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INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN : DISCUSSING CONSTRUCTION OF MODERN BUILDINGS.  Rasananda Bag

The development of infrastructures available political, educational, administrative, like the constructions of modern multi-purpose medical facility to the people, several buildings have been a major component for institutions and buildings were constructed in the growth of modern Odisha. With the the old capital at . These became the formation of infrastructures like constructing stepping stones of Odishan infrastructure. big multi-purpose buildings for administrative, a) Building of judicial and educational progress, a new Odisha The premier educational institution of has been made which could infuse a sense of the State Ravenshaw College had its origin in a pride and modernity in the people. The princes school called Ravenshaw Collegiate School of royal houses had constructed very costly established by the then British Government in modern buildings of European designs in their 1841. Intermediate class started in 1868 and the capitals. Such buildings called Rajprasads could college became affiliated to Calcutta University be found in , Parlakhemundi, , in 1875. Largely through the efforts of Mr. T.E. , Bolangir, Cuttack etc. But a Ravenshaw, the then Divisional Commissioner modern system of provincial administration of Odisha, it became a full-fledged first grade required infrastructures to cater to its growing college. At the instance of the Maharaja of needs for efficiency and quick implementation Mayurbhanj Sri Ramchandra Bhanjdeo the of programmes. who visited the college was transferred to Patna University in then Calcutta( now) could return from 1917 and finally to in 1943 their journeys being mesmerized by the huge when the new university was established as the constructions of Howrah Bridge, Calcutta High 17th one in . The college has been upgraded Court, Writers' Building, Khideerpore to the status of an autonomous College and Dockyard etc. In spite of its indifferent became a nucleus of learning of the entire attitudes, the British started a new era of province both in colonial and post-colonial constructions of modern buildings in Odisha period. from the middle of the 19th century when the province became an integral part of its empire. The College was shifted to its present Small modern buildings in style and location with a large campus spread 87 appearance appeared in Cuttack town which acres of land in 1921. The magnificent red became centers of administration. Though the building looks very British in its architecture effort was very slow, new vistas were thus and general layout. It was a long two-storeyed created to connect the people with the one having a long horizontal appearance. The administration through government buildings facet is well–designed with intervals to attract which became known as administrative the viewers having three openings. It has two headquarters. These infrastructures made rows of spacious verandahs both in the front Odisha a modern province and gave the touch and backside. Other buildings and hotels were of modernity after a long period. After added in later times. The building has a independence in 1947 this spree also continued. spacious open space in front. This was the first big housing construction in entire Odisha. The 1. Pre-independence Odisha College Hall was used as the venue of Assembly To response the colonial challenges and

Lecturer in History U.N. (Auto.) College of Sc. & Tech., Adaspur, Cuttack, Odisha SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 161 sessions of the newly formed State of Odisha till accomplished lady of modern visions and a the new Assembly Hall was constructed in legislature. in 1961. f) Central Rice Research Institute – 1946 b) Building of Odisha Medical College- The institute was established in 1946 on 1944 a sprawling area of thousands of acres near It was a small dispensary during the Cuttack, its basic aim was to conduct research days of the Maratha rule in late eighteenth on crop development in order to increase century set up primarily to attend to the sick overall productivity of rice. Big imposing pilgrims of . Due to strategic location of that modern horizontal buildings were constructed dispensary, the then colonial government to provide laboratories for various researches converted it to a small hospital of modern and classrooms for educational purpose. outlook. That was called Cuttack General 2. Post-Independence Buildings Hospital. In 1875 Dr. Stewart, with the active While the country's independence was support of Sir Richard Temple, Governor of at hand, the ministry for the building of a new and Sir T.E. Ravenshaw, the divisional Odisha, found itself confronted with herculean Commission of Odisha this college was tasks like introducing