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| The Rajaji hall, Chennai. in.worldorgs.com |
Above image: The main hall is to be accessed through a tall and wide flight of steps and many Kollywood (made in Chennai Kodambakkam) films were shot on the steps and in the façade of the building. The mortal remains of many well-known political leaders customarily lay in state in the veranda for public view........
The awareness to restore and conserve historical heritage monuments in India has been gaining currency only in the last several years. The conservationists, in particular, at INTACH impressed on the state governments across the country to safeguard and preserve them for the posterity and by doing so our connectivity with the past won't get lost. Yet another advantage is according to the INTACH engineers such restored government owned building can be put to reuse. The dual advantage is the monuments will be saved and such buildings can be reused for public purpose. This way the government can save money instead of opting for a new building. The latter choice is expensive and time consuming. The good news is the state government is embarking on a mammoth project - restoration of several heritage structures in Tamil Nadu. The PWD has already identified many such structures. The Rajaji Hall, first ever public venue in the early colonial time is slated for restoration soon.
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| The Rajaji hall (formerly Banqueting Hall) hehindu.com |
John Goldingham in 1802 carefully designed the Banqueting Hall for the use of official functions adjacent to the remodeled Governor's mansion. He gave it the appearance of a neo-classical temple with an exterior of a sixteenth-century manor, possessing Tuscan-Doric columns. The building which is 120 feet long, 65 feet wide and 40 feet high is enclosed by a gallery. It had portraits of popular Anglo-Indian leaders and administrators including Edward Clive, Richard Wellesley ( who took part in the final Angelo Mysore war), Sir Eyre Coote, Sir Thomas Munro (who introduced the concept of district administration, etc.,), Lord Hobart and Lord Harris and British monarchs George III and Queen Charlotte (who was presented with famous Arcot diamond pair by the Nawab of Arcot in 1777),
It also had a number of military decorations celebrating British victories at Plassey, now in West Bengal and Seringapatam now in Karnataka.
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| The Rajaji Hall (Banqueting Hall), Chennai,in.worldorgs.com |
Presently the building is under the jurisdiction of Public Works Department (PWD) and is part of the Omandurar Government Estate. Prior to 2012, what was once called Banqueting Hall, a landmark heritage building in Chennai because of official apathy became an eye-sore - garbage dump mainly to discard piles of paper and pieces of unwanted pieces of furniture by the TNPSC department (a govt. department).
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| The Rajaji Hall (Banqueting Hall), Chennai,in.worldorgs.com |
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| Rajaji, 1st gov. gen. of india and CM Madras presidency. en.wikipedia.org |
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| Lord Erward Clive, Gov. of Madraswikiwand.com/ |
The PWD was in a fix as to what to how to clear all the garbage to save the building from damages as it was the duty of TNPSC to dispose of the trash. The erstwhile Raj and EIC considered the banqueting hall a British legacy but when the political scenarios had changed after India's freedom, the stately building became a victim of insensibility of Indian successors and their total lack of interest to save it for the posterity.
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| The Rajaji Hall (Banqueting Hall), Chennai,in.worldorgs.com |
The good news is Public Works Department (PWD) recently in September 2022 sanctioned ₹103.74 crore for conservation and restoration of 16 heritage buildings in Tamil Nadu and Rs.17 crore had been allocated for the Rajaji hall. It is nice the Rajaji hall will be restored back to its old splendor and stately look.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajaji_Hall
https://in.worldorgs.com/catalog/chennai/event-venue/rajaji-hall-chennai
http://www.navrangindia.in/2017/01/the-banqueting-rajaji-hall-chennai.html
