Page:The Modern Review Vol 12 (July-Dec. 1912).djvu/12

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THE BUILDING

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Fig.

OF THE NEW CAPITALS

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2.—South Indian Masons carrying out the Sthapati’s designs.

[From a photograph by Dr. A. K. Coomaraswamy. |

the trouble to follow what I -have written previously on this subject» or is tolerably well acquainted with the departmental history and procedure, will be able to the essential errors of these two

expose propositions from all points of view, architectural, artistic or economic. In view

of the Viceroy’s subsequent declaration in the Budget debate we mav hope that such familiar departmental excuses are now only used for rhetorical purposes. Assuming that in this matter the right will at last prevail, we can very well leave depart- mental apologists to themselves and pass on to discuss briefly a few of the practical issues which will arise in carrying out the new policy.

I take it for granted that for many practical reasons the controlling architec-

  • See Essays on Indian Art, Industry and Educa-

tion: G. A. Natesan & Co., Madras.

tural authority in such matters must, fora

time at least, remain European. The first difficulty which an European architect always has to meet is the question of style—an Indian architect has no such

difficulty, for his traditional practice settles it for aan With a European the case is different; when he is asked to design a building in an Indian style, he must ask himself—what Indian style? Shall it be an old one, like the buildings of Akbar’s famous city at Fatehpur-Sikri, or a modern one such as he will find practised by the living Indian masterbuilders of the present day? He will of course find out at once that neither the one nor the other is exactly suit- able for European requirements in India. What then must he do? Akbar had just the same difficulty to meet— none of the Hindu building styles existing in his time were exactly suitable for the Mogul habits or the

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