Indo-Saracenic Revival Architecture in Colonial India Essay

Introduction

India is a country of contrasts where European architecture is intricately intertwined with the local styles. It is especially interesting to explore the impact of the British Empire on Indian colonial architecture as the latter one has long been under the impact of the first. In this connection, the research question of the project is to examine the Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture that was established during the British colonization under the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901).

Rationale and background of the topic

At the end of the XIX century, people thought that a new era of progress and prosperity governed by the great empires of the world is coming. Each of the most powerful countries began the so-called golden age with the invention of distinct architectural styles and the corresponding greatness of the historical moment¹. The British Empire was so great that it had to invent different architectural styles in its different colonial parts. In India, it came up with a style that reproduced the main features of Mughal architecture and went down in annals under the name of the Indo-Saracenic architecture. Several buildings related to this style can still be found in the major cities of India and neighboring Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Indo-Saracenic style was intended to please the local population, both Hindus and Mohammedans, at the same time convincing the two that the British Empire is great². At this point, different architects were interpreting the heritage of their medieval colleagues to create a new style. Such architects as Bhai Ganga Ram, Bhai Ram Singh, an Englishman Samuel Jacob who worked in Jaipur, Indore, and Bikaner were among the best representatives of the Indo-Saracenic architecture.

A brief overview of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture

This eclectic style integrates the elements of Western medieval Gothic, Islamic, and Hindu architectural styles. The Indo-Saracenic style appeared in the period of strengthening positions of Great Britain in India and resulted from attempts of British architects to create a style aimed to demonstrate the power of the British Empire in the late XIX century³. This style has been part of the British concept of “traditional” India which was based on the idea that enlightened colonialists are more aware of the cultural identity of the colony⁴. The style combines smooth arches borrowed from Indian temples with angular and tending upwards of European Gothic. There are plenty of detail, smooth transitions from the dome to the sharp peaks, and ease of unobtrusive designs.

Research focus

In this paper, I will focus on the following three buildings: Madras High Court set of buildings in Chennai, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, and North Block of the Secretariat Building in New Delhi. It seems especially important to explore the mentioned style of architecture located in different cities. It would promote the comprehensiveness of the research and allow making relevant conclusions. After reading scholarly sources that would be identified later, I consider enlightening the following points: the characteristics of the chosen architecture, the most prominent architects related to it, the attitudes of Indians towards the style, and its connection to the concept of the global architecture. Furthermore, I would look through numerous illustrations related to the topic to create a deep understanding of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture. Thus, analyzing both the reading material and illustrations, I will answer the identified questions and create a well-organized paper that, in turn, would contribute to my increased awareness of Indian architectural style as well as its connection to the global architecture.

Annotated Bibliography

Gupta, Narayani. “Of giants and jewelers: The monumental and the miniature in India’s historic” landscapes.” Thesis Eleven 105 (2011):35-43.

This source focuses on architecture as an Indian heritage offering a new perception of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture instead of regarding it as imperial and hybrid style. It is essential to use the article to consider the chosen Indian architecture in the global context that would contribute to my research by offering several examples and clarifications concerning the topic. Such a clear and detailed representation of materials allows learning the information effectively, hence, I would like to use this source in my research.

Jarzombek, Mark, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2^nd. New York: Wiley, 2011.

The authors reveal the most important characteristics of the chosen style supporting their views with the evidence. The information presented in the source seems interesting and significant to use in the project due to its clear presentation. I would like to use this source to identify the notion of “Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture” and to analyze its effects on the local population to ensure the project with the qualitative data.

Sen, Siddhartha. “Between Dominance, Dependence, Negotiation, and Compromise: European Architecture and Urban Planning Practices in Colonial India.” Journal of Planning History 9 (2010): 203–231.

The source discusses the impact of Europe on the establishment of Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture focusing on various analytical and theoretical frameworks. This source is necessary to create a strong argument that would reflect the core of the style while the analysis of the data that was made by the author can be proved as there is evidence of it being taken from reliable sources. A number of vivid illustrations also contribute to the usefulness of the source.

Sengupta, Indra. “A Conservation Code for the Colony: John Marshall’s Conservation Manual and Monument Preservation between India and Europe.” ‘Archaeologizing’ Heritage 5 (2013): 21-37.

The article by Sengupta provides insights into the rules of preservation of local buildings. In particular, the author claims that Indo-Saracenic buildings were designed in order to create an illusion of British rule in India. In this regard, the article is beneficial to study the origins and the purpose of the Indo-Saracenic style.

Footnotes

1. Narayani Gupta, “Of giants and jewelers: The monumental and the miniature in India’s historic” landscapes,” Thesis Eleven 105 (2011): 36.
2. Siddhartha Sen, “Between Dominance, Dependence, Negotiation, and Compromise: European Architecture and Urban Planning Practices in Colonial India,” Journal of Planning History 9 (2010): 215.
3. Indra Sengupta, “A Conservation Code for the Colony: John Marshall’s Conservation Manual and Monument Preservation between India and Europe,” ‘Archaeologizing’ Heritage 5 (2013): 25.
4. Mark Jarzombek and Prakash Vikramaditya, A Global History of Architecture, 2^nd ed. (New York: Wiley, 2011), 38.