efficient governance in a converted into a medical school. At the initial newly liberated region from colonialism. stage it was started at the building of Cuttack Provincial, district and local administrative General Hospital. A separate building was centers required huge infrastructures and constructed in 1904. Odisha Medical College buildings to open offices, educational was established in 1944 and was affiliated to institutions and medicals. Reorganization of the Utkal University. The king of Mayurbhanj government to implement welfare measures estate Sri Ramachandra Bhanj donated land and needed modern buildings on immediate basis. money for the construction of big buildings to a) New Capital cater to the need of the system. It was renamed Sriram Chandra Bhanj Medical College The establishment of a new capital at (SCBMC) in 1951 in appreciation of the Bhubaneswar, the temple town situated in 2515' generous contributions of the Maharaja of latitude and 8550' longitude in the present Mayurbhanj to the cause of medical education district of Khurda after independence is a and healthcare in the state. landmark in the history of modern Odisha. It had been a heartland of ancient empires such c) Stewart College – 1944 kings as , and others. Though It was established in 1944, from a centre Cuttack, the headquarter of the then Odisha of the Baptist Missionary Society, London, to a Division, was the center of all cultural and leading institution for higher education in the political activities, it was found to be city. The college was managed by the Church of insufficient and congested for a provincial North Odisha. The building of the College was capital because of its location between the made following modern European architectural Mahanadi and Kathjodi rivers. The Post-war designs meant for religious institutions. r e c o n s t r u c t i o n c o m m i t t e e p r o p o s e d e) Shailabala Women's College – 1946 Bhubaneswar as the ideal site for capital The oldest women's college in and because of its history, availability of space and Orissa, presently known as Shailabala Women's geographical propinquity to Cuttack. The College, started in Ravenshaw Girl's School in Public work Department also reported in favor 1913. The institution then known as Governor of Bhubaneswar on 14 April 1945. Women's College was shifted to the present H.K. Mahtab, the head of the Congress premises which was actually the residence of Ministry, could able to win the Legislative late . The college was later Assembly's approval in favor of Bhubaneswar. named Shailabala College after the adopted Bhubaneswar had a good climate. Construction daughter of Madhusudan Das who was an SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 162 of houses at Bhubaneswar was easy because of present an interesting account of the evaluation its hard rocky ground and availability of stone of modern Odisha. These three buildings served slabs. Above all, the construction of the as the residence of the Governors of Odisha Mahanadi and Kathajodi Bridges solved the form 1926 to 1942, from 1942 to 1960 and from problem of communication between Cuttack 1960 to till date respectively. The Raj Bhawan at and Bhubaneswar. Puri is still used by his Excellency during his On 30 September, 1946 the Odisha visit to the city, but the one at Cuttack is now Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous used as a pediatric hospital, popularly known as resolution for the construction of capital at Shishu Bhavan. The three buildings together tell Bhubaneswar. In 1948 the Government of the story of Odisha passing from Mughals to Odisha held Otto Keenigsberger, a German Jew, Marathas, from Marathas to the British and who planned the New Capital construction with finally to the peoples' representatives. the Rs.1.32 cores grants received from center. The Raj Bhawan at Bhubaneswar is an The constructions for the new capital started in important landmark of the modern capital city Bhubaneswar on 13 April 1949, the foundation of Odisha situated on a hillock known as Bhai stone of the new capital was laid by Pandit Mundia. The construction of a residence for the , the Prime Minister of India. Governor was taken up in a sprawling plot of Along with capital other administrative land measuring 88 acres which located western departments also constructed in Bhubaneswar side of the existing township. Architect Shri in 1951. Julius Voz prepared the design. b) High Court of Odisha – 1948 The foundation stone was laid by Though in 1936 Odisha became a ,the chiefminister of the separate province but there was no separate then Odisha. The construction work started on 1 High Court in Odisha. On February 11, 1939 the January, 1958 under the Chief Engineer K.K. High Court Bar Association of Cuttack adopted Kartha. The construction was completed on 31 a resolution for separate High Court