Parliament House India
¤ Also Known As Sansad Bhawan - A Large Legislative Assembly
If it were not for the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms of 1919, the Parliament
House Delhi may not have been built. It’s corny how the building most
indispensable to modern Indian democracy came up as an afterthought.
Earlier called the Circular House, Parliament of India was added to the layout at a later
stage following the reforms which created a large Legislative Assembly.
¤ Sansad Bhawan - The Beginning
This edifice is the brainchild of Herbert Baker who was much criticized
in comparison with Lutyens creations. An article by Robert Byron in
Architectural Review, January 1931 describes it thus: "The Council
Chamber has been Sir Herbert’s unhappiest venture. Its effect from a
distance has been described. It was said that the Parliament Building India resembles a Spanish bull-ring, lying like
a mill-wheel dropped accidentally on its side.
Information About Parliament House Delhi
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State :
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Delhi
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Location : |
On the northwest of Vijay Chowk, next to the
Secretariat buildings at the end of Parliament Street (Sansad Marg).
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Time to Visit : |
Entry into Parliament House requires official
permission, whether Parliament is in session or not. Visitors can enter
the public galleries of the Indian Parliament with prior permission,
after receiving an official pass. |
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Famous as : |
The place where the Indian Parliament meets and
the world's largest democracy functions. |
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Admission Fee : |
Free, but prior permission required
(foreigners/citizens: from their embassies or High commissions/ from the
reception office on Raisina Road) |
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Photography charges : |
nil (prior permission required) |
¤ Parliament House Delhi - The Colonial Building
To the northwest of Vijay Chowk, this huge circular, colonnaded building
comprises three semicircular chambers for the Legislatures and a Central
Library crowned by a 27.4m high dome. It is 173m in diameter and covers
2.02 hectares in area, with colonnaded verandahs enclosing the entire
circumference. The three semi-circular areas were designed for the Chamber
of Princes, the Council of State and the Legislative Assembly. Today they
house the chambers of the Lok Sabha (House of the People), Rajya Sabha
(Upper House) and the library. A verandah with 144 columns surrounds the
three chambers. The boundary wall has blocks of sandstone carved in
geometrical patterns that echo the Mughal jalis.
An entry pass to the library can be obtained from the Visitor’s
reception on Raisina Road by providing a letter of introduction from a
Member of Parliament. The library working hours are from 1000-1800. To
obtain a visitor’s pass to Sansad Bhawan, Indian nationals should
apply to the Parliament Secretariat. Foreign nationals should apply
through their embassies or high commissions.
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