Legacy made new!!

It was quite an exhilarating day for visit to the New Parliament House with our friends last week. A truly memorable and educational tour.

On the occasion of 75th year of Independence, Modiji unveiled the new building.  Designed and constructed by Indians, it indeed is an architectural marvel encapsulating the culture, pride, and spirit of the entire nation and looks forward to fulfilling the longstanding need of Indian democracy to have more spacious parliament.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha chambers boast a digitised voting system, well-engineered acoustics, and state-of-the-art audiovisual systems. The Lok Sabha hall’s interior, inspired by India's national bird, the peacock, and the Rajya Sabha hall, representing the lotus, India's national flower, embody the rich symbolism of the nation. It also seamlessly integrates diversity of modern India - the Sangeet Gallery and the Shilp Gallery showcases distinct music, architecture and handicraft traditions of different states.

He also inaugurated and placed ‘Sengol’, a golden sceptre near the Speaker’s seat in the new Lok Sabha hall. It is known to be crafted by Vummidi Bangaru Chetty, a famous jeweller in Madras with Nandi, at the top as the beholder of “Nyaya".

The Sengol is derived from the Tamil word "Semmai" which means "Righteousness" and was carried by emperors during ceremonial occasions to represent their authority in Chola empire from the 9th to 13th century. It was a tradition to hand over from one king to another as a mark of succession and legitimacy. The same ritual was adopted at the time of Independence to symbolise transfer of power from British.

The Sengol was presented to PM Nehru by Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam (a 500-year-old Saivaite monastery) on August 14, 1947 which was kept it at his residence in Delhi for some time before donating it to Anand Bhavan Museum in Allahabad (Prayagraj) until the government decided to revive this historical event in the new Parliament building.

The existing Parliament on the other hand , a Heritage building, built in 1927, embodies excellence in architectural style designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker during British colonial rule. 

However, the building's age and limited infrastructure no longer meet the current requirements in terms of space, amenities, and technology and was never designed to accommodate a bicameral legislature for a fully-fledged democracy. So, the time's tide demands a new temple of democracy. 

Lots of things changed since a century ago-  communication structures and safety benchmarks, topographical considerations, prioritizing divyang individuals  and lifestyle conveniences.

And so with the torch of progress shining bright, we decided to adieu to the venerable old Parliament building, a witness to India's tumultuous past and hard-won freedom. However, when i entered this old structure, I could feel the weight of history, the echoes of impassioned debates, and the whispers of late-night negotiations that shaped our nation's destiny. The walls, worn by time, seemed to yearn to break free from their stoic silence, to share the tales of the giants who once walked those hallowed halls.

It reminded me of how India's story would have been woven into every stone, every crevice, and every worn step. The small hall, once the epicenter of power and decision-making, seemed to hold its breath while we found it so easy to move on, to leave behind the nostalgia and the legacy on the pretext of thee pace of modern life. Did not seem fair.

A sight of relief was the brass ceiling in the heart of the new building, that shone like a celestial canvas, capturing the essence of the sky of a momentous day – January 26, 1950- the day our constitution came into being. Below this was a majestic pendulum swinging like a time keepers Waltz, a symphony of time and tradition. Seemed like it whispered secrets to the past, present, and future, bridging eras with every rhythimic swing. It took more than 24 hours to complete a circle. While it rotated, it defied the constraints of time hinting that progress is a dance between heritage and innovation. May be! 

As the sands of time slip through the hourglass, the question lingers: Can we hold on to the essence of our heritage while embracing tomorrow's dawn? Isnt it true that in our haste, do we risk losing the fragrance of our roots in pursuit of progress? Only time will tell.