for Odisha March, 1960. with the chairmanship Sir Bira Kishore Ray. d) Orissa Bidhan Sabha – 1961 This resolution was discussed in the legislative The Ravenshaw College hall was used assembly. The Government of India on April 30, as the Assembly Hall after 1937 election in 1948 issued order. Then on Odisha. The transfer of capital from Cuttack to th 26 July 1948 the Odisha High Court was Bhubaneswar led a place in Bhubaneswar to set inaugurated by H.J. Kania, the Chief Justice of up the Assembly building. In 1949 the Assembly the Federal Court of India at Cuttack with Shri held at 11 and 12 October at Sardar Patel House Bira Kishore Ray appointed as the first Chief under the chair of Shri Lal Mohan Pattnaik, the Justice of Odisha High Court. A beautiful only Speaker who held office both under British building of red colour was constructed which rule and in the post independence days. became symbol of justice to the people of the Construction of an estimated cost of Rs.25, 00, province. This 'Red Building' (Nali Kotha) 000 with the plinth area of 47,000 sq. ft. was became a source of numerous myths in the completed in early part of 1961. The building countryside. The building has a high skyline was inaugurated by the then Vice-President of with the assimilation of both Indian and British India Dr. S. Radhakrishnan on the 12 February architectural styles. The influence of the 1961. building of Calcutta High Court in designs can e) Bhubaneswar Sainika School -1962 be traced here. Sainika School, Bhubaneswar is one of c) Raj Bhawan of Odisha – 1960 the 24 Sainika Schools in India. It was opened by The three Raj Bhawans in Odisha- the late Shri Biju Pattnaik, the then Chief Minister of summer resort at Puri, the Lal Bagh palace at Odisha, on 15 January 1962. The new building Cuttack and the Raj Bhawan at Bhubaneswar and infrastructure was brought up within two SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 163 years at the present location under personal care independence was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, of Shri Biju Pattnaik and was inaugurated by Pt. the first President of India on January 1, 1958, Jawaharlal Nehru on 8 January, 1964. It has and the Utkal University old arts block building many horizontally big three storeyed buildings w a s i n a u g u r a t e d b y D r . S a r v a p a l i having all modern amenities. Radhakrishan, the second President of India, on f) State Museum and Library of Odisha January 2, 1963.Te campus is known as Vavi The Asmonian Museum at England in Vihar. It has many beautiful structures 1682 was a first museum to be established in including the Administrative Building, Parija world. In India, the first Museum appeared in Library, hostels and nearly 30 departments. 1814 in the name of Indian Museum at Calcutta. The University was In Odisha the first effort to preserve the inaugurated in 1967 by Dr. A.N. Khosla, the indigenous accounts traced in 1907 at Baripada then Governor of Odisha and the first in . Then the genesis of the Chancellor of the University. The permanent goes back to the year 1932 University campus was built at Bhanja Bihar in when two notable Historians, Prof. N.C. near Berhampur in named after the Banerjee and Prof. Ghanshyam Dash of memory of celebrated poet of Odisha Kabi Ravenshaw College, Cuttack started collection Samrat Upendra Bhanja. University of archaeological materials from various places. is located at Sambalpur near Burla. On 10 The small museum was working in a small December, 1966 the Sambalur University Act house at Ravenshaw College in 1938. Then the was passed by the Odisha Legislature for Govt. of Odisha transformed this nucleus into establishment of a University in the western the provincial museum of Odisha and part of Odisha. In 1973 the University was appointed a committee of management shifted to the present campus named Jyoti Vihar consisting of the Principal of Ravenshaw at Burla.Numerous modern buildings were College and the Head of the Department of constructed in these two campuses. History. Later, it was renamed as State Museum h) Orissa Secretariat Building-1960 and was shifted to Bhubaneswar in 1945-46.. Dr. The imposing structure of the Orissa st Rajendra Prasad, the 1 President of India, laid Secretariat at the heart of the capital city is an the foundation of the present Museum building attraction for the visitors. Le Corbusier, the under the leadership of Dr. H.K. Mahatab. In French designer, used the Orissan temple motif 1960 the great institution was finally shifted to in designing this building. It was the first high the present building. It has preserved more than building built in Odisha. It has modern lift 56,000 rare antiquities ranging from early time system. to modern period. Main Market Complex or Market Orissa State Museum situated at the top Building which is the modern centre of the