The historic and architecturally magnificent old Parliament building, which shaped India’s destiny for almost a century, has transitioned into the annals of history. It was officially inaugurated on January 18, 1927, by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin and known as Council Hall
On 12 February 1921, Britain’s Duke of Connaught laid the foundation stone of Parliament House. This architectural marvel covered an area of 6 acres had a diameter of 560 ft and a circumference of approximately 550 meters. Designed by Sir Herbert Baker, in collaboration with Sir Edwin Lutyens, who was tasked with designing the new imperial capital in Delhi, the building showcased an enchanting circular design and an impressive colonnade of 144 creamy sandstone columns on the first floor.
The journey of the old Parliament building is intertwined with the evolution of the new capital of India, constructed during the reign of King George V, later christened New Delhi by him in 1926, just a month before the inauguration of this circular landmark. Before the construction of the Council House, or Parliament House as it is known today, the legislature were held in the iconic Old Secretariat building of the government, which presently houses the Delhi Assembly.
The building also stood as a silent observer to India’s journey to Independence, with its halls resonating with the historic ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech delivered by the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on August 15, 1947. In 1950 it become Parliament House .
On 28 May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled and dedicated the new Parliament building to the nation. This marked the transition from the revered old Sansad Bhavan, which had served as the nation’s sacred legislature for over 96 years. It is symbol of India’s temple of democracy, having witnessed the imperial rule of the British, and even the resounding echoes of bombs thrown by revolutionaries Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt in their quest for freedom for the nation.
18 September 2023 marked as the last day in the Sansad Bhawan (Parliament House). It was inaugural day of Special Session of Parliament. On 19 September 2023 on the day Ganesh Chaturthi New Building of Parliament has started holding the parliament session. Here after the Old Parliament House will be known as Samvidhan Sadan.
