be the first
church built by the Europeans in India. The Portuguese also built the fort of Castella de Aguanda near Mumbai and added
fortifications to the Bassein fort built by Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat, in 1532
AD. The Bassein fort is famous for the Matriz
(Cathedral of St Joseph), the Corinthian pillared hall and the Porte da Mer (sea gate). The Danish influence is evident in Nagapatnam, which was laid out in squares and canals and also in Tranquebar and Serampore. The French gave a distinct urban design to its settlement in Pondicherry by applying the Cartesian grid plans and classical architectural patterns. The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus (Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus), the Eglise de Notre Dame de Anges and the Eglise de Notre Dame de Lourdes at Pondicherry have a distinct French influence. However,
it was the British who left a lasting impact on the India architecture. They saw
themselves as the successors to the Mughals and used architecture as a symbol of power. The British followed various architectural styles
– Gothic, Imperial, Christian, English Renaissance and Victorian being the
essentials. The
first buildings were factories but later courts, schools, municipal halls and dak bungalows came up, which were ordinary
structures built by garrison engineers. A
deeper concern with architecture was exhibited in churches and other public buildings.
Most of the buildings were adaptations of the buildings designed by leading British
architects of that time like Wren, Adam, Nash and others in London and other places. For instance, the Church of St. John at Calcutta
was built in 1787 inspired by St. Stephens Church at Walbrooks, the Government House in
Calcutta was built by Capt. Charles Wyatt modelled on the Kedleston Hall of Derbyshire,
the Indian Government Mint in Calcutta is a half-scale replica of the Temple of Minerva at
Athens and the Pachaiyappa's Hall in Chennai was modelled on the Athenium Temple of
Theseus. Unlike Europe, however, these
buildings were built mostly of brick and stuccoed with lime or chunam, sometimes "facades" incised to
look like stones. Some later buildings were, however, built with stones. Churches, which were symbols of colonialism, were
built in great style. Based on London prototypes, several churches evolved with variations
as highly original works. The earliest example is the St. Mary's Church in Fort St. George
in Chennai. Neo-Gothic
architecture flourished in different parts of India under the British, inspired by the
Houses of Parliament in London. Colonel Thomas Cowper built the town hall in Bombay during
1820 to 1835. Governor Sir Bartle Frere tried to give a truly imperial ambience to the
city of Bombay. During his reign the old town walls were broken down and the Gateway of
India was built in the Gothic style of architecture. The Secretariat, University Library,
Rajabai Tower, Telegraph Office and the Victoria Terminus all followed the Victorian
Gothic style, similar to buildings in London. Undoubtedly, the Victoria Terminus, designed
by the architect Frederick Willaim Stevens modelled on the St.Pancras Station, is the
finest example of Gothic architecture with a subtle hint of the Indo-Saracenic motifs, an
extravaganza of polychromatic stone, decorated tile marble and stained glass. Stevens also designed other buildings like the
Churchgate Terminus and the Municipal Building opposite the Victoria Terminus. In
Varanasi, one of the true Gothic monuments is Queen’s College, built in a
perpendicular style by Major Kitoe from 1847 to 1852. In Allahabad, the British built a
series of edifices including the University, All Saints Cathedral, the High Court and the
Mayo College. In Calcutta, a High Court was constructed following the Gothic style. The
Howrah Bridge (1943), with its red brick facade surrounded by eight square towers
represents a combination of the Oriental and Roman styles. Fort William, the stronghold of
the British in mid 19th century that took 13 years to construct at a cost of
more than $3.5 million and the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta (1921), designed by Sir
William Emerson, are probably the most imposing of all British structures in India. The
passing of power from the East India Company to the British Crown, the rise of Indian
nationalism and the introduction of Railways were the watersheds in the British Colonial
Indian architectural history. New materials like concrete, glass, wrought and cast iron
opened up new architectural possibilities. The British also started assimilating and
adopting the native Indian styles in the architecture. All these factors led to the
development of Indo-Saracenic architecture towards the end of the 19th century.
Victorian in essence, it borrowed heavily from the Islamic style of Mughal and Afghan
rulers. In fact it was a pot pouri of
architectural styles; a hybrid style that combined in a wonderful manner diverse
architectural elements of Hindu and Mughal with gothic cusped arches, domes, spires,
tracery, minarets and stained glass.
The
architecture of New Delhi was the crowning glory of the British Raj. Robert Byron
described New Delhi as "The Rome of Hindostan". The British built New Delhi as a
St Martin’s Garrison Church marks the culmination of the British architectural ventures in India. The Church is a huge monolith with a high square tower and deeply sunken window ledges reminiscent of Dutch and German architecture. ||Introduction||Temple Architecture|| Cave Architecture||Rajput Architecture|| Jain Architecture || Indo-Islamic Architecture||Colonial Architecture||Modern Architecture||Sculpture in India||World Heritage Sites|| |
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systematically planned city after it was made the capital in 1911. The British Viceroy
made Sir Edward Lutyens responsible for the overall plan of Delhi. He was specifically
directed to
architecture with Oriental motif was
realised with chajjas, jalis and chhattris, as stylistic devices in the Viceroy's
House (now Rashtrapati Bhawan). Herbert Baker added the imposing buildings of the South
Block and the North Block, which flank the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Another Englishman called
Robert Tor Tussell built the Connaught Place and the Eastern and Western Courts.