I had been to Vidhaana Soudha last week to meet my aunt who works there. Wow. It’s one huge fascinating structure. A true pride of Bangalore. Let’s go back in time and find out why this structure was built.
Kengal Hanumanthiah, Karnataka’s (then Mysore) first chief minister in the early 50s was a freedom fighter in India’s struggle for Independence. Seemed he had an anger against the British so much so that when he was the chief minister, he decided to abolish the high court building in Bangalore which was built by British in an European style and architecture. The Central govt. did not approve his demand. Then he vowed to create a magnificent Indian structure, even bigger right in front of the high court. He took it as a personal challenge and made sure that the huge Vidhaana Soudha is built whose domes resembled some of the famous south Indian temples. He himself stood and made sure each room in the building resembled those of the rooms in the Mysore palace.
But when the final structure was finally completed, there arose the biggest irony. The Vidhaan Soudha resemled Crawford Hall, Mysore University building which is a British structure ! Indeed an Irony!! Look again at the pictures above. The first picture is of Crawford Hall and the second picture of course, is the Vidhaana Soudha. Quite a resemlance. Bad luck Mr. K.Hanumanthaiah but well done anyway !!