of Lewis Road near Kalpana Square is a four capital's business was also constructed in this storey building. period. g) Buildings of Universities i) Odisha State Archieves – 1960 The higher education system in Odisha The Odisha State Archives is the central which started under in Ravenshaw College repository meant for housing the non-current under affiliation to Patna University continued records of enduring value of administrative use to be till in 1936. The affiliation was finally as well as historical research. The origin of the transferred to the newly created Utkal State Archives as an independence institution University in 1943. With the effort of Maharaja goes back to the year 1960. A separate building , the Utkal was constructed and made available to the State University Bill was passed by the Odisha Archive in the year 1971 in Patel Road in Legislative Assembly on June 30, 1943. The Bhubaneswar. The building has a large stock foundation stone of the present campus after area in five stairs each measuring 100x50 ft. and SANSHODHAN ISSN 2249-8567 164 is insulated for the administrative block. It Rabindra Mandap was set up in 1960 by consists of specious halls to be used as library the designer Koeningbergar in Bhubaneswar, a and research rooms and for housing photo hope center of Odisha Culture. Bhanja Kala duplication unit and workshops for repair and Mandapa is another attraction which was build rehabilitation. The head of the State Archive is around 1960s to support performing arts in the designated as the Superintendent of Archive. state. It has a well furnished hall and stage for j) Construction of Barabati Stadium the regular staging of dance, drama and song To popularize sports and games in the programmes. state, H.K.Mahtab supported the construction Conclusion of the famous Barabati Stadium in front of the These modern buildings changed the historic fort of Barabati at Cuttack. He extended appearance of a modern state which has a rich all support to Bhairab Chandra Mahanti, an tradition of exquisite construction. Numerous honest politician and an eminent sports cave structures and temples of the bygone days organizer, to complete this arduous task. The prove the point. But the taste and utilities of the stadium became the harbinger of sports modern buildings have changed. Massive revolution in the province for its all-weather development has taken place in construction playground and other modern facilities. Odisha science. Modern sky scrapers are coming up in Olympic Association was formed and Mahtab recent times to give an altogether in look to the remained its President till the end of his life. cities of Odisha. But in immediate post- National and international tournaments and independence period the constructions of above sports were organized attracting thousands of mentioned buildings inaugurated the era of spectators from remote villages. Sailen Kumar modernization in building constructions. It Ray, Mihir Kumar Rao and others became very opened the eyes of the people. These became active in this venture. In the beginning the harbingers of new modern constructions in government provided all financial support to different parts of the state. the Association. It looked after the games like References football, hockey, cricket, athletics and 1. Atul Chandra Pradhan, Resurgent organized annual sports. Odisha, Bhubaneswar, 2013. j ) T h e B u i l d i n g s o f C u l t u r a l 2. Balaram Mohanty, Progress of Orissa Institutions of Odisha during Last Thirty Six years. A discussion was initiated to establish 3. D. B. , “Biju Pattnaik, Builder of Kala Bikash Kendra, an important centre of music, Modern Odisha”, Bhubaneswar, 2013. song and dance at Cuttack. It actually came into 4. Times of India, 17 November, 2012. being in 1952 during the chief ministership of Nabakrushna Choudhury. Mahtab encouraged 5. Nilamani Senapati and Durga Charan Babulal Doshi to complete the work. During the Kuanr, Orissa District Gazetteers, Puri, second tenure, Mahtab laid the foundation Bhubaneswar, 1977. stone of the present complex of the Kendra in 6. Harekrushna Mahtab, Sadhanara Pathe 1958. Odisha Sahitya Academy is an institution (O), Cuttack, 1972. established in the year 1957 for actively working 7. C.P. Patel, Orissa State Museum, Orissa for the development of and Review, September, 2001. literature and to set literary activities and to 8. S. Sundararasan, Integrated Development promote the cultural unity of the State. Its basic Project of , Orissa Review, aim is to compile, edit and publish Odia books November., 1972, pp.14-16. of high standard. The building also houses Sangeet Kala Academy and Lalit Kaka Academy. 9. Prafulla Kumar Pattnaik, Yashodehe The building is situated near to Odisha State Ayusman (o), Part-1 & 2, Vidyapuri, Museum. Cuttack, 2010.

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