Summary of

KINGSWAY TO RAJPATH: THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF LUTYENS CENTRAL VISTA

Narayani Gupta

An analysis of the reactions of different groups of people to a small but significant section of
Delhis urban landscape, which will indicate how aesthetic judgments have a strong political
content.
Criteria for which British chose the place for New capital in Delhi
-Idea of British was to distance itself from Shah Jahans Delhi. Ridge was already British
area after 1857. North delhi- area was limited and edged by industrial area.
South of Mughal city was idealwhere the ruins of older dynasties and villages were
located.
Viceroys palace overlooked other palaces of dynasties, as it was sited on Raisina hills with city
laid out around it. A European design with Indian setting. City was planned west-east axis as
Yamuna at one end and ridge at the other.
New delhi design gained wide criticism . a ghastly mistake-Lord Willington, Viceroy in 1931.
a whitewashed exhibition town-a german architect in West India.
New delhi was inaugurated in 1931. Central vista was kept traffic free. Parks were underused,
like Champ Elysees without people.
Lutyens Delhi is appropriated by Independent India.
Govt. of India decided Central vista as centre of Delhi, during Republic day symbolizing
arrival of Strong and stable sovereign state. Whereas, Shahjahanabad as a venue for P.Ms
speech during Independence day commemorating the victory of Nationlist movement.
From Nehrus perspective, Delhi as 3 entities in one urban area.Historic Delhi, Shajahanabad,
New Delhi. Shahjahanabad as soul ,spirit and genius of Delhi. New Delhi as soullessness and
without spirit.
Changing names. Queens way-Janpath, Kingsway- Rajpath, Tees January marg, Viceroys
palace- Presidents house to Rashtrapati Bhavan
Central vista as a territory shared by locals and tourists as well. The pedestrian quality of vista,
After the dusk, eastern end of the vista comes alive. Proximity of Childrens park, fascination
of eternal flame at India gate, and excellent lighting all help to create an area of popular
culture bounded by ice cream carts and soaring bunches of balloons. making it a miniature
bazaar itself.
The bhavans with its own culture during office hours, people using lawns near India gate in
lunch hours. Bhavans hemmed by vendors and dhabas creating an interesting informal layer in
the soulless imperial part of Delhi Processions and protests in Boat club. Bigger rallies held in
Rajpath, congregating huge crowd against power all makes it a peoples place.
The Indian Champs Elysees is coming to life- in a way very different from what lutyens
intended. Foodstalls and eateries are normal ancillary developments whenever an office

complex is built. The architectural snobbery of the secretariats is maintained by banishing all
thesestalls from the faade and allowing them to proliferate at the rear.
Independence was not accompanied by Iconoclasm ( action of attacking institutes or
established values) examples of statues of George V (moved to coronation park), Stone
crowns, Edward VII.
Controversy of empty canopy which accommodated George V , to be substituted by Gandhi
statue, or any other symbol, or demolish the canopy? This raised many debates about the
imperialistic character of vista which will not be harmonious to Gandhian philosophy.
Inder Mohan, a social workers quote: Material problems cannot be solved by gimmicks such
as fixing gandhis statue in a traffic island at the cost of a historical monument of architectural
beauty. In a way, patriotism is being reduced to naming historic roads and places after those
who came up through sacrifices and struggles
Narayani Gupta concludes with a quote of Ramachandra Gandhi, grandson of Gandhi: Do we
honour Gandhi by putting him in an imperial cage? The canopy of George V should be allowed
to remain unoccupied forever, dramatizing the exit of British empire from Indiaand
symbolizing the resolve of free India not to set up an imperial successor-state to the British
Raj