'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat': How new Parliament building has something from across India

India will experience a historic moment when the new Parliament building is inaugurated on 28 May after nearly a century of utilising a building that represented the colonial era. Former director of the National Gallery of Modern Art Advaita Gadanayak claimed that the new building would reflect both the history of the country and its position in the twenty-first century. “Parliament is the house of spirituality, politics, literature… there has to be an attempt to synergise all these elements. Each element has to be developed meticulously,” Gadanayak said, as per Hindustan Times. The new Parliament House also symbolises India’s rich cultural diversity since it embodies the concept of “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” by using a variety of national sources for its building materials. Also read: Who should inaugurate Parliament building? The political row explained Materials from all over India According to PTI, the teakwood used in the building was sourced from Nagpur in Maharashtra, while the red and white sandstone was procured from Sarmathura in Rajasthan. The sandstone for the Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb in the national capital was also known to have been sourced from Sarmathura. The Kesharia green stone has been procured from Udaipur, the red granite from Lakha near Ajmer and the white marble has been sourced from Ambaji in Rajasthan. “In a way, the entire country came together to construct the temple of democracy, thus reflecting the true spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat," an official said.

The new Parliament building will make every Indian proud. This video offers a glimpse of this iconic building. I have a special request- share this video with your own voice-over, which conveys your thoughts. I will re-Tweet some of them. Don’t forget to use #MyParliamentMyPride. pic.twitter.com/yEt4F38e8E

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 26, 2023

The steel structure for the false ceilings in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers have been sourced from the union territory of Daman and Diu, while the furniture in the new building was crafted in Mumbai. The stone ‘jaali’ (lattice) works dotting the building were sourced from Rajnagar in Rajasthan and Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The materials for the Ashoka Emblem were sourced from Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Jaipur in Rajasthan, while the Ashok Chakra donning the massive walls of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha chambers and the exteriors of the parliament building were procured from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The stone carving work was done by sculptors from Abu Road and Udaipur, and stone aggregates were sourced from Kotputali, Rajasthan. The new parliament building used manufactured sand or M-sand from Charkhi Dadri in Haryana for creating a concrete mix for the construction activities. M-Sand is considered environmentally friendly as it is manufactured by crushing large hard stones or granite and not by dredging river beds. The fly ash bricks used in the construction were sourced from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, while brass works and pre-cast trenches were from Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The carpets are from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, while the bamboo flooring is from Tripura. The duty of coming up with a concept for Parliament’s artwork was given to the Parliament Art Advisory Committee, which was established in February 2022. In addition to defining topics, choosing local artists and artworks, and supervising the creation and installation of the artworks, the committee also conceptualised the visual vocabulary for each gallery. The new Parliament building was built by Tata Projects Ltd, which also designed a number of noteworthy elements to highlight India’s historic democratic tradition, according to News18. Also read: New Parliament building and the many controversies surrounding the structure Artworks from various regions of the country In an effort to reflect India’s vast diversity, the interior of the new Parliament will have art installations chosen from throughout the nation. The Indian Express quoted its sources as saying that the roughly 5,000 works of art paintings, ornamental pieces, wall panels, stone sculptures, and metal objects that will be displayed, were inspired by the Sanatan Parampara and vaastu shastra. According to Hindustan Times, the installations will be displayed in the galleries of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as six ceremonial entrances and public access routes. These entrance installations will include symbols of national veneration such as the Garud (eagle), Gaj (elephant), Ashva (horse), and Maggar (crocodile). Three Indian galleries are intended to depict the history of the nation in chronological order, leading up to the momentous occasion of the formation of the Constitution of India. The report suggests each piece of artwork will narrate a thousand stories and that artists from all throughout the nation have “worked collaboratively to bring these tales to life.” The new building is believed to also have two massive brass murals each 75 feet tall, which was motivated by a representation of the incident at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple complex. One of the two would capture India’s rich tradition and culture, while the other will provide a narration of the legendary tale of “Samudra Manthan” (the churning of the ocean). The artwork at the new Parliament is the result of work by nearly 75 artists and academics who were brought together by the Ministry of Culture to develop a narrative for these distinctive installations. According to Hindustan Times’ source, the art within Parliament will reflect “the spiritual tapestry of the country true to the philosophy of ‘Sarv Dharam Samppan’ (equality of all religions).” “Parliament is the house of politics, literature, and spirituality. There needs to be an effort to combine these components. According to Gadanayak, every component must be carefully developed. The inauguration Amid the boycott call by 20 opposition parties, the Centre has received a confirmed list of 25 political parties, including some which are not a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that will participate in the inauguration ceremony, ANI reported.

A historic moment for India!

Witness an extraordinary event encapsulating the inseparable bond between our democratic ideals and the spiritual essence that permeates every aspect of our society.

The sacred Sengol, a revered artifact gifted by priests from Tamil Nadu on the eve… pic.twitter.com/UuLpMw5dvY

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) May 24, 2023

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According to News18, the havan will take place in front of the new structure at around 7 am, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will receive the ceremonial sceptre Sengol from the Shaivite order’s senior priests. The Sengol will be situated in the new Parliament building close to the Speaker’s chair. The official opening of the new complex is anticipated to be attended by former vice president M. Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, and Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh, among others. The four-story, triangular Parliament building has a built-up area of 64,500 square metres. The Gyan Dwar, Shakti Dwar, and Karma Dwar are the three primary entrances to the structure. The Rajya Sabha chamber has a higher capacity of up to 384 seats and is decorated with a lotus theme in honour of India’s national flower. The Lok Sabha chamber, which was designed after the nation’s bird, the peacock, has a capacity of 888 seats. